Frequently Asked Questions

FAQ

Answers for SHHA volunteers, officers, and committee members. Find your question in the sidebar or scroll through the sections below.

I was invited but cannot access files. What is usually wrong?

The most common cause is that the original Microsoft invitation email was never accepted. Until you accept that invitation, Microsoft does not recognize you as an authorized guest, so SharePoint links and group emails will not work.

How to fix it — step by step

Search your email (Gmail, Yahoo Mail, iCloud Mail, etc.) for a message from "Microsoft Invitations" with a subject like "You've been invited to access applications within the Sandia Homeowners organization." Check your Spam / Junk folder — these invitations often land there.
Open the email and click the "Accept invitation" button or link.
Sign in with your personal email address — the same one the invitation was sent to. If you already have a Microsoft account linked to that email, use its password. If not, Microsoft will walk you through creating one (free) or send a one-time passcode.
Review and accept the permissions prompt. Microsoft will ask you to agree that SHHA can see basic profile information (name and email). Click Accept.
Try opening your SharePoint link again. It should now work.

If you cannot find the invitation email or the link has expired, contact ITHelp@sandiahomeowners.org and they can resend it.

Microsoft help: B2B collaboration invitation redemption explains the full invitation-acceptance process.

Do I need a paid Microsoft license?

Usually no. Most SHHA volunteers are added as external guest users in Microsoft 365. Guest access is free.

As a guest you can:

Receive committee group emails at your personal email address
Open and edit documents shared with you on SharePoint
View files in your web browser without installing any software

Only SHHA office staff and IT administrators need paid licenses.

Microsoft help: What is guest access in Microsoft 365 Groups?

Do I need to create a new username or password?

No. Use the same personal email address that received your SHHA invitation (e.g., your Gmail, Yahoo Mail, Outlook.com, or iCloud address).

If that email is already a Microsoft account (any @outlook.com, @hotmail.com, or @live.com address, or a personal email you previously registered), sign in with its existing password.
If it is not a Microsoft account, Microsoft will either send a one-time passcode by email each time you sign in, or prompt you to create a free Microsoft account.

Microsoft help: How to create a new Microsoft account — only needed if Microsoft asks you to during the invitation process.

Not reliably when the group includes external (guest) members, which most SHHA groups do. SharePoint's built-in "Share" dialog sometimes cannot resolve external-member group addresses, and recipients may get "Access Denied" errors.

Use this reliable method instead

Upload your file to the committee's SharePoint document library.
- Open the SharePoint site link your committee uses.
- Click Upload → Files, then select your file.
Copy a sharing link for the file.
- Select the file (click the circle icon next to its name).
- Click the Share button at the top of the page.
- In the sharing dialog, click Copy link. Make sure the link setting says something like "People in Sandia Homeowners with the link can edit". Click the gear icon to adjust permissions if needed.
- Click Copy.
Email the link to the committee mailing list.
- Open your personal email (Gmail, Yahoo Mail, Outlook.com, etc.).
- Compose a new message to the committee address (e.g., csc@sandiahomeowners.org).
- Paste the SharePoint link into the email body. Add a brief description.
- Click Send.

Microsoft help: Share SharePoint files or folders

Why should I send links instead of attachments?

One official version. Everyone views and edits the same file — no outdated copies.
Less confusion. No multiple versions floating around in different inboxes.
Centralized records. The file stays in SharePoint, where future volunteers can find it.
No file-size limits. Email attachments can bounce if too large. SharePoint links have no such problem.

Rule of thumb: If a document is SHHA committee business, it goes in SharePoint, and you email the link. Only use attachments for quick, one-off items that do not need to be retained.

Microsoft help: External or guest sharing in SharePoint

I have a role mailbox (e.g., president@, treasurer@). Should I reply from my personal inbox?

For SHHA business, always reply from the role mailbox (e.g., president@sandiahomeowners.org), or at minimum CC the role mailbox so the message is saved there.

Role mailboxes stay with the position, not the person. When leadership changes, the next officer inherits the full email history. Replies from your personal inbox are lost to the organization.

