Resource Account Basics

Resource Types

There are 3 types of resource accounts that can be created

• Room
• Equipment
• Shared Mailbox

Access Permissions | Shared Mailbox

There are 3 levels of access to a resource account that can be granted to a user

Manager Permissions

Additionally, individual users and/or distribution lists can be designated a Manager, which allows them to access the O365 Resource Admin Tool and modify that resource account. Depending on the type of resource account, this may appear as "Shared Mailbox Manager", "Room Resource Manager", or "Equipment Resource Manager".

How to create New Resource Accounts

Log into the Office 365 Resource Admin Tool https://www.austin.utexas.edu/O365AdminTools/Welcome

Contact LAITS if you're unable to access this URL

• Chat: https://chat.laits.utexas.edu/
• Phone: 512-471-5000
• Email: laits-help@utexas.edu

Process for Creating New Shared Mailbox

Resource Creation

• Click the appropriate "Create / Delete" tool link for the requested resource type
  • "Create / Delete Shared" for a Shared Mailbox
  • "Create / Delete Room" for a Room resource
  • "Create / Delete Equipment" for a tool, equipment or gear.
• In the Create / Delete Pane, begin by entering the desired email address and select the desired vanity domain from the dropdown menu (the default is @austin.utexas.edu).
• Enter the requested Display Name for the new resource
• In the "Resource Manager" field, enter your EID
• Click the "Create" button to schedule the resource for creation

Process for Modifying Resource | Shared Mailbox

Modifying an Existing Resource Account

Add/Remove Users

Users can be granted permissions or have them revoked as needed.

1. Click the appropriate "Modify" link for the type of the existing resource account
2. Select the existing resource account from the list and click "Select Resource"
3. If adding a new user or granting additional permissions for a user:
   1. Enter their EID in the text field near the bottom of "Mailbox Permissions"
   2. Click the corresponding "Add to" button for their requested access
      1. It will take a moment for the change to process, after which the page will refresh
   3. After the refresh, confirm that the user is now listed in the appropriate section of "Mailbox Permissions"
   4. Repeat this process for each access type requested for this user
4. If removing a user or revoking specific permissions:
   1. In the "Mailbox Permissions" section, locate and select the user in the list corresponding to the specified access type
   2. Click "Remove User"
      1. It will take a moment for the change to process, after which the page will refresh
   3. After the refresh, confirm that the user is no longer listed for that access
   4. Repeat this process for each access type to be revoked for this user

Change Display Name

Modifying the display name of an existing resource account is trivial and can be done at any time.

1. Click the appropriate "Modify" link for the type of the existing resource account
2. Select the existing resource account from the list
3. In the "Resource Display Name" or "Shared Mailbox Display Name" section, enter the desired display name
4. Click "Save Display Name Changes"

Change Resource Account Email Address

We do not recommend changing the shared resource email address. This is a non-trivial change, and can ONLY be performed by the ITS Mail Team. It's easier to delete the shared mailbox & recreate it with a new address.

Room and Equipment Resource Options | Room Booking

Room and equipment resources both have additional functionality related to calendaring. Namely, these are "Calendar Booking Options" and "Booking Delegates".

"Calendar Booking Options" include the following:

• Default
  • All incoming calendar requests are added as "tentative", pending direct approval from the resource account login
• Delegate Approval for all requests
  • All incoming calendar requests are added as "tentative", pending direct approval or approval by delegate
• Delegate Approval only for out-of-policy requests
  • Incoming calendar requests that match the resource account's policies are added automatically; others require direct or delegate approval
• Automatically Approve All
  • Incoming calendar requests are automatically approved on a first-come, first-served basis
• Manual
  • No automatic processing will be performed for this calendar
• This resource has custom settings
  • This option is disabled by default; if required, contact postmaster@utexas.edu

The "Booking Delegates" section allows individuals, added by EID, to perform the delegate functions described above.

Related Processes for Room and Equipment Calendars

Publishing Room | Equipment Resource Calendars

Room/equipment resources' calendars can also be "Published", which creates an HTML or ICS link to the calendar. This also publishes the calendar on the web and allows people who have the URL to view it live. 

To publish a resource account calendar:

1. Login to OWA
2. Click your name in the upper-right and choose "Open another mailbox"
3. Enter the name of the resource, or its email address, and click "OK"
4. When the mailbox has loaded, click the gear icon in the upper-right to open the "Settings" sidebar
5. Search for "publish a calendar"
6. In the dialog that appears, under "Publish a calendar", select the calendar you wish to publish from the dropdown menu
7. Select the desired permissions for the published calendar
   1. Can view when I'm busy
   2. Can view titles and locations
   3. Can view all details
8. Click "Publish", and wait a moment for the request to be completed
9. The newly-published calendar will appear below the calendar-selection dropdown, along with an HTML and ICS link
10. Distribute either link to the desired individuals