This article is intended for business owners and managers who require operational oversight of employee mailbox activity using SmarterMail Shared Folders.
Using Shared Folders in SmarterMail
SmarterMail Shared Folders allow users to share selected mailbox folders and other resources with other users in the same organisation.
This can be useful when managers, team leaders, or colleagues need visibility of specific email folders without requiring full access to another user's mailbox.
Table of Contents
What Are Shared Folders?
Shared Folders are a SmarterMail feature that allows one user to share specific folders or resources with another user.
This can include:
- Email folders
- Calendars
- Contacts
- Tasks
- Notes
Example: An employee can share their Sent Items folder with their manager. The manager can then view that folder from within their own SmarterMail account.
How Shared Folders Work
Shared Folders work by granting access from one SmarterMail user account to another.
The original mailbox owner chooses which folder to share and which user should have access.
Typical Example
- Employee 1 shares their Sent Items folder with Manager 1
- Employee 2 shares their Sent Items folder with Manager 1
- Manager 1 can view both shared Sent Items folders from their own account
This gives the manager visibility of sent communications without needing to log in as the employee or access the employee's entire mailbox.
Example Scenarios
Manager Reviewing Sales Emails
A sales manager may need to review emails sent by sales staff to ensure customers are being followed up correctly.
Customer Service Oversight
A support team leader may want visibility of emails sent by customer service staff without having full mailbox access.
Holiday or Absence Cover
If an employee is away, they can share selected folders with another colleague so important emails can still be reviewed.
Team Collaboration
Users can share specific project folders so selected colleagues can view relevant communications in one place.
Email Client Compatibility, Must Read
It is important to understand that Shared Folders do not always automatically appear in every email client.
SmarterMail Shared Folders work best when using:
- SmarterMail Webmail
- Microsoft Outlook configured with MAPI
- Microsoft Outlook configured with Exchange Web Services (EWS)
IMAP Limitations
If a mailbox is configured using standard IMAP, Shared Folders may:
- Not appear automatically
- Require manual folder subscription
- Have limited functionality
- Not work correctly in some email applications
This is because IMAP was originally designed for access to a single mailbox and does not fully support advanced collaboration features such as delegated mailboxes and shared folders.
Examples of clients that may have limited Shared Folder support when configured with IMAP include:
- Apple Mail
- Some mobile mail applications
- Thunderbird configured with IMAP
- Generic IMAP email clients
Recommendation: For the best experience, use SmarterMail Webmail or Microsoft Outlook configured with MAPI or EWS.
Benefits of Shared Folders
Improved Visibility
Managers can view relevant email activity without needing full mailbox access.
Better Collaboration
Teams can share folders, calendars, contacts, tasks, and notes.
Controlled Access
Only selected folders are shared, rather than the entire mailbox.
Useful for Supervision
Managers can review sent customer communications when required.
Important Considerations
- Shared Folders do not create a separate backup copy of emails
- If the original user deletes an email, it may no longer be visible in the shared folder
- Shared Folders are not the same as email archiving
- Shared Folders may not automatically appear in every third-party email client
- Access should be granted carefully where private or sensitive information may be involved
- For management visibility, read-only access is usually the safest option
What Shared Folders Can and Cannot Do
| Feature or Behaviour | Supported? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Allow a manager to view an employee's Sent Items folder | Yes | Supported when the folder has been shared with appropriate permissions. |
| Allow multiple employees to share folders with one manager | Yes | A manager can access multiple shared folders from different users. |
| Share calendars, contacts, tasks, and notes | Yes | Shared Folders are not limited to email folders. |
| Work correctly in SmarterMail webmail | Yes | Webmail provides the best compatibility and user experience. |
| Work correctly in Microsoft Outlook using MAPI or EWS | Yes | Recommended for business users requiring operational oversight. |
| Automatically appear in all IMAP email clients | No | Some IMAP clients may not properly support Shared Folders. |
| Create a permanent backup copy of emails | No | Shared Folders are not a backup or archiving solution. |
| Prevent employees from deleting emails | No | If the original email is deleted, it may disappear from the shared folder. |
| Provide legal compliance retention | No | Email Archiving is recommended for compliance and retention requirements. |
| Provide invisible monitoring without user knowledge | No | Folder sharing is permission-based and intended for collaboration and operational visibility. |
Shared Folders vs Email Archiving
| Feature | Purpose | Best Used For |
|---|---|---|
| Shared Folders | Allows another user to view selected folders from a mailbox. | Team collaboration, manager visibility, reviewing sent emails. |
| Email Archiving | Stores separate copies of emails for retention and compliance. | Legal retention, compliance, recovery, audit trails. |
If the goal is to allow a manager to view sent emails, Shared Folders may be suitable.
If the goal is to preserve emails even after deletion, Email Archiving is the better solution.
Summary
SmarterMail Shared Folders are a practical way to give selected users access to specific folders or resources.
For example, employees can share their Sent Items folders with a manager, allowing the manager to review sent communications from multiple team members.
Shared Folders are useful for supervision, collaboration, and day-to-day visibility, but they should not be treated as a replacement for email archiving or backup systems.
