Maintain Distribution List

Status
Not open for further replies.
J

JGT1942

New Member
Outlook version
Outlook 2013 32 bit
Email Account
POP3
I have Office 2013 x32 installed on my Win8.1 X64 system and have used Outlook (with POP account support) since it became available. IMHO one of the major short comings of Outlook is the lack of support for distribution list. I've attempted to use categorizes either I'm using it incorrectly or it is another failure by Microsoft. Often I need to send an email to more than one distribution list. This is easy if I use the old distribution list, I just open a new email and enter the names of the distribution list in the appropriate field and the email will be sent to everyone. The major issue with the old distribution list is that if a contact changes the email address the change does not get automatically reflected in the distribution list.

Thus I switched to using the categories. Now the list is correctly updated however using the categories is limited. I can open the contacts (People in OL 2013), set the view to categories, search for my desired categories and select the desired list. Thus I cannot just enter the name of the category in the TO, CC or BC field and if I have multiple categories I want to send the email to "if" I initially select them in the People view they will be added to the TO list. This is bad enough, e.g. everybody is added to the TO list. If I send an email to a bunch of people I prefer to use the BC field and avoid sending the entire list to everybody. However "IF" I'm in the middle of an email and realize I forgot to include a category I don't know of a way to add it to the existing email.

Am I doing something wrong? Are there better ways?
 
JGT1942 said:
major short comings of Outlook is the lack of support for distribution list.
Click to expand...
Are you sure you are using POP3? DL's, aka Contact Groups, are available in all account types except Outlook.com Active Sync.
 
Diane Poremsky said:
Are you sure you are using POP3? DL's, aka Contact Groups, are available in all account types except Outlook.com Active Sync.
Click to expand...
Yes I'm using POP3. If I look at my account settings it states "POP/SMTP"
By support for DL I was not clear. If I create a DL and then if one of my contacts changes his email, I change the email in the contact entry this does not change it in the DL. To my knowledge there is no automatic method to keep the DL in-sync with the actual contact entry. If I have a contact in numerous DLs it is near impossible to update all of the DLs.
 
Ok, yeah... DLs don't automatically update - you need to open the DL and click the Update button. Oh, and when you update a DL, the autocomplete cache has been know to use the old DL information. It's annoying, but yeah, they can be better than using categories if you send a lot of group mail.

One option for small groups is using Quick Steps - but they have the same limitations for address changes and would need to be manually updated.

I have a macro that can set a category on DL members so you know which ones they are in - to make it easier to update the dl. http://www.slipstick.com/outlook/co...on-lists-contact-groups-a-contact-belongs-to/ -

There is also an addin you can use to search DLs for a contact - http://www.outlookappins.com/products/contact-group-searcher
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
< Find the Distribution Lists a Contact Belongs to | New Office365 Feature: URL Preview in OWA >
Similar threads
Thread starter Title Forum Replies Date
S Maintain Outlook Distribution List from Access Outlook VBA and Custom Forms 2
elzahy maintain email on outlook 2010 Using Outlook 1
V Maintain name of removed attachments - how to? Using Outlook 9
C active/passive broadband connections to maintain various IT services Exchange Server Administration 2
M How can we find the list of users who are members of a deleted distribution list? Exchange Server Administration 2
Healy Consultants Macro to remove inside organization distribution list email address when reply to all recepients Outlook VBA and Custom Forms 0
M Auto expand Distribution List Before Sending Email Outlook VBA and Custom Forms 1
E Distribution lists Using Outlook 1
M Question about nested distribution lists Outlook VBA and Custom Forms 3
G Bcc help - Preventing multiple forwards from a bcc'd distribution group Using Outlook 1
A Are categories still recommended for creating local distribution lists? Using Outlook 3
Diane Poremsky Using Categories for Dynamic Distribution Lists Using Outlook 0
N Recurring invite sent w/distribution list adding/removing attendees Using Outlook 0
D Macro to scan email distribution list when replying Using Outlook 2
Diane Poremsky Find the Distribution Lists a Contact Belongs to Using Outlook 0
T Missing sub-contact folders (distribution lists) Using Outlook 3
S Finding Distribution List Name Outlook VBA and Custom Forms 3
J Outlook 2013 - Exchange 2007 manage distribution group Exchange Server Administration 1
K Rule for Distribution List Using Outlook 0
M add contacts to shared contacts distribution list Using Outlook 1
M Nested distribution lists: how to count UNIQUE # of people... Outlook VBA and Custom Forms 13
M VBA script to allow mail merges of distribution groups? Using Outlook 7
E Add sender to distribution list? Using Outlook 3
B Restore deleted contact distribution list Using Outlook 1
L Convert Distribution List of Contacts to Single Contacts Using Outlook 6
C Office 2007 Distribution Lists Using Outlook 1
W Combine Mail Merge to Distribution List with Auto Attachments - Outlook 2007 Using Outlook 1
Jennifer Murphy Distribution list fails after conversion to Unicode PST Using Outlook 2
C Can't import distribution list - help, please Using Outlook 1
M Distribution List with hundreds of emails Using Outlook 1
L Individual E-mails from Distribution List Using Outlook 5
M Import distribution list into MS Exchange Sharepoint Exchange Server Administration 3
G Distribution Group Owners Cannot Add/Delete Members Using Outlook 1
G Distribution Group administration Using Outlook 1
A Why doesn't distribution lists update automatically Using Outlook 3
L Send E-mail with VBA code from [E-mail Distribution Group] if I have “Send as” Using Outlook 6
T Distribution List - Export/Import Using Outlook 4
K Creating a New Distribution List from an Existing one Using Outlook 0
C How do I hide distribution list from global contacts for certain users? Exchange Server Administration 1
A Lock the distribution list Using Outlook 1
L Sending from a distribution list email Using Outlook 6
K outlook 2007 Export/Import Distribution lists Using Outlook 1
J Automatically CC to another user when sending from Distribution List Using Outlook 2
K Autocomplete list not saving distribution list Using Outlook 3
N Personal Distribution Lists Using Outlook 0
T Unable to edit Distribution Group membership via Outlook (works via ECP). Exchange Server Administration 7
R How do I expand all distribution lists in the To: section? Using Outlook 4
K loop through distribution group (and potentially, embedded DGs) by Outlook VBA and Custom Forms 1
G Posting of Email Messages Using a Distribution List BCM (Business Contact Manager) 1
F Obtain Members of a Distribution List Outlook 2003 c# Outlook VBA and Custom Forms 1

Similar threads

Back
Top