Microsoft 365 offers various types of Groups that can help teams collaborate more efficiently. Each Group type has a unique purpose, such as managing email conversations, sharing files, or organizing events. In this article, we'll explore the different types of Groups in Microsoft 365 and what they can be used for, so you can select the right one for your team's collaboration needs.
Group types in Microsoft 365
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Microsoft 365 Groups are designed for collaboration within your organization. They come with a group email address and SharePoint site where you can share documents, notes, and meeting agendas. You can use Microsoft 365 Groups for project management, team communication, and document sharing.
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Distribution groups are used for broadcasting information and updates to people both inside and outside the organization. They can be used for sharing job updates, organizational changes, or events to a specific set of customers or employees.
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Security groups are designed to grant access to Microsoft 365 resources and make administration easier. They can be used to grant access to important company resources like tools, portals, reports, and devices like printers.
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Mail-enabled Security Groups are like security groups, but with the added capability of sending emails to all members. They can be used for sending news, promotions, and company updates to your sales team.
Groups can be created in the Microsoft 365 admin center or Microsoft 365 apps like Outlook, Teams, and more. You can create groups online or on-premises depending on your organization's setup. Once created, you can add members, set permissions, and start using it for collaboration, communication, and sharing resources.
Roles of owners, members, and guests in Groups
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Owner — The owner of a group is the person who creates the group and has full control over it. Owners can add or remove members, change group settings, and manage group resources like files and calendars.
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Member — Members are the people who are added to the group by the owner. Members can access the group resources and participate in group conversations.
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Guest — Guests are people who aren’t members of your organization but are granted access to the group resources by the owner. Guests can be invited to join a group to collaborate on specific projects or to provide feedback. Learn more about how to add guest users to Microsoft 365 groups.
Managing Groups in Microsoft 365
You can create, manage, and eventually retire a group in Microsoft 365. When creating a group, the owner can choose the group type, add members, and set permissions. Once a group is created, the owner can manage it by adding or removing members, changing group settings, and managing resources like files and calendars. At some point, a group may no longer be necessary, and the owner can retire the group, which removes it from the system and prevents anyone from accessing its resources.
It's essential to note that groups require an owner to function properly. If a group has no owner or the owner is deleted, an automated system assigns a new owner to the group. This process helps keep groups functional and ensures that there is always an owner responsible for managing the group. Learn more about how to manage ownerless Microsoft 365 groups.
