A shared mailbox is a mailbox that shared by multiple members. The members have their own accounts with Microsoft 365. Member of a shared mailbox can read and optionally send email messages from the shared mailbox. Shared mailboxes also provide a common calendar, allowing members to schedule and view appointment, vacations and other work.
Microsoft 365 has the capacity to create shared mailboxes, groups, and teams. All can have a shared email addresses. Groups and teams are typically for projects, security applications and/or non-customer facing activity. Shared mailboxes are primarily for handling incoming customer email communication.
Most of the time, you will need shared mailboxes for support, sales, and service departments. Each have members that will want to respond to incoming email from customers. Consider a typical “customer journey”. For example, orders@ are part of the sales@ process. Whereas support@ is offered across the entire customer lifetime. Therefore, two groups sales@ and support@ may suffice.
We also recommend you consider a shared mailbox for centralised filing. Instead of members filing completed conversations in private mailbox folders, a centralised shared mailbox with a common folder structure, could be used as a depository for all members. For example, a shared mailbox for reference@ which can contain a folder for every client and supplier.
Typical applications are project-456@ client-234@ sales@ accounts@. Consider how internal staff communicate and collaborate. People work best when communication is open and encouraged. How can you group people to share ideas and solutions? Start simple.
In the beginning, don’t be tempted by too many groups. Keep it simple.
Are Shared Mailbox charged by Microsoft 365?
Shared mailboxes currently do not require a license and are therefore free for Microsoft 365 (April 2024). However, cloud-based backup and management services for shared mailboxes are charged by your technology provider.
Can I get a password for shared mailboxes?
Sharing passwords prevents auditing and is not compliant with most security protocols. It is physically possible to license and share the password but is considered bad practice. Good practice suggests members without a Microsoft 365 license should not be given access to a shared mailbox. We do not encourage clients create and share any passwords. Instead, each member must have their own Microsoft 365 license.
Important: Before you can use a shared mailbox, you must be added as a member and given the appropriate permission.
Opening and using shared mailboxes?
When you use Outlook for the desktop, shared mailboxes will automatically appear as a separate email folder in the left window. When using the web version of Outlook, you need to add shared mailboxes manually. Refer to the following articles for instructions. Read more…