Accessing a Shared Mailbox in Microsoft Outlook

Introduction

This document provides instructions on how to access a shared mailbox in Microsoft 365.

A shared mailbox, sometimes referred to as a "departmental email address" or "shared address", is an email account that is assigned to a department, committee, office, or other group rather than to an individual person. These addresses are typically used for communicating with members of the RIC community and the general public, and they allow multiple people to send and receive messages from a single, recognizable address. For example, helpdesk@ric.edu is a shared mailbox.

Unlike a personal account, a shared mailbox does not have its own username and password, and you cannot log directly into it. Instead, a person's individual RIC M365/SSO account—the same account used to access their personal RIC email—is granted permission to read and/or send messages on behalf of the shared mailbox. This approach ensures that any activity performed in the shared mailbox is tied to a specific person's account, which supports accountability and security.

Because permissions are managed through individual accounts, several people can access the same shared mailbox at once, each using their own login. When someone sends a message from a shared mailbox, recipients see the shared address (for example, helpdesk@ric.edu) as the sender rather than the individual's personal address.

Quick Links

Requirements

  • A RIC M365/SSO account that has been assigned access to a shared mailbox.
  • Microsoft Outlook client - this can be Outlook for Windows, Outlook for Mac, Outlook Mobile for iOS and Android, or Outlook on the Web (Webmail)

Please note: Student employees, graduate assistants, and interns are granted access to shared mailboxes only through a separate account issued specifically for their work role. This is commonly known as a "student worker account." It is distinct from the standard student account assigned for day-to-day academic activities such as coursework, registration, and personal college email.

This separation exists for several reasons. It keeps work-related communications and access clearly divided from a student's academic records and personal email, which protects both the student and the department. It also ensures that access to shared mailboxes and other work resources can be managed according to the person's employment status—for example, access can be granted when the role begins and promptly removed when the position ends—without affecting the student's ability to continue their academic work. Finally, it maintains a clear record of activity performed in a work capacity, which supports accountability and aligns with the same principle that governs shared mailbox access generally: every action can be traced to a specific, appropriate account.

If you have not been delegated access to a shared mailbox it can be requested here:

Shared Mailbox Access Request
https://servicecenter.ric.edu/TDClient/1794/Portal/Requests/Service/28078/Shared-Mailbox-Access-Request

Separation of Accounts/Access

Student employees accessing shared mailboxes with their student worker or graduate assistant accounts should keep their work credentials isolated from their personal credentials.  Most modern browsers also allow the creation of multiple profiles to keep personal and work needs separate in the same web browser.  Anyone who has multiple Microsoft 365 accounts may also find the profiles feature useful for separating each account.  Articles about setting up and using these features are below:

Manage Chrome with Multiple Profiles
https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/2364824?ai1hc=1

Sign-In and Create Multiple Profiles in Edge
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/edge/sign-in-and-create-multiple-profiles-in-microsoft-edge

Profile Manager - Create, remove or switch Firefox profiles
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/profile-manager-create-remove-switch-firefox-profiles

Use Profiles in Safari
https://support.apple.com/en-us/105100

Alternatively, using a different browser for work-related tasks, and a second browser for personal/academic related tasks, will offer the same level of separation between accounts.

Instructions/Procedure

Microsoft offers several methods for accessing a shared mailbox.  Accessing a shared mailbox is only available using the Microsoft Outlook client.

Outlook on the Web - Open Another Mailbox

  • In a web browser, login to the RIC branded Microsoft 365 apps page.
  • Select Outlook to view your web mail.
  • At the top right of the page, select your profile picture or initials.
  • Select Open Another Mailbox as shown in screen shot below
    Screen shot of selecting Open Another Mailbox.
  • Enter the mailbox e-mail address (sharedmailbox@ric.edu format).  Outlook will search for the mailbox in the global address list and display in search results.  Select the mailbox from the search results list.
    Screen shot of open another mailbox search box.
  • The shared mailbox will open an a new tab in the web browser.  Any messages opened, sorted, or sent from this additional tab will be from the shared mailbox and not your personal address.  Your personal inbox remains open in another tab in your browser, and you can toggle between the two of them.

