---
title: Get Started with Distribution Lists
slug: get-started-with-distribution-lists
docTags: 
createdAt: 2025-07-17T01:37:50.173Z
---

To get started with Distribution Lists this guide will instruct you on how to setup a sync in Activate of your existing Distribution Lists

## Configure Exchange On-premises Source

1. Open Activate Studio
2. Navigate to Resources > Distribution Lists
3. Right click Distribution Lists and click Add New DLResource to create a new DL category
4. Name this new category 'General'.
5. Select the new General category that you have just created in the explorer pane.

::Image[]{src="https://activate.activatelive.com/images/activate/oOLXBBArRWTgJG6Wpxp8iLYyJZa" size="38" width="213" height="344" position="center" caption="Create a category under Distribution Lists" showCaption="true"}

6. On the **Parameters **tab click the **New Template **button and select** MembersOU **to create a new parameter named** MembersOU**, this is the OU (and sub-OUs) that DLs will be synced from.

![](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/Lfto9rn2ELed8aLNOgwlJ/_VEjr5UQDdKdhbe6pOZNO_image.png)

7. Double click on the newly created **MembersOU **parameter to edit the value. 
8. Click Browse… to search for the OU that you wish to sync from. 
9. Type in the name of the OU and click Find.
10. Select the OU from the results returned and click Ok.

## Configure Exchange Online Distribution List Source

If you are syncing Exchange Online DLs create another MembersOU parameter.

1. Select Look in and select your tenant
2. Click Find
3. Select the Groups OU from the results returned and click Ok.

## Sync the DLs  into Activate 

1. Right click on the General DL category in the explorer pane.
2. Select DL Resource Tasks > Reset Cache. 
   This will import all your existing DLs from the specified OU and sub-OUs into Activate. This could take a few minutes depending upon your environment and the number of DLs in the OU(s).

![](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/Lfto9rn2ELed8aLNOgwlJ/yew0RCAJzxd3GvEovORg3_image.png)

Once complete, your DLs will be available in Activate. 



![](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/Lfto9rn2ELed8aLNOgwlJ/7een9aOCZGtj1BHoqiJgL_image.png)