Skip to main content

Configuring Pre-Populated Lists

Admin guide to setting up automatic group-based lists for all users

Tahera Barok McArthur avatar
Written by Tahera Barok McArthur
Updated this week

Configure which groups automatically create pre-populated lists for users, making it easier for colleagues to share Moments with their teams and departments.

Purpose: Help admins set up organisation-wide lists based on groups that all relevant users can access.

⚠️ Note: This guide is about pre-populated lists (automatic, group-based lists visible to users). For information about personal lists (user-created, private lists), see our Creating Lists guide.

Understanding Pre-Populated Lists

What Are Pre-Populated Lists?

Pre-populated lists are automatically created for users based on their group memberships:

  • Admin-configured through group settings

  • Automatically generated when users log in

  • Based on group categories you enable (Department, Location, etc.)

  • Editable by users but provide a helpful starting point

How They're Different from Personal Lists

Pre-Populated Lists:

  • Created automatically by the system

  • Based on user's group memberships

  • Visible to users when they log in

  • Can be edited or deleted by users

  • Demonstrate the value of using lists

Personal Lists:

  • Created manually by individual users

  • Based on user's own preferences

  • Private to each user

  • Fully customisable by the user

For personal list creation and management, see our Creating Lists guide.

Why Use Pre-Populated Lists

Benefits for users:

  • Ready-to-use lists without manual setup

  • Quick team sharing for Moments

  • Discover list functionality through practical examples

  • Save time when creating Moments

Benefits for organisations:

  • Encourage list adoption by showing their value

  • Standardise common use cases across the organisation

  • Reduce setup burden for new users

  • Improve Moment sharing efficiency

Configuring Pre-Populated Lists

Step 1: Review Share Settings

Before setting up pre-populated lists, review which groups are available for sharing:

  1. Go to Manage Organisation → Groups

  2. Review categories marked as "Available in Share"

  3. Categories with this setting enabled can be used in lists

  4. Verify these settings are still appropriate for your organisation

Why this matters: Only groups marked as "Available in Share" can be used for pre-populated lists and user-created lists.

Step 2: Enable Pre-Populated Lists for Categories

Choose which group categories should automatically create lists:

  1. Go to Manage Organisation → Groups

  2. Find the category you want to use (e.g., Department, Location)

  3. Click the fifth icon next to the category name (pre-populated list setting)

  4. Confirm the setting is enabled

  5. Repeat for any other relevant categories

Step 3: Understanding Automatic List Creation

Once enabled, pre-populated lists are created automatically:

  • When users log in after the setting is enabled

  • Based on their group in that category

  • One list per enabled category they belong to

  • Named after their group (e.g., "Marketing Team" for Marketing department)

Choosing Which Categories to Enable

Recommended Categories

Department/Team:

✅ Most commonly needed for Moments

✅ Clear use case for sharing team updates

✅ High relevance for all users

Location:

✅ Useful for office-specific communications

✅ Relevant for hybrid/remote organisations

✅ Helps coordinate local activities

Categories to Consider Carefully

Job Title:

⚠️ May not be useful for most users

⚠️ Consider if colleagues frequently share with same-title groups

Custom Categories:

⚠️ Evaluate relevance across the organisation

⚠️ Ensure broad applicability before enabling

Selection Guidelines

Enable categories that:

  • Have clear, frequent use cases for sharing Moments

  • Are relevant to most or all users

  • Represent natural groupings for communication

  • Won't create too many lists per user (limit to 2-3 categories)

Don't enable categories that:

  • Are only relevant to specific departments

  • Create ambiguous or unhelpful groupings

  • Would overwhelm users with too many lists

  • Have limited practical sharing use cases


How Pre-Populated Lists Work for Users

Initial List Creation

  1. Admin enables a category for pre-populated lists

  2. User logs in to Mo

  3. System checks user's groups in that category

  4. Automatically creates a list based on their group

  5. List appears in their available lists when creating Moments

User Control

Users can then:

  • Use the list as-is to share Moments

  • Edit the list to add or remove people

  • Duplicate the list to create variations

  • Delete the list if they don't need it

Ongoing Behaviour

New users:

  • Receive pre-populated lists on first login

  • Lists based on their current group assignments

Existing users:

  • Receive lists when they next log in after setting is enabled

  • Already-logged-in users get lists on next login

When Users Change Groups

Scenario: User moves from Marketing to Sales department

What happens:

  • User keeps their original "Marketing" pre-populated list

  • No new "Sales" list is automatically created

  • User can create personal lists for new group as needed

Why: System doesn't overwrite or update existing lists to preserve user customisations

If a User Deletes Their Pre-Populated List

What happens:

  • List is permanently deleted for that user

  • System does not recreate the list

  • User can create personal lists manually if needed

Why: Respects user's decision to remove unwanted lists

Disabling Pre-Populated Lists for a Category

If you disable the setting:

  • Existing lists remain for users who have them

  • No new lists are created for users logging in

  • Current lists are not deleted automatically

When to disable:

  • Category is no longer relevant

  • Too many lists being created

  • Feedback indicates lists aren't useful

Users Without Groups in Enabled Categories

If a user has no group assigned:

  • No pre-populated list is created

  • User can still create personal lists manually

  • List will be created if they're assigned a group later


Best Practices

Start Small

  • Enable 1-2 categories initially (Department recommended)

  • Gather user feedback on usefulness

  • Add more categories gradually if needed

  • Monitor adoption and adjust accordingly

Communication

  • Announce to users when enabling pre-populated lists

  • Explain the purpose and how to use them

  • Clarify users can edit or delete lists

  • Provide training on personal lists as well

Review Regularly

  • Check quarterly if enabled categories still make sense

  • Gather feedback from users about list usefulness

  • Adjust settings based on organisational changes

  • Monitor which lists users actually use

Combine with Personal Lists

  • Encourage users to create additional personal lists

  • Share best practices for list usage

  • Provide training on maximising list benefits

  • Link to personal lists guide in communications


Troubleshooting

Lists Not Appearing for Users

Check:

  • Category is enabled for pre-populated lists

  • Category is marked "Available in Share"

  • User has a group assigned in that category

  • User has logged in since setting was enabled

Solution:

  • Ask user to log out and log back in

  • Verify group assignments are correct

  • Confirm settings are properly enabled

Too Many Lists Created

Problem: Users receiving too many pre-populated lists

Solution:

  • Review which categories are enabled

  • Disable less useful categories

  • Consider if 2-3 categories are sufficient

  • Gather feedback on which lists are most valuable

Users Confused About Lists

Common confusion:

  • Difference between pre-populated and personal lists

  • Whether lists are private or shared

  • How to edit or delete lists

Solution:

  • Provide clear documentation on both list types

  • Link to Creating Lists guide

  • Include training in onboarding

  • Address misconceptions proactively


Related Information

For Users

User Lists are:

  • Private to each user

  • Fully customisable

  • Created manually by users

  • Independent of group assignments

For information about creating and managing personal lists,

see our Creating Lists guide.

For Admins

For information about setting up groups that power pre-populated lists,

see our Managing User Groups guide.

Did this answer your question?