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Managing and Using Exchange Public Folders

IT Help Central - Managing and Using Exchange Public Folders

The purpose of Microsoft® Exchange Public Folders is to share information among multiple users across a one-to-many rather than a one-to-one relationship.  Users can share files, appointments, emails and journal entries with other users of the Public Folder by using Microsoft Outlook or Outlook Web Access.  The instructions below will show you how to manage and use Public Folders in Outlook 2003.

Managing Public Folders

Step 1:  Select the Folder List by clicking on Go -> Folder List.

 

Step 2:  In the Folder List, locate Public Folders and then select All Public Folders.  Now right click on the Public Folder you want to manage and click Properties.

 

Step 3:  The main properties window will now open.

Here you can view the size of the entire folder by clicking on the Folder Size button.

You can also update the Description of the folder from this screen as well.

 

Step 4:  You can edit the Home Page settings by clicking on the Home Page tab at the top of the window.

If you would like for a specific page to display instead of the default Public Folder view, you can either specify a web address in the Address field or upload an html file using the Browse button.

To enable the home page view, select the check box next to Show home page by default for this folder. 

 

Step 5:  Now click on the Administration tab.  From here you can change various folder settings such as the Initial view on the folder.  This will change the order in which the items in the Public Folder are displayed by default.

You can also restrict access to owners only or allow all users with the proper permissions to access the Public Folder.

 

Step 6:  Now click on the Permissions tab at the top of the window.  From here you can add / delete / modify the permissions that certain users and groups have to the Public Folder.

NOTE: Only folder Owners can manage permissions.

To change a set of permissions, select the user or group and then modify their permissions below.

You can either use one of the pre-configured permissions levels from the Permission Level box or you can specify custom permissions below that if you want.

To delete a user or group, click on the user / group and then click on the Remove button.

Recommendation: To make your public folder more secure, the Default and Anonymous users should have their permission levels set to "None".

 

Step 7:   To add a new user or group, click on the Add button (as seen in the image in step 5).

After you click on the Add button, the Add Users window will appear.  Select the user or group that you would like to add permissions to the Public Folder for and click OK.

NOTE: To make administration of permissions easier, add distribution lists to the permissions listing instead of individual users.

 

Step 8:  Once you have added a new user / group, that user or group will inherit the permissions specified by Default.  You can now modify this user or group's permissions.

 


Step 9:  Once you have finished configuring the Public Folder, click on the OK button.
 

 

Using Public Folders

Step 1:  Select the Folder List by clicking on Go -> Folder List.

 


Step 2:  In the Folder List, locate Public Folders and then select All Public Folders.  Now click on the Public Folder you want to view.
 

 


Step 3:  After you have selected the Public Folder, you will be shown a listing of all of the items that are stored in the folder.  To view an item, simply double click on it.  You can add new files or update files by dragging them onto the Public Folder.
 

 

Step 4:  You can also add new items such as Posts, Appointments, Contacts, Tasks, etc... to the Public Folder by clicking on the New button in the upper left hand corner of the Outlook window.

 


Step 5:  Many types of files that are stored in the Public Folder will have to be downloaded before you can view them.  Once you double click on a file that must be downloaded first, you will be shown a prompt similar to the one shown below.

If you would like to make changes and then have the changes updated on the copy stored in the Public Folder, click Open.  The file will now be opened.  You can now make changes to this document.  Once you have finished making your changes, save and close the document and then return to Outlook.  The file will now be updated with the new version that you saved.