A temporary helper may need to sort a backlog, coordinate replies, or find a particular set of messages. That does not automatically mean they need unrestricted access to your mailbox—or access that continues after the task ends. Before sharing anything, decide exactly what work they will do, how long it should take, and which information they need to do it. Then ask an authorized administrator whether a limited, approved arrangement is available. If it is not, choose a safer way to provide the necessary material rather than handing over your sign-in details.
The useful bits
- Write down the task, end date, and minimum information the helper needs.
- Ask an authorized administrator about a limited arrangement; an alias is not a separate login.
- When the work ends, remove or change access and check that it no longer works.
Describe the job before choosing access
Start with the outcome, not the account setting. “Find the latest message about the venue and draft a reply” is more useful than “help with email.” Note whether the helper must read messages, draft responses, send them, organize folders, or locate attachments. Each additional ability can expose more information or allow more consequential actions.
Be specific about boundaries, too: which correspondence is relevant, what the helper must leave untouched, and who approves messages before they go out. If the task can be completed with a few forwarded messages or documents, full mailbox access may be unnecessary.
Set an end point and a review date
Record when the work should begin and when access should stop. Make the end point an actual date or a clear event, such as completion of a particular filing—not “when things calm down.” If the task is extended, review the need and approve the extension deliberately.
Plan the access review before granting anything. Identify who will confirm the work is finished and who can change or remove the arrangement. If access cannot be scheduled to end automatically, make a reminder part of the task plan; do not assume it will disappear on its own.
Ask for an approved, limited arrangement
Where available, ask the workspace or account administrator to approve an arrangement limited to the helper’s task and duration. The available controls depend on the administrator’s role, plan, and provisioning state; do not assume a particular delegation feature exists. Administrators enforce permissions and quotas server-side, so the person requesting help should not try to work around a restriction.
An alias is not automatically a separate mailbox or login. Adding an address or alias does not by itself establish that a helper can sign in independently or that access is limited to selected messages. Ask the administrator what the proposed arrangement actually permits before proceeding.
Avoid sharing your sign-in details
Do not give a helper your password or a one-time passcode. Those credentials can expose account activity beyond the task, and sharing them makes it harder to keep responsibility clear. Optional two-factor authentication may be available, but it is not a substitute for a properly scoped access arrangement.
If no administrator-approved limited option is available, consider forwarding only the relevant messages, providing selected files through an appropriate channel, or having an administrator handle the needed action. These alternatives can be less convenient, but they avoid treating your personal sign-in as a temporary permission system.
Agree on handling and confirm the setup
Tell the helper what information is in scope, whether they may send messages, how drafts should be reviewed, and where to report anything unrelated or sensitive they encounter. Use fictional examples when describing a process; do not put real passwords or verification codes into instructions.
Before work starts, confirm that the helper can perform the specific task and cannot do more than the arrangement allows, to the extent the administrator can verify that. A practical check is to have the helper locate an agreed, non-sensitive test message or prepare a draft for review. Confirm the result directly with the administrator rather than assuming that an address change or alias proves access is configured correctly.
- Task and permitted actions are written down.
- Start and end point are agreed, with a person responsible for review.
- An authorized administrator has confirmed the arrangement and its limits.
- The helper can complete the intended task without receiving your password or one-time passcode.
Task: Locate the latest message about [project] and prepare a reply for approval. Duration: From [start date] through [end date]. Information needed: Relevant messages about [project], not unrelated personal or business mail. Sending: Do not send; provide a draft to [reviewer]. Approval: [administrator] confirms the available access and its limits.
Close the loop when the work ