Applies to: Exchange Server 2007 SP3, Exchange Server 2007 SP2, Exchange Server 2007 SP1, Exchange Server 2007
Topic Last Modified: 2010-02-16

This topic explains how to use the Exchange Management Console and the Exchange Management Shell to preview the list of recipients that would receive a message sent to a dynamic distribution group.

Dynamic distribution groups are distribution groups whose membership is based on specific recipient filters rather than a defined set of recipients. Unlike regular distribution groups, the membership list for dynamic distribution groups is calculated each time a message is sent to them, based on the filters and conditions that you specify. When an e-mail message is sent to a dynamic distribution group, it is delivered to all recipients in the organization that match the criteria defined for that dynamic distribution group.

Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 provides precanned filters to make it easier to create recipient filters for dynamic distribution groups. A precanned filter is a commonly used Exchange 2007 filter that you can use to meet a variety of recipient-filtering criteria. You can specify the recipient types you want to include in a dynamic distribution group. In addition, you can also specify a list of conditions that the recipients must meet. You can use both the Exchange Management Console and the Exchange Management Shell to preview the list of recipients for a dynamic distribution group that uses precanned filters.

You can also specify conditions based on recipient fields other than what the precanned filters provide. To do this, you must use the Exchange Management Shell to create a custom query for the dynamic distribution group. Filter and condition settings for dynamic distribution groups that have custom recipient filters can be managed only by using the Exchange Management Shell. 

If you have the release to manufacturing (RTM) version of Exchange 2007 installed, in the Exchange Management Console, you can preview the list of recipients only for the dynamic distribution groups that have precanned filters. In Exchange 2007 Service Pack 1 (SP1), the preview feature has been improved. You can now use the Exchange Management Console to preview the list of recipients for dynamic distribution groups that have custom filters as well.

Before You Begin

To perform this procedure, the account you use must be delegated the following:

  • Exchange View-Only Administrators role

For more information about permissions, delegating roles, and the rights that are required to administer Exchange 2007, see Permission Considerations.

Procedure

Exchange 2007 SP1

To use the Exchange Management Console to preview the list of members for a dynamic distribution group that uses a precanned filter

  1. Start the Exchange Management Console.

  2. In the console tree, expand Recipient Configuration, and then click Distribution Group.

  3. In the result pane, select the dynamic distribution group for which you want to preview the list of members.

  4. In the action pane, under the dynamic distribution group name, click Properties.

  5. In <Dynamic distribution group> Properties, click the Conditions tab.

  6. Click Preview.

To use the Exchange Management Console to preview the list of members for a dynamic distribution group that uses a custom filter

  1. Start the Exchange Management Console.

  2. In the console tree, expand Recipient Configuration, and then click Distribution Group.

  3. In the result pane, select the dynamic distribution group for which you want to preview the list of members.

  4. In the action pane, under the dynamic distribution group name, click Properties.

  5. In <Dynamic distribution group> Properties, click the Filter tab.

  6. Click Preview.

Note:
Custom filters may not filter the members of the group correctly when you use the Exchange Management Console to preview the list of members for a dynamic distribution group. If you experience this issue, use the Exchange Management Shell to obtain an accurate list of members for a dynamic distribution group.

To use the Exchange Management Shell to preview the list of members for a dynamic distribution group

  • To view the list of members for the dynamic distribution group called Marketing Department, run the following commands.

    Copy Code 
    $MarketingDepartment = Get-DynamicDistributionGroup -Identity "Marketing Department"
Get-Recipient -RecipientPreviewFilter $MarketingDepartment.RecipientFilter -OrganizationalUnit $MarketingDepartment.RecipientContainer

    The first command stores the dynamic distribution group object in the variable $MarketingDepartment and the second command uses the Get-Recipient command to list the recipients that match the criteria defined for the dynamic distribution group.

    Note:
    You can also type or copy and paste the recipient filter you want to verify instead of using the Get-DynamicDistributionGroup cmdlet and a user variable.

For detailed syntax and parameter information, see the Get-DynamicDistributionGroup and Get-Recipient reference topics.

Exchange 2007 RTM

To use the Exchange Management Console to preview the list of members for a dynamic distribution group that uses a precanned filter

  1. Start the Exchange Management Console.

  2. In the console tree, expand Recipient Configuration, and then click Distribution Group.

  3. In the result pane, select the dynamic distribution group for which you want to preview the list of members.

  4. In the action pane, under the dynamic distribution group name, click Properties.

  5. In <Dynamic distribution group> Properties, click the Conditions tab.

  6. Click Preview.

Note:
Custom filters may not filter the members of the group correctly when you use the Exchange Management Console to preview the list of members for a dynamic distribution group. If you experience this issue, use the Exchange Management Shell to obtain an accurate list of members for a dynamic distribution group.

To use the Exchange Management Shell to preview the list of members for a dynamic distribution group

  • To view the list of members for the dynamic distribution group called Marketing Department, run the following commands.

    Copy Code 
    $MarketingDepartment = Get-DynamicDistributionGroup -Identity "Marketing Department"
Get-Recipient -RecipientPreviewFilter $MarketingDepartment.RecipientFilter -OrganizationalUnit $MarketingDepartment.RecipientContainer

    The first command stores the dynamic distribution group object in the variable $MarketingDepartment and the second command uses the Get-Recipient command to list the recipients that match the criteria defined for the dynamic distribution group.

Important:
The list of properties that can be used in the Filter parameter of the Get-Recipient cmdlet do not fully overlap with the properties that can be used for the RecipientFilter parameter of a dynamic distribution group. The topic Filterable Properties for the -Filter Parameter in Exchange 2007 RTM lists the properties you can use with the Filter parameter of the Get-Recipient cmdlet. The topic Filterable Properties for the -RecipientFilter Parameter in Exchange 2007 RTM lists the properties you can use for the RecipientFilter parameter of a dynamic distribution group. If the properties you use in the recipient filter of a dynamic distribution group are listed in both topics, the preceding procedure will work successfully. Otherwise, the Get-Recipient cmdlet will return the following error: Cannot bind parameter 'Filter' to the target. Exception setting "Filter": ""<property name>"" is not a recognized filterable property. To allow you to preview any dynamic distribution group regardless of what properties were used in its custom recipient filter, the RecipientPreviewFilter parameter was added to the Get-Recipient cmdlet in Exchange 2007 SP1. This parameter is fully compatible with the recipient filter of a dynamic distribution group, and the Exchange Management Shell procedure for Exchange 2007 SP1 works for all dynamic distribution groups.

For detailed syntax and parameter information, see the Get-DynamicDistributionGroup (RTM) and Get-Recipient (RTM) reference topics.

For More Information

To learn more about dynamic distribution groups, see "Dynamic Distribution Groups" in Understanding Recipients.

For more information about managing dynamic distribution groups, see Managing Distribution Groups.

To learn more about using filters in recipient commands, see Creating Filters in Recipient Commands.