Dynamic Distribution Group Creation Template

Dynamic distibution list (DDL) creation templates help administrators in standardizing the DDL creation process. In the template, you can save the standard or predefined values for the desired attributes. When the template is used while creating a dynamic distribution group, all the attributes of the group will be automatically updated with the values specified in the template. This saves a lot of time and effort unnecessarily spent in updating the attributes of each DDL individually.

These templates also offer an option to define conditions for the membership criteria of the group. While defining the conditions, you can use attributes such as department, title, description, city, etc., to select the members.

The template structure consists of tabs (viz. general, filters, Exchange) and each tab includes a group of relevant fields. It also offers an easy-to-use drag-n-drop option which allows you to customize the template layout as per the organizational needs, or based on the help desk technician or the delegate to whom the template will be assigned. Using the customization option, you can:

• - Add or delete tabs
• - Add or remove fields from the tabs
• - Rename tabs and fields
• - Make any tab or field silently active (hide from users during group creation, but update the attributes in AD)
• - Make any attribute mandatory, read-only or editable

Steps to create a new dynamic distribution group creation template

1. Click the Management tab.

2. Go to Group Management and click the Group Creation Templates link located under the Dynamic Distribution Group Template section.

3. Click the create new template link. You will now be in the dynamic distribution group creation template page.

4. Enter the desired name and description for the template.

5. Select the domain in which this template will be used.

6. Click Enable Drag-n-Drop to customize the template structure, by dragging and dropping the required fields from the field tray to the relevant tab.

7. To customize the template (add or remove a tabs/field from the template, enter a value for a field, to make a tab/field silently active, etc.), follow these instructions:

   • Click the General tab.
     - If you wish to rename this tab, click the edit icon located beside the tab name or double click the name of the tab and enter a new name.
     - To hide or delete the entire tab and all its fields from the help desk technician during dynamic distribution group creation, click the '-' or 'x' icon, located beside the tab name. Whenever a field or tab is deleted, it moves to the field tray and can be dragged and dropped back into the template, whenever needed.
     Under each tab, the fields will be placed under fields groups. In General tab, all the fields are by default, place under one common group General.
     • If you wish to rename a field group, click the Edit link located beside the field group name and enter the new name.
     • To hide the entire field group or delete it, click Make Silently Active or the Delete link respectively.
     • As per your need, you can make any field mandatory. To make any field mandatory, click the edit icon that appears when you point the mouse over the desired field.
     • You can also make any field read-only or hide it (silently active), as needed.
     • Once you complete customizing the tab, for all the desired fields, enter the values that you wish to save.
     • To save a value for any field, point the mouse over the desired field, click the edit icon that appears, enter the appropriate value and click Done to save.
   • Click the Filters tab. By default, the fields under this tab are grouped under two field groups - filters and conditions.
     • The fields under filters, the recipient container and included recipient types, allow you to specify the container and the types of objects that must be added to the group as members.
     • The conditions field can be used to specify the criteria based on which members must be selected for this group; it will be empty by default. If you wish to add any condition, point the mouse over the condition field, click the edit icon and add the appropriate conditions.
     • Make the desired fields under this tab, read-only, silently active or mandatory, as needed. Add approporiate values to the desired fields, if you wish to preset values for them.
   • Click the Exchange tab. By default, the fields in this tab are placed under general, email addresses, delivery restrictions and Exchange 2013/2016 field groups. Make the desired customizations to the fields in this tab and if you wish to preset the value for any field, add appropriate value to the desired field.
8. Once you have made the required customizations in all the tabs, click Save Template to create the new template.

Note: Each field can be used only once and in one tab only. All the fields that are being used will appear greyed out in the field tray. By default, all the fields in the field tray are greyed out as all the fields are used in the tabs. You cannot drag-n-drop the fields which are greyed out. Fields belonging to Exchange tab cannot be used in any other tab and vice versa. When a field is deleted from the tabs, it is moved to the 'field tray'; it can be dragged and dropped back into the template, whenever needed.

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Field Tray:

When the 'Drag-n-Drop' option is enabled, you can see two components or panes. The pane on the left has all the default tabs and all their corresponding fields. This pane is called the 'Field Tray'. The fields can be dragged and dropped to the required tabs in the template or unwanted fields can be moved back to the field tray from the template.

Silently Active:

Using the silently active option, it is possible to hide a tab or a field without actually deleting it.

When this option is enabled, the respective tab or field and also the values in the tab will not be displayed during the dynamic distribution group creation process but will actually be used while creating the group.

This option is useful in cases where the administrator would like give values to the attributes in the tab but would not like the person creating the group to know the values being provided.

This option can be selected by clicking the '-' symbol which is displayed, beside the delete option, when the mouse is positioned over or near the tab name.

Field Group:

A field group contains a group of related attributes placed under one common head.

A new field group can be added using the Add Group' option that is placed inside the tab on the top right corner.

Similar to the tab, a field group or any field that is placed in a field group can be made 'silently active'.

Drag-n-drop:

This option makes is possible to drag and drop the required field or attribute in the required tab.

Click on the tab in which you would like to add a new field. Then, drag and drop the required field from the field tray to the required field group inside the tab.

While moving the field/attribute, there will be a box that will be displayed automatically inside the field group where you move the field to, you can drop the required field inside this box in the required position.

Making a field a Mandatory or Read Only

• Point the mouse over the attribute which you wish to designate as a mandatory one.
• Place the mouse pointer over the edit icon that is visible beside the attribute name.
• Click Edit from the options listed.
• Click Options.
• Under Security, select Mandatory or Read Only, as per your need.
• Click Done, to save the changes.

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