Mastering Exchange Server with Powershell: Distr Groups

Name: Mastering Exchange Server with Powershell: Distr Groups
Rating: 4.3 (6 reviews)

Report on group membership, add members from a file, delegate group management, set naming policies, build address lists

Created byVitalii Shumylo

Last updated 10/2026

English

English [Auto],

What you'll learn

Learn the PowerShell key concepts used in Exchange administration
Report on distribution group membership
Add members to a distribution group from an external file
Allow managers to modify their own group permissions
Remove disabled users from distribution groups
Work with distribution group naming policies
Work with membership approval
Create address lists and export their membership to a CSV file

Course content

1 section • 12 lectures • 1h 8m total length

PowerShell Key Concepts12:09
Master PowerShell core concepts for exchange server management by learning object-based pipelines, help and command discovery, common cmdlets like Get-Mailbox and Set-Mailbox, and how to use variables and aliases.
Reporting on distribution group membership3:16
Generate a distribution group membership report using the Exchange management shell. Retrieve members, build a custom object with member type and group properties, and export to csv for Excel.
Adding members to a distribution group from an external file4:56
Import recipients from a text file or a CSP file and add them in bulk to a distribution group using the Exchange management shell via foreach-object and add-distributiongroupmember.
Allowing managers to modify group permissions6:26
Enable managers to modify distribution group memberships in Exchange 2016 using role-based access control (rbac), by assigning the my distribution groups management role and configuring the managed by property.
Removing disabled users from distribution groups4:36
Remove disabled Active Directory user accounts from all distribution groups using the Exchange management shell, filtering to user recipients and exporting a report of disabled members.
Working with distribution group naming policies7:07
Learn to implement distribution group naming policies in Exchange using the Exchange Management Shell, including prefixing names, mapping attributes (department, country, state), blocking words, and overriding policies when needed.
Working with distribution group membership approval3:51
Configure set-distribution-group membership approval with powershell and ECP, controlling join and depart restrictions (open or closed) and owner approvals, including automatic joins.
Creating address lists4:18
Create and manage exchange address lists with PowerShell by combining recipient types, recipient filters, and built-in conditions; use new-address-list and update-address-list commands to refine and verify results.
Exporting address list membership to a CSV file5:56
Export address list membership to CSV by selecting display name and database, and using calculated properties to join email addresses with semicolons, via Get-Global Address List and Get-DistributionGroupMember.
Distribution Groups commonly used commands recap7:06
Master the essential distribution group commands in PowerShell for Exchange Server, including creating, configuring, and managing distribution groups, importing members, and reviewing or removing groups.
Intro to WMI and CIM8:06
Explain WMI and CIM, the common information model standards that power Windows management. Show how PowerShell supports both for local and remote connections, with CIM commands favored over WMI commands.
Bonus Lecture: What to Learn Next0:14

Requirements

General familiarity with Microsoft Server and Exchange administration
A test Exchange server is helpful

Description

Distribution groups pile up quickly in Exchange, and checking them by hand does not scale. This short course shows the PowerShell that keeps them under control, with each lecture solving one everyday administration problem.

What the lectures cover

Besides the main topics, you also work through: Review the commonly used distribution group commands in a recap, and get an introduction to WMI and CIM.

How the course works

Each lecture handles one task, from a membership report to an address list exported to a file. The first lecture explains the PowerShell ideas used later, and the commands are shown on screen so you can repeat them on a test server. A recap lecture collects the most used commands in one place for later reference.

Inside the course

The course is organised into these sections: Distribution Groups and Address Lists. Lectures you will find include: PowerShell Key Concepts; Reporting on distribution group membership; Adding members to a distribution group from an external file; Allowing managers to modify group permissions; Removing disabled users from distribution groups; Working with distribution group naming policies; Working with distribution group membership approval; Creating address lists; Exporting address list membership to a CSV file; Distribution Groups commonly used commands recap; Intro to WMI and CIM.

The course runs about 1.1 hours in 12 lectures. It is focused on distribution groups and address lists and does not cover mailboxes, databases or installation. It is short enough to finish in one evening and practical enough to use at work the next day.

Who this course is for:

Exchange administrators who look after many distribution groups
Help desk specialists who handle group requests
Administrators of Exchange in Office 365 environments
Automation technicians who work with CSV files