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Creating a distribution list of outside e-mail addresses

SearchExchange.com expert David Sengupta explains two options for creating a mailing list of outside individuals and agencies that are not part of your Exchange 2003 domain.

We need to create a mailing list of some key outside individuals and agencies. These addresses are not part of our Exchange Server 2003 domain. Is there a way to set up a list and just enter the e-mail addresses needed?

We need this list so we can inform emergency services when we are scheduling some work that might require their...

assistance, should something go wrong. We can make such a list in Outlook, but each individual would have to create his or her own list. It would be nice if I could create such a list in Microsoft Exchange so that anyone in the plant can get to it when needed.

VIEW MEMBER FEEDBACK TO THIS ASK THE EXPERT Q&A.

You have two options:

  1. Add a contact to your Active Directory for each of the external SMTP addresses, and then put them all in a distribution group.

  2. Drag and drop all the contacts created in someone's mailbox (assuming they are already in someone's mailbox now), and move or copy them to a public folder created to contain contact items. Give everyone permissions to access this public folder, and then have them right-click the public folder in Outlook and select Properties → Outlook Address Book → Show this folder as an e-mail Address Book.

Test both options in a lab to determine which best meets your needs.

MEMBER FEEDBACK TO THIS ASK THE EXPERT Q&A:

If I've used option number two, how would I get contacts in the public folder to list individually in Exchange? Right now my users can send mail to the public folder group as a whole, but not to individuals in the public folder.

Thanks in advance for your advice.
—Shirley M.

******************************************

If I understand your question correctly, you're saying that sending to the contacts as they appear in the new client-side Address Book fails.

If so, you'll want to navigate to Global Settings -> Internet Settings in Exchange System Manager (ESM). Then right-click "Default," switch to the Advanced tab, and ensure that the "Allow automatic forward" checkbox is set.
—David Sengupta, Server Administration Expert

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Related information from SearchExchange.com:

  • 15 tips in 15 minutes: Managing recipients and distribution lists
  • Reference Center: Exchange Server distribution list resources

    • Dig Deeper on Legacy Exchange Server versions

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