Make groups for Messages lists

An easy way to build a mailing list in Messages is using groups. You can make as many groups to add to a mailing list as you’d like. Even better, you can reuse those groups in list after list.

Create a group

1. Go to Group Manager in the People menu.

2. Click the green "Add Group" button.

3. Create a name for the group.

4. Use the radio buttons to choose group placement.

5. Select "Create Group."

To keep Group Manager organized, it’s a best practice to create a top-level “Messages” group to house all your groups intended for mailing lists. This will make them easier for you to locate when you add them to the lists. Choose the "Top Level" radio button to create this group.

After you create the Messages group, create groups underneath it. Give each a descriptive name, then create the group.

Add members

In Messages, your lists should be topic-based, e.g., Weekly Upper School Newsletter. In Group Manager, though, you can make groups based on demographics, such as 10th Grade Parents. Use dynamic filters to easily create your group and keep it continually updated. Or, go to the Members tab and click "Select Members" to search for constituents by role. 

Add group to list

Once you have created your groups, you can add them to your mailing list. Within a mailing list: 

1. Click on "Add Subscriber."

2. Select the "Group" tab. 

3. Click "Select Groups" and choose one or more groups to add to the list.

4. Select "Okay."

5. Click "Add."

Attach your 10th Grade Parents group, for example, to Weekly Upper School Newsletter, of course--but also to All School Newsletter, Important Announcements, and Fundraising. Check the "Add as dynamic subscription" checkbox to make sure the group membership is always reflected in the list. If a parent is removed from the group, then, they will automatically be removed from all mailing lists the group is attached to.

After you add groups to a list, you can see these groups next to the mailing list status filter. Use the trashcan icon to remove the group from the list, or use the arrow icon to jump to the group in Group Manager, where you can edit the group's membership.

Troubleshooting: The group membership was updated, or a constituent's information was updated, but I don't see this change in the Messages list.  There are two actions that trigger a list to update: 1) Sending a message to that list, or 2) Unsubscribing and resubscribing a user and/or group to the list. If one of these events occur, then you will see the list updated to reflect the changes made to the constituents/groups.

Unsubscribes

If a user wants to unsubscribe from a mailing list, the process is simple. They can click on the Unsubscribe link in a message that has been sent to the list, and they can opt to be removed from that list only. Their membership in any groups won’t be affected, and they’ll still receive messages sent to the other lists that group is attached to. 

Furthermore, if you have a message that’s too important even for the Important Announcements list, such as an illness report, you can send it as an administrative message. With your Messages groups already created, you already have the groups ready to send it to. You can send an administrative message to as many groups as necessary.