How to make a deleted user email a Shared Mailbox

Question

What are the steps to off board an employee/user? How do I create a shared mailbox

Answer 1

To offboard a user and keep their email as a shared mailbox, use these steps.

1. Convert the existing user mailbox to a shared mailbox
   1. In the Microsoft 365 admin center, go to Users > Active users.
   2. Select the user account that is being offboarded.
   3. On the Mail tab, select Convert to shared mailbox and then select Convert.
   4. All existing email and calendar data is retained in the new shared mailbox.
2. Handle licensing and account status
   1. Ensure the mailbox has a Microsoft 365 license assigned before conversion; otherwise, the convert option will not appear. If the license was removed, reassign it, convert, then remove it again afterward.
   2. After conversion, if the shared mailbox is smaller than 50 GB, remove the license from the user account to stop paying for it.
   3. Do not delete the user account; the shared mailbox uses it as an anchor.
   4. If the employee is leaving, block sign-in or otherwise ensure they can no longer log in, but keep the account object.
   5. Inbox rules on the original mailbox are preserved after conversion.
3. If the user was already deleted
   1. Restore the deleted user account.
   2. Assign a Microsoft 365 license to the restored account.
   3. Reset the user’s password.
   4. Wait up to 24 hours for the mailbox to be re-created.
   5. Once the mailbox is available again, convert it to a shared mailbox as in step 1.
   6. After conversion, remove the license from the account, but do not delete the account.
4. Assign access to the shared mailbox
   1. In the Exchange admin center (EAC), go to Recipients > Mailboxes (or Shared in older versions) and select the shared mailbox.
   2. Use Manage mailbox delegation (or Mailbox delegation) to grant:
      • Full Access (Read and manage) so users can open the mailbox and create/modify items.
      • Send As so messages sent from the shared mailbox appear to come from that address.
   3. Save changes.
5. Users access the shared mailbox
   • After permissions are granted, users sign into their own accounts and add/open the shared mailbox in Outlook or Outlook on the web to send and receive on behalf of the shared mailbox.
6. Create a brand-new shared mailbox (if needed instead of converting)
   1. In the Exchange admin center, go to Recipients > Mailboxes and select Add a shared mailbox.
   2. Enter Display name, Email address, and Alias.
   3. Select Create.
   4. Under Next steps, select Add users to this mailbox and assign Full Access and Send As permissions.
   5. Save changes.

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References:

• Convert a user mailbox to a shared mailbox
• Shared mailboxes in Exchange Online
• Create a shared mailbox
• Shared mailboxes
• Shared mailboxes in Exchange Server

Answer 2

Thank you!