Benefits of a shared mailbox

• Password no longer required
  • Users are no longer required to track and manage passwords.
  • Access to shared mailboxes is via the users' own authenticated session.
• Convenient
  • Shared mailboxes may be accessed using the Outlook application, Outlook Web Access, or the Outlook mobile app.
• Easily managed access
  • Shared mailbox managers and list managers can add and remove members using the Group Manager tool, without having to make a request to the IT Service Desk or local IT administrator. 

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Why should my resource account be converted?

Your resource account should be converted to a shared mailbox if its purpose is to send/receive email from a common account, and each user has their own McGill Username/Password credentials and an Office 365 account.   

Note that the converted shared mailbox has nearly the same functionality as a resource account; however, it will be accessed and managed through each user’s own Outlook account and does not require a password.  

 

 

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Request a shared mailbox: Steps and process

• To request the conversion of a resource account to a shared mailbox, please complete the request form: Request to convert a resource account to a shared mailbox
• To request the creation of a new, shared mailbox, please complete this request form: New shared mailbox request form 

Once the request to convert a resource account to a shared mailbox has been submitted, the IT Services team will email the account sponsor/requester prior to starting the conversion process to alert them that they are starting.

The conversion of a resource account to a shared mailbox may require up to 45 minutes and during this period, the resource account will not be accessible. This is why the IT Services team notifies the sponsor/requester via email before starting the conversion, as during this time, the resource account may prompt for a password entry, which will fail.

As soon as the resource account is converted to a shared mailbox, the IT Services team will send an email confirmation that the conversion was performed successfully. In addition, the email will contain instructions on how to remove the resource account (which is no longer valid) and add a shared mailbox (see instructions below) in Outlook on desktop, web or mobile app.

Setup options

When submitting the form to request a shared mailbox, you can select certain options. These settings apply to the mailbox and cannot be individually set for each user. 

Default settings:

• All members can view all folders and calendars of the shared mailbox.
• Incoming messages are received in the Inbox of the shared mailbox and sent items are kept in the Sent folder of the shared mailbox; rules can be set up to handle messages for specific needs. 

Send options:

• Send As - Emails sent from the shared mailbox will all display the mailbox FROM name (e.g., “McGill IT Communications”). Individual sender names will not appear.
• Send on behalf of – You can request to have sent emails show the sender’s name + “on behalf of” the mailbox account name. Example: "FROM Bette Davis on behalf of Faculty of Medicine" 

IMPORTANT: Once a resource account has been converted to a shared mailbox, you must first remove the resource account from your Outlook on desktop, web or mobile app before mapping your new shared mailbox.  Otherwise, you will be continuously prompted to enter the resource account’s password and access will fail. This information applies to all users of the resource account and the shared mailbox. 

Instructions to remove a resource account and add/access a shared mailbox

• To remove a resource account:
  • Right-click on the account and select the Remove option. 
  • Alternatively, a resource account can be removed from the Outlook app: Open Windows settings > Click on Accounts > Click on Access work or school > Click on Disconnect.
• To then add and access a shared mailbox: 
  • Please review these instructions: How to access a shared mailbox
  • Steps for other Outlook apps: 
    • Open a shared Mail, Calendar or People folder in Outlook for Mac
    • Open and use a shared mailbox in Outlook on the web
    • Add a shared mailbox to Outlook mobile

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Known issue affecting search function on large shared mailboxes

If a mailbox of over 50 GB is added as a regular Exchange mailbox using “Add account” (see screenshot below), the search function may not return consistent results.   

 

As a workaround, perform the following steps in Office 365 (note that these will not work in Office 2016): 

You can set up the shared mailbox as a regular account through Outlook but when it prompts you to log in, enter your own credentials. 

In the window below, enter the shared mailbox username.  

When prompted for the username and password, enter your own username and password. 

The shared mailbox setup should then continue as expected, and the account will be added separately as it was before (and not through the "Add account” feature).