zboyblue
asked on
How do I quickly and easily setup shared folders? ...
We have several email addresses that receive mail (like sales, accounting, etc) and we want them to go into public folders instead of directly to someone's Outlook so that everyone from that department can read and answer those emails ... We want the users to be able to flag the emails, reply to them (from the email address that they were addressed to - if it was sent to sales, reply FROM sales, etc) ...
Also, if possible we only want some public folders visable to certain users (Sales people do not need to see accounting emails and visa versa) ...
I have read my Exchange book and cannot seem to find the right way to do this .. And I dont want to mess it up. : ) Would rather do it right the first time. : )
I appreciate the help in advance.
Also, if possible we only want some public folders visable to certain users (Sales people do not need to see accounting emails and visa versa) ...
I have read my Exchange book and cannot seem to find the right way to do this .. And I dont want to mess it up. : ) Would rather do it right the first time. : )
I appreciate the help in advance.
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
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This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
If you are brand new to Exchange then this site is probably not suitable for you at this time.
It may sound harsh, but that is the reality of this particular site.
We don't do tutorials on the basics. We expect people to know how to create public folders, accounts, set permissions etc. If you start asking the real basic questions then your questions will probably be ignored.
My answer above was based on that presumption.
Most of the experts on here (myself included) do not have the time to outline the full step by step process on how to configure certain basic elements of Exchange - the information is readily available on other web sites and books.
If we do, then they would be posted on to a web site, rather than in a question on this site.
If a feature isn't working for you in the way that you would expect, then that is where this site comes in play. We can advise whether something is possible or not, and if so, what you should do.
That is the type of answer that you have received above.
Furthermore, this is a professional forum and as such we do expect you to have done some work yourself - such as experiment with what the server does, how accounts and public folders are created.
If you are seriously out of depth or feel that you cannot experiment, then you have bring a consultant in who can setup Exchange how you need it to work.
If you are new to Exchange then I would recommend three things.
1. Buy a book. At least one. There are lots of them available for Exchange. I usually suggest the Exchange Server Cookbook from O'Reily. I have a copy myself and it is very good at covering how to do certain things within Exchange.
2. Search this site. There are well in excess of 25000 questions in the Exchange server topic area alone.
3. Hit the Internet. Your first port of call should probably be msexchange.org - they have a large number of tutorial type articles.
Microsoft have a ton of information on their web site.
What you are talking about above are public folders.
There is an article on msexchange.org about the basics of public folders: http://www.msexchange.org/tutorials/Public-Folder-Basics-Part1.html
Simon.
It may sound harsh, but that is the reality of this particular site.
We don't do tutorials on the basics. We expect people to know how to create public folders, accounts, set permissions etc. If you start asking the real basic questions then your questions will probably be ignored.
My answer above was based on that presumption.
Most of the experts on here (myself included) do not have the time to outline the full step by step process on how to configure certain basic elements of Exchange - the information is readily available on other web sites and books.
If we do, then they would be posted on to a web site, rather than in a question on this site.
If a feature isn't working for you in the way that you would expect, then that is where this site comes in play. We can advise whether something is possible or not, and if so, what you should do.
That is the type of answer that you have received above.
Furthermore, this is a professional forum and as such we do expect you to have done some work yourself - such as experiment with what the server does, how accounts and public folders are created.
If you are seriously out of depth or feel that you cannot experiment, then you have bring a consultant in who can setup Exchange how you need it to work.
If you are new to Exchange then I would recommend three things.
1. Buy a book. At least one. There are lots of them available for Exchange. I usually suggest the Exchange Server Cookbook from O'Reily. I have a copy myself and it is very good at covering how to do certain things within Exchange.
2. Search this site. There are well in excess of 25000 questions in the Exchange server topic area alone.
3. Hit the Internet. Your first port of call should probably be msexchange.org - they have a large number of tutorial type articles.
Microsoft have a ton of information on their web site.
What you are talking about above are public folders.
There is an article on msexchange.org about the basics of public folders: http://www.msexchange.org/tutorials/Public-Folder-Basics-Part1.html
Simon.
ASKER
Well ... I can see your point and can appreciate saving asking for help for the tough questions.
However, since I knew nothing about what I needed to do and didnt want to mess anything up I thought it would be best to ask those that do know.
I went to your link and didnt see much that was related to what I wanted but I searched the site and found this:
http://www.msexchange.org/articles/MF021.html
It was perfect all the way down to the part about running that script that you have to download. I did download it but I am a little scared to "run" it because I do not completely understand it.
Here is the contents of the batch file that you are supposed to read for instructions. Would you mind taking a look at it and letting me know what I should do with these commands and if in fact this is what I need to do?