Outlook on the Web - Add Shared Folder or Mailbox

  • In a web browser, login to the RIC branded Microsoft 365 apps page.
  • Select Outlook to view your web mail.
  • Select the More Options contextual menu (...) adjacent to your inbox e-mail address in the folder list.
    Screen shot of Outlook on the Web more options.
  • Select Add shared folder or mailbox in the menu that appears.
    Screen shot of Add shared folder or mailbox.
  • Enter the e-mail address of the shared mailbox (sharedmailbox@ric.edu format) that you are adding to Outlook in the Add a shared e-mail account search box that appears.
    Screen shot of entering shared maibox address into search box.
  • Select the address from the search results.  Then select Continue.
    Screen shot of selecting shared mailbox to add to Outlook
  • Outlook will search for and verify your account has correct permissions to access the shared mailbox, and then add it successfully.  Select Close.
    Screen shot of shared e-mail account added successfully.
  • The shared mailbox will be shown on the left side of the page, in the folder/inbox list.  Selecting > will expand the list of folders below it so Inbox, Sent Items, and other folders in the shared mailbox will be displayed.
    Shared mailbox displayed in folder list.

"Classic" Outlook - Windows

  • Shared mailboxes automatically are added to your Outlook folder list on the left side of the page.
    Scrren shot of "Classic" Outlook shared mailboxes.
  • Select the > to expand the list of folders that can be seen for the shared mailbox, such as the Inbox and Sent Items

Sending E-mail from Shared Mailbox in "Classic" Outlook

By default, "Classic" Outlook will send e-mail from the primary mailbox, even if a shared mailbox is being added.  The From: field needs to be added and the address changed to the shared mailbox for the messages being sent in Outlook to originate from the shared mailbox e-mail address.

  • Select New E-Mail message (or Reply to one)
  • In the Compose window, select the options button (...) from the ribbon menu.  Select From so it will be displayed next to To and Cc
  • Select Other Email Address and add the shared mailbox address to the list of addresses you can send from (if it's not already shown).  Then select the shared mailbox address from the list.  When that address is selected in the From field, it will be the mailbox the outgoing messages originate from.  It can be switched back when the need to send from the shared mailbox is completed.
    Screen shot of changing From address in Classic Outlook.

Outlook for Mac

Note: These directions expect Outlook for Mac to be in "New Outlook" mode (enabled by default as of 2024).  If Outlook for Mac is operating in Legacy mode (and looks dramatically different than these screen shots), please switch to "New Outlook" from the Outlook menu.

  • Select the File menu
  • Select Open, and then select Shared Mailbox
    Screen shot of opening shared mailbox in Outlook for Mac
  • Enter the e-mail address of the shared mailbox (sharedmailbox@ric.edu format) into the search box that is displayed in the Open Mailbox window that appears, then select the shared mailbox displayed in the results.  Then select Add.
    Screen shot of searching for shared mailbox in Outlook for Mac.
  • Shared mailboxes will be displayed in the folder list on the left side of the main window in Outlook for Mac.
    Screen shot of shared mailboxes in folder list in Outlook for Mac.

Outlook Mobile (iOS and Android)

Directions with screen shots coming soon.  Official Microsoft support document for adding a shared mailbox to Outlook Mobile:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/outlook/add-a-shared-mailbox-to-outlook-mobile

"New" Outlook for Windows

 

Shared mailboxes should automatically display in "New" Outlook within 30 minutes of assignment of permissions to access the mailbox.

  • Closing New Outlook, and re-launching the application will cause New Outlook to check for new permissions that have been assigned and add them.
  • New Outlook has a very similar user interface to Outlook on the Web.
  • Folders are displayed in a similar manner to the Outlook on the Web - Add Shared Folder or Mailbox directions previously outlined in this document.

Directions with screen shots coming soon.  Official Microsoft support document for adding a shared mailbox to "New" Outlook for Windows:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/outlook/sharing/open-and-use-a-shared-mailbox-in-outlook

Additional Resources

(coming soon/in progress)

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