How to manage emails and share files using Microsoft 365 Groups

The group function of “Microsoft 365” is useful for information sharing and email management within the team.

This article provides an overview of Microsoft 365 and a list of features available in Groups.

Overview of Microsoft 365

First, let’s check the features of Microsoft 365 and the main functions available in Microsoft 365 Groups.

Strengths of Microsoft 365 compared to Office 2021

The advantages of Microsoft 365 compared to the traditional packaged version of Office are as follows.

Centralized management of licenses

• Since the number of employees = the number of licenses, there is no error between the number of owned licenses and the number of users.
• Granting and deletion of licenses can be centrally managed according to the joining and leaving of employees
• You can always use the latest functions and security measures (no need to replace or purchase an updated version due to the end of support)

Manage and share files on the cloud

• Files created within Microsoft 365 services can be stored and managed in cloudware.
• Collaborative editing, confirmation of editing history, restoration of files before editing, etc. can be performed on the cloud as needed.
• Useful for preventing the risk of data corruption/loss and strengthening compliance with the introduction of telework

Application available on multiple devices

• You can use up to 5 PCs, 5 tablets, and 5 smartphones per license.
• The full editing function of the mobile app is also included in the license, so full-scale editing from a mobile device is also possible.

Key Features of Microsoft 365 Groups

If you create a group in Microsoft 365, you will be able to share the following functions and data within the group.

• Incoming mail in Outlook
• schedule
• SharePoint document library
• Planner
• OneNote notebook
• Power BI
• Yammer (if the group was created from Yammer)
• Team (if the group was created from Teams)
• Roadmap (if you have Project for the web)
• Stream

When a user is added to a group, the necessary permissions are automatically granted, so there is no need to manually set permissions after adding the user.

Learn how to share emails and files using groups

Next, we will explain how to manage emails and share files using Microsoft 365 Groups in Outlook.

Group creation procedure

All users can create Microsoft 365 Groups unless restricted to a specific set of users, such as someone with admin privileges.

Here are the steps to create a Microsoft 365 Group in Outlook:

desktop version

1. Start Outlook
2. Click New Group in the Groups section
3. Enter group name
4. Set privacy (public or private)
5. Set advanced options
6. Click “Create”

Web version

1. Access Outlook on the web
2. Click the down arrow next to Create New and select Group
3. Enter group name
4. Set privacy (public or private)
5. Set advanced options
6. Click “Create”

If you enable the “Send group conversations and events to member mailboxes” item in advanced options, you will be able to get a copy of group messages in your personal mailbox.

Newly joined members will need to be moved to a shared mailbox to participate in the group conversation.

Email management

Once a Microsoft 365 Group is created in Outlook, members will be able to:

• Read and reply to messages in shared mailboxes
• Searching message history

Emails received in the shared mailbox are listed on the left side of the Outlook screen, and clicking on each thread will display the details in the reading pane.

Note that marking an email as read by one member does not affect how other members see it.

Also, the operation method when posting a new message to the group is as follows.

1. Start Outlook
2. Open the group’s shared mailbox and click “New Conversation”
3. Enter your message and click “Send”

file sharing

A Microsoft 365 group provides a shared file library for storing, sharing, and collaborating on any files such as documents, books, and presentations.

Here’s how to access the file library:

1. Start Outlook
2. Select Outlook Groups in the menu on the left side of the screen
3. Click “File”

The File Library opens in your browser, from where you can create or upload new files.

How to use a Microsoft 365 group as a shared mailbox

From here, we will explain the types of licenses and contract methods required to use Microsoft 365 Groups in Outlook.

Plans that allow you to use Microsoft 365 Groups

To use Microsoft 365 Groups in Outlook, the following license agreements including “Exchange Online” (mail system) and “SharePoint Online” (file sharing service) are required.

Below are the details of each plan.

The price of Micosoft 365 introduced below is the official Microsoft one.

* Microsoft official site fee information as of May 2023

Please contact NEC Networks & System Integration for licensing agreements.

When signing a Microsoft 365 license contract, we recommend using an agency such as NEC Networks & System Integration.

NEC Networks & System Integration provides support for the introduction of various IT tools and systems, including Microsoft 365. Some examples are the following tools.

• Canario (Telephone brokerage service using AI)
• DocuSign (electronic contract service)
• Eeasy (business schedule adjustment tool)
• Neat. (Remote conference dedicated device)
• Slido (seminar/event activation tool), etc.

Article Summary

• Using Microsoft 365 groups streamlines email and file sharing and helps build teamwork
• To use groups in Outlook, a license contract that includes “Exchange Online” (mail system) and “SharePoint Online” (file sharing service) is required.
• It is recommended to contract Microsoft 365 license with an agency such as NEC Networks & System Integration

In addition to the email management and file sharing explained here, it is possible to share various data in Microsoft 365 groups.

It is a useful service for building teamwork, so if you are worried about how to share information, please consider using Microsoft 365 Group.