Sharing Mailboxes in Microsoft 365
Sharing mailboxes is a great way of sharing not only email, but also contacts, calendars, tasks and notes. There are various ways of doing this, below highlights some of the most common options.
Standard Mailbox
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License Required.
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Can be used personally or shared between multiple users.
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Any changes made (reply, move, delete etc.) will be changed for all users as you are all working out of the same mailbox.
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Can contain and share information such as email, contacts, calendars, notes, tasks.
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​Can be set up so that all users see notifications see a notification at the bottom right of screen when a new email is received.
Shared Mailbox
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No license required.
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Shows up as an additional mailbox for workers that already have a standard mailbox license.
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Any changes made (reply, move, delete etc.) will be changed for all users as you are all working out of the same mailbox.
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Can contain and share information such as email, contacts, calendars, notes, tasks.
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Notifications will NOT show up at the bottom right of your screen when a new email is received.
Distribution Group
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No license required.
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Has its own email address (or addresses).
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Any member of the group will receive any emails sent to the group to their own mailbox.
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As you are working out of your own mailbox, any changes made (reply, move, delete etc.) will not be seen by others.
What to do when someone leaves, we still need to access their email, but don’t want to pay for a license?
The most effective solution is to remove the license from the mailbox and convert it into a shared mailbox. This allows designated users to access the shared mailbox, enabling them to view, reply to, and manage both existing and new emails, as well as other associated information like calendars.
Keywords
Microsoft 365 Mailbox Sharing Options, MS365 Mailbox Types Explained, How to Share Mailboxes in Microsoft 365, Email Sharing Guide
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