Google Apps - Contact Groups vs Google Groups Intro

By -

Google Groups vs Contact Groups

One of the most confusing items for new Google users is the concept of groups...I say this as I feel I am pretty savvy, but it took a lot more reading and experiencing than normal before I got my head wrapped around it and could explain it to others.  I've decided this is because Google uses the term groups in multiple ways within its products, so just talking about a group is a little misleading as it might not be the group you are thinking about.

So, here's a little rundown of the two types of groups you as a user may be using.

Google Groups
Google Groups are a bit like a listserv. They are a mechanism for you to create a group that is managed by a group owner and shared with others.   Here are some key points about a Google Group:
  • a Google Group has a unique email address - when you mail the group it is using this single email and upon receipt it is dispersed to the group in the manner each user has designated
  • Group members only have access to the information granted by the group owners - including group members and email addresses
  • Groups members individually decide how they receive their email - in a digest, or one email per group posting
  • ​Group messages are archived so they can be referred back to at a later date
Contact Groups
Contact groups are just contacts that you group together with a common label (remember - Google is a search engine so everything is a label, you don't actually move anything).  Here are some key points about a Contact Group:
  • Contact groups are only accessible to the person creating them
  • Contact groups can be shared with others via an export and import, but they are not shared - they become two distinct groups controlled just by the individual users (changes made in one don't reflect in the other)
  • When using a contact group in your email, it will insert all individual group member emails - so you are sending multiple emails, not one
  • Everyone gets an email when a contact group is used - there is no end user control
Hopefully this helps you gain some understanding about these two different types of groups.  They each have distinct purposes, but you might want to consider each time - which group is best for what you want?

Popular posts from this blog

Google Script - Create a Drop-Down List from Spreadsheet Column

By -
Image
(Updated on 3/21/2017 - triggers have been moved!) ( I just created a new related post on how to create a multiple choice  question on the form that a bit simplified - takes the "other" answers in a multiple choice question on a form, and updates the multiple choice options with those as options.) I guess it was only a matter of time before I ended up dabbling with Google Scripts.  Today I was asked by a teacher how he could populate a drop-down list on his Google Form from data on a spreadsheet - and have it update as he changed the data.  Not finding an add-on for this (why recreate the wheel? :-)  I explored creating a script.  And...discovered that this task is not too hard! To do this yourself - 1. Create your form.   Really important step.  Make sure to create your drop-down item and give it a title, but you do not need to add any options to it (because later you will populate it from the spreadsheet). 2. Create the spreadsheet where your list will reside. Yo
Read more

Google Calendar - How to Share Your Calendar Via Link

By -
Image
Google Calendar provides a couple ways you can share your calendar.  The first way you will see below provides a link that lets another person subscribe to your calendar.  They will need to be logged into their Google account, and it will display YOUR calendar along with their own. (Personally, I find this method the best for adding my kids' and husband's events so I see our families events all in one calendar.)  The second method displays your calendar in a browser window.  This is probably the preferred Teacher method for sharing with parents. (Here is a video on How to Share Your Calendar Via a Link .) When in your Google Calendar: Click on the Options menu (stacked dots) for the calendar you want to share - Select Settings and sharing - Click on Access permissions on the left side - Click on the Get shareable link - Note that who can see the calendar with this link depends on the access permissions you have set right above.  For example, with the setti
Read more

2019 MACUL Conference Tipsheet #1 - Food Tips & Special Events

By -
Image
(This is 1 in a series of 4 to help you get ready and excited about going to this year's conference.) Yes, you are attending the conference for all the great learning and networking.  However, eating is still a necessity and it is important to know where to find food while in Detroit...especially food that you can get quickly, without waiting in long lines!  Here are some tips and hints for dealing with that while at Cobo, along with some special events you should know about: Staying Hydrated : make sure you stay hydrated! there are several fountains and water coolers provided throughout the venue to get water - bring along a refillable cup/mug and keep filling it all day instead of purchasing expensive bottles of water Food at Cobo : there are several food vendors right in COBO; some tips about these: there will be around 4000 attendees AND hundreds of additional vendors at the venue, and everyone will be taking about the same meal breaks - either pick up food at
Read more

Google Contacts - Newest Area to Get Some "Google Love"

By Anonymous -
Image
Be ready!  Your Google Contacts is about to update its looks.  I don't know about you, but I don't go to Google Contacts often.  I just don't like it.  If you need a refresher, this is what it looks (looked) like - Looked & felt very...dated.  This morning in going to one of my Google accounts, I got the pop-up window in my contacts.  Here is a screenshot of the new look - Hoping that the Google Love includes more than just the interface.  If there are any big changes that make Contacts more easily managed & navigated, you can be sure to see another blog post or two about it!
Read more

Google Slides - Rulers & Guides

By -
Image
A menu change happened for me this morning in Google Slides (on just my work account, not on my personal account yet).  The addition of both turning on/off a ruler, and adding guides onto the slide to help with placement if you are varying from the pre-built theme layouts. Here is the menu change showing the additional options - RULER The ruler works as you would expect it to.  When you select it from the View menu, it displays a horizontal and vertical ruler at the top and left of the side - When you are moving an object on the slide, you will see blue lines marking the location of the ends and middle of the object on both toolbars - GUIDES When you select to view the guides, you see the midpoint guides on the slides -  Guides do have some more flexibility as you can add additional guides on the slide, and drag them to the location of your choice - There is also the option to "Edit guides" and enter them in a window, as well -
Read more