Introduction to M365 Group

🧩 What Is a Microsoft 365 Group (M365 Group)?

A Microsoft 365 Group is a a powerful way to streamline communication, scheduling, and collaboration with your staff. It’s not just an email distribution list—it’s a shared workspace that includes:

• Shared inbox (via Outlook)
• Shared calendar
• SharePoint document library (File Storage)
• OneNote notebook (Note Taking)
• Planner for task management (Project Management)
• Microsoft Teams integration (Chat)
• Team Management (Self-Service Member Management)

To create a group, contact us via TDX. 

🛠️ What Is It Used For?

Microsoft 365 Groups are designed to support collaboration and communication with staff, departments, projects, and teams. Here are the key use cases:

1. Email-Based Collaboration

• Ideal for teams that prefer working via Outlook.
• Members can send and receive group emails, track conversations, and manage shared calendars.

2. Project Management

• Use Planner to assign tasks, set deadlines, and track progress.
• Integrate with Teams for real-time chat and meetings.

3. Document Sharing

• SharePoint provides a centralized document library.
• Members can co-author files, manage versions, and set permissions.

4. Knowledge Sharing

• OneNote notebooks allow teams to capture meeting notes, brainstorm ideas, and document processes.

5. Cross-Platform Integration

• Groups can be accessed from Outlook, Teams, SharePoint, and mobile apps.
• Seamless integration with Power Automate, Power BI, and other Microsoft 365 services.

6. Group Management

• You can now manage group membership without submitting IT tickets or waiting for IT assistance.
• Staff can locate your group through the "Group Discovery" method in Outlook. This simplifies the onboarding process for new staff.

🧭 How It Differs from Other Tools

• Contact Groups: Simple email lists with no shared resources.
• Distribution Lists: Used for broadcasting emails, but lack collaboration features.
• Microsoft Teams: Built on Microsoft 365 Groups but adds persistent chat, channels, and meeting capabilities.
   

🧠 Best Practices for Use

• Create groups based on communication style: Outlook for email-heavy teams, Teams for chat-based collaboration.
• Avoid duplication by understanding that creating a group in one app (e.g., Planner) automatically provisions resources in others (e.g., SharePoint).
• Train users to choose the right creation method to prevent redundant resources.