Groups

Overview

Email groups based on particular criteria can be created from within the Group function in the Google Administration screen. Users can use a single email address to send emails to everyone within a group.

Group membership is updated automatically based on set criteria. Therefore users do not need to be added manually. Users can belong to any number of groups.

To create a group:

• Click on the Groups button at the top of the page

Note: The screen does not display any previously created groups in the school’s Google instance.

• Scroll to the bottom of the list of groups displayed

• Click on the Add New Group button:

The Add Group screen will be displayed.

• Add a name and description for your group

• Decide who can post by selecting one of the first three options

• Click Next

Note:

• Groups created from within the ICON ePortal will not have an Owner

• Any staff members added to the group will automatically become Managers of the group

• External refers to anyone outside the group, including people external to the school. If this option is later disabled, any external members will remain in the group

• Allowing members to view other members is only advised within staff only groups as this allows group members to view each other’s email addresses.

• Click on Criteria at the top right of the Add Group screen:

Groups can be created based only on criteria stored in the ICON Identity Management System (IDAM).

Options include:

• User Type: Staff or student group

• Year Level

• Gender

From the next drop down menu select the appropriate option from = (Equals), > (greater than), < (less than), ≥ (greater than or equal to) or ≤ (less than or equal to) as required:

For each criterion required for the group, select a Type from the drop down menu under Add Criteria:

Multiple rules can be used to define a group by using Add Criteria to create additional criteria.

For example, to create a group for Year 3 students select Year 3 as the Year Level, then an “=” sign followed by Student as the user type. This will create a new email group for Year 3 students and all Year 3 students will automatically be added to the group.

Group criteria can also be deleted. To do this:

• Tick the box to the left of the criterion detail

• Click Delete Selected Rules

• Click Save Changes at the bottom of the screen

Accessing Groups

Once a group has been created it will appear in the user’s Contacts but only after a message has been sent to that group.