Shared Mailboxes: Use Cases and Benefits

Shared mailboxes are a cost-effective, secure, and efficient way to manage group communications in Microsoft Exchange. They are ideal for scenarios where email access is needed by multiple users but direct login or application access is not required.

Overview

A Shared Mailbox in Microsoft Exchange is a mailbox that multiple users can access to read and send email messages. Shared mailboxes are ideal for teams, departments, or functions (like support@ or info@) that need a centralized communication point without requiring individual licenses for each mailbox.

Audience

This article is intended for IT administrators, support staff, and business users (Faculty, Staff and Students) who manage or request Microsoft 365 mailboxes

Platform

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✅ Who Should Use a Shared Mailbox?

Shared mailboxes are best suited for:

• Departments or teams (e.g., Department Emails, Student Organizations, Support, etc)
• Role-based communication (e.g., helpdesk@, billing@)
• Program based collaboration
• Generic contact points for external communication

🎯Benefits of Using a Shared Mailbox

1. No Additional License Required
   Shared mailboxes do not require a separate Microsoft 365 license (as long as the mailbox is under 50 GB and no direct login is needed).

2. Centralized Communication
   Multiple users can access and manage emails from a single mailbox, improving collaboration and response times.

3. Simplified Management
   No need to manage separate credentials or licenses. Permissions are granted via user access control.

4. Audit and Compliance
   Actions taken in a shared mailbox (e.g., sent items) can be tracked, aiding in compliance and accountability.

5. No Password Management
   Shared mailboxes are assigned to approved users and do not require a password log-in, reducing the risk of password-related security issues.

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🚫 Why Not Use a Licensed User Mailbox Instead?

Using a licensed mailbox for shared access introduces several drawbacks:

• Higher Costs: Each licensed mailbox incurs a monthly fee.
• Security Risks: Shared credentials can lead to security breaches.
• Complex Management: Managing passwords and access for multiple users is cumbersome.
• Redundant Features: Licensed mailboxes include features (e.g., OneDrive, Teams) that are unnecessary for accounts that are used for shared communication only.

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📋 Eligibility Criteria for Shared Mailboxes

Use the following checklist to determine if an account should be a shared mailbox:

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🛠️ Best Practices

• Assign Full Access and Send As permissions to users who need to manage the mailbox.
• Use Outlook or Outlook on the Web to access shared mailboxes.
• Monitor mailbox size to ensure it stays within the free limit.
• Avoid using shared mailboxes for authentication or application access.

📌 Summary

Shared mailboxes are a cost-effective, secure, and efficient way to manage group communications in Microsoft Exchange. They are ideal for scenarios where email access is needed by multiple users but direct login or application access is not required.