If you want to email a group of people without having to type in their email addresses every time, several group email options are available.
Google Group
- Best for: Email newsletters, sharing permissions for Google apps (Calendar, Drive, etc.)
- Email address format: e.g. mydepartment-all@brown.edu (your choice)
- Email delivery: Emails sent to the list are forwarded to each member's inbox. There is no central "inbox," though Groups can be set up to archive messages on the Group's page.
- Who can send to the group? Can be set to receive messages from anyone, only from group members, or only from managers.
- Other benefits: Google groups are also an easy way to assign permissions within Google to a group of people, such as the ability to view a Google Calendar or Document. (Note: Sending permissions also affect members' ability to RSVP to calendar invitations sent to the group.) Please note that Group settings can be configured to allow external emails (e.g. @yahoo.com, @gmail.com, etc.) to join as members - members do not need to have a Brown email address.
Service Catalog: Google Groups
Service Catalog: BrownGroups - maintain group membership automatically based on department (with the ability to add / remove individuals)
Shared Mailbox
- Email address format: e.g. mydepartment@brown.edu (your choice)
- Email delivery: Emails sent to the address are kept in a central inbox (not delivered to individual recipients). People who have been given access to the shared mailbox will have to remember to check the mailbox for new mail.
- Who can send to the group? Anyone. Cannot be restricted.
- Other benefits: Mailbox owners sometimes find it easier to track mail to their group when it is kept in a central inbox. For example, if one person reads and responds to an email to the address, others will see this response.
Service Catalog: Shared Mailbox
Contact Group
- Email address format: A contact group does NOT have a unique email address that cannot be emailed by others, but appears in the autofill as you type in the To field of an email. It's only visible to you.
- Email delivery: n/a
- Who can send to the group? Only you.
- Other benefits: No need to put in a request - you can create these yourself whenever you'd like.
Documentation: How to Create a Contact Group
Class Discussion/Announcement Lists
A Class Discussion List provides instructors with an email address that sends mail to their class roster. The Class Discussion List may be used for two-way email discussion between instructors and students in a course. A Class Announcement List enables instructors to send one way (no-reply) email messages to their students.
Contact Digital Learning & Design (dld@brown.edu) for more information.
Bulk Email
This service is used by high level University offices to send official email communications to large, specified segments of the University population.