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Managing Email to Groups of People

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  5. Managing Email to Groups of People

There are several options for managing email to groups of people:

  • Mail merge using YAMM. Yet Another Mail Merge (YAMM) is a Google add-on for sending personalized mail merges. 

  • Informal Google Groups. Use an informal (or personal) Google Group if the group is needed internally and/or temporarily. These groups can be created by all SCU users, can have multiple owners/managers, and all members can receive emails and event invitations sent to the group. Owners and Managers can update group membership.
    Examples: 2020 Strategic Plan Committee, Fall 2020 AIS Majors, ULIB 20-21 Event Planning Committee.

  • Formal Google Groups. Use a formal Google Group if the group is external facing or has an ongoing/permanent purpose. These groups can have multiple owners/managers, and all members an receive emails sent to the group. Contact the Technology Help Desk to request the group to be created by the Google Admins on your behalf. Once the group is created, Owners and Managers can update group membership.
    Examples: Media Services, Technical Training, ULIB Access Services.

  • Delegated Mailboxes. Use a delegated mailbox if emails are sent to this email address frequently and you need to interact with the delegated mailbox often; if you need to manage historical messages and responses in one place, or if you need to label conersations; if the email is external facing and has an ongoing purpose; if you need the ability to create a vacation rule; or if the membership does not change often. Contact the Technology Help Desk to request the group to be created or updated by the Google Admins on your behalf.
    Examples: Office of the Registrar, SCU Admissions.

  • Global Distribution Lists. The global distribution lists are described  here.
  • Follow these tips from Google for formatting your email message.

  • Send your message using your own SCU account, or a Delegated Mailbox you have access to. Do not attempt to emulate another person's account, even if they gave you their permission to do so. This is called "spoofing" and it is a common tactic used in spamming and phishing. These messages are likely to be flagged as potentially dangerous.
  • All members of the SCU community can build and manage Informal Google Groups.
  • The email address is in the form of yourgroupname-group @ scu.edu.
    (Note, informal groups created before June 15, 2021 have an email address in the form of yourgroupname-pg @ scu.edu.)
  • You can add external users to your Informal Google Group.
  • Informal Google Groups can be used to give group members access to Google Docs, Calendars, Sites, and other resources within Google Workspace.
  • Emails sent to your Informal Google Group will be delivered to the group members’ inbox by default.
  • Contact Technology Training for one-on-one support for Google Groups.
  • Faculty or staff who need help to populate large groups can request assistance through the Technology Help Desk.
  • Information from Google:
  • Departments, programs, and official campus groups can request a Formal Google Group that doesn’t have “-pg” in the email address.
  • Formal Google Groups must be approved (by IS and, if needed, in consultation with other University senior administrators), before implementation.
  • Once IS builds your Formal Google Group, you can manage it.
  • The email address is in the form of groupname @ scu.edu.
  • You can add external users to your Formal Google Group.
  • Formal Google Groups can be used to give group members access to Google Docs, Calendars, Sites, and other resources within G Suite.
  • Emails sent to your Formal Google Group will be delivered to the group members’ inbox by default.
  • Contact Technology Training for one-on-one support for Google Groups.
  • Faculty or staff who need help to populate large groups can request assistance through the Technology Help Desk.
  • Information from Google:
  • Departments, programs, and official campus groups can request a Delegated Mailbox.
  • Delegated Mailboxes must be approved (by IS and, if needed, in consultation with other University senior administrators), before implementation.
  • Once IS builds your Delegated Mailbox, you can request changes through the Technology Help Desk.
  • The email address is in the form of departmentname @ scu.edu.
  • The Delegated Mailbox is an email account, and does not include other Google Apps like Calendar or Drive.
  • You cannot add external users to your Delegated Mailbox.
  • Emails sent to your Delegated Mailbox will be delivered to its inbox -- not to the group members. Group members have to check an additional inbox to see new messages to the group.