Getting Started

Overview

Start Here — Find Your Path

Different people need different things from this guide. Find your role below and follow the links.

Who You AreStart WithThen See
New external volunteer
(just got a committee invitation)		 Quick Start for New Volunteers Volunteer without SHHA Email guide, FAQ
New officer or committee chair
(President, Treasurer, Chair, etc.)		 Quick Links & Directory (mailing lists, SharePoint URLs) Volunteer with SHHA Email guide, FAQ sections on role mailboxes and email transitions
New Board member
(need meeting materials and agenda rhythm)		 New Board Member Guide Quick Links & Directory, Volunteer with SHHA Email
New Board president
(need the big picture)		 Quick Links & Directory Systems Inventory, HR & Personnel Management, Controls & Security
GRIT newsletter editor GRIT Layout Monthly Guide FAQ section on GRIT submissions
Office staff
(manage day-to-day IT operations)		 Staff Guide M365 Email Groups & Roles Reference, Quick Links & Directory
Future IT help person
(inheriting the IT admin role)		 M365 Email Groups & Roles Reference Staff Guide, Systems Inventory, Controls & Security

This is the main orientation page for SHHA volunteers. You do not need to be technical to use this guide.

What System Does SHHA Use?

SHHA primarily uses Microsoft 365 for:

You may also see Google Calendar references for Board scheduling.

Do I Need a New Microsoft Account?

No. Use the same email address that received your SHHA invitation.

When first added, you receive a Microsoft invitation email and must accept it once. After acceptance you can:

If access fails, the most common cause is that the original invitation was never accepted.

Committee Mailing Lists (Microsoft Groups)

Each SHHA committee has a mailing list so one address reaches the whole committee.

Typical flow

  1. Committee chair informs office staff.
  2. Office invites volunteer as an external Microsoft user.
  3. Volunteer accepts Microsoft invitation.
  4. Volunteer is added to committee mailing list.
Invitation emails may mention Teams or other services. You can ignore those references.

Committee SharePoint Sites (Where Files Live)

Each committee has a SharePoint site that acts as its long-term file cabinet and working library.

Important: SharePoint navigation through Microsoft menus is often confusing. Use the direct SharePoint links provided in committee materials or this help guide.

File Sharing Rule (Most Important)

Do not try to share files directly with committee groups when members are external users. Instead:

  1. Upload the file to SharePoint.
  2. Use Share or Copy Link.
  3. Send the link to the committee mailing list.

Always share the link, not a stand-alone attachment, for long-term committee docs.

Shared Role Inboxes (Officers)

Officer mailboxes stay with the role, not the person. Examples:

Best practice: Reply from the shared role inbox, or CC it, so records are preserved for SHHA business.

Board Materials and Calendar

If reminders are missing, contact office staff or ITHelp@sandiahomeowners.org.

Record-Keeping and Archive

All committee mailing lists include an archival account (itadmin@sandiahomeowners.org) for retention.

The archive inbox is not monitored and does not reply.

Next Steps

Quick Start for New Volunteers

Start Here: Which Type of Volunteer Are You?

  1. Volunteer without an SHHA email address
  2. Volunteer with a role-based SHHA address

Most volunteers are in Category 1.

Category 1: Volunteers Who Do Not Get Their Own SHHA Email Address

Who this is

What you get

If something is wrong

If you are missing messages, contact office staff so membership can be checked and updated.

Category 2: Volunteers Who Do Get a Role-Based SHHA Address

Who this is

Volunteers serving in specific leadership roles, such as committee chairs or executive roles.

Role-based addresses are shared inboxes

These addresses are tied to the role, not the person.

Important access rule

If something is wrong

If you cannot open the role mailbox, ask staff or IT admin to verify permissions.

Who Maintains This

There is an automated Power Automate notification whenever group membership changes.

Fast Checklist for New Volunteers

Quick Reference

Use this page as the central directory for links and addresses.

Full Email Directory

Mailing Lists

Shared Role Inboxes

Other Key Addresses

All Committee SharePoint Links

Quick Usage Rules

  1. Use committee mailing list addresses for group-wide communication.
  2. Use shared role inboxes for role-specific communication.
  3. Upload files to SharePoint first, then send a SharePoint link by email.
  4. External volunteers should use personal email and SharePoint links, not Teams.