Microsoft 365 Groups Access
- Jessica Steele
- Cassandra Rinker
When working in a team, it can be challenging to keep track of the many documents, notes and other communications that circulate between team members. With Microsoft 365 Groups, you can create a shared space that makes it easier to keep track of emails and meetings in Outlook, documents in OneDrive for Business and notes created in OneNote.
The Microsoft 365 Group is a unique account that is not tied to the personal account of any member.
An invitation email is sent to new members who can then subscribe to the group and stay on top of the group's conversations and events.
When a user joins the group, they immediately gain access to all of the work.
Note: Groups created in Microsoft 365 will have a default email address using @groups.wvu.edu as the domain.
Who can create a group?
Anyone with a Microsoft account can create a Microsoft 365 Group.
What's included in a group?
All groups include:
Outlook conversations: When you create a Microsoft 365 group, Exchange generates a mailbox for it. This gives the group an email address to send and receive through Outlook, and enables the members of the group to communicate openly using email as a conversation mechanism.
Full-featured SharePoint Site Collection: Regardless of how a group is created, it will always come with a SharePoint Site. There, you can create Document Libraries and manage your Metadata through Content Types, Columns and even add Workflows.
Group Calendar: Groups include a full-featured Outlook calendar allows you to manage events and appointments, like team meetings, without being linked to a specific individual in the organization.
Who can and cannot view content in a group?
Content in a public group can be seen by anybody at WVU except for students who only have a MIX account. Content in a private group can be seen only by the members of the group, and people who want to join in a private group must be approved by a group owner. Neither public nor private groups can be seen or accessed by people outside of WVU unless those people have been specifically invited as guests.
How do I create a Group?
View the PDF below to set up and start using your group.
How do I add or remove group members?
View Microsoft's guide to add and remove group members in Outlook.
Do inactive groups expire?
Groups that have been inactive for more than 13 months will be deleted. This will also delete any Microsoft Teams, stored files and other resources associated with the affected group. Group owners will receive multiple email warnings from Microsoft detailing the expiration process, allowing them to renew their group/team through the email. If owners no longer need the group or team, they can ignore the emails. More information, including screenshots of the Microsoft emails, can be found on Microsoft's documentation site.