Outlook: Managing Delegate Access

Summary

This article explains how to manage delegate access in Microsoft 365 Outlook on the Web and the Outlook Desktop App for Windows and MacOS users. Delegates should be used when a person will need to receive or process meeting requests on your behalf.

 

Table of Contents

 

Permission Levels

When you choose someone as a delegate for your Outlook items, you have to select which permission level(s) that person will have access to.  Before setting up a delegate, consider which permission level(s) will be appropriate for the person you are sharing with.  You can set different permission levels for different areas within Outlook (Desktop apps only).  The permission levels can also be changed afterwards. The options are:

  • Reviewer* - those sharing your calendar with this permission level can read items in your folders.
  • Author* - those sharing your calendar with this permission level can read or create items in your folders.
  • Editor - those sharing your calendar with this permission level can read, create, and modify items in your folders.

Warning:  It is not recommended to have more than one delegate for your Calendar. If you must have more than one delegate, we recommend that only one of the delegates have Editor permissions to handle meeting-related messages. 

* Important:  To set Reviewer or Author level access, you must use the Outlook Desktop app.  Only the Calendar Editor permission level is available through Outlook on the Web. 

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Outlook on the Web

Task: To manage delegate access in Microsoft 365 Outlook on the Web - can set Editor permissions for the Calendar area of Outlook

Note: Only the Editor permission level is available through Outlook on the Web.  To set Reviewer or Author level access, you must use the Outlook Desktop app.

Instructions

Step 1 - Open your USNH Email and sign in if required. Click the calendar icon on the left-hand side of your screen to go to the calendar section.

red box hightlights the calendar

 

Step 2 - Select the "three dots"  next to your calendar and select "Sharing and permissions".

red box highlight teh dots and the sharing and permissions

 

Step 3 - Fill out the Share field with the user you want to set as your delegate. 

Step 4 - Select the "down arrow"  next to the person's name and select "Delegate", then click "Share".

  • Selecting "Delegate" will give this person the same permission as an Editor for your Outlook Calendar (can read, create, and modify calendar items)
  • The delegate will receive meeting requests and responses on your behalf.
  • Optional:  Check "Let delegate view private events" if you wish for the delegate to see your private items.

red box hightlight the down arrow, the share and the delegate

 

Step 5 - Choose an option for where to Send invitations and responses to.  Options are:

  • Delegate only.  Meeting requests and responses go only to your delegates.
  • Delegate only and send me a copy (recommended).  Meeting requests and responses are sent to you and your delegates. Only your delegates see the option to accept or decline a meeting request, and the notification sent to you will appear like a normal email. You can still respond to the meeting by opening the calendar item and responding.
  • Both my delegate and me.  Meeting requests and responses are sent both to you and your delegates. Either of you can respond to the meeting invitation.

Note: To remove a delegate, simply select the "Remove" icon next to their name.

red box highlights the permission list and the trash icon

 

Step 6 - When finished, click the "X" in the top right to close the window.

 

Outcome

You have successfully set up a delegate with the appropriate level of detail on Microsoft 365 Outlook on the Web.  It is not recommended to have more than one delegate for your Calendar. If you must have more than one delegate, we recommend that only one of the delegates have Editor permissions to handle meeting-related messages. 

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Outlook Desktop App on Windows

Task: To manage delegate access in the Outlook Desktop app on Windows - can set all permission levels for all areas (Calendar, Inbox, Contacts, Tasks, Notes) of Outlook

Note: You can set all permission levels for all Outlook areas (Calendar, Inbox, Contacts, Tasks, Notes) using the Outlook Desktop app on Windows.

Instructions

Step 1 -  Open your Windows Outlook Desktop app and Select the "File" tab on the top left corner.

red box highlights the file

 

Step 2 - Click "Account Settings", and then select "Delegate Access".

red box highlight the delegate access

 

Step 3 - Select the "Add"

Note: To remove a delegate, select the delegate listed here and click "Remove".

red box highlight the add

 

Step 4 - Enter a name or email address to locate a person and select the "right arrow"  to search from USNH's global address list.

Step 5 - Select the person you want to delegate, click "Add" at the bottom left, and then "OK" at the bottom right.

red box highlights the steps

 

Step 6 - To change delegate permissions, select the "down arrow"  on the right side of each subject, and then select the permission level you want for that area of Outlook. Options are: 

  • None (no access to that area) 
  • Reviewer (can read items in that area) 
  • Author (can read and create items in that area) 
  • Editor (can read, create, and modify items in that area) 

Note: If you set Calendar delegate permissions to Editor, use the checkbox to choose whether or not your delegate automatically will be copied on meeting-related messages.

Step 7 - Choose optional settings at the bottom: 

  • To notify the delegate of the new permissions, check "Automatically send a message to delegate summarizing these permissions". 
  • To allow your delegate to see your private items in all areas of Outlook, check the corresponding check box. 

Step 8 - Click "OK" to add this delegate with the specified Permissions. 

image of delegate permissions

 

Step 9 - Select a delivery method for meeting-related messages, then click "OK". The options are:

  • My delegates only, but send a copy of meeting requests and responses to me (recommended). Meeting requests and responses are sent to you and your delegates. Only your delegates see the option to accept or decline a meeting request, and the notification sent to you will appear like a normal email. You can still respond to the meeting by opening the calendar item and responding.
  • My delegates only. Meeting requests and responses go only to your delegates.
  • My delegates and me. Meeting requests and responses are sent to both you and your delegates. Either of you can respond to the meeting invitation.

Red box highlights the notification methods 

 

Outcome

You have successfully set up a delegate with the appropriate level of detail on the Windows Microsoft Outlook App. It is not recommended to have more than one delegate for your Calendar. If you must have more than one delegate, we recommend that only one of the delegates have Editor permissions to handle meeting-related messages. 

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Outlook Desktop App on MacOS

Task: To manage delegate access in the Outlook Desktop app on MacOS - can set all permission levels for the Calendar, Inbox, and Contacts areas of Outlook

Note: You can only set delegate access for the Inbox, Calendar, and Contacts areas using the Outlook Desktop app on MacOS.  To set delegate access for Tasks or Notes, you must use the Outlook Desktop app on Windows.

Instructions

Step 1 - Open your macOS Outlook Desktop app, select "Outlook" in the top-left corner, and choose "Preferences...".

red box highlight outlook tab and the perferences

 

Step 2 - Select the "Accounts" option.

red box highlights the account option

 

Step 3 - Select the "Delegation and Sharing".

red box highlight the delegation and sharing

 

Step 4 - Select the "Plus symbol"  on the bottom left, enter a name or email address to locate a person, and select the "Add" button.

Note: To remove a delegate, select the delegate listed here and click the "Minus symbol" .

red box highlights the +and -

 

Step 5 - To change delegate permissions, select the "down arrow"  on the right side of each subject, and then select the permission level you want for that area of Outlook. Options are: 

  • None (no access to that area) 
  • Reviewer (can read items in that area) 
  • Author (can read and create items in that area) 
  • Editor (can read, create, and modify items in that area) 

Note: If you set Calendar delegate permissions to Editor, use the checkbox to choose whether or not your delegate automatically will be copied on meeting-related messages.

Optional:  Check "Delegates can see my private items" if you want to allow the delegate to see your private items in all areas of Outlook.

a image of delegation page

 

Step 7 - Select the "arrow down"  next to "Send my meeting-related messages to:", then select "Done". The options are:

  • Delegate only. Send me notifications (recommended). Meeting requests and responses are sent to you and your delegates. Only your delegates see the option to accept or decline a meeting request, and the notification sent to you will appear like a normal email. You can still respond to the meeting by opening the calendar item and responding.
  • Both my delegate and me. Meeting requests and responses are sent to both you and your delegates. Either of you can respond to the meeting invitation.
  • Delegate only. Meeting requests and responses go only to your delegates.
  • Me only. Meeting requests and responses go only to you.
  • None. Meeting requests and responses are not sent to either of you.

red hox highlight the meeting related email notifications

 

Outcome

You have successfully set up a delegate with the appropriate level of detail on the Microsoft Outlook App on MacOS.  It is not recommended to have more than one delegate for your Calendar. If you must have more than one delegate, we recommend that only one of the delegates have Editor permissions to handle meeting-related messages. 

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Further Readings

Microsoft Support - Manage someone else's calendar in Outlook on the web 

Microsoft Support - Allow someone else to manage your mail and calendar

Microsoft Support - Add and manage delegates in Outlook for Mac 

 

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