Microsoft 365 Groups

Microsoft 365 Groups are a fundamental service that enables collaboration across various Microsoft 365 applications.

These groups are essentially a collection of people with a common purpose, simplifying teamwork and communication within an organization.

When a Microsoft 365 Group (formerly Office 365 Group) is created, whether through Microsoft Dynamics 365, Outlook, Teams, or SharePoint, several resources are automatically provisioned to support collaboration.

• Shared Mailbox (Outlook)
• Shared Calendar
• SharePoint Site
• OneNote Notebook
• Planner
• Power BI Workspace (if licensed)
• Microsoft Teams Team (if linked)

Security Note:

• Microsoft 365 Groups are governed by Microsoft Entra ID (Azure AD).
• You can choose private (invitation-only) or public (anyone in the org can join) visibility settings when creating the group.

Members in Microsoft 365 Groups (used in D365)

1. Types of Members

Role	Capabilities
Owner	Can add/remove members, manage settings, delete the group
Member	Can collaborate (email, files, calendar, etc.), but not manage group settings

You can include individuals from outside your organization in a group, provided the administrator
has enabled this feature. Additionally, you can permit external senders to email the group’s address.

Create a Microsoft 365 group

• In the Admin center, expand Teams & groups, then select Active teams & groups.
• Click Add a Microsoft 365 group.
• On the Basics page, enter a name for the group and, optionally, add a description. Click Next.
• On the Owners page, select one or more people to be group owners. Group owners can delete emails from the group inbox, while regular members cannot. Click Next.
• On the Members page, select one or more individuals to add as group members. Click Next.
• On the Settings page:
  • Enter a unique email address for the group.
  • Choose the desired privacy settings.
  • Decide whether to add Microsoft Teams integration.
  • Click Next.

Note: You can change the group’s email domain after it has been created.

• Review your settings. Make any needed changes, then click Create group.
• Once the group is created, select Close.

Add members to the group

• After creating the group, you can add members and configure additional settings.
• Members can either join the group on their own (if permitted) or request approval, or you can manually add them.
• In the Admin center, refresh the page so the newly created group appears.
• Click the name of the group you want to update.
• Go to the Membership tab and select Members.
• Click Add members.
• Select the users you want to add, then click Save.
• Once members are added, the group will appear in Outlook with the assigned members.

Ways to Create a Microsoft 365 Group – Out-of-box ways

Examples:

• Microsoft 365 Admin Center (Admin role required)
• Outlook (Web or Desktop App)
• Microsoft Teams
• SharePoint
• PowerShell (for IT/Admins)
• Azure Portal (Microsoft Entra / Azure AD)

Custom Ways to Create Microsoft 365 Groups & Add Members

Examples:

• Microsoft Graph API (Most Flexible and Customizable)
• Power Automate (Flow)
• Azure Logic Apps (Enterprise workflows)
• Custom Scripts / Apps Using SDKs