Applies to: Exchange Server 2007 SP3, Exchange Server 2007 SP2, Exchange Server 2007 SP1, Exchange Server 2007
Topic Last Modified: 2007-08-06

An address list is a collection of recipient and other Active Directory directory service objects. Each address list can contain one or more types of objects (for example, users, contacts, groups, public folders, conferencing, and other resources). Microsoft Exchange Server address lists also provide a mechanism to partition mail-enabled objects in Active Directory for the benefit of specific groups of users.

This topic lists the management tasks you can perform for address lists, including links to topics that will help you complete the task. Unless otherwise noted, these tasks can be performed by using the Exchange Management Console or the Exchange Management Shell:

• How to Create an Address List
  
  If you use the Exchange Management Console for this task, the New Address List wizard will guide you through the process of creating and applying the new address list. When you create an address list, you are essentially creating a blank container with settings. The container is not populated with recipients until the address list has been applied. If you use the Exchange Management Shell, you will use the New-AddressList cmdlet to create the address list and the Update-AddressList cmdlet to apply it.
  
  
• How to Create an Address List By Using Recipient Filters
  
  In Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 and Exchange 2000 Server, the graphical user interface (GUI) for filtering address lists was complex, containing nested lists that had hundreds of properties. In Exchange Server 2007, the most common filters are defined as precanned filters, which contain a simple and intuitive filter control. For the few users that require advanced filtering requirements not met by precanned filters, these custom filters can be defined using the OPath filter syntax in the Exchange Management Shell. OPath is a querying language designed to query object data sources. For more information about precanned filters and the OPATH filter syntax, see Creating Filters in Recipient Commands.
  
  You can create a custom address list by using attributes not available to the New Address List wizard, such as Active Directory user attributes. The Exchange Management Shell uses OPath for the filtering syntax. You cannot use the Exchange Management Console to create a custom attribute by using recipient filters. You must use the Set-AddressList cmdlet in the Exchange Management Shell.
  
  
• How to Edit an Address List
  
  If you use the Exchange Management Console for this task, the Edit Address List wizard will guide you through the process of editing and applying the address list. If you use the Exchange Management Shell, you will use the Set-AddressList cmdlet to edit the address list and the Update-AddressList cmdlet to apply it.
  
  
• How to Apply Address Lists
  
  When you create an address list, you are essentially creating a blank container with settings. The container is not populated with recipients until the address list has been applied. You will need to apply an address list for the following conditions:
  
  
  • The address list filter rule has been edited. To update the membership of the address list to include new recipients and remove those who no longer meet the filtering criteria, you must apply the address list.
    
    
  If you use the Exchange Management Console for this task, you can use the Apply Address List wizard to apply an existing address list. The New Address List and Edit Address List wizards also allow you to apply the address list as you create or edit it. However, if you use the Exchange Management Shell, you must always use the Update-AddressList cmdlet to apply the address list.
  
  
• How to View the Members of an Address List by Using the Exchange Management Shell
  
  In Exchange 2007, you can view the members of an address list in the Exchange Management Console by using the New Address List or the Edit Address List wizards. However, if you used the Exchange Management Shell to create the address list, you cannot use the Exchange Management Console to view the members of the list. Instead, you must use the Get-Recipient cmdlet in the Exchange Management Shell.
  
  
• How to Remove an Address List
  
  
• How to Move an Address List
  
  You cannot use the Exchange Management Console to move an address list to a new container. You must use the Move-AddressList cmdlet in the Exchange Management Shell.
  
  

For More Information

To ensure that you are reading the most up-to-date information and to find additional Exchange Server 2007 documentation, visit the Exchange Server TechCenter.

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