In a typical Australian small or medium business using Microsoft 365, teams often need to collaborate closely on emails. Sharing email folders between team members means allowing multiple people to access the same set of emails, such as a shared inbox or project-related messages, without forwarding or copying them individually. This capability helps ensure everyone stays informed and can respond promptly to customers or internal requests.
Why sharing email folders matters for your business
When email folders are shared correctly, your team can avoid delays caused by waiting for one person to forward important messages or update others. This reduces downtime and helps maintain customer trust by ensuring timely responses. On the other hand, improper sharing settings can expose sensitive information, increasing cyber risk or breaching privacy expectations under Australian data protection standards. Additionally, a lack of shared access can lead to duplicated work or missed communications, hurting productivity and morale.
A practical example from an Australian business
Consider a 50-person consulting firm in Melbourne. Their client support team needs to monitor a shared mailbox for incoming requests. Initially, only the team leader had access, causing delays when they were unavailable. After consulting their IT provider, the firm set up shared mailbox permissions in Microsoft 365, allowing all team members to read and respond to emails directly. The IT provider also configured audit logs and access controls to maintain security and compliance. This change improved response times and reduced the risk of lost emails.
Checklist: How to manage shared email folders effectively
- Ask your IT provider: Can you configure shared mailboxes or folder permissions in Microsoft 365 to suit our team structure?
- Check access controls: Who currently has permission to view or modify shared folders? Are these permissions regularly reviewed?
- Review security settings: Is multi-factor authentication enabled for accounts with shared access to reduce cyber risk?
- Backup and recovery: Are shared mailboxes included in your email backup strategy to prevent data loss?
- Compliance considerations: Does your provider help ensure shared email data meets Australian privacy and record-keeping requirements?
- Training: Are staff trained on how to use shared mailboxes properly and securely?
Common pitfalls to avoid
Avoid granting overly broad permissions, such as full mailbox access to users who only need to read messages. Also, don't rely on forwarding emails as a substitute for proper sharing; this can cause confusion and gaps in communication. Finally, ensure your IT provider monitors access logs and alerts you to unusual activity to catch potential security issues early.
Sharing email folders is a practical way to improve collaboration and customer service in your business, but it requires careful setup and ongoing management. If you're unsure how your current Microsoft 365 environment handles this, or if you want to explore better options, speak with a trusted managed IT provider. They can assess your needs, implement secure sharing configurations, and help your team work more efficiently without compromising security or compliance.