I remember the day I learned how to create a SharePoint group. Once I figured it out, I realised how quick and powerful it is for managing access in a SharePoint site. Creating a group for my team members helps me organise them, assign them permission, and keep the site secure without tracking every user individually.
In this article, I will share all my experience regarding how to make a group in SharePoint, best practices, and mistakes that you should avoid. Let’s dive into why SharePoint groups matter.
Table of Contents
What Is SharePoint Group?
A SharePoint group is basically a set of people who all have the same level of access on a SharePoint Site. It helps you avoid assigning permissions to individuals repeatedly. You just need to add users to a group and give them access to a single place.
Why Creating SharePoint Groups Matters
From my experience, below are the points of why you should consider creating a group to make your life easier:
- They keep permission management simple and consistent.
- They make it easier to track who has access to what
- They help you follow security best practices
- They allow you to scale your SharePoint site easily as teams grow
- They keep sites structured and predictable
A well-organised group setup is the key to using SharePoint safely and smoothly.
Related guide: How to Create a Workflow in SharePoint
How to Create a SharePoint Group – Step-by-Step Process
Here is the simplest and complete method that I follow when creating a new group:
#Step 1. Go to your SharePoint site
Open the SharePoint site where you want to create the group. Permission is required so either you should be the site owner or ask permission from the admin.
#Step 2. Open Site Settings
- Click the Settings at the top right.
- Select Site Permissions or Site Settings, depending on your SharePoint version.
#Step 3. Access Advanced Permission Settings
Click Advanced permissions settings.
This will take you to the traditional SharePoint permissions page.
#Step 4. How to Create a SharePoint Group
- Click Create Group
- A form will appear where you can set:
- Group name
- Group description
- Owner of the group
- Permission level
#Step 5. Choose Group Settings
You can control:
- Who can view group members
- Who can edit the group
- Whether new users can be auto-added
You can customise it as per your organisation’s rules.
Also read: Archive SharePoint Site
#Step 6. Set Permission Level
Select a suitable permission level:
- Read– Can only view content
- Edit– can add and edit items
- Contribute– Can add or edit content, but cannot manage site settings
- Full Control– Can manage everything
#Step 7. Add members to the Group
Enter:
- User emails
- Microsoft 365 groups
- Security groups
Once you click Create and Bingo! Your SharePoint group is ready
What if you Want to Migrate SharePoint Groups?
After knowing how to create a SharePoint group, one challenge that I face is migrating groups in merger or rebranding scenarios. SharePoint Online permissions and user roles from one site or tenant to another. It is very time-consuming and risky when it comes to permissions, as a slight mistake can impact it. This is where I trust a professional and reliable tool for this work, like SharePoint Migrator.
I used it and was shocked to see how it simplifies the whole process by automatically transferring groups. Their associated permissions and related site components are available without any manual effort. It makes sure that the same structure, access levels, and roles are preserved during migration.
Best Practices I Follow When Creating SharePoint Groups
These are some best practices that helped me:
- Use role-based groups like HR Read, Managers Edit, etc
- Avoid giving Full control to regular users
- Do not mix external and internal users in the same group
- Review permissions quarterly to avoid privilege creep
- Name groups clearly so others understand their purpose.
Common Mistakes That I Made and You Can Avoid
Even guys who have experience can make these mistakes:
- Creating too many groups for similar roles
- Adding individual permissions instead of using groups
- Giving edit access when read is enough
- Not updating groups when employees leave
- Using an unclear group name like “Team1group”
Avoiding these mistakes keeps your SharePoint clean and manageable
Read also: Example of SharePoint Intranet
Author’s Verdict
Learning how to create a SharePoint group has been one of the most helpful skills I have picked up. It makes managing SharePoint much easier. Once you understand how everything is structured, setting up and organising permissions feels simple. The p[process is the same whether someone asks how to make a group in SharePoint or how to manage user access smoothly.
FAQ’s
Q. What are the steps to create a SharePoint group?
You first need to go to Site Permissions > Advanced Permissions > Create group
Q. Is it possible to add multiple users to a SharePoint group at once?
Yes, it is possible that you can enter multiple emails while adding members.
Q. Could I rename a SharePoint group later?
Yes, you can rename the group name and descriptions anytime later
Q. Is it possible to delete a SharePoint group?
Yes, it is possible you simply need to open the group settings and select Delete.
Q. Can I add a guest to a SharePoint group?
Yes, you can add a guest to a visitor group with read-only access.