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Manage the GAL without powershell?

Copper Contributor

My small church is using Exchange Online for email, as it came with our not-for-profit Microsoft 365 license and syncs user email/calendars/contacts (whereas our old SMTP only synced email).  Our office admin maintains a contact list in Outlook of all the church contacts (members, some guests, community organizations, etc.).  I thought it would be handy if she could instead maintain a Global Address List,  and then all our staff members could grab and use contacts from the GAL as needed. However, it looks like the GAL can only be maintained via Powershell.
Question 1: Is using a GAL more complicated than necessary?
Question 2: Are there any apps or plugins available to maintain the GAL within a more straightforward user interface?

2 Replies
best response confirmed by chriscookesarnia (Copper Contributor)
Solution
Depends on your needs. If you want every recipient to be visible in the GAL and available for all users, you don't need to modify the GAL settings. You can delegate access to the EAC to her, so that she can create the necessary objects - the UI there is point and click, nothing too complicated.

I didn't realize the Mail Contacts list is, by default, the Global Address List.  I just need my admin to add/maintain Mail Contacts in EAC then. Thank you for clarifying.

1 best response

Accepted Solutions
best response confirmed by chriscookesarnia (Copper Contributor)
Solution
Depends on your needs. If you want every recipient to be visible in the GAL and available for all users, you don't need to modify the GAL settings. You can delegate access to the EAC to her, so that she can create the necessary objects - the UI there is point and click, nothing too complicated.

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