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M365 Email Building Blocks

SHHA uses four distinct patterns for email addresses in Microsoft 365. Before requesting any new address, understand which pattern fits your need. This page is the reference for anyone planning new committees, roles, or special-purpose addresses.

The Four Patterns at a Glance

PatternWhat it isExampleWhen to use it
Personal mailbox; first.last@sandiahomeowners.org A licensed M365 account owned by one person. Has its own login, calendar, OneDrive, etc. anna.smith@sandiahomeowners.org Office staff and IT admins who need to log in to Microsoft 365 and perform admin tasks. Costs a license.
Shared mailbox; role@sandiahomeowners.org A mailbox tied to a position, not a person. Multiple licensed users can open it from their own account. Retains full email history across holders. president@sandiahomeowners.org; cscchair@sandiahomeowners.org Only one of SHHA's six officer roles: President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, ACC Chair, or CSC Chair. Each officer receives Full Access and Send As through the officer's own licensed account.
Mailing list (Microsoft Group); committee@sandiahomeowners.org A distribution group. Email sent to the address is delivered to every current member — including external guests who have no M365 license. csc@sandiahomeowners.org; shha-all@sandiahomeowners.org Any group of people who need to receive the same email. Most committees have one. No license cost for external members.
Alias; (additional address on an existing mailbox or group) An extra email address that delivers to an existing mailbox or group. Not a separate mailbox — just an alternative address for the same destination. wildfire@sandiahomeowners.org → delivers to the ESC group or a specific shared mailbox One-off or special-purpose addresses (task forces, events, topical inboxes) where you do not need a separate mailbox with its own history. Use when you want a memorable address that maps to something that already exists.

Which Pattern Do I Need?

Walk through these questions when planning a new email address:

  1. Does one specific person need to log in to M365 and perform admin tasks?
    • Yes → Personal mailbox (requires a license; talk to IT admin)
    • No → continue
  2. Does the address need its own persistent inbox that survives personnel changes?
    • Yes → Shared mailbox
    • No → continue
  3. Does the address need to deliver to a group of people?
    • Yes → Mailing list (Microsoft Group)
    • No → continue
  4. Do you just need a convenient address that routes to an existing mailbox or group?
    • Yes → Alias on the appropriate existing mailbox or group
    • No → talk to IT admin to figure out the right approach

Combining Patterns

For a committee or task force, the normal setup is:

WhatPatternTypical result
Committee mailing listMicrosoft GroupOne address that reaches all current members, including external volunteers
Committee documentsSharePoint siteOne group-owned Documents library for the committee record
Friendly alias (optional)Alias on the groupAn additional memorable address that routes to the group
Officer role inbox (only when applicable)Shared mailboxOne of the six officer addresses; never a general chair or task-force mailbox

You generally do not need to create personal mailboxes for volunteers. External volunteers receive group email at their personal addresses (Gmail, Yahoo, etc.) and use SharePoint in a browser.

Archive Rule

Every mailing list (Microsoft Group) must include itadmin@sandiahomeowners.admin@sandiahomeowners.org as a member. This is the archive account that preserves all committee email for continuity and records. It is not monitored for support.

Cost Summary

PatternLicense cost
Personal mailboxRequires a paid M365 license
Shared mailboxFree (up to 50 GB; no license unless it exceeds the limit)
Mailing list (Group)Free
AliasFree (added to an existing mailbox or group)

Where to Go Next

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