Microsoft 365 - Convert a Service Account to a Shared Mailbox

• More secure: Shared mailboxes do not have a password that can be compromised.
• No expiration or renewal required: Unlike Service Accounts, Shared Mailboxes do not expire. They stay active as long as one person has access or a valid email forward is set. Learn about service account life-cycle.
• Saves the University money: Long term we expect Microsoft will require service accounts to use a paid license. By choosing a Shared Mailbox over a Service Account, you help save the university from future licensing costs.

• All emails/calendar data
• First & Last Name are preserved in the Display Name
• Any alternate addresses on the service account
• Mailbox permissions
• Calendar permissions
• Forwarding
• Inbox rules
• Safe/blocked senders lists

Note: After the service account is converted, it can no longer be used to access any other campus service and it cannot be converted back - such as Zoom or Google Workspace.

Before starting the conversion:

• Notify all users with access to the service account to stop using it until you confirm the conversion is complete.
• Verify if the service account has access to other campus services (e.g, Google, Zoom). If it does, those accounts (e.g., Zoom service account) and its data might be deleted when the service account is converted.
• Highly recommended: Start and complete the conversion during off hours to minimize service disruption.

Reminder: Once a service account is converted into a shared mailbox, it cannot be converted back.

Steps: 

1. Log into Wisc Account Administration site as a domain administrator.
2. Search for the service account.
3. Expand the "Account Administration" section and click Renewal.
4. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click 'Convert Service Account to Shared Mailbox' link.
5. On the confirmation page, review the information and then click the check box next to "I understand that converting this Service Account to a Shared Mailbox is permanent and irreversible."
6. Next, click Convert to Shared Mailbox button.

IMPORTANT: Please be aware that your Exchange Online mailbox and calendar will be temporarily unavailable while we convert the account. During this time, you will not be able to send or receive emails, view your calendar, or access the account via Outlook or mobile devices.

While many conversions are completed quickly, processing times within Microsoft 365 can vary significantly. Please plan for a service interruption that could last anywhere from 15 minutes to multiple hours. We recommend finishing any time-sensitive email tasks before the process begins.