How to Save Sent Items in a Shared Mailbox with PowerShell
Managing shared mailboxes in Microsoft 365 (Exchange Online) or Exchange on-premises can streamline communication and collaboration. However, a common challenge arises when users want emails sent from a shared mailbox to be automatically saved in the shared mailbox's Sent Items folder rather than their personal Sent Items folder.
In this article, you will learn how to enable this feature using PowerShell for both Exchange Online and Exchange on-premises environments. This guide provides step-by-step instructions, troubleshooting tips, and key considerations for ensuring emails sent from shared mailboxes are stored correctly.
Why Save Sent Items in Shared Mailboxes?
By default, emails sent from a shared mailbox using Send As or Send on Behalf permissions are saved in the sender's Sent Items folder instead of the shared mailbox. This behavior can create several issues:
- Visibility: Other team members cannot view sent emails, impacting collaboration.
- Auditing and Compliance: Maintaining records in shared mailboxes helps track communications.
- Organization: Keeping sent messages in the shared mailbox simplifies email management.
Enabling the option to save sent items in the shared mailbox resolves these challenges.
Prerequisites
Before enabling the feature, ensure the following:
- Permissions: The user has Send As or Send on Behalf permissions.
- PowerShell Access: PowerShell modules are installed and configured:
- For Exchange Online: Install the Exchange Online PowerShell V2 Module.
- For Exchange On-Premises: Use the Exchange Management Shell.
Step-by-Step Guide to Enable Save Sent Items in Shared Mailbox
1. Connect to Exchange Online or Exchange On-Premises
Exchange Online:
Connect-ExchangeOnline
Exchange On-Premises:
Open the Exchange Management Shell.
2. Enable Save Sent Items for Shared Mailboxes
For Emails Sent As the Shared Mailbox:
Set-Mailbox -Identity "<SharedMailboxName>" -MessageCopyForSentAsEnabled $true
For Emails Sent on Behalf of the Shared Mailbox:
Set-Mailbox -Identity "<SharedMailboxName>" -MessageCopyForSendOnBehalfEnabled $true
- Replace
<SharedMailboxName>with the name or email address of the shared mailbox.
3. Verify Configuration Settings
Get-Mailbox -Identity "<SharedMailboxName>" | Select-Object MessageCopyForSentAsEnabled, MessageCopyForSendOnBehalfEnabled
- Ensure the output displays True for the required parameters.
4. Disable the Feature (Optional)
If you want to revert the changes:
- Disable Send As:
Set-Mailbox -Identity "<SharedMailboxName>" -MessageCopyForSentAsEnabled $false
- Disable Send on Behalf:
Set-Mailbox -Identity "<SharedMailboxName>" -MessageCopyForSendOnBehalfEnabled $false
Alternative Method: Use Microsoft 365 Admin Center
For Exchange Online users, the feature can also be enabled via the Admin Center:
- Sign in to Microsoft 365 Admin Center.
- Navigate to Teams & groups > Shared mailboxes.
- Select the shared mailbox.
- Under Sent items, toggle:
- Copy items sent as this mailbox
- Copy items sent on behalf of this mailbox
- Click Save.
Common Issues and Troubleshooting
| Issue | Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Settings not applying | Replication delay or command error | Wait up to 15 minutes or re-run the PowerShell command. |
| No permission error | Missing Send As or Send on Behalf permissions | Grant appropriate permissions using the Exchange Admin Center or PowerShell. |
| Feature not available in GUI | Feature only configurable through PowerShell | Use the PowerShell commands listed above. |
| Invalid mailbox name error | Incorrect mailbox identity provided | Verify the mailbox name using Get-Mailbox -RecipientTypeDetails SharedMailbox. |
Key Considerations
- Permissions Setup: Ensure permissions are properly assigned before enabling settings.
- Impact on Audits: Saving sent items in shared mailboxes simplifies compliance reporting.
- Testing: Apply changes to a test mailbox before enabling them organization-wide.
- Policy Enforcement: Enforce the feature via PowerShell scripts for multiple mailboxes if required.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Can this setting be applied to multiple mailboxes at once?
Yes, you can loop through multiple shared mailboxes using PowerShell:
Get-Mailbox -RecipientTypeDetails SharedMailbox | ForEach-Object {
Set-Mailbox -Identity $_.Identity -MessageCopyForSentAsEnabled $true
}
2. Does this affect sent items already stored in personal folders?
No, this setting applies only to future sent emails. Historical sent items need to be moved manually.
3. How long does it take for the change to take effect?
Changes may take 5-15 minutes to replicate across the system.
Final Thoughts
Enabling the save sent items in shared mailbox feature in Exchange Online or Exchange on-premises is essential for improving email tracking and compliance. By using PowerShell or the Microsoft 365 Admin Center, administrators can quickly configure the feature and resolve common challenges.
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