FAQs

O365 is Microsoft’s online collaboration platform. It includes email, calendaring, file storage (OneDrive), collaboration tools and more. Watch Microsoft’s short video on Office 365.

O365 is protected by Passport York and can be accessed from most systems and devices. For instructions on accessing O365, click here!

Office 365 Outlook provides you with business-class email, calendars, and contacts, which can be accessed from your web browser, computer or phone. Delivered as a hosted service from Microsoft, it offers a high standard of security for your information while providing the control you want and the reliability you need. Office 365 runs your email on Microsoft’s globally-redundant servers protected by built-in antivirus and anti-spam filters.

For our top 5 reasons to move to Outlook, click here!

O365 will work on any device or system running a current version of a supported browser (Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, Edge). For a full list of supported browsers, click here!

There will be no cost to your faculty or department.

Office 365 is a cloud-based subscription to a larger suite of programs that includes enhanced functionality and the most up-to-date features. Office 365 is the standard version installed on all York University-owned computers. For more info, click here!

There are only a few circumstances where Office 2016 or Office 2019 would be required for University-owned computers over Office 365. For example:

• The computer is not always connected to the network
• The computer is used by a guest who is not affiliated with York University and who may not have a Passport York account
• The computer has additional plug-ins, macros or other 3^rd party tools or software that require Office 2016 or 2019, and is not compatible with Office 365

Your Microsoft Office account's data is populated by the HR database. This means that whatever your ‘Primary’ name is recorded as in HR will appear in the Active Directory as your Office 365 username. You can change your ‘Primary’ name online via HR Self-Serve. Changes made to your ‘Primary’ name will be visible in other systems, including MS Outlook Address Book within the next business day.

All user-created groups must conform to a naming convention in order to avoid naming collisions.

The group naming convention has been changed to use the following prefix:

<Dept Abbreviation> followed by a dash “-”

The department abbreviation is dependent on the department the user creating the group belongs to. For example, if a UIT staff member creates a Team called “Projects”, the group name will be “UIT-Projects”.

This convention helps:

• Identify what department or faculty created the group
• Categorize groups in the address book
• Improve searches related to a department or faculty
• To allow multiple departments to have unique names for common groups (LAPS-Deans Office, EDU-Deans Office, etc.)

Click here for a list of department abbreviations!

Getting the wrong prefix, or want a different one? Contact askit@yorku.ca

Changing a group or team name can be a bit tricky; send a ticket to askit@yorku.ca for more info.

If you were migrated to O365 as part of the Lotus Notes migration and you had a Lotus Notes email archive, you will have an online archive in O365. If you were migrated as part of the Central Mail migration project, your online archive will not be enabled.

If you have an online archive in O365, emails in your inbox that are older than 2 years will be automatically moved into your archive.

Your archive space is unlimited!

How do I find the Archive folder?

Your online archive is in the folder list. To display the folder list, select View > Folder Pane > Normal.

How do I search my Online Archive Folder?

When you select your online archive, you will see that your search bar says "Search Online Archive".

You can also search your entire mail folder, including your Online Archive by selecting the All Outlook items from the Search options.

 

 

 

 

100 GB instead of the previous 2 GB.

You will have 5 TB of storage space with OneDrive. You will also still have access to your departmental shared drives.

Yes! Teams is our recommended and supported instant messaging option.

If you are no longer employed by York University, your Passport York account will be expired and removed. This removal will include the deletion of your Office 365 data—email, calendar, contacts, and OneDrive files (including documents you’ve shared).

Prior to your departure from the University, you should coordinate with your manager and provide copies of critical documents stored in your OneDrive or email. Your account is recoverable for a period of no more than 30 days from the date your affiliation with the University ends.

Yes! anyone can collaborate provided they set up a Microsoft account. When you invite someone to collaborate and they do not have an account, they will be prompted to create one. There is no registration fee.

Yes! Microsoft Office is available to all YorkU users.

Focused Inbox helps you focus on the emails that matter most to you. It separates your inbox into two tabs—Focused and Other. Your most important emails are on the Focused tab while the rest remain easily accessible—but out of the way—on the Other tab. You’ll be informed about email flowing to Other, and you can switch between tabs at any time to take a quick look. For more info, click here! For instructions on turning off Focused Inbox, click here!

The maximum O365 email message size (including text and attachment) is 35 MB.