# MS Outlook, allow others access **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 16, 2005, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-outlook-allow-others-access/304054 "2005-05-16T12:26:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dauerbach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c2a13f/32.png) [@dauerbach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dauerbach)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2005, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-outlook-allow-others-access/304054/1 "2005-05-16T12:26:37Z")
I have been told that I can allow others to access my outlook messages allegedly using something called delegate. I can’t seem to find it anywhere. How do I allow others access to my outlook account. I use the same username and password for as much as possible, so I would prefer not giving that out. Is there really some way to do this? ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2005, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-outlook-allow-others-access/304054/2 "2005-05-16T12:39:11Z")
I believe it only works if you’re using Outlook with an Exchange server. If you are, go to the Tools menu, select Options and one of the tabs is called Delegates. ---
**Author:** ![dauerbach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c2a13f/32.png) [@dauerbach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dauerbach)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2005, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-outlook-allow-others-access/304054/3 "2005-05-16T12:39:48Z")
What is an exchange server. ---
**Author:** ![RumMunkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b19c9b/32.png) [@RumMunkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RumMunkey)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2005, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-outlook-allow-others-access/304054/4 "2005-05-16T12:41:05Z")
Why not just change the account password to something you don’t mind sharing temporarily, then switch it back when you don’t want to share anymore? ---
**Author:** ![grimpixie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecb155/32.png) [@grimpixie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grimpixie)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2005, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-outlook-allow-others-access/304054/5 "2005-05-16T12:45:03Z")
> [@](#): > > Exchange server, the Microsoft messaging and collaboration server, is software that runs on servers that enables you to send and receive electronic mail and other forms of interactive communication through computer networks. Designed to interoperate with a software client application such as Microsoft Outlook, Exchange Server also interoperates with Outlook Express and other e-mail client applications. From [Microsoft’s site](http://www.microsoft.com/exchange/evaluation/whatis.mspx) 🙂 Basically, all your email, contacts, events, etc. are stored on the server, and your Outlook application accesses it from there, as opposed to using Outlook on a standalond PC where the new emails, etc. are downloaded from your ISP server and stored on your harddrive - this means that you can give permission to other people on the network to access your information when they access their own. Grim ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2005, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-outlook-allow-others-access/304054/6 "2005-05-16T14:50:43Z")
Is this a corporate email box? If not, I really doubt you’re using an Exchange server. If it is a corporate mailbox, contact your in-house IT department, as they’ll be able to tell you if they use Exchange and how to set up a delegate. ---
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2005, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-outlook-allow-others-access/304054/7 "2005-05-16T16:13:23Z")
Yeah, we just went through this exercise here at work. In previous versions of Outlook we were able to share folders across the network by simply designating them “shared” and sending invitations to whomever we wished to grant access (there were several levels of permission from which to choose). Since upgrading to 2003, this feature is no longer available - unless you purchase Microsoft Exchange Server. We, for a time, lost the ability to share common calendars and contact folders not wanting to spend the money to buy Exchange Server. Recently, however, we’ve implemented something called “Mailsite,” by these folks: [www.rockcliffe.com](http://www.rockcliffe.com). Works a little differently (mainly, the sources for all your shared resources have to be stored by a webhost rather than a local server) and took some getting used to, but the end functionality is nearly identical. ---
**Author:** ![dauerbach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c2a13f/32.png) [@dauerbach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dauerbach)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2005, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-outlook-allow-others-access/304054/8 "2005-05-16T20:39:48Z")
After some frustration it is becoming clear to me. I am a physician, and was talking to someone at our business office as she attempted to tell me how to add delegates. The server at the office is an exchange server, the hospital server is obviously not, and she didn’t understand the difference and almost accused me of lying when I said tools had nothing about delegates. I ended up changing my password for that account and giving it to her. Thanks for all the input. ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2005, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-outlook-allow-others-access/304054/9 "2005-05-16T21:12:35Z")
What’s so hard about this? Right click on your inbox. Scroll down do Properties. Select the Permissions tab. Add whomever you want to do various nefarious things to your email or calenders while you’re not looking. You can adjust the level of access so they can screw up your calender, but not email your boss and tell him he’s an asshole. ---
**Author:** ![dauerbach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c2a13f/32.png) [@dauerbach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dauerbach)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2005, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-outlook-allow-others-access/304054/10 "2005-05-16T21:24:06Z")
Hey, thanks for the information. I had no idea how to do it, having only started using outlook recently because I had to. I am not nearly organized enough to actually use a lot of the stuff. ---
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2005, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-outlook-allow-others-access/304054/11 "2005-05-16T21:39:30Z")
> [@NurseCarmen](#): > > What’s so hard about this? > > Right click on your inbox. > > Scroll down do Properties. > > Select the Permissions tab. > > Add whomever you want to do various nefarious things to your email or calenders while you’re not looking. You can adjust the level of access so they can screw up your calender, but not email your boss and tell him he’s an asshole. Oops. You’re right. Guess I was reading too much into the question (and the rest of the responses). I thought dauerbach was trying to share a folder across his network. My apologies. ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2005, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-outlook-allow-others-access/304054/12 "2005-05-17T12:46:16Z")
Wow, I just reread my post, and I think I kinda came across as an asshole. Didn’t mean to. Sorry. Right clicking is a wonderful thing. On both macs and PCs.