A distribution list is a shared email address that forwards to everybody in it. Creating one takes a name, an address, and a decision about who may send to it.

The external-sender decision is the part worth settling first. Avvi should ask before creating anything, and a list created without an answer is internal-only.

Getting it wrong in either direction is a nuisance: an internal-only list that customers cannot reach, or an open list that collects spam.

Before you begin

Decide whether outside senders should be able to email it. A support or enquiries address usually should. An internal announcements list usually should not.

Have the address you want. Changing it later means people have to be told again.

Know who the owner is, and have the initial members ready if you want them added at creation.

Create it

1. Open chat and check the client.
2. Say what you want, naming the list and the address. For example: create a distribution list called Sales at sales@example.com.
3. Answer whether it should accept mail from outside the organisation. If Avvi does not ask, say which you want in the request itself.
4. Read the confirmation, checking the name, the address and the external answer, then confirm.

Avvi reports the list once it has been created, with the members it added.

Good to know

Members can be added at creation or afterwards. Adding them at creation saves a second request.

A distribution list is not a Microsoft Team, and the two are managed differently. If somebody says “the Sales team”, establish which they mean before acting.

Verify it worked

Ask Avvi who is in the list. The members should match what you asked for.

Send a test message to the address, from outside the organisation if you allowed that.

If something doesn’t look right

If outside senders are rejected and you expected them to work, the setting went the other way, or was never answered. Avvi cannot change it after creation, so use the Exchange admin centre or create the list again.

If the address is already in use, choose another. Two things cannot share one address.

If a member was not added, ask for them by email address rather than by name.

To report a failure, open a support conversation from the Help drawer with the client, the list name and the address.

FAQ

Q: Can outside people email it?

A: Only if you say so when it is created. Unanswered means internal-only, and it cannot be changed from Avvi afterwards.

Q: Is this the same as a Team?

A: No. A distribution list is an email address. A Team is a workspace, managed separately.

Q: Can I delete it later?

A: Yes, and deletion cannot be undone.