Problem Description
- You would like to alter an account so that it forwards to another mail account
Problem Resolution
When it's a new account, or you want to replace an account with a forward
The following steps will all be done within our Exchange admin in the Websavers Client Centre. Login there, then click on your Exchange account in the active services list and scroll down to the section called "Exchange Hosting Configuration."
- When to use an Alias instead of a forward: Aliases are best when you intend to forward an email address to another single email address where the destination address exists already as a mail account (not group or shared account). In this case for xyz@yourdomain.com to forward to abc@yourdomain.com, you must click on Aliases under abc@yourdomain.com then add a new one called xyz@yourdomain.com.
- When to use a Group Account instead of a forward: If you would like to have an email account that redirects all incoming messages to more than one account you can create a Group Account for exactly this purpose. Note that all destination addresses must be already hosted within your Exchange account. Choose the Group Accounts tab > Add a Group Account. Enter the address you would like it to be, then you must select at least one manager (probably your email address), and then select the members - they're the ones that should receive emails sent to this group account. Press Save and wait about 3-5 minutes for it to be created.
- When to use a Shared Account instead of a forward: If you would like for one or more Exchange accounts to have access to a separate mailbox that all members can see and utilize (note: this is only supported within the Classic Outlook app for Windows/Mac and Outlook Web Access), a Shared Account is what you want. This is similarly to when multiple people share the same email account. In the Exchange Configuration, choose the Shared Accounts tab > Add a Shared Account. Give it a name, and select those that will access the account and press Save.
Aliases, Group Accounts, and Shared Accounts do not incur any additional costs. Aliases and Group Accounts do not store messages on their own. Shared Accounts store messages with a fixed limit of 10GB. (Tip: You may move messages from shared accounts to your actual email account to free up space in the Shared Account, should you need to).
If none of the three options above cover your needs, then you will need to configure the existing email account to forward to another address. This can only be done from within that email account's settings; not from within the Exchange administration panel in our Client Centre. Here's how:
When you want to have a regular account that also forwards
The owner of the email account must first login to Outlook Web Access and ensure the recipient email address exists in their contact list. Then they'll be able to create a rule that forwards messages. Here's how to do it:
- Select the menu button in the upper left corner > People
- Add the recipient address as a person
- Select the settings icon in the upper right corner > Options > Mail > Automatic Processing > Inbox and sweep rules.
- Choose the + button to add a rule and give it a name like "External Forward" or "Forward to [recipient name]"
- Set the condition to "Apply to all messages"
- Set the action to "Forward, redirect, or send" > Forward the message to
- Select the person from the contact list to send to (the one you created in the first couple steps)
That's it!
Tip: you will see the option for a forward or a redirect. Messages that are forwarded will appear to be forwarded from the email address where the forward is configured. Meanwhile messages that are redirected will show as coming from the original sender.
Note: if you decide to test the forward, be sure that the address you send from is not part of that forward - neither the address you logged in to in order to configure it, nor the final destination address.
