Add Shared Mailbox to Outlook Client

Overview

There are two ways to add a shared mailbox in Outlook.  This article is to distinguish the differences/ advantages of using one way over the other, and then instruct a user how to connect a shared mailbox using either way.

The first option will add the mailbox more for viewing purposes. You will be able to read email from the shared mailbox but whenever you want to send an email "from" the shared mail box, you would always have to click on "from" button and drop the box down from your personal email to the shared mailbox email. Also, your shared mailbox sent mail and deleted mail will always be in your personal sent and deleted mail folders.

The second option will add the mailbox so that you are "acting" as this particular mailbox. If you are in the shared mailbox for example, the "from" field will automatically default to the shared mailbox (no manual drop-down necessary) and the sent and deleted items will show up in the shared mailbox's sent and deleted item folders instead of your personal sent and deleted items folders.

First option to connect a shared mailbox in Outlook:

  1. Open Outlook client.
  2. Click on "File" tab in the top left.
  3. Click on the Account Settings box (just to the left of your photo).
  4. Click on Account Settings... in the drop-down list.
  5.  On the Account Settings dialog box, double-click on your email address in the Name column.
  6. On the Change Account dialog box, click on the More Settings button in the lower right corner.
  7. On the Microsoft Exchange dialog box, click on the Advanced tab.
  8. In the Advanced tab, click on the Add... button.
  9. In the Add mailbox field, type the name of the shared mailbox and click on the OK button.
  10. Back on the Microsoft Exchange dialog box, click on the Apply button in the lower right corner.
  11. Click on the OK button.
  12. Back on the Change Account dialog box, click on the Next button.
  13. Click on the Finish button.
  14. Back on the Account Settings dialog box, click on the Close button.

Second option to connect a shared mailbox in Outlook:

  1. Open Outlook
  2. Click on "File" tab in the top left
  3. Click on the Account Settings box (just to the left of your photo).
  4. Click on Account Settings... in the drop-down list.
  5.  Click on "New" to create a new email account
  6. Select "Email Account" and then click "Next"
  7. Type the shared mailbox address into the "E-mail Address" field and leave all the other fields blank, then click "Next"
  8. When/ if the auto-discover server box pops up, check mark the "Don't ask me about this website again" and then click on "Allow"
  9. If you know the password for the departmental email account, use the login and password for the account.  Otherwise, when the credentials box pops up asking for your username and password, delete the shared mailbox from the username box and type in your FalconNet@cedarcrest.edu and FalconNet password instead.  This will authenticate your credentials and verify if you have access to this shared mailbox.  If you get a "you do not have permissions.."error message, please contact the IT Helpdesk for them to grant you access to that shared mailbox.
  10. Restart Outlook
Print Article