Committee and Group Email Guide
This page explains what a committee/group email address is and how to use it.
If you are a participant using a personal email (Gmail, Yahoo, etc.), this page is for you.
Short Answer
Yes. Use your committee/group mailing-list address as the preferred address for group-wide communication.
When you email that address, your message goes to all current participants.
Why This Is Useful
- You send one email to everyone without typing each person's address.
- Group correspondence is archived separately for record-keeping.
- New participants can review ongoing conversations more consistently.
What This Address Is For
- Send updates to the whole committee/group
- Ask the whole group a question
- Share meeting notes or next steps with everyone
- Keep group communication in one place
What This Address Is Not For
- Private one-to-one conversations
- Sensitive information that should only go to staff or leadership
- File attachments that belong in SharePoint long term
For long-term files, upload to SharePoint first, then send the SharePoint link to the group.
Which Email Address Should I Use To Send?
Use your normal email account (your personal email).
You do not log in directly to the group address as a mailbox.
The group address is a distribution address, not a personal account.
Quick Decision Flow
- Need everyone in the committee/group to see this? Use the committee/group mailing-list address.
- Need only one person to see this? Email that person directly.
- Sharing a document people will keep working on? Put it in SharePoint and email the link to the committee/group address.
FAQ
"Should we use this as the preferred email address for the committee/group?"
Yes. Use it for group-wide communication.
"Can we send mail from this address?"
No. Participants should send from their own email account to the group address.
"Do I need to use Teams because Microsoft mentioned Teams in invitation emails?"
No. External volunteers should use email and SharePoint links.
If Microsoft emails mention Teams, that is default wording and can be ignored for this workflow.