Requesting, Using, and Accessing Exchange Resource Accounts


Introduction

This article describes:

Contents

Instructions

What Is an Exchange Resource Account

An Exchange Resource Account (also known as a PACE account) is an email account on the Exchange Online server that allows multiple users to send and receive email on the same account. As long as you have the correct permissions to access it, you will never need to know the password. However, you will need the password of your own Exchange Online account. If you have forgotten it, follow the instructions at Change or Reset Hokies Password via Account Manager.

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Requesting an Exchange Resource Account

Request an account from the Service Catalog by doing the following:

  1. Go to the VT PACE Accounts Service Catalog entry.
  2. If prompted to login, type your credentials.
    1. In the Username text box, type your Virginia Tech Username, which is the first part of your @vt.edu email address.
    2. In the Password text box, type your Virginia Tech Username passphrase.
    3. Click the Login button.
    4. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete authentication with your second factor.
  3. After reading the info, click Request this Service.
  4. Complete the form, and click Submit on the right side of the page.

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Email Account Size Limitations

Exchange Resource Accounts are provisioned with a 50 GB mailbox. If additional storage is needed, departments can purchase an A3 license for it by using the software help form.

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Accessing an Exchange Resource Account

There are multiple methods of accessing the account. You should review the table below before choosing a method.

Important: If none of the methods below are adequate for your business needs, you should consider using a different tool, such as Google Groups. For more information on using Google groups, see the Virginia Tech Google Groups knowledgebase article.

4Help and Collaborative Computing Solutions (CCS) recommend the Outlook Web App for adding and accessing your PACE account. However, you can use the Outlook desktop client. Other methods beyond this are not supported by the servers and are not recommended by Microsoft. 4Help is unable to provide any assistance with other methods.

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For all methods below, 

  1. Verify that the person whose mailbox you want to view has set permissions allowing you to access their messages. For more information, search Google.

Outlook Web App - separate tab

These instructions will open the mailbox in a separate tab.

  1. Log on to the Outlook Web App by following the instructions at Microsoft 365 Mail App (Exchange Online with a Web Browser).
  2. Near the upper-right corner of the window, to the right of the question mark, click your profile image. If you have not set a profile image, it will appear as your initials.
  3. In the drop-down, click Open another mailbox.

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  4. In the Open another mailbox text box, type the name of the Exchange Resource Account. As you type, any matching account names will automatically appear in a drop-down.
  5. If no results appear in a drop-down, on the keyboard, press Enter to search.
  6. In the drop-down that appears, select the account you want to view.
  7. Click Open. The resource account will open in a new window.

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Outlook Web App - within existing Outlook Web App tab

These instructions will open the mailbox beneath your existing mailbox within the Outlook Web App.

  1. Log on to the Outlook Web App by following the instructions at Microsoft 365 Mail App (Exchange Online with a Web Browser).
  2. Click on the ellipsis (three dots) next to Folders in the left pane.
  3. Select Add shared folder or mailbox.
  4. Type the name of the account. As you type, any matching account names will automatically appear in a drop-down.
  5. In the drop-down that appears, select the account you want to view.
  6. Click Add. The resource account will open as its own separate folder beneath the Folders section in the left pane.

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Outlook Desktop (New)

  1. In Outlook, in the left menu where your account is listed, right click on your email address.
  2. Select add shared folder or mailbox.
  3. Type the name of the PACE account or select it once it is detected. 
  4. Click Add. 
  5. You can find it under the Shared with me section under your email address.

Outlook Desktop (Classic)

  1. In Outlook, log on to your Exchange Online account or the account that you will use to view the other account(s).
  2. Click File.
  3. Click Account Settings.
  4. Click Account Settings....

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  5. In the list, click your Exchange account.
  6. Click Change....

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  7. Click More Settings.

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  8. Click the Advanced tab.
  9. Click Add....
  10. In the Add mailbox: text box, type the Hokies ID or full name of the account you want to access.
  11. Click OK.
  12. If the Check Name window appears, click the account you were trying to add, and click OK.
  13. Click OK.
  14. Click Next.
  15. Click Done.
  16. Click Close.

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Outlook for Mac

  1. Start Outlook.
  2. Log on to the Exchange account in Outlook that you will use to view the other account(s).
  3. In the top menu bar, from the Tools drop-down, click Accounts....
  4. In the left pane, at the bottom, click the plus sign (+).
  5. Click New Account.

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  6. In the E-mail text field, type the full email address of the PACE or resource account, including everything after the @ sign. For resource accounts, make sure you include "-resc".

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  7. Click Continue.
  8. Wait while the account is automatically configured and click Done when it is completed.

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