Set Up and Manage Shared Email

Introduction

Shared Email has two components:

• Group mailbox, for which mail sent to the Shared Email address is sent to a mailbox accessible to all group members, and
• Forwarding address, for which mail sent to the Shared Email address is forwarded to a mailing list or to the designated individual mailbox of each group member.

To use Shared Email:

• Request the Shared Email service
• Set up an email program, such as Webmail or Outlook, to access your Shared Email.
• Manage Shared Email

Request Shared Email

To get started with the Shared Email service, subscribe using the Shared Email Request form. You'll need the following information to complete the form:

• Account Name: desired account name (for example, hikingclub).
• Description: brief description of the purpose of the account (for example, "A forwarding email address for the Stanford Hiking Club").
• Administrator SUNet IDs: SUNet ID of one or more account administrators.
• Organization ID: your organization's four-character administrative code.
• Sponsor SUNet ID: SUNet ID of the person designated as the sponsor. The sponsor must be a Stanford faculty or staff member.
• Keep a copy of email in the mailbox?
  • Check to keep a copy of email in the shared mailbox. You will be able to forward mail to two additional addresses.
  • If unchecked, you can forward shared email to three addresses.
• Additional information (optional): enter any information that you think would be helpful in evaluating your request.

Once the account has been approved and created for you, sponsorship is required to activate it. After your Shared Email account is activated, you'll need to  configure your Webmail or desktop email program for the service.

Set up Shared Email

You can use either Webmail or a desktop email program such to access your shared email.

Webmail

You can mount your shared mailbox in your list of folders or you can open the shared mailbox in a separate tab or window.

Mount a shared folder:

• Easiest Webmail setup if you have many shared mailboxes because they mount automatically when you log into Webmail.
• You can transfer mail between your personal account and your shared mailbox.
• Sent email is copied to both your personal account and the shared mail Sent folders.
• Drafts are stored in your personal account Drafts folder.
• Send-as defaults to your personal account so you need to manually select the shared mailbox each time you want to send mail using this account.
• You can have only one signature - either for your your personal account or for your shared mailbox, but not both.
• The mailbox rules applied are your local rules, not the shared mailbox rules.

Open another mailbox:

• Opens in a separate tab or window.
• You can select a different theme for your shared mailbox, which can help distinguish which account you are using.
• Sent and Draft folders save to the correct location in the shared mailbox.
• A default signature can be set up for shared email account.
• Does not stay mounted when you close your browser window. You have to open the shared mailbox every time you open the browser.
• Shared mailbox rules sync to the server, not your local rules.

See Set Up Shared Email using Webmail for configuration instructions.

Outlook

If you already have an Exchange account set up in Outlook, you can add a second Exchange account for your shared mailbox

• Shared mailbox rules sync to the server, not your local rules.
• Sent and Draft folders save to the correct location in the shared mailbox.
• A default signature can be set up for shared email account.

See Set Up Shared Email using Outlook for Windows for configuration instructions for Windows.
See Set Up Shared Email using Outlook for Mac for configuration instructions for Mac.

IMAP

• Works the same as group IMAP accounts in Zimbra.
• You need to have a personal Exchange or IMAP account set up for your @stanford.edu email.
• Requires additional setup for the IMAP shared mailbox.
• Shared mailbox rules are local and do not sync to the server.
• A default signature can be set up for the account.

See Set Up Shared Email Using Apple Mail.
See Set Up Shared Email using IMAP for configuration instructions for other desktop clients, such as Thunderbird.

Manage Shared Email

Shared Email account administrators can use Workgroup Manager to manage membership in the workgroup and to give other people access to the shared mailbox. Use the Accounts application to forward email to other accounts and set up automatic email replies (directions below).

Note: The account's workgroup name is office365: followed by the name of the Shared Email account (for example, office365:hikingclub).

To forward email to other accounts and set up automatic email replies:

1. Log in to accounts.stanford.edu. 
2. Click Manage.
3. The Account tab opens.
   
   
    
4. Click the Shared Email tab.
   
   
    
5. On the Shared Email tab, click the account you want to manage.
6. Click Manage autoreply or Forward email.
7. Make the desired changes.
8. Click Save.