Email Account Setup — Professional Services Edition
A procedure for creating, configuring, and provisioning email accounts for new employees or for additional email addresses as required by the business.
Purpose
To provide employees with properly configured email accounts that comply with organisational naming conventions, security policies, and are ready for immediate use.
Scope
Covers all email account creation and configuration including individual accounts, shared mailboxes, distribution lists, and email aliases across the organisation email platform.
Prerequisites
- Approved new user request or email account request from an authorised manager
- Active employee record in the HR system
- Email naming convention and policy documentation
Designed to meet professional indemnity requirements, client confidentiality obligations, and industry body reporting standards.
Step-by-Step Procedure
Receive and Validate Request
Accept the email account request and verify that it has proper authorisation and the required information.
- 1.1Receive the email account request through the IT service desk
- 1.2Verify manager authorisation on the request
- 1.3Confirm the user details and account type required
Determine Email Address
Generate the email address following the organisational naming convention and verify it is available.
- 2.1Apply the naming convention to generate the email address
- 2.2Check for conflicts with existing email addresses
- 2.3If the address is taken, apply the alternate naming convention
Create the Email Account
Create the email account in the email platform with the appropriate settings, mailbox size, and retention policies.
- 3.1Create the mailbox in the email administration console
- 3.2Apply the appropriate mailbox size quota and retention policy
- 3.3Configure email security settings including spam filtering and encryption
Configure Group Memberships
Add the email account to relevant distribution lists and security groups based on the user role and department.
- 4.1Identify the required distribution lists and groups for the user role
- 4.2Add the account to the appropriate groups
- 4.3Verify group membership is correctly applied
Configure Email Client
Set up the email client on the user device with the correct account settings and configure any additional features.
- 5.1Configure the email account on the user desktop or laptop email client
- 5.2Set up the email account on the user mobile device if applicable
- 5.3Configure email signature using the organisational template
Test and Notify User
Send a test email to verify the account is working, then notify the user that their email account is ready.
- 6.1Send and receive a test email to confirm account functionality
- 6.2Notify the user that their email account is active with login details
- 6.3Provide guidance on email policies and best practices
Quality Checkpoints
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Expected Outcomes
Average time from request to active email account, measuring provisioning efficiency.
Percentage of email accounts set up correctly on the first attempt without requiring corrections.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the mailbox size limit?
Mailbox size limits are defined by the organisation email policy and depend on the email platform and user role. Contact the IT service desk for the current limits.
Can I have more than one email address?
Additional email aliases or shared mailboxes can be set up if there is a business justification and manager approval. Contact the IT service desk to submit a request.
What is the standard email naming convention?
The standard naming convention is typically firstname.lastname at the organisation domain. If that address is already taken, an alternative such as first initial and lastname is used.
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