Office 365: Configure a Shared Mailbox as an Outlook Profile

This document is written to assist with configuring Outlook 2010, 2013, and 2016 to access a shared mailbox as an Outlook profile on Windows or Mac. This can be useful for a user to access the mailbox to set up specific permissions for other users or when there is a staff member who needs to access only the shared mailbox. This will include instructions for using the shared mailbox profile to view departmental staff members' calendars.

Shared mailbox details for a department:

Mailbox name: DeptPrefix_shortname.smb (ITS_Mailbox.smb)

Display name in Global Address List: Friendly name that shows up in the Global Address List

Primary SMTP address: Alias_Name@unc.edu (This can be created by ITS or we can transfer an existing alias to deliver mail to the Shared Mailbox if this has not already been set up or specified from the original request to create the Shared Mailbox ).

Associated security group to grant access: ad.unc.edu/unc/prefix/departmental users/shared mailboxes/DeptPrefix_shortname mailbox full access. The prefix is created by ITS and will be assigned to each shared mailbox name (i.e. ITS_

Creating an Outlook profile that connects to a shared mailbox:

Outlook 2013, and 2016

1. Start Menu → Control Panel → User Accounts → Mail
2. The Mail Setup Configuration panel will open. Select the Show Profiles button at the bottom of this panel.
3. Click Add and when prompted enter a profile name (i.e. DepartmentStaff) and select OK
4. Select the option to “manually configure server settings or additional server types” and click Next.
5. Select “Microsoft Exchange or compatible service” and click Next.
6. For the Server enter outlook.office365.com. It is recommended that you leave Cached Mode selected.
7. If prompted for the email address enter Alias_Name@unc.edu.
8. For the User Name enter onyen@ad.unc.edu and finish the wizard.
9. You will return to the panel displaying the list of mail profiles. If you would like to make this the default profile that Outlook will open, please select the option to “Always use this profile” and then choose the DepartmentStaff profile you just created from the drop down list.
10. Close the profiles panel.
11. Restart Outlook.

Using the shared mailbox:

In Outlook 2013, 2016, and 365:

1. Start Outlook. If prompted to select a profile, choose the DepartmentStaff profile you created.
2. If the person is logged into Windows as a user with access to the shared mailbox, Outlook will open without authentication prompts.
3. If the person logged into Windows as a user who does not have access to the shared mailbox, you will be prompted for credentials. Please enter credentials with access to the shared mailbox (granted through the associated security group in your Organization Unit (OU) or DeptPrefix referenced above). Make sure to enter the username in the format onyen@ad.unc.edu.

In Outlook 2016 and 365 for Mac

1. Select the Tools menu and then Accounts.
2. In the window that appears, select your Office 365 account.
3. Click the Advanced… button
4. Click the Delegate tab.
5. In the section named “People I am a delegate for:“, click the Add button.
6. The Select User window will appear. Type in the name of the shared mailbox in the text box and click the Find button.
7. Select the desired user from the search result list that appears and click OK.
8. Click OK to close the accounts window. After a brief period, the shared mailbox will appear as a folder in the View list on the left side.

To view Departmental Staff Calendars:

Calendar permission for the user will need to be assigned to the Shared Mailbox. The permissions will need to be set server-side by ITS Administrator or the owner of the calendar. Please contact ITS Service desk at 919-962-Help (962-4357) or submit a Service Request either for adding users or having the users added. Please have the list of onyens that will need access to the Shared Mailbox Calendar as well as the Shared Mailbox Name.

1. After opening Outlook, switch from the Mailbox view to the Calendar view.
2. Click the Open Calendar button on the ribbon and select the “From Address Book” option.
3. Search for a department staff member and select OK. This staff member must already be configured to allow the shared mailbox to access their calendar. (Departmental Admin should have configured this permission). Select OK.
4. The staff member’s calendar will be opened with editor access.