Aliases
Aliases are great for when you need to be contacted on an additional email address. For example, dave.jones@example.com might have an alias of dave@example.com - meaning he can receive email at both dave.jones@example.com and dave@example.com. All emails will come into his mailbox.
You
can also use aliases to distribute mail to multiple email addresses. For example, info@example.com could send email to dave.jones@example.com and jane.green@example.com. Both people would receive a copy of the email.
When email is received from an alias, to the recipient, the email looks EXACTLY as it was sent.
Group Lists
Group lists are used when you need to distribute email to multiple email addresses. For example, vets@example.com would then distribute to all vets. A group list provides a bit more functionality over an alias, you're able to;
- Prefix the email subject. For example, you could prefix vets@example.com with [Vets]. So an email sent with a subject of "New Rota" would be received with a subject of "[Vets] New Rota" - making it clear it's a group email.
- The list can be an "Announcement List" (replies go to the person who sent the original email the group list) or a "Group Discussion" (replies go to the entire group list)
- Recipients can be set as "all mailboxes" (good for an all staff list), or you can specify the recipients (good for specific lists, like "vets")
- You can restrict who can send to the list;
- Unrestricted: Anyone can send to the group list
- Domain only: Only people within your domain can send to the list (i.e. internal senders only)
- Group only: Only people on the list can send to the list
- Customised: Specify who can send to the list
When a email is received from a group list, to the recipient, it looks like it was sent from the group list email address (i.e. vets@example.com).
Use an alias when you just need to receive email on another email address.
A group list is better when you're distributing email to a group of people. You have a few more options to configure the group list and how it works.
