SocSci Computing Services Help Pages

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====== Using Google Groups ======

OIT has moved away from suggesting Mailman as the listserv manager of choice and now recommends Google Groups. To request a Google Group using your UCI Google account, click the **Request a Google Group** button at the link below:

  * [[https://www.oit.uci.edu/services/communication-collaboration/google-groups/]]

Once the request is approved and processed, then you can begin managing your group using the instructions below.

Log in at this link, and then select your new group to begin:

  * [[https://groups.google.com/my-groups]]

===== Configuring your list list =====

Here I cover most of the settings you will want to take a close look at. I am highlighting the ones that are necessary to create an **announcement-only** style list, meaning it will only accept messages from pre-approved senders and either reject or silently ignore any other messages.

If you do not want an announcement-only list, then you can adjust those specific settings accordingly (i.e. allow messages from all Group Members or perhaps even the entire Organization).

  - Click on **Group Settings** on the bottom-left:
    - {{:howto:google-groups-settings.png?300|}}
  - **General settings**
    - Enter a description and an optional Welcome message (will only be sent to invited users)
      - {{:howto:google-groups-announce-only-recommended-settings-1.png?400|}}
    - Decide who can see the group and who can join the group
      - {{:howto:google-groups-announce-only-recommended-settings-2.png?400|}}
    - Specify whether to allow non-UCI email addresses on the list
      - {{:howto:google-groups-announce-only-recommended-settings-3.png?400|}}
    - Specify who can view archived conversations, who can post, and who can view members
      - {{:howto:google-groups-announce-only-recommended-settings-4.png?400|}}
  - **Member Privacy**
    - Specify who can view email addresses of members (I recommend only allowing managers)
      - {{:howto:google-groups-announce-only-recommended-settings-5b.png?400|}}
  - **Posting Policies**
    - Decide if you want to save conversation history
      - {{:howto:google-groups-announce-only-recommended-settings-6.png?400|}}
    - Specify these recommended settings for **announcement-only** list functionality
      - {{:howto:google-groups-announce-only-recommended-settings-7.png?400|}}
      - {{:howto:google-groups-announce-only-recommended-settings-8.png?400|}}
    - Decide if you want a rejection notification to be sent to unauthorized senders. I recommend setting this to Off, but be aware that this will silently ignore all messages except those from pre-approved senders as indicated in the above "Who can post" setting. If you don't want messages silently ignored, the other option is to enable the rejection notification:
      - If you want rejection messages **Off**:
        *{{:howto:google-groups-announce-only-recommended-settings-9.png?400|}}
      - If you want rejection messages **On**:
        * {{:howto:google-groups-announce-only-recommended-settings-9b.png?400|}}
  - **Member Moderation**
    - This setting determines who can add and remove members to/from the group
      - {{:howto:google-groups-announce-only-recommended-settings-10.png?400|}}
  - **Save Changes**
    - {{:howto:google-groups-announce-only-recommended-settings-11.png?400|}}


===== Managing Members =====
Once the list is configured, you can click on **People -> Members** to add and remove members. 

=== Add Members ===
  - Click the **Add Members**
  - Type or copy/paste email addresses into the **Group Members** section (one per line)
    - {{:howto:google-groups-add-members.png?400|}}

=== Remove Members ===
  - Check the box(es) of members that you wish to remove
    - {{:howto:google-groups-remove-members-1.png?200|}}
  - Click the "Remove member" button that appears on the top-right
    - {{:howto:google-groups-remove-member-2.png?400|}}

==== Troubleshooting ====

=== Unable to add/invite a member ===
If you are unable to add or invite a member, they have likely disabled the option on their account to be added or invited to groups. If directly adding doesn't work, disable the toggle switch to try to send an invite instead. If that also doesn't work, then it could be that they don't want to be a member of any groups and have disabled that option for privacy concerns. But you can try to explain the situation to them and send these instructions to them to enable the options to allow them to be added/invited to a group.

These steps should be followed by the person that you are trying to add/invite:

  - go to [[https://groups.google.com]]
  - click the **gear icon** in the top-right corner, and click on **Global settings**
    - {{:howto:google-groups-enable-add-invite.png?400|}}
  - check one or both of these boxes as desired to allow being added and/or invited to groups:
    - {{:howto:google-groups-enable-add-invite-checkboxes.png?400|}}