Create and manage groups in the Exchange admin center in Exchange Online

The table is a comparison on how to create and manage groups in Exchange Online using the native admin center and M365 Manager Plus.

Exchange admin center (EAC)

Steps to create and manage groups in Exchange Online using the native admin center

To create a group:

1. Log in to the EAC and navigate to Recipients > Groups.
2. Click Add a group, and Choose a group type, and click Next.
3. Choose the name of one or more users as Owners to manage the group and click Next.
4. Select the Member(s) of the groups and click Next.
5. Type an email address for the group, select a privacy option, and choose whether you want to add Microsoft Teams, then select Next.
6. Click Create group and Close.

To edit a group:

1. Select a group that you want to edit from the list of groups.
2. Modify Basic Information and the Email address of the groupfrom the General section.
3. View, manage, and add Owners and Members to the group from the Members section.
4. You can modify Microsoft 365 groups' Privacy settings, manage external senders for Distribution list group and Mail-enabled security groups, and modify Microsoft Teams settings from the Settings section.

To export a group

1. Select a group that you want to export from the list of groups and click Export groups.
2. Click Continue in the dialog box that is displayed.
3. The group details are downloaded in .csv format.

M365 Manager Plus

Steps to create and manage groups in Exchange Online using M365 Manager Plus

To create a group:

1. Log in to M365 Manager Plus andnavigate to the Management tab > Azure Active Directory > Group Management.
2. Under Single Group Creation, select Microsoft365 Group Creation, Distribution/Mail-enabled Security Group Creation, or Dynamic Distribution Group Creation.
3. Select the tenant from the Microsoft 365 Tenant drop-down menu.
4. Fill in the necessary details in the General, Group, and Exchange sections, and click Apply.

To edit a group:

1. Navigate to the Management tab > Azure Active Directory > Group Management.
2. Under the Bulk Group Modification section, select the modification action you want to perform from the list of actions displayed.
3. Select the group type, the members, owners, custom attributes, and permissions you want to modify, and click Apply.

To Export a group

1. Navigate to the Reports tab > Azure Active Directory > Group Reports.
2. Under General Group Reports, select a group report whose details you want to export.
3. For example, click All Groups, and select the tenant from the Microsoft 365 Tenant drop-down menu.
4. Click Generate Now. The latest details of the group will be displayed.
5. Click Export As from the top-right corner and select the format in which you want to export the details.
6. You can select from PDF, CSV, XLSX, and HTML.
7. The group information will be downloaded in the desired format.

Limitations of using the EAC admin center

• Administrators need to be assigned the necessary roles and permissions to modify groups and its permissions.
• Configuring some settings and modifying them in bulk require PowerShell scripting, which can be complex for non-technical users.
• To modify custom attributes or extensions associated with it, administrators need additional permissions.
• Managing a large number of groups and its members can be cumbersome within the admin center, potentially leading to inefficiencies and difficulty in organizing and tracking mailboxes effectively.
• While the admin center provides some automation features, it may not offer the level of automation required for complex group management tasks.

Benefits of using M365 Manager Plus to bulk add group members

• Assign tasks to technicians without the need to elevate their native privileges.
• Microsoft 365 Manager Plus provides a user-friendly interface without complex PowerShell scripting.
• M365 Manager Plus offers a wide range of management capabilities for Exchange environment, including mailbox management, shared mailbox management, calendar management, public folder modification, and more, all from a single interface.
• Highly customizable features that allow organizations to tailor their platform to their specific needs and requirements. Additionally, it is scalable, capable of supporting organizations of all sizes.
• Management actions come built-in with M365 Manager Plus and can be performed at the click of a button.