---
title: Configure Create DL
slug: configure-create-dl
createdAt: 2025-07-17T01:39:16.589Z
---

The Create Distribution List process allows employees to create Distribution Lists, with the appropriate approval and business rules being enforced.   This guide will instruct you  on how to configure this process.

To create a DL using Activate you need to give the Activate Orchestrator account permissions in Microsoft Exchange – refer to the following documents for more information on Exchange permissions based on the version of Exchange your organization is using: 

[Microsoft Exchange Server and Office 365 Support](https://activate.activatelive.com/Articles/0ec83638-fe4c-49bb-b250-30fa6a3817f0)

Activate must also be configured with an Exchange Server to use for Distribution List and other operations, see [Introduction to Microsoft Exchange](docId:_FOGgEvJ45dAzGhlsXVmO) for detail on Exchange Server configuration in Activate.

# Configure Activate for where new DLs will be created in AD 

This section will guide you on how to configure the OU where new distribution list groups will be created in Active Directory.

:::hint{type="info"}
This OU can be the same or different to the MembersOU parameter configured earlier.  The MembersOU parameter is from where Activate scans.  The GroupOU parameter is where Activate creates new groups.
:::

1. Open Activate Studio.
2. Navigate to Resources > Distribution Lists.
3. Right click in the Parameters list select **New Parameter > GroupOU.**

:::hint{type="warning"}
If there is no GroupOU option, select **Blank**, rename the parameter to GroupOU and change the parameter type to OU Reference.
:::



![](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/Lfto9rn2ELed8aLNOgwlJ/C5JuZ2I1qoawVJCHEViAm_image.png)

4. Double click on the new **GroupOU** parameter.
5.

![](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/Lfto9rn2ELed8aLNOgwlJ/6aUdKtGi9dMjmuX7b7Bj9_image.png)

5. Click on the **Browse...** button to search for the OU where new distribution list groups will be created in Active Directory.
6. Type in the name of the OU and click **Find**.



![](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/Lfto9rn2ELed8aLNOgwlJ/ONERu5SknpbAHoAEcZQ0B_image.png)

7. Select the OU from the results returned and click Ok.

# Summary

Activate is now configured to create new Distribution Lists.  Open Activate on the web and click the **Distribution Lists** (or **Email Lists**) tile and click **Create List **and follow the steps