How to reply from the role mailbox using Outlook on the web

Go to outlook.office.com and sign in with your SHHA licensed account (your @sandiahomeowners.org address).
In the left sidebar, look under "Shared with me" (or right-click your account name → "Add shared folder or mailbox" → type the role address).
Open the email you want to reply to from the role mailbox's Inbox.
Click Reply. Check the From field — it should show the role address. If not, click From and select the role mailbox.
Compose and click Send.

Microsoft help: Open and use a shared mailbox in Outlook

I cannot see my shared role inbox in Outlook. What should I do?

If the shared mailbox does not appear automatically, try adding it manually:

In Outlook on the web (outlook.office.com)

Sign in with your SHHA @sandiahomeowners.org account.
In the left folder pane, right-click your account name.
Select "Add shared folder or mailbox."
Type the role mailbox address (e.g., cscchair@sandiahomeowners.org) and press Enter.
The shared mailbox should appear under "Shared with me".

In the new Outlook desktop app (Windows or Mac)

Open Outlook → go to Mail.
Right-click your account name in the folder pane.
Select "Add shared folder or mailbox."
Type the role mailbox address and click Add.

If it still does not appear, your account may not have been granted permission yet. Contact ITHelp@sandiahomeowners.org to verify your mailbox permissions.

Microsoft help: Open and use a shared mailbox in Outlook — see "What if it didn't work?"

Where should Board materials be submitted?

Upload directly to the Board's SharePoint site using the direct link from your Board materials or ITHelp.

Only deviate from this if office staff specifically requests materials a different way.

Why am I not getting Board reminder emails?

Board meeting reminders are sent from a shared Google Calendar workflow, not Microsoft 365. Common reasons:

Check Spam / Junk. Automated calendar reminders often get filtered.
Verify your email address in the Google Calendar sharing settings. If you changed emails, reminders may go to your old address.
Confirm you accepted the Google Calendar invitation. You may have received a separate sharing email from Google.

If none of the above resolves it, contact office staff or ITHelp@sandiahomeowners.org.

Where do I log in?

There is no single Microsoft website for everything. Which site you use depends on what you need:

What you need to do	Where to go	Who uses it
Open committee files	Your committee's SharePoint link (from your chair or ITHelp). You can also browse sandiahomeowners.sharepoint.com	All volunteers
Read / send role mailbox email	outlook.office.com — sign in with your `@sandiahomeowners.org` account	Officers & chairs with role mailboxes
Manage your Microsoft account	account.microsoft.com — reset password, update security info	Anyone with a Microsoft account
Access personal OneDrive files	onedrive.live.com (personal) or your SharePoint library (SHHA files)	Limited use

Tip: Most volunteers just click a SharePoint link someone emailed them. You do not need to remember a general login page.

Microsoft help: Sign in to Microsoft 365

Do I have an official SHHA email address? How do I use it?

It depends on your role:

Most committee volunteers do NOT have an @sandiahomeowners.org email address. You use your personal email and receive committee emails there. No special login is needed.
Officers and committee chairs usually have access to a shared role mailbox (e.g., president@sandiahomeowners.org, cscchair@sandiahomeowners.org). These are shared inboxes tied to the position. Access them through outlook.office.com using your @sandiahomeowners.org licensed account. See role mailboxes and accessing shared inboxes above.
Staff members have full licensed @sandiahomeowners.org accounts and log in at outlook.office.com.

Not sure which category you fall into? Ask your committee chair or email ITHelp@sandiahomeowners.org.

Can I forward my SHHA role mailbox email to my personal email?

This is not recommended, and you cannot set it up yourself.

Role mailboxes are shared inboxes managed by the SHHA Microsoft 365 administrator. Only an admin can configure forwarding. It is discouraged because:

Replies from your personal inbox will not appear in the role mailbox, breaking record continuity.
Forwarded copies persist in your personal inbox after you leave the role.

