Create distribution list from a SharePoint list

[Loubnielsen]

Hi

I have a SharePoint list with a names column and an emails column, like:

Name	Email
Louise	louise@mail.com
Jack	jack@mail.com
Hanna	hanna@mail.com

I would like to now if it is possible to create a distribution list containing all the emails from the email column?

So that I can go to my Outlook and send an email to that specific list of emails.

So that I don't have to manually insert every single email into the ' to: ' field in Outlook, but it would be something like

' to: thenameoftheemaillist ' 

Thanks in regards,

Louise

[#2]

Depends on the permissions you have I suppose. As an "end user", you can sync the list to Outlook, copy the addresses to your contact list and create a "contact group", which you can then address. If you want others in the company to be able to use the group, you will have to create it as a Distribution group in the GAL, and for that you need the necessary permissions on Exchange side.

[#3]

Sync wise not really. However you can probabaly use flow to accomplish this. Using a trigger on the list and using the get items action and then use some action for distro groups if there is one to clear the list and then add all the users back or something along those lines.

[#4]

Well scratch that. Can’t find a connector for it :(

[#5]

Hi @Loubnielsen 

The best way I can think to achieve this is to use Microsoft Flow.

You can create an Office 365 group in Flow and get emails from SharePoint list and add to the group. 

Then you can send emails to that group.

[#6]

@WinfredLiu 

Does doing this allow for the Distribution List to be accessible via the GAL?

[#7]

@Loubnielsen Couple years late to the party, but since I was looking for roughly the same answer I figured I'd chime in, in case someone else was looking for my solution.

- Create an empty Outlook Group "examplegroup@test.com"

- Created a MS Flow with a "When an Item is created" trigger. Link to the SharePoint that the list resides

   - "Add member to group"

       -Group Id: "examplegroup@test.com"

       -A user AAD ID for the user to **bleep** to a team: Title

          Note: I changed the name of the title column to Email. Otherwise it might be something like Name Email. Play with the Dynamic content options till you find the right variable.

Now I just use the group email as the distro.

P.S. I made a second Flow to remove someone. It's almost identical except for instead of "Add member to group" its "Remove member from group"

P.P.S. pro tip: since the distro is being stored in an Outlook group instead of SharePoint list, I find it best to also have an action to "Delete item" at the end of the flow so there isn't an option to double up on anything when triggering the flow.

[#8]

@HaneyTrevor I am using your instructions for creating a flow to add to a distribution list.  You said at the end of your instructions you also add a "delete" command.  Can you explain why?  Thank you!

[#9]

@Viccy  I made the second flow to remove people from the SharePoint list out for two main reasons. First, and easiest, is that SharePoint lists have a maximum of (I think) 500 items. The distro list I was working with is over 2000. The second reason is more of a cleaner programming logic. Person A signs up to the distro, they get added to the SharePoint list, no problem. Person B signs up to the distro, they get added to the distro; Person A shouldn't be added to the distro a second time, but they're on the SharePoint list so maybe(?). Now lets expand further and assume there's Person A, Person B, Person C, and Person D on the "add to distro" SharePoint list. Person C no longer wants to be in the distro list, MS Flow removes them from the distro. Note: Person C is still on the "add to distro" SharePoint list. Now, if, Person E wants to be added to the distro, MS flow might add Person C back into the distro.

All the explanation to say you probably don't need the delete functionality, but it's a best practice to have it. Hope that helps and explains things.   

[#10]

@HaneyTrevor That makes sense.  So, what I am doing is I have one list of people getting added and deleted.  In that case, I don't need a delete function, correct?

[#11]

@Loubnielsen 

I figured out an alternative solution to creating a workflow that might work.

1. Create your contact list in Sharepoint

2. Return to Classic SharePoint -> List -> Connect to Outlook

3. Accept to connect list to Outlook

4. Outlook should open with the Sharepoint list in the Contacts section. At this point I moved the list into the "Other Contacts" folder to keep it visibly separated 

5. Create a new folder under "My Contacts" (Right click on your email account and select New Folder).

• Name it whatever you want
• Folder Contains: Contact Items

6. Copy the contents from the "Other Contacts" list from step 4 into you new folder from step 5

7. Once copied over, create a New Contact Group

8. Name it whatever you want (I found prefacing the name with a 1. will keep it at the top of any list and easy to find) -> select Add Members

9. From the Address book drop down locate and select the contact folder from step 5

10. Select all -> click Members -> Ok...save and close your new contact group

Now, when you go to compose a new email, To -> Locate and select step 5 contact folder from Address Book drop down ->Click on the Distribution list you created in step 10

Currently I have alerts set up on my Sharepoint list to let me know of any changes. I am then triggered to go into my contact folder from step 5, delete its contents and re-copy/paste the freshly updated list from step 4. Repeat steps to create the distribution group etc...

[#12]

Would this work to keep a contact group *updated*? In short, here's what I have:

- SharePoint list column (Person or Group) that allows multiple entries
- Outlook Contact Group

I want to refresh the Contact Group from the names in the list column on a daily basis. I know how to work Power Automate/Workflows in Teams. Is there a quick and easy way to do this?