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QUESTION: I have Microsoft Outlook as my e-mail program and I have a large list of contacts. I would like to group my contacts into subgroups.  For example, I have a group of about 30 high school classmates that I would like in one group. Such grouping would make it far simpler for me to enter into the “To” box when sending an e-mail to them.  I have similar contacts that I would like to put into subgroups.  I would still wish to keep the entire single list so I can send an individual e‑mail.

PC CLUB: Group e-mail lists are a very handy feature and quite easy to implement. The term that’s used to describe this type of list in Outlook is a Distribution List. In Outlook Express it is simply called a Group. In the new Windows Live Mail program it is called a Category and in Windows Vista’s e-mail program, Windows Mail, it is called a Contact Group. Microsoft has changed the name with each version of it software, how rude is that?Here are instructions on how to set up a distribution list in the various Windows operating systems and Google’s Gmail:

Outlook 2007

1. Open Outlook
2. Select the Contacts button in the Navigation Pane
3. Select the drop-down arrow next to the New button on the toolbar and select Distribution List
4. Enter a name for the list and click the Select Members button
5. Select multiple  members using your control key, click the Members button at the bottom of the window and click OK

Windows Vista’s Windows Mail

1. Open Windows Mail
2. Click the Contacts icon on the toolbar to open Contacts
3. Select New Contact Group
4. In the window that opens give the new List a name and add contacts

Microsoft Windows Live Mail

1. Open Windows Live Mail
2. Select the Contacts button on the lower left
3. Select New, Category
4. Give the Category a name
5. Click the names you want to add click Save

Outlook Express

1. Open Outlook Express and click the Addresses button
2. Select New, Group
3. Enter a name for your Group, and click the Select Members button
4. Choose members on the left and click the Select -> button
5. Click OK

Gmail

1. Go to your Gmail account
2. Select the Contacts link
3. Above the My Contacts are two buttons, the one on the left is New Group. Click it.
4. You may get a warning regarding scripting, click OK
5. In the next window enter a name for the new group
6. Next, click your main contacts list and place a check on all the contacts you want to add to the group
7. Click the Groups button near the middle of the screen and select your new group under “Add to.” That’s it.

For more information, including removing a group, go to Google and search for “Gmail contacts group” for directions.

Notes:

• To test the new list, group or category, create a new message and select the To: button. Your new Distribution List should be listed in bold letters.
• If you export the contacts or addresses as a CSV file, the grouping information will not be preserved but backing up the Outlook Express WAB file or the Outlook’s PST file will preserve the grouping.
• If you remove an entry from any group, it will still remain in the main list but the reverse is not true.
• To see who is in a list or group you can create a new message and click the To button to add the list. Right click the list and select properties to see who is in it. You can open your group and edit it like any other contact, just double click the group to make any changes to it such as adding or deleting members.

- Ed Schwartz, NOCCC member. View his blog at www.edwardns.com/blog.

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