This article applies to:
Office 365
Exchange hybrid
PROBLEM:
Office 365 users don’t see on-premise dynamic distribution lists in their Outlook Address Book.
CAUSE:
Due to architectural differences in local Active Directory/Exchange and Office 365, the on-premise Dynamic Distribution Groups do not get replicated to Office 365. This is by design.
WORKAROUND:
In Office 365 Exchange online administrative console create mail enabled contact that points to the dynamic distribution list in the on-premise environment.
To create a contact in Exchange Online to represent the dynamic distribution group, follow these steps:
1) Login to Exchange Online admin console.
2) Under Recipients/Contacts click on the Plus sign and select Mail Contact
Fill out the details. In the external e-mail address field enter the e-mail address of your on-premise dynamic distribution group. The change will be visible to clients after the next Offline Address Book rebuild (takes place once in 24 hours).
AFTER MIGRATION:
Once you have moved all your on-premise users you can remove this temporary solution and create equivalent Dynamic Distribution Groups in Exchange Online.
He lives in Zurich, Switzerland and is a dedicated specialist, with 32 years of professional work experience in IT.
Before starting Exchangemaster GmbH he worked as a system engineer and project manager with customers of all sizes and across many industries: From small ISV startups and a NGO humanitarian organizations up to largest international corporations like Stryker, Swisscom, British Telecom and Nyrstar.
He spent his entire career delivering Microsoft based infrastructure solutions with main focus on Active Directory and Exchange. During those years, he collected a valuable work experience on 8 Exchange generations (2019, 2016, 2013, 2010, 2007, 2003, 2000 and 5.5) and has delivered services to a user base of more than 3.2 million mailboxes in on-premise, hybrid and Office 365 deployments.
Beside working on customer projects, he is a regular speaker and expert at Microsoft conferences and user groups. As a Microsoft Certified Trainer he also teaches Microsoft Official Curriculum courses to technical professionals around Europe.
For his work he has received numerous awards.
In 2005 he was the first member to be elected into the MCP Hall of Fame by Windows IT Pro Magazine readers choice (as 1 of 6 worldwide).
From 2005-2017, Dejan has been awarded by Microsoft Corporation with the yearly Microsoft Most Valuable Professional award in area of Exchange for 12 years in a row (one of approximately 100 worldwide and, at the time, the only 1 such in Switzerland).
- Microsoft Azure Infra Summit 2026 - May 11, 2026
- Windows Server Summit 2026 - May 11, 2026
- Exchangemaster GmbH as supporter at Exchange Summit 2026 - February 25, 2026