What to do instead

Bookmark outlook.office.com and check the role mailbox regularly.
Turn on notifications: in Outlook on the web, click the gear icon (⚙) → View all Outlook settings → General → Notifications → enable email notifications.
Use the Outlook mobile app (iOS / Android): sign in with your @sandiahomeowners.org account, then add the shared mailbox.

If you have an exceptional need for forwarding, contact ITHelp@sandiahomeowners.org.

Microsoft help: Add a shared mailbox to Outlook mobile

Can I access my SHHA email from my personal email app (Apple Mail, Gmail app, etc.)?

For the shared role mailbox — generally no. Shared mailboxes cannot be added to third-party email clients like Apple Mail or Gmail. They must be accessed through Microsoft Outlook.

Your best options

Outlook on the web — outlook.office.com in any browser. Nothing to install.
Outlook mobile app — free on iOS and Android. Sign in with your @sandiahomeowners.org account, then add the shared mailbox.
New Outlook desktop app — free on Windows and Mac via outlook.com or your app store.

For regular committee email (external volunteers): Committee emails are delivered directly to your personal inbox. No special setup needed.

Microsoft help: Open and use a shared mailbox in Outlook

How do I see emails going between committee or Board members? Can I see older emails from before I joined?

Committee mailing list emails

When someone sends to a committee group address (e.g., csc@sandiahomeowners.org), every current member receives a copy.
You can see emails sent from the date you were added onward.
You cannot see emails from before you were added. There is no self-service web archive for external members.

If you need prior committee email history

Ask your committee chair or a current member to forward key threads.
Check the committee's SharePoint document library — important decisions should be saved as files, not just buried in email.
The SHHA archive mailbox (itadmin@sandiahomeowners.org) retains a copy of all group emails. Contact ITHelp@sandiahomeowners.org to request specific messages.

Shared role mailbox emails

If you hold a role (e.g., committee chair, President), the shared role mailbox retains its full email history regardless of who currently has access. When you are granted access, you can scroll back through all prior sent and received messages — one of the major advantages of using role mailboxes.

How do I send an email to a specific group (Board, committee, or task force)?

For the complete directory of all mailing lists, chair inboxes, and SharePoint URLs, see the Quick Links & Directory page.

Each committee and the Board has a mailing list address. Sending to it delivers to all current members.

Group	Email address
All Board and committee members	`shha-all@sandiahomeowners.org`
Board of Directors	Ask office staff or your chair for the current address
Community Standards Committee (CSC)	`csc@sandiahomeowners.org`
Architectural Control Committee (ACC)	`acc@sandiahomeowners.org`
Other committees	Each has its own `@sandiahomeowners.org` group address — ask your chair or ITHelp

How to send

Open your email (Gmail, Yahoo Mail, Outlook.com, Outlook on the web — whatever you normally use).
Compose a new message.
In the To field, type the group address (e.g., csc@sandiahomeowners.org).
Write your message and click Send.

Tips: You do not need to know individual email addresses — the group address handles distribution. If sharing a document, paste a SharePoint link rather than attaching a file.

How does the email transition work when someone enters or leaves a role? Who handles it?

This is NOT automatic. A human (office staff) must update group memberships and mailbox permissions.

When you are the incoming person (new to a role)

Your committee chair (or the Board, for executive roles) notifies office staff that you are taking over.
Office staff (currently Anna) adds you to the committee mailing list(s) and requests mailbox access from IT.
ITHelp grants you permission to the shared role mailbox.
You can then open the shared mailbox at outlook.office.com and see the full email history.
You begin receiving all committee group emails.

When you are the outgoing person (leaving a role)

Notify your committee chair and office staff of your departure date.
Office staff removes you from the mailing list(s). You stop receiving group emails.
ITHelp removes your mailbox access. You can no longer open it.
The mailbox and all its history remains intact for your successor.

Overlap period

There is no automatic overlap. If you want your successor to start seeing emails before your access is removed, ask office staff to add them early. A brief overlap is good practice.

Who does what

Action	Who handles it
Notify staff of the change	Outgoing or incoming person, or chair
Add / remove people from mailing lists	Office staff (Anna)
Grant / revoke shared mailbox access	ITHelp / IT admin
Preserve email history in role mailbox	Automatic — the mailbox retains everything

For the President and executive officers: You do not need to know the technical steps — staff and ITHelp handle them. Your job is to make sure the transition is communicated to office staff promptly.

Staff who need to administer these changes should see the Staff page and the M365 Email Groups & Roles reference.

How do I find phone numbers for Board, committee, and staff members?

There is no centralized online directory with phone numbers in the Microsoft 365 system. Most members do not list personal numbers publicly. Here are your options:

Ask office staff. Email office@sandiahomeowners.org and request the phone number(s) you need. Staff maintain internal contact lists.
Ask your committee chair. Chairs typically maintain a roster with phone numbers shared privately.
Check the SHHA community directory (if available on the SHHA website or as a printed/PDF document).
Board and executive contacts. Board members should receive a contact list at the start of their term. If you have not received one, ask the President or office staff.

For emergencies: Email ITHelp@sandiahomeowners.org and office@sandiahomeowners.org simultaneously, mark the subject as URGENT, and explain the situation. Staff can relay messages.

Suggestion for chairs: Maintain a simple phone/email contact sheet for your group and share it privately at the start of each term.

How do I find committee web pages on the SHHA website?

Go to sandiahomeowners.org.
Look for a Committees menu in the top navigation bar or sidebar.
Click through to find the specific committee.

Note: Public committee web pages are informational (schedules, descriptions). Working documents are on SharePoint, not the public website.

Where do I find minutes from committee or Board meetings?

Meeting minutes are typically stored in the committee's SharePoint document library.

Open your committee's SharePoint site (see SharePoint access above).
Click Documents in the left sidebar.
Look for a folder called "Minutes", "Meeting Minutes", or similar. Some committees organize by year (e.g., Documents > 2026 > Minutes).
Click into the folder to see individual files.

If minutes are not in SharePoint: ask your committee chair. Board minutes may also be posted on the SHHA website once approved.

How do I submit an article for The GRIT newsletter?

The GRIT is SHHA's community newsletter. Articles go to the GRIT editor (Communication & Publication Committee) on a monthly cycle.

President's Letter

Frequency	Monthly — one per issue
Word count	Typically 300–500 words (confirm with the editor)
Format	Word document (.docx) or email body text
Deadline	Usually mid-month for next month's issue (e.g., mid-Feb for March). Confirm with the editor.
Images	Attach high-res JPEG or PNG as a separate file. Include a caption.

Tips for GRIT submissions

Submit early. Late submissions may be held for the next issue.
Proofread before submitting.
Include a headline/title.
Provide photo credits if images are not your own.

Not sure who the current GRIT editor is? Email office@sandiahomeowners.org.

For the layout/design process (GRIT editor only), see GRIT Layout Monthly Guide.

How do I send an email blast to all SHHA residents?

You cannot send an email blast yourself. Blasts to the full membership are sent by office staff using a bulk email system.

How to request an email blast

Draft your message. Include any links or images.
Email your draft to office@sandiahomeowners.org with a subject like "Email blast request — [topic]."
Specify the audience. All residents? A specific section?
Include your desired send date. Give staff a few business days lead time.
Staff will review and send.

Who has oversight over email blasts?

Office staff are the gatekeepers — they control the bulk email system.
Board approval may be required for policy statements, financial updates, or messages on behalf of the Board. Ask the President or office manager if unsure.
Routine operational messages (meeting reminders, committee announcements) typically do not need separate Board approval.

Important: Do not send mass emails by putting all resident addresses in To or CC. This exposes everyone's email, triggers spam filters, and is not the proper process.

When should I contact IT Help?

Contact ITHelp@sandiahomeowners.org if:

You cannot access SharePoint — "Access Denied" or "You need permission" error
You are not receiving committee emails
You never received or cannot find your Microsoft invitation email
You cannot see a shared role inbox after trying the steps above
You are unsure which email address to use
You are stuck sharing a file
You need your invitation resent
You see unexpected Microsoft prompts (Teams invitations, license warnings, etc.)
You need prior email history retrieved from the archive
You need role mailbox access set up or changed
You cannot find the SharePoint link for your committee

Contact office staff (office@sandiahomeowners.org) if:

You need someone added to or removed from a committee mailing list
You need a phone number or contact info for Board / committee / staff
You want to submit a GRIT article but don't know the editor's email
You want to request an email blast to residents
You need to report a leadership transition

Needing help is completely normal. The Microsoft 365 guest system can be confusing. ITHelp and office staff are there to sort it out.

When you email ITHelp, include:

Your full name
The email address you use for SHHA
A screenshot of any error message (if possible)
A brief description of what you were trying to do and what happened instead

Gmail & Legacy Accounts

What are the SHHA Gmail addresses, and should I use them?

SHHA has two Gmail addresses that predate the Microsoft 365 system:

sandiahomeowners@gmail.com — TODO: Document the current purpose of this address. Who monitors it? Is it used for Google Calendar automation (Board meeting reminders)? Should new Board members be aware of it?
shhagrit@gmail.com — TODO: Document this address's purpose. Is it used for GRIT newsletter submissions? Google Drive access for GRIT files? Who monitors it?

For most SHHA business, use your @sandiahomeowners.org addresses (committee mailing lists and role mailboxes). The Gmail addresses are legacy and may serve specific limited purposes.

Human Resources & Administration

How are volunteers added to or removed from committees?

TODO: Document the full appointment process. For now, the IT side works as follows:

Adding: The committee chair (or Board, for chair appointments) notifies office staff. Staff sends a Microsoft invitation and adds the volunteer to the committee mailing list. See the Quick Start for New Volunteers page for the volunteer's perspective.
Removing: The chair (or the volunteer) notifies office staff. Staff removes the person from the mailing list and revokes SharePoint and mailbox access.
Formal governance process: Refer to the SHHA Bylaws for rules on committee appointments and chair replacements. TODO: Add a link to the Bylaws document.

For detailed information, see the HR & Personnel Management page in the Operations & Administration chapter.

Who manages SHHA staff? (evaluations, salary, hiring)

TODO: This is primarily a governance/operations question, not IT. Key sub-questions to answer:

Who gives yearly evaluations?
Who sets salary and benefits?
Who hires new staff?
Who assigns day-to-day work priorities?
What is the President's specific role in staff management?

See the HR & Personnel Management page in the Operations & Administration chapter for the full skeleton of questions to be answered.

What outside consultants does SHHA use?

TODO: Document current consultants (legal counsel, web consultant, others), how they are compensated, and who oversees their work. See the HR & Personnel Management page for details.

What insurance does SHHA have for volunteers and officers?

TODO: Document insurance coverage including E&O, general liability, D&O, and cyber liability. See the HR & Personnel Management page for the full list of questions.

Systems & Controls

What technology systems does SHHA use?

SHHA uses several technology systems:

Microsoft 365 — Email, mailing lists, shared mailboxes, SharePoint (file storage)
QuickBooks — Financial accounting (cloud-based)
Gusto — Payroll and benefits
Square — Tram ticket sales and advertising payments
SHHA Website — Public-facing website at sandiahomeowners.org
Membership Database — TODO: identify the system
GRIT Newsletter tools — TODO: identify the production software

For detailed information about each system (admin, login, backup status), see the Systems Inventory page in the Operations & Administration chapter.

How is SHHA data backed up?

Most SHHA data lives in cloud services (Microsoft 365, QuickBooks Online, Gusto) which provide their own redundancy and backups. TODO: Document whether SHHA has additional backup procedures, retention policies, or third-party backup solutions. See the Controls & Security page for the full assessment.

Who has admin access to SHHA systems?

TODO: Document who has administrator access to each system, ensure there is a primary and backup for each. See the Controls & Security page for the full access matrix.