# Alarming On-Call Roster - Outlook Contact Groups

**URL:** <https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/alarming-on-call-roster-outlook-contact-groups/47526>\
**Category:** Ignition\
**Created:** [June 7, 2021, 6:36pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/alarming-on-call-roster-outlook-contact-groups/47526 "2021-06-07T18:36:54Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![dion.botha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/46a35a/32.png) [@dion.botha](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/dion.botha)\
**Post date:** [June 7, 2021, 6:36pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/alarming-on-call-roster-outlook-contact-groups/47526/1 "2021-06-07T18:36:54Z")

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Hello,

Does anyone know if we are able to somehow use Outlook Contact Groups rather than simple Outlook Contacts to populate an ‘On-Call Roster’.

I submitted this idea here:  
[https://inductiveautomation.canny.io/ignition-features-and-ideas/p/alarming-on-call-roster-outlook-contact-groups](https://inductiveautomation.canny.io/ignition-features-and-ideas/p/alarming-on-call-roster-outlook-contact-groups)

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**Author:** ![josborn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/4bbf92/32.png) [@josborn](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/josborn)\
**Post date:** [June 7, 2021, 7:07pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/alarming-on-call-roster-outlook-contact-groups/47526/2 "2021-06-07T19:07:06Z")

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I am not sure, but you definitely can use a distribution list, which is probably better anyway.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![dion.botha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/46a35a/32.png) [@dion.botha](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/dion.botha)\
**Post date:** [June 8, 2021, 2:52pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/alarming-on-call-roster-outlook-contact-groups/47526/3 "2021-06-08T14:52:05Z")

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From what I am seeing, a contact group is the same as a distribution list:  
[https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/create-a-contact-group-or-distribution-list-in-outlook-for-pc-88ff6c60-0a1d-4b54-8c9d-9e1a71bc3023](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/create-a-contact-group-or-distribution-list-in-outlook-for-pc-88ff6c60-0a1d-4b54-8c9d-9e1a71bc3023)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![dion.botha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/46a35a/32.png) [@dion.botha](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/dion.botha)\
**Post date:** [June 8, 2021, 3:25pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/alarming-on-call-roster-outlook-contact-groups/47526/4 "2021-06-08T15:25:29Z")

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Figured out a work around by changing the notification block’s Roster Type to ‘Calculated’ and using something like this code in the script:

```auto
outlookContactGroup = {email:[OutlookContactGroup@company.com]}
roster = [outlookContactGroup]
return roster

```

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**Author:** ![dion.botha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/46a35a/32.png) [@dion.botha](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/dion.botha)\
**Post date:** [October 8, 2021, 6:16pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/alarming-on-call-roster-outlook-contact-groups/47526/5 "2021-10-08T18:16:27Z")

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Hi again everyone. Ok, so I really like using Outlook Contact Groups because IT manages the group’s members - managers simply request IT to modify members. Management have recently requested sms alarm notifications too which kind of puts a hole in my system because (correct me if I am wrong) I don’t think there is a way to query members of an outlook contact group for their phone numbers. So I guess I have to go back to the On\_Call Roster way of doing things and me the manager of members (or ask IT to be a little more involved in our gateway).