:: Do the following steps to register the event sink in COM+
:: This is required to have it running in the proper security context
:: - Start the Component Services MMC
:: - Select Component Services > Computer > My Computer > COM+ Applications
:: - Right mouse click and select > New > Application
:: - Create an empty Server application
:: - Enter a name of your choice. E.g. ScriptSink
:: - Select a valid user who has owner permissions on the folder in question
:: - Change to your newly created application
:: - Expand the subfolders and right-click on the Components folder
:: - Select > New > Component
:: - Select C:\Program Files\Exchsrvr\Bin\EXODBES
:: - Select My Computer > Refresh All Components (or even better restart the machine)
:: --------------------------
::
:: Use the following code to register the ExOledb script event sink handler COM+ program
:: Change to C:\Program Files\Exchsrvr\Bin before running the below lines
:: Note that these steps are only necessary once and if you never did them before
rem regsvr32.exe exodbesh.dll
rem regsvr32.exe exodbprx.dll
:: Register the VBScript as asynchronous save event
cscript RegEvent.vbs Add "OnSave" ExOleDB.ScriptEventSink.1 "file://./backofficestorag
:: Use the following code to unregister the ExOledb script event sink handler COM+ program
:: Change to C:\Program Files\Exchsrvr\Bin before running the below lines
:: Note that these steps are only necessary once and if you never did them before
:: and if you don't want to have the script event sink COM+ handler registered any longer
rem regsvr32.exe -u exodbesh.dll
pause
I can understand that some things can and should be figured out yourself but my problem is that when I think I have figured something out I end up digging myself into a hole that I REALLY need help getting out of. In this case I thought it would be best to seek sound advice before attempting to do this task. : )
Thanks in advance for any continued help you can offer! : )
Craig
However, since I knew nothing about what I needed to do and didnt want to mess anything up I thought it would be best to ask those that do know.
I went to your link and didnt see much that was related to what I wanted but I searched the site and found this:
http://www.msexchange.org/articles/MF021.html
It was perfect all the way down to the part about running that script that you have to download. I did download it but I am a little scared to "run" it because I do not completely understand it.
Here is the contents of the batch file that you are supposed to read for instructions. Would you mind taking a look at it and letting me know what I should do with these commands and if in fact this is what I need to do?
:: Do the following steps to register the event sink in COM+
:: This is required to have it running in the proper security context
:: - Start the Component Services MMC
:: - Select Component Services > Computer > My Computer > COM+ Applications
:: - Right mouse click and select > New > Application
:: - Create an empty Server application
:: - Enter a name of your choice. E.g. ScriptSink
:: - Select a valid user who has owner permissions on the folder in question
:: - Change to your newly created application
:: - Expand the subfolders and right-click on the Components folder
:: - Select > New > Component
:: - Select C:\Program Files\Exchsrvr\Bin\EXODBES
:: - Select My Computer > Refresh All Components (or even better restart the machine)
:: --------------------------
::
:: Use the following code to register the ExOledb script event sink handler COM+ program
:: Change to C:\Program Files\Exchsrvr\Bin before running the below lines
:: Note that these steps are only necessary once and if you never did them before
rem regsvr32.exe exodbesh.dll
rem regsvr32.exe exodbprx.dll
:: Register the VBScript as asynchronous save event
cscript RegEvent.vbs Add "OnSave" ExOleDB.ScriptEventSink.1 "file://./backofficestorag
:: Use the following code to unregister the ExOledb script event sink handler COM+ program
:: Change to C:\Program Files\Exchsrvr\Bin before running the below lines
:: Note that these steps are only necessary once and if you never did them before
:: and if you don't want to have the script event sink COM+ handler registered any longer
rem regsvr32.exe -u exodbesh.dll
pause
I can understand that some things can and should be figured out yourself but my problem is that when I think I have figured something out I end up digging myself into a hole that I REALLY need help getting out of. In this case I thought it would be best to seek sound advice before attempting to do this task. : )
Thanks in advance for any continued help you can offer! : )
Craig
That script is no longer required.
The functionality that the script introduced (changing the format of messages received in public folders) was built in to Exchange 2003 via a hotfix. That hotfix is part of the latest service packs, so as long as your server is up to date, you need to make a simple registry change.
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=832492
Be really careful with Exchange 2000 articles, and try and find one that has been written or reviewed for Exchange 2003. There are many minor behavioural changes.
Simon.
The functionality that the script introduced (changing the format of messages received in public folders) was built in to Exchange 2003 via a hotfix. That hotfix is part of the latest service packs, so as long as your server is up to date, you need to make a simple registry change.
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=832492
Be really careful with Exchange 2000 articles, and try and find one that has been written or reviewed for Exchange 2003. There are many minor behavioural changes.
Simon.
ASKER
Thanks for your continued help ..... I made that reg change and restarted but nothing is different and I dont think that is what I am looking for anyway?
I was already able to get the folder created, assign it an email address and can send messages to that address which show up in that folder. The problem is that there is no message notification (you know, the little bold 1 or 2 to show you how many unread messages you have) ... and the MAIN issue at this point is the lack of ability to reply FROM the email address of the folder ... so if I am a sales person I need to be able to reply FROM sales so the customer can then reply and thier reply go back into the sales folder again .. There are other things that I am sure I will want to do but this seems to be the major hurdle as of right now ...
Can you offer any help?
I was already able to get the folder created, assign it an email address and can send messages to that address which show up in that folder. The problem is that there is no message notification (you know, the little bold 1 or 2 to show you how many unread messages you have) ... and the MAIN issue at this point is the lack of ability to reply FROM the email address of the folder ... so if I am a sales person I need to be able to reply FROM sales so the customer can then reply and thier reply go back into the sales folder again .. There are other things that I am sure I will want to do but this seems to be the major hurdle as of right now ...
Can you offer any help?
You only see the folder go bold with a number after it if the folder is part of your Public Folder Favourites and you are viewing it via the favourites part of the list. Right click on the folder and choose Add To Favourites.
The registry change alters how new messages are formatted. If you are not receiving email messages in the folder then you will not see messages is the new format.
Based on what you have written above, you will probably be better off with a shared mailbox.
In Active Directory Users and Computers (ADUC) create the account for the address that you want to share in the usual way.
Once you the account has been created, choose View, Advanced Features and then right click on it and choose Properties.
Click on the tab "Exchange Advanced" and then "Mailbox Rights..."
Grant the user's who need access to the mailbox the permission "Full Mailbox Access" ONLY. No other permission change.
Rather than setting each account individually, instead, create a group called "Sales Users" or something like that. Add the users to that group, then grant the group the permission instead.
Click on the tab "Security" and grant the group the permission "Send As" ONLY. No other permission change.
Then apply/ok out of the boxes.
On each user's machine, add the Sales account (or whatever it is called) to each user's Outlook configuration.
Then will then use the From field (enable it via the View menu in a new message) to control whether the message comes from their own account or the shared account.
Simon.
The registry change alters how new messages are formatted. If you are not receiving email messages in the folder then you will not see messages is the new format.
Based on what you have written above, you will probably be better off with a shared mailbox.
In Active Directory Users and Computers (ADUC) create the account for the address that you want to share in the usual way.
Once you the account has been created, choose View, Advanced Features and then right click on it and choose Properties.
Click on the tab "Exchange Advanced" and then "Mailbox Rights..."
Grant the user's who need access to the mailbox the permission "Full Mailbox Access" ONLY. No other permission change.
Rather than setting each account individually, instead, create a group called "Sales Users" or something like that. Add the users to that group, then grant the group the permission instead.
Click on the tab "Security" and grant the group the permission "Send As" ONLY. No other permission change.
Then apply/ok out of the boxes.
On each user's machine, add the Sales account (or whatever it is called) to each user's Outlook configuration.
Then will then use the From field (enable it via the View menu in a new message) to control whether the message comes from their own account or the shared account.
Simon.
ASKER
Ok so if I setup the shared mailbox how will the users know if the message has been replied to by another user?
Thanks for your patience, I really do appreciate it.
By the way, I found how to do the favorites thing while waiting on your answer .. it worked (at least on one machine) but will not work on mine .. not sure if I need to do something fancy or what but man that would be the trick, if that would show up that would solve most of my problems. ... Do you think there is something I am missing that is causing it not to show?
Thanks for your patience, I really do appreciate it.
By the way, I found how to do the favorites thing while waiting on your answer .. it worked (at least on one machine) but will not work on mine .. not sure if I need to do something fancy or what but man that would be the trick, if that would show up that would solve most of my problems. ... Do you think there is something I am missing that is causing it not to show?
With the favourites you need to ensure that the per read status is per user.
For shared mailboxes, you don't know who has replied. You need to establish internal processes to manage it.
There is no easy answer to shared content.
Simon.
For shared mailboxes, you don't know who has replied. You need to establish internal processes to manage it.
There is no easy answer to shared content.
Simon.
ASKER
I think I am going to go with shared mailboxes because they seem to be closer to what I am looking for ... thanks for your help on this issue though!
ASKER
To start with I would like to set an email address up sales@domain.com that Exchange will check and put directly into a shared folder for some users (but not others) to see ... I understand what you mean about the "send from" as long as adding the shared folder will automatically make that an option for the allowed users.
Can you give me more detail?
Craig