Create Shared Mailbox - MS Exchange 2016

Shared mailbox can be used to read and reply emails of same mailbox by multiple user. For example, support@company.com, info@company.com, etc. In shared mailbox, the user account is disabled and user can’t login to mailbox directly. You can only login to shared mailbox using another mailbox that have required permission to access the shared mailbox.

There are three different types of permission that can be provided to users in order to access shared mailboxes. They are: –

1. Full Access: Users that have full access permission have full control of shared mailbox. User can manage emails, calendars, etc. but can’t send emails unless they also have send as or send on behalf permission.
2. Send As: Users can send emails as if they are logged in with shared mailbox account. The recipient will see the email is coming from shared mailbox.
3. Send on Behalf: Users can send emails on behalf of shared mailbox. For example, if JWalda@mustbegeek.com sends email to a recipient the recipient will see the email was sent by “JWalda on behalf of info@mustbegeek.com”. You can’t assgn Send on Behalf permission using EAC, you have to use Exchange Management Shell. Set-Mailbox cmdlet with the GrantSendonBehalf parameter. 

I will create a shared mailbox called info@mustbegeek.com and provide two users with full access and send as permission so that they can read and reply emails using shared mailbox. Log on to Exchange Admin Center. Click recipients in the features pane. Select shared tab.

 Click + “Add” to create new shared mailbox.

Type display name of the shared mailbox. Type alias name. Under users, click + “Add” to assign permission for other mailboxes so that they can access this shared mailbox.

Select mailbox users and click add. Here I have selected two users, Denis Mathers and Diana Walda. Now, these two users can now access this shared mailbox (info@mustbegeek.com) to read and reply emails. These two users will have full access and send as permission assigned automatically. User can’t send email with just full access permission, send as or send on behalf permission is required for the user to be able to send emails using shared mailbox. Click OK. Then click save.

The shared mailbox has been created.

Here you can add or remove users from Full Access and Send As permissions. You can assign Send on Behalf permission only from Exchange Management Shell. Now, let’s check the shared mailbox. Login to outlook on the web using DWalda@mustbegeek.com user account.

Click user icon on top right corner and click open another mailbox option.

Type info@mustbegeek.com and click open.

You can now compose email using info@mustbegeek.com shared mailbox. In this way you can create shared mailbox in Exchange 2016.