Granting Permissions to View Outlook Data and Accessing Shared Folders

One of the more useful features of Outlook is the ability to share folders with others in your company.
When working with shared calendars, you may want to do is be able to view a group of calendars at one time. There are a number of options to this.

Accessing the Data

The first thing you have to do is get the folder shared out. This isn't done by default and is set on a per mailbox basis. It also has to be done on each user's mailbox - you cannot do it from the server.

There are two ways that these permissions can be set:

• Users can set these permissions themselves through the Outlook interface - by sharing default folders or non-default folders.
• However if you want to make the change for a large number of users, then a method is outlined elsewhere on this site, here.

Viewing the Data

There are a number of options for viewing the data, which can be used depending on your requirements.

• Open the Folder in Outlook using "File", "Open", "Other User's Folder...".
  This method will work for shared calendars, contacts, inbox, tasks, notes and journal.
• For non-default folders you need to open them like you would for another mailbox. This method is outlined here.
• Group Calendar
  This is built in to Outlook. Click on the calendar folder, then choose Actions, View Group Schedules. You will need to create the group first, but then the choose is available to you.
• Outlook Web Access
  You can also view another's calendar through Outlook web access - if you have the permissions.
  For Exchange 2003, open OWA using the following format: http://servername/exchange/username/calendar replacing "servername" with the regular address used for OWA on your site, username with the name of the user whose calendar you want to view.
  When prompted for credentials, use your own.
  This technique will work for any folder that has been shared and user rights are available.
  For Exchange 2007, use the box in the top right corner to open the folder.