A Guide to "Everyone" Messages in GroupWise

We have developed the following guidelines to facilitate the effective use of messages to the "Everyone" group in GroupWise. Please contact Connie in Information Technology Services if you have any questions.

1. Use "Everyone" Messages Only for Official College Business.
   If you are unsure whether your message constitutes official NMC business, it probably doesn't. That doesn't mean it's unimportant, of course; it just means you should probably find another way to spread the word. Keep reading.
   
   
2. Use Other E-mail Groups or Communication Means if Possible.
   An "Everyone" message at this writing reaches over 550 faculty and staff at NMC, whether or not they are interested in its contents. If you can refine this in any way, it will generally be an improvement. A few alternatives:
   • Lost and found items may be posted to the "Lost and Found" folder on the S (Shared) drive. (Using Word, click File> Open and go to S:\Lost and Found.)
     We also now offer this category on our Classified Ads system (available only on NMC campuses).
   • Narrow your readership by using a combination of the following e-mail groups: Faculty, Adjunct Faculty, Administrative/Professional Staff, Technical/Paraprofessional Staff, Support Staff, and Facilities Management.
   • Use the Cabinet e-mail group, which reaches faculty and staff leadership throughout the college, and ask them to disseminate the information in their areas.
   • Post an announcement in the Intercom (intercom@nmc.edu).
   • Ask our Webmaster to post your message on the Faculty/Staff or Student Announcements web pages; instructions are included there.
   • Post your message on one of the faculty and staff forums on the web.
     
     
3. Use A Descriptive Subject Line.
   This helps people who don't need your message to know that and delete it quickly.
   
   
4. For Short-term Messages, Retract as Soon as Possible.
   "Everyone" messages are sometimes used to post short-term items such as surplus office supplies. While this is legitimate college business, the messages are only valid for a limited time (i.e., until the supplies are gone). In this case you, the sender, can delete the message from your Sent Items folder as soon as it is unneeded. The choice pops up to delete from your own message box, all recipients' message boxes, or both of the above. Either of the last two options will delete the message from anyone's box who has not yet read it. You can now go through the rest of your day knowing you have done someone a favor who will never know it.
   
   
5. For Time-limited Messages, Set an Expiration Date.
   If your message will be obsolete after a given date or period of time, kindly set it to expire. Start your message, then click File> Properties> Expiration Date. After the date you set, anyone who hasn't yet opened your message will never have to see it. Even an expiration date in two months is better than none at all. And again, you will have done someone a favor who will never know it.

If you've already sent your message, just retract it (as described above) as soon as your event is over.