Subscribe/Unsubscribe from Distribution Groups

Finally we can create Distribution Groups (DG) which users can subscribe and/or unsubscribe from by themselves! Don’t know why this option wasn’t made available in Exchange 2007, but anyway... It is here!


If we go to the Properties of a DG (obviously this option is not available for a Dynamic DG), there’s a new tab, Membership Approval. Here we can configure how membership requests should be handled:

Choose whether owner approval is required to join the group
· Open: allows users to join this DG without the approval of the DG owners;
· Closed: allows only DG owners to add members. Requests to join will be rejected automatically;
· Owner approval: allows users to request membership on this DG. Requests to join must be approved by a DG owner before the user can join.

Choose whether the group is open to leave
· Open: allows users to leave the DG without the approval of the DG owners;
· Closed: allows only DG owners the ability to remove members from it. Requests to leave will be rejected automatically.

But that’s not all! On the Mail Flow Settings tab, we now have a Message Moderation option. Here we can configure whether messages sent to this DG must be approved by a moderator before they are delivered to its members.

In the Message Moderation dialog box, select the Messages sent to this group have to be approved by a moderator check box to require all messages sent to the DG to be approved by a moderator.

In the Specify group moderators list, click Add to select the recipients you want to add as moderators of the distribution group.

In the Specify senders who don't require message approval list, click Add to select the recipients you want to add who do not require message approval to send to the DG.




But how can users subscribe/unsubscribe from a DG? Since Outlook 2010 is not here yet and this functionality can’t be used with Outlook 2007, let me show you in the new version of Outlook Web Access (OWA).

In OWA, if you go to Options and then Groups you get the Public Groups I Belong To list. Here’s where we can subscribe/unsubscribe ourselves from a DG.

To join a group just click Join... and select the DG you wish to join:




To leave just click on Leave:



If you ask me, this functionality is more than welcome and should be added a long time ago. Nonetheless, thank you Exchange Team guys!