Table of Contents
Google Groups is a unique collaboration tool that can facilitate a simple mailing list, a question and answer forum, or an announcement board. A group can be configured much like a Listserv list. By default, a Google Group will allow UMD Google accounts. You can also include any valid email address (in addition to TERPmail).
Access
- Log into UMD email.
- Click Groups from the Google Apps 9 point grid.
- Click My groups.
- The email address for the group appears under the Group Title. In this example, the email address is mygroup@umd.edu.
- The Group column will display:
- The Name and email address in the first column.
- The date that you joined the group.
- Subscription: how you will receive messages (can be turned off).
- Settings, Add Members, Leave the Group, Mark as a Favorite Group.
Default group settings
The default settings for new groups are:
- The Organization is UMD.
- There are two types of memberships: Member and Manager. Managers can control the group's settings, add and remove members and additional managers.
- Subscribers and Managers will receive each email that is sent to the group.
- Managers and Members can view email addresses for everyone in the group.
- Managers and Members can view conversations.
- Anyone can publish a post to the group.
- Managers are the only accounts to manage, add, invite and approve members.
- Anyone within the UMD Organization can ask to join.
- Does not allow members outside of UMD for membership (does not allow TERPmail by default). This setting must be turned on to allow TERPmail accounts.
Settings
General
- As a Group Manager, click the Gear icon to modify the default settings.
- The Group settings will appear. Click General.
- This is where you can change the Group Name, Description, or add a welcome message.
- Enable additional Google Groups Features.
- Additional Google Groups Features require the archive group messages setting to be on.
- Select Collaborative Inbox or No additional features.
- Collaborative Inboxes allow members of the group to assign a conversation to each other for tracking. By assigning a conversation to another member, members can:
- Assign responsibility for conversations to group members.
- Set a resolved status for conversations: complete, duplicate, or no action needed.
- Search for conversations according to resolution status or assignee.
- As a group manager, you can turn on labels to organize a group's posts. Unlike labels you create in Gmail, a label you assign to a conversation in Groups is seen by anyone who can view that conversation.
- Click the checkbox next to Enable shared labels for this group to enable shared labels.
- The choices for who can see the group are:
- Group members
- Organization members
- Anyone on the web
- Choices for who can join are:
- Invited users only
- Organization users only
- Organization users can ask
- Allow external members: Must be set on for anyone outside of UMD (such as TERPmail) to be a member.
- Who can view and post conversations choices:
- Managers
- Group members
- Entire organization
- Anyone on the web
- Who can view members:
- Managers
- Group members
- Entire organization
Member privacy
Identification required for new members:
- Either Display name or organization profile.
- Display name profile only.
- Organization profile only.
Posting policies
- Turning on Conversation History on the Posting Policy window will display all messages posted to the group.
- Managers, members or the entire organization can moderate content, metadata, or post as a group.
Email options
- Used for adding and editing a subject prefix, email footer, mail language, and auto-replies.
Member moderation
Group managers should remain the default to manage members.
Adding, removing members
Add members
There are two methods to add members to a group.
- The first method is to click the Add User Icon
to add members.
- The second method is to click the Group name under the Group Name and Email Address column.
- Click Members from the left side bar under People.
- Click the Add members link to the right of the group name to add members to the Group.
Add members or managers
- Click Add members.
- For multiple members, add the email addresses separated by a comma (no spaces).
- For example member1@email.com,member2@email.com,member3@email.com.
- You cannot add owners.
Remove members
- Click the Group Name from My Groups.
- Click Members from the left sidebar under People.
- Click to check the members to remove, then click Remove member.
Post messages
From a laptop or desktop computer
- You should be able to send to a Group list by entering part of the list in the To: address, and select what populates below it. If you are not able to select the list by entering part of the name in the To: address, select it from the Google app directly (continue to Step 2 below).
- From the Groups App 9 point grid, click Groups from the apps selection.
- Click My groups.
- From My groups, click the group name to select your group.
- Click New conversation.
- Write the message, then click the Post Message button.
From an iOS or Android device
You MUST have your @umd.edu account on an iOS or Android device using the Google App.
- For iOS, visit Configure an iOS Device for UMD Google Apps.
- For Android, visit Add a UMD Google Account to an Android Device.
- Sign into your email account by visiting mail.google.com through a Web browser, such as Chrome.
- Click Groups from the apps selection.
- Click My groups.
- From My groups, click the group name to select your group.
- Copy the email address. The email address in this example is mygroup@umd.edu.
- Return to your main @umd.edu email screen.
- From the Groups App 9 point grid.
- Click Contacts from the Apps section.
- Click +Create contact.
- Enter a Contact name, the Email from step 4 above, then click Save.
- The Contact details will appear.
- Allow up to 2 hours for your Contacts to sync with your iOS or Android device.