- Important: It is not technically possible to share a mailbox unless the individual with whom you are sharing already has an account with your organization. For example, a Pitt mailbox can only be shared with an individual who has a primary University Computing Account, or with a UPMC staff member who has a sponsored Pitt account (see the Help Desk section for details about sponsored accounts).
If you have a mailbox folder dedicated to a specific project, sharing that folder with your project collaborators will allow them to instantly view all email messages, attachments, and other items contained in the folder. This can simplify the process of sharing information with colleagues.
Although shared folders can be a valuable tool for collaboration, they also carry risks. The items in a shared folder are visible to all individuals who have access to that folder. Therefore, it is critical that access to the folder is carefully curated and maintained to ensure that the data in the folder is appropriate to be shared, and that the only individuals who can access the folder are those who have a legitimate business need to access it.
Guidance for Sharing Mailbox Folders
- UPMC: UPMC does not permit the sharing of mailbox folders at this time.
- Pitt: If you intend to use shared folders for collaboration, take steps to control what is placed in a shared folder and ensure all data in the shared folder is non-private data that is appropriate for all members of the shared folder. Please also refer to the Data Risk Classification and Compliance page to determine what sensitive data can be safely stored in OneDrive/Sharepoint.
How To Share Mailbox Folders (UPMC)
UPMC does not permit the sharing of mailbox folders at this time.
How To Share Mailbox Folders (Pitt)
If you would like to give a person permission to access a folder in your Office 365 account, it involves giving permission in two places. First, you need to give the person permission to access your Office 365 e-mail account Mailbox (e.g., Mailbox - Doe, Jane) then you need to give the person permission to access each Folder/Subfolder you want to share. The process for sharing your Mailbox and your individual sub-folders is the same.
1. Open Outlook. Right-click on your Mailbox name (e.g., Mailbox-Doe, Jane) and select Folder Permissions.
2. Click the Add button.
3. Search the Global Address List (GAL) for the individual(s) with whom you would like to share the mailbox folder, select their name, and click the Add button.
4. Click the OK button.
5. Click on the person's name and select the appropriate permissions from Permission Level: drop down list.
- Tip: Reviewer is a good permission to select at the mailbox level.
6. Click the OK button.
Next, you will need to give permissions to the actual mail subfolder you want to share.
1. Right click on the folder you wish to share.
2. Select Properties or Sharing Permissions (depending on your Outlook version) and click the Permissions tab.
3. Click the Add button.
4. Select the person you wish to give permission to from the address list and click the Add button.
5. Click the OK button.
6. Click on the person's name and select the appropriate permissions from Permission Level: drop-down list (e.g., Owner, Contributor...).
7. Click the OK button.
Now, the person with whom you have shared the folder can access it using the steps below.
1. Choose File | Account Settings.
2. Select your Office 365 account and click the Change button.
3. Click the More Settings button.
4. Click the Advanced button.
5. Under Mailboxes, Open these additional mailboxes: click on the Add button and type the person's name in the window (e.g., Jane Doe), and click the OK button.
6. Click the OK button.
7. Click the Next button.
8. Click the Finish button.
9. The folder will appear at the bottom of your folder list.