Outlook Web Access on Exchange 2007

Quick FAQ’s

Q: Is this a new account? Will I lose anything?
A: This is an upgrade from OWA 2003 to 2007, not a brand new account for you. Your screen will look different, but you shouldn't lose any emails or other files that were there before. However, if you think something has been lost, call Information Technology at 2494.
Q: Has the URL for OWA changed?
A: No, the URL is still http://mail.sarahlawrence.edu/
Q: What are my “Outlook Web Access” (OWA) options?
A: If you use the Windows operating system and have high-speed access to the Internet, we recommend you use Internet Explorer version 7 or later to connect to Outlook Web Access using the "Premium" (default) client. The Outlook Web Access Premium client offers the advanced features typically available when using the Outlook or Entourage client installed on your office computer at SLC. This version will be useful for more advanced tasks (creating task lists, setting up reminders, etc.) If you use Internet Explorer with a dial-up connection or you use a computer with unusually strict browser security settings, you can select Outlook Web Access Light for speedier connectivity, though the feature-set of OWA Light is not as rich as the features available through OWA Premium.
If you use Firefox, Opera, Safari or other popular browsers, OWA will automatically default to the OWA "Light" client. OWA Light can be used to access the basic functionality available in the version of Outlook or Entourage installed on your SLC office computer.
Q: Why does the login page want to know if I'm on a public or private computer?
A: The network wants to know if someone could access your email account (and any personal information located there) and the security measures it needs to take to protect it. In OWA 2007, your information will be stored in a cookie, not in the browser. This means that your login information will be cleared when you log out of OWA - there is no "Remember my password" option.
Secondly, your session will expire (and you will have to login again) if the account is inactive for a period of time. If you are on a public or shared computer, timeout occurs after fifteen minutes of inactivity. You will have more time on your private computer. When timeout does occur, the page will remain the same until you try to perform another action. At this point, you will be prompted to log on again.
These measures help to protect your privacy, but they are not a replacement for the personal security measures you should already be taking:
  1. Never walk away from a public computer without logging off completely.
  2. Always log off of OWA and close the browser before you move on to a website that might not be secure. In OWA 2007, the Log Off button is located in Navigation pane, on the right-hand side. You will be prompted to close the browser window.
  3. Never disclose your password to anyone. With your account name and password, they will have access more than just your email.
  4. The Internet Privacy setting (Tools>Internet Options>Privacy) should be at Medium or higher. Even if you are on your personal computer, think of everyone who could have access to it (colleagues and roommates included).
Q: There are features I thought Outlook Web Access 2007 had, but I'm not seeing them here.
A: Not all browsers support OWA Premium, where you will find most of these features. For OWA Premium, you must use IE 7 or higher; otherwise, you will be automatically connected to the OWA Light. OWA Light is a less elaborate version of Outlook with fewer new features. If you have IE, you may have just selected the OWA Light option instead of Premium on the OWA logon page when you signed in. To switch to Premium, log out of OWA and deselect Use Outlook Web Access Light option when you log back on. For a list of OWA 2007's features, visit Microsoft's website (www.microsoft.com).
Q. Will I still have access to FileWay remote file management?
A. Yes. Fileway will still function the same way as previously configured. However users are required to use Fileway exclusively when attaching a file to an email while using OWA light or OWA premium.
Q: What is a Reading Pane? I don't see it on my page. How do I view it?
A: A Reading Pane (also called a Preview Pane) is the area within the Outlook window that displays a selected email message. Click on an email to view it in the Reading Pane, or double-click to view it in a separate window. The Reading Pane option is only available in the Premium client of Online Web Access, not in OWA Light. If you are in OWA Premium and still do not see the Reading Pane, or if the Reading Pane is there and you want to remove it:
  1. In the Toolbar, click the Show/Hide Reading Pane button.
  2. Choose one of the three options: Right, Bottom or Off.
  3. You may adjust the size of the any pane by moving the lines between the panes.
Q: Is it possible to recover items recently emptied from my Deleted Items Folder?
A: Yes - with the new version of OWA, it's much easier to view and recover these files.
  1. In the Navigation Pane, click Options.
  2. Scroll down to Recover Deleted Items (at the very bottom) and click View Items.
  3. A list of deleted messages from the past several days will appear. Make your selection (use the Shift key to select more than one) and click the Recover button above the list, or click Permanently Delete to clear these files from your account completely. If the file isn't there, the recovery time has probably already passed.
  4. The file will be sent back to your Deleted Items folder - not your Inbox.
Q: What options do I have with the Spell Check?
A: If you are in OWA Premium, you will now have the Spell Check button in all new message windows. In addition, one major advantage of the OWA Spell Check is having the option of automatically checking your messages when you click Send. Furthermore, you now have a choice of 20 languages and language variations.
To set your Spell Check options:
  1. In the Navigation Pane, click Options.
  2. Find the Spelling Options section. You have several choices, from ignoring certain words to selecting a language.
  3. Don't forget to click Save and Close to save your changes.
Q: I opened an email that contained images, but the images are blocked. What happened? How can I view them?
A: Sometimes, images, music, and other external content can contain "beacons", which are used by spammers to verify your email address so that they may send you more (and more) spam. With its 2007 version, Outlook Web Access attempts to prevent this by blocking anything that could contain a beacon. You will probably see a warning with a Click here to unblock content option. If you trust the sender, go ahead and unblock the content. If you don't, the images will be blocked when you view the email and the beacon (if one is there) will not be activated.
It may be a bit of an inconvenience, but the blocker helps to protect the computer and, most importantly, your privacy from people who want to inconvenience you even more. Though it is not recommended, you may turn off the blocker (Options>Privacy and Junk Email Prevention).
Q: I saw an announcement that I had new mail, but I don't see it in my Inbox. Where is it?
A: Your mailbox does not always refresh itself automatically (this is done to cut down on how much the site slows down your internet connection speed). Clicking on the announcement window, the Inbox folder, or on any Refresh button (the browser or on the OWA ) will refresh the page and allow you to see the new message.
Q: What are Search Folders? How can I access them?
A: Search folders are folders of your saved search results. For example, you may want to have all emails from a particular person in one folder, so you would search Outlook for these emails and save the search as a Search Folder. You cannot create search folders in Outlook Web Access, but you can create them in Outlook 2003 or 2007 if it is in online mode with an OWA 2007 server. Then, you may view them in your OWA Premium account in the Folders pane. This feature is not available in OWA Light view.