Outlook: Access and Manage a Shared Mailbox on the Web

directions on how to access a shared mailbox (club, department, other employee) in the Outlook Web App.

Overview

A shared mailbox allows multiple authorized Cedar Crest College employees to read and respond to email using a common email address, such as a department or office account.

Outlook on the web allows you to open a shared mailbox, manage supported mailbox settings, and configure automatic replies.

Before you begin: You must have permission to access the shared mailbox. If you have not been granted access, contact the IT Help Desk at helpdesk@cedarcrest.edu.

1. Open a Shared Mailbox in Outlook on the Web

1. Open a web browser and go to outlook.office.com.
2. Sign in using your own Cedar Crest College Microsoft 365 account.
3. In the upper-right corner, select your profile picture or initials.
4. Select Open another mailbox.
5. Enter the email address or name of the shared mailbox you want to access.
6. Select the correct mailbox from the suggestions, then select Open.
7. The shared mailbox will open in a separate browser tab or window.

You can now view messages, send email (if you have Send As permission), and access the mailbox's available settings.

Important: Always sign in with your own College account. Do not attempt to sign in directly using the shared mailbox's email address and password.

2. Add a Shared Mailbox to Your Folder List

If you regularly access a shared mailbox, you can add it to your Outlook folder list so that it appears alongside your own mailbox.

1. Open Outlook on the web.
2. In the left navigation pane, right-click Folders or Shared with me.
3. Select Add shared folder or mailbox.
4. Enter the shared mailbox's name or email address.
5. Select Add.

The shared mailbox should appear in the left navigation pane, where you can expand it to view its folders.

Note: Adding the mailbox to your folder list is convenient for daily email access. However, opening it in a separate browser window is recommended when you need to manage its settings.

3. Access Shared Mailbox Settings

To change settings for the shared mailbox rather than your personal account:

1. Follow the instructions in Section 1 to open the shared mailbox in a separate browser tab or window.
2. Confirm that the shared mailbox is displayed.
3. Select Settings (gear icon) in the upper-right corner.
4. Browse the available settings, such as:

• Automatic replies: Configure out-of-office messages.
• Mail rules: Manage automatic message organization, where permitted.
• Junk email: Review blocked or trusted senders, where available.
• Email layout and appearance: Adjust supported display preferences.

Important: Settings availability depends on your permissions, Outlook's current features, and College policies.

If a setting is unavailable or you receive a permissions error, contact the IT Help Desk.

4. Set Up Automatic Replies for a Shared Mailbox

Automatic replies allow a shared mailbox to respond to incoming messages when a department is closed, unavailable, or experiencing a temporary interruption in service.

Configure Automatic Replies

1. Open the shared mailbox in a separate browser window using the directions in Section 1.
2. Select Settings (gear icon).
3. Navigate to Accounts > Automatic replies. In some versions, this may appear under Mail > Automatic replies.
4. If the option is available, turn on Automatic replies.
5. Enter the message you want to send to people within Cedar Crest College.
6. To send replies to people outside the College, enable Send replies outside your organization and enter an appropriate message.
7. If you want the replies to run only during a specific period:
   • Enable Send replies only during a time period.
   • Enter the start and end dates and times.
8. Select Save.

Permission note: Microsoft documents administrator-managed automatic replies for shared mailboxes. If you cannot access or save this setting, submit an IT support request with the desired message and schedule.

Sample Department Automatic Reply

Thank you for contacting [Department Name] at Cedar Crest College.

Our office is currently unavailable and will resume normal operations on [Date].

We have received your email and will respond as soon as possible when our office reopens.

For immediate assistance, please contact [Alternate Contact Information].

Thank you for your patience.

5. Turn Off Automatic Replies

If you need to stop automatic replies before the scheduled end date:

1. Open the shared mailbox in a separate browser window.
2. Select Settings > Accounts > Automatic replies, or the equivalent setting shown in Outlook.
3. Turn off Automatic replies.
4. Select Save.

If you cannot change the setting, contact the IT Help Desk.

6. Important Information About Shared Mailboxes

• Access permissions: You must be granted access before you can open a shared mailbox.
• Sending email: Read and Manage (Full Access) permission does not automatically provide Send As permission.
• Automatic replies: Outlook generally sends one automatic reply to each sender during an automatic reply period, rather than replying to every individual message.
• Shared settings: Changes to supported mailbox-level settings may affect everyone who uses that shared mailbox.
• Account security: Shared mailboxes should be accessed through your individual College account, not through shared passwords.
• Availability: Some settings require assistance from a Microsoft 365 administrator.

7. Troubleshooting

The shared mailbox does not appear when I search for it.

Verify that you entered the correct email address. If access was recently granted, allow time for the permission change to take effect and try again.

I receive a message that I do not have permission.

Contact the IT Help Desk to verify your mailbox permissions.

I can read messages but cannot send from the shared mailbox.

You may have Read and Manage permission without Send As permission. Contact the IT Help Desk to request the appropriate access.

I cannot find Automatic Replies or other mailbox settings.

Make sure you opened the shared mailbox in a separate browser tab using Open another mailbox, rather than simply selecting it from your folder list.

If the setting is still unavailable, contact the IT Help Desk.

Need Assistance?

For assistance accessing a shared mailbox, managing its settings, or configuring automatic replies, contact:

Cedar Crest College IT Help Desk

Email: helpdesk@cedarcrest.edu

Additional Resources

• Microsoft Support: Open and Use a Shared Mailbox in Outlook
• Microsoft Support: Manage Shared Mailbox Settings in New Outlook