2021

Outlook Contact Sharing

Applies To:

Outlook Desktop Client Office365

Outlook Contacts are stored in a folder within an Office 365 mailbox. They are saved as 'contact items'. The display of this folder is "Contacts - username@mc3.edu" If attempting to share a Contact or a group of Contacts within the Contacts Folder, the result is that you can only forward with no option to share.

To get around this limitation, you can take the following options:

1 - Share the Entire 'Contacts - username@mc3.edu' folder

2 - Create a new folder under contacts, add the contact groups to that folder and share this subfolder

• Contact groups can be added by selecting the subfolder and choosing "New Contact Group" from the top Toolbar under the 'Home' tab.

  

• Contact groups can also be added by 'dragging and dropping' from within the 'Contacts - username@mc3.edu' folder to the new subfolder

To Create a new Subfolder under the 'Contacts - username@mc3.edu' folder

• Select the 3 dots in the bottom of the left hand navigation pane and select 'folders'. This puts you in the mailbox folder view.
• Select 'Contacts - Username@mc3.edu' then right click - select 'new folder' and name the folder
• Select the 'people' icon in the bottom left hand navigation pane to put you back into your Contacts view in Outlook
• Drag and drop from your existing contacts list or create "New Contact Group" (step 2 above) and add contacts

To Share the new subfolder under the 'Contacts - username@mc3.edu' folder

• Right-Click the subfolder and select "Share" - 'Share Contacts' 
• Add the users and select the checkbox "Recipient can add, edit and deleted items in this contacts folder" if you choose give edit permissions, in the sharing invitation
• After you select 'send' the recipient will recieve the invitation and have the option to 'open the folder'. The folder will then be visible in the recipients People view in Outlook.