About Shared Mailboxes and Distribution Lists in Outlook

This article is for employees and explains the differences between Shared Mailboxes and Distribution Lists in Outlook. It provides guidance on how to choose the correct option based on your needs. Understanding how each option handles email delivery, access, and permissions will help you determine which solution best supports your department or team workflow.

To request access to a shared mailbox, please view the article: Outlook – Share Your Calendar/Mailbox.

• A Shared Mailbox is a separate mailbox that users can be given access to.
• This mailbox has its own Inbox, Drafts, Sent Items but cannot be a user's primary mailbox.
• Users who are given Full Access to a Shared Mailbox will see this mailbox in Outlook underneath their own Inbox and other folders on the left-hand side of the screen.
• A single copy of any emails sent to the Shared Mailbox's email address will be stored in the Shared Mailbox's Inbox and can be read by any user with access.
• Users can also be given Send As permissions which will allow them to change the address in the From field of an email they write. This will send the email from the Shared Mailbox's address.
• Deleting an email from a Shared Mailbox will delete the email for all users who have access to the mailbox.

Distribution List

To request access to a distribution list, please view the article: Request a New Distribution List.

• Users in a Distribution List will receive their own copy of any emails sent to the Distribution List's address.
• When replying to an email received through a Distribution List, the reply will be sent with the user's email address. Mail can NOT be sent from the Distribution List's address.
• Deleting an email received through a Distribution List will delete the email only for the user who deletes the email.

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