Both shared mailboxes and public folders are managed by OIT and allow multiple users to access the same email account.
Public Folders
Public folders act like an additional folder inside of your already existing personal mailbox. Messages sent to the email address attached to that folder will appear in the Public Folder, but anything that is sent or deleted from that email address will be placed in the individual user's Sent Mail or Deleted Items folder respectively.
- Multiple users can access the folder.
- Multiple users can send from the department email address attached to the public folder.
- Can send to any internal or external email addresses.
- Deleting emails from the folder places the email in that individual's Deleted Items folder.
- Has access to shared calendars.
- Can not be accessed via Outlook 2016 for Mac. (An alternative method is available).
Shared Mailbox
Shared Mailboxes are a completely separate mailbox that individual users have access to. They are the preferred method for a department's email address. The email address attached to the shared mailbox has it's own set of folders, including Sent Mail and Deleted Items folders. Anything sent or deleted from this mailbox is placed in those folders, and is available for all users with access to that mailbox to see.
- Multiple users can access the shared mailbox.
- Multiple users can send from the department email address attached to the shared mailbox.
- Can send to any internal or external email addresses.
- Deleting emails from the folder places the email in Deleted Items folder of the shared mailbox, not the individual.
- Has access to shared calendars.
- Can be accessed via the Office 365 online portal.
- Can be accessed via Outlook 2016 for Mac.