PennO365 offers four types of accounts:
User accounts include a mailbox and calendar and are password-protected. User accounts are associated with individual end users and can also be created for non-human resources that require accounts with password protection.
Each end user in your organization will have a unique user account with a mailbox and calendar. These accounts require a PennKey and are named according to an individual account holder's PennKey (PennKey@upenn.edu).
User accounts also can be created for non-human resources to support business practices where a password is required (for example, a ticketing system that monitors a mailbox to create new tickets). These accounts should be named according to common University naming standards for non-human accounts. See O365 – Non-PennKey Naming Standards.
Shared accounts are resource accounts that offer a single mailbox and calendar that can be accessed by multiple authorized users. In addition to sending and receiving messages, authorized users can access the account’s common calendar in order to view and schedule work shifts, vacation time, etc.
Shared accounts do not have separate passwords. Users need permissions to access accounts, and must open shared accounts from within their own Outlook profiles.
Shared accounts are considered non-human accounts and should be named according to common University naming standards for non-human accounts. See O365 – Non-PennKey Naming Standards.
Shared accounts are often associated with specific services or functions, including:
- Help desks
- General inquiry mailboxes
- Centralized intake points for a service
Shared accounts can also be associated with specific projects, teams, or roles. For example, a shared account can:
- Provide a shared email address and calendar for a research team.
- Be created for a specific role rather than the person who fills that role. For instance, a mailbox could be created for the position of department chair. This account would be separate from the current department chair’s user mailbox and could be accessed by multiple staff members.
To learn more about using shared accounts, see:
A room account is a resource account that is associated with a specific physical location, such as a classroom or conference room. Room accounts are restricted to calendar only. They allow authorized users to view a room’s availability and to reserve access by sending meeting requests.
Room accounts do not have separate passwords. Users need permissions to access accounts, and must open room accounts from within their own Outlook profile.
Room accounts are considered non-human accounts and should be named according to common University naming standards for non-human accounts. See O365 – Non-PennKey Naming Standards.
An equipment account is a resource account associated with a specific piece of equipment, such as a projector, microphone, vehicle, etc. Equipment accounts are restricted to calendar only. They allow authorized users to view the availability of specific pieces of equipment and to reserve them by sending meeting requests. Equipment accounts are generally not tied to specific locations.
Equipment accounts do not have separate passwords. Users need permissions to access accounts, and must open equipment accounts from within their own Outlook profile.
Equipment accounts are considered non-human accounts and should be named according to common University naming standards for non-human accounts. See O365 – Non-PennKey Naming Standards.
If accounts are migrated/created as the wrong type, they can be converted. A user account can be converted to a shared, room, or equipment account, and vice versa. To convert an account, contact ISC Client Care at help@isc.upenn.edu.
Shared, room, and equipment accounts do not consume O365 licenses. Please note that these accounts are still charged at the same rate as user accounts because they require ongoing servicing.
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OVERVIEW OF ACCOUNT TYPES |
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| TYPE | USE CASE | FEATURES | PASSWORD | ACCESS | NAMING CONVENTIONS |
| User | End user and resource – requires password protection. | Mailbox and calendar | Yes | Username and password required. | End user accounts: PennKey@upenn.edu Resource accounts:O365 – Non-PennKey Naming Standards. |
| Shared | Resource – service, function, role etc. | Mailbox and calendar | No | Authorized users open within own Outlook profiles. | O365 – Non-PennKey Naming Standards. |
| Room | Resource – unique physical location. | Calendar only | No | Authorized users open within own Outlook profiles. | O365 – Non-PennKey Naming Standards. |
| Equipment | Resource – unique piece of equipment. | Calendar only | No | Authorized users open within own Outlook profiles. | O365 – Non-PennKey Naming Standards. |