Microsoft 365 Groups (formerly known as Office 365 Groups) work with numerous Microsoft 365 tools so you can collaborate with UIC team members when writing documents, creating spreadsheets, working on project plans, scheduling meetings, or sending email.
Microsoft 365 Groups are a collaborative option in Microsoft 365. A group will have its own UIC internal email address (external available on request), space for file sharing and access to Planner/Tasks within Microsoft 365. Group conversations are archived within Microsoft 365. More information from Microsoft about Microsoft 365 groups can be found on Microsoft's website.
Can I create my own groups?
Yes, they have to be prefixed with O365- in group creation.
Should the group be public or private?
Content in a public group can be seen by anybody at UIC and anybody at UIC can join the group.
Content in a private group can only be seen by the members of the group and anyone who wants to join will need to be added by the group owner.
Technology Solutions recommends that most Microsoft 365 Groups be designated as private.
Who should be the owner?
In most cases the owner is the person requesting that the group be created. Each group can have multiple owners, so if you would like to have more than one owner for a group, just include their UIC email addresses. An owner of a group can add additional owners to the group after it is created.
How can I see which groups I am in?
To see which groups you are currently in, simply follow this link and log in. You'll also be able to see some additional information, such as a list of groups you currently own and who is requesting membership in your groups.
How do I add members to my group?
To add members to your group please read Add and remove group members in Outlook.
What other features are available in Microsoft 365 Groups?
Conversations
Having a group conversation is similar to having an email thread, but only group members participate. There is an excellent how-to page on group conversations on Microsoft's website.
Conversations are saved in a group, so new members will have access to all past conversations.
Calendar
Each Microsoft 365 Group gets its own calendar. Events can be scheduled on this calendar and invites are automatically sent to all group members. Event can be added to the group calendar either through the web client at https://outlook.uic.edu or the Outlook client.
Files
Each Microsoft 365 Group has an area for file storage. This can be used to store files that are needed by the group rather than storing the files in an individual's OneDrive space.
Notebook
Each Microsoft 365 Group has an online OneNote notebook where group members can add notes from within the OneNote Online client at https://office.uic.edu. These notes can be viewed and edited by all group members.
Planner
Planner is a feature that is available within Microsoft 365 Groups that allows plans to be created, tasks to be created and assigned to group members, and progress to be tracked. Microsoft's quick start guide for Planner as well as resources for additional training and how-to articles is available on Microsoft's website.
Additional actions for group owners
A group owner can make additional changes to a group's name, privacy settings, language and email settings through the "Edit Group" option (this can be found under the three dots) in the upper right-hand corner of Microsoft Office 365. The email address of a group cannot be changed once it is created. If an email change is needed, a new group will need to be created. The new group will not have access to files, conversations or calendar events from the previous group.