OL97: How to Open Someone Else's Calendar or Other Folder

To access another user's calendar or other folder in Microsoft Outlook 97:

• You must use Microsoft Exchange Server as your mail service.
• The shared folder must be stored in the Exchange Server mailbox.
• The shared folder must have access permissions assigned.

To Assign Access Permissions to Contacts, Inbox, Journal, Notes, and Tasks

1. Using the right mouse button, click the folder in the Folder List.
2. Click Properties.
3. Click the Permissions tab.
4. Add the name of the user to whom you want to grant access, or choose Default.
5. Set the desired permissions.
6. Click OK.

Permissions affect what you are able to view.

A user with permissions of None or Contributor will only be able to see that you have scheduled a Tentative, Busy or Out of Office appointment or meeting. The user will not be able to see what you enter into the subject line of an appointment. This is true for all four appointment sensitivity levels: Normal, Personal, Private, and Confidential.

A user with Author, Publishing Author, Editor, Publishing Editor, or Reviewer, permissions will also be able to see what you enter in the Subject Line for all appointments and meetings. This is true for all four sensitivity levels: Normal, Personal, Private, and Confidential.

For a user (other than the user who created the appointment) with Owner permissions, the "subject" appears as "Private Appointment" or "Private Meeting," if the item is marked as Private sensitivity.

To set the sensitivity level of an appointment or meeting, open a new item and on the File menu, click Properties.

Accessing the Primary Folder of Another User

1. On the File menu, point to Open Special Folder.
2. Click on Exchange Server Folder.
3. In the Name box, type the name of the person who owns the folder or click Name to select from a list of users.
4. In the Folder box, click the folder you want to open.

Assigning Access Permissions to Your Mailbox

1. In the Folder List, right-click your Mailbox - <name> folder.
2. On the shortcut menu, click Properties for Mailbox - <name>.
3. Click the Permissions tab.
4. Add the name of the user to whom you want to grant access, or choose Default.
5. In the Permissions area, click Read Items.
6. Click OK.

Opening the Mailbox by Another User

1. On the Tools menu, click Services.
2. Click Microsoft Exchange Server in the Services list, and click Properties.
3. On the Advance tab, click Add.
4. Type the name of the mailbox owner in Add Mailbox.
5. Click OK and OK.

This displays the mailbox in the Folders list. Double-click the mailbox name and click the desired folder. Individual folders must have access permission assigned as in, "To Assign Access Permissions to Contacts, Inbox, Journal, Notes, and Tasks" above.

In order to share other than the five default mailbox folders (Contacts, Inbox, Journal, Notes, and Tasks), you must share the whole mailbox. This will give access to subfolders as well as the five primary folders. To share an Outlook subfolder, follow these steps:

1. Grant the appropriate permissions as outlined in "Assigning Access Permissions to Your Mailbox" subsection, making sure that identical permissions are granted at each level in the path to the subfolder.
   
   For example: If you need to access a Contacts subfolder on John Smith's mailbox, John must grant permissions, first to the mailbox, and then to the Contacts folder, and then to the Contacts subfolder. If the main Contacts folder permissions are not granted, John's subfolder is not accessible.
2. Following the steps in the "Opening the Mailbox by Another User" subsection, add John's mailbox to your Folder List view in Outlook.
   
   NOTE: If you use the Open Special Folder method as outlined in the "Accessing the Primary Folder of Another User" subsection, only the primary Outlook folders may be accessed. Subfolders are not available.

This displays the mailbox in the Folders list. Double-click the mailbox name and click the desired folder. Individual folders must have access permission assigned as in "To Assign Access Permissions to Contacts, Inbox, Journal, Notes, and Tasks" above.

For more information on using hyperlinks and shortcuts to access Outlook folders, please see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: