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How to create public folders

Problem:

You need to manually enable public folders in Exchange Server 2010, 2013, 2016 or in Exchange Online (Office 365).

Solution:

To enable public folders, you have to create an empty public folder tree. If you are using CodeTwo Exchange Migration or CodeTwo Office 365 Migration, the exact tree structure and content of the public folders from your old Exchange server will be automatically recreated in this new tree.

  • For MS Exchange Server 2013, 2016 and MS Exchange Online (Office 365), click here.
  • For MS Exchange Server 2010, click here.

MS Exchange Server 2013, 2016 and MS Exchange Online (Office 365)

Follow the steps below to enable public folders in Exchange Server 2013, Exchange Server 2016 or in Exchange Online (Office 365). This will create an empty public folder tree. Please note that the screenshots in this article are from Exchange Server 2013, but the settings described here look almost exactly the same in Exchange Online (Office 365) and Exchange Server 2016:

  1. Log in to your Exchange:
    • Exchange Server 2013, 2016 - Log in to the Exchange Control Panel (ECP) using your domain admin account. If you are accessing Exchange Server directly, the address will be https://localhost/ecp
    • Exchange Online (Office 365) - Log in to the Office 365 administration panel - http://portal.microsoftonline.com/ - using your Office 365 global administrator account and go to the Exchange section.
  2. Go to the public folders section.

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    Fig. 1. Finding the public folders section in ECP.

  3. Go to the public folders mailboxes tab.
  4. Click on the plus (+) icon to create a new mailbox.

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    Fig. 2. Creating a mailbox for public folders.

  5. Configure the mailbox according to your preferences.

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    Fig. 3. Configuring a public folder mailbox.

  6. Go back to the public folders tab.
  7. Click on the three dots (...) icon.

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    Fig. 4. Finding the permissions section for public folders.

  8. Click on the plus (+) icon next to Root Permissions.
  9. Browse for your Administrator account.

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    Fig. 5. Browsing for the Administrator account.

  10. Make sure the Administrator has Permission level: Owner and every possible privileges granted (all checkboxes checked).

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    Fig. 6. Setting up permissions.

  11. Save the changes in the next windows and close the ECP/Office 365 administration panel.

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    Fig. 7. Finishing and saving the configuration.

For more information on how to manage your public folders, please refer to this Microsoft Technet article.

MS Exchange Server 2010

Please follow the steps below to enable public folders in Exchange Server 2010. This will create an empty public folder tree.

  1. Run the Exchange Management Console (EMC)
  2. In the console tree, click the Organization Configuration branch and then choose Mailbox.
  3. Find the Database Management tab and right-click on the database list. From the context menu choose New Public Folder Database... option (Fig. 8.).

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    Fig. 8. Creating a new public folder database via Exchange Management Console

  4. The New Public Folder Database wizard appears. Specify the name of the public folder database and the mailbox server and click Next.

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    Fig. 9. New Public Folder Database wizard

  5. Skip the next steps by clicking the Next button.
  6. When you reach the wizard completion screen (Fig. 10.), click the Finish button. Your Public Folder tree has been created.

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    Fig. 10.     The final step of creating a Public Folder Database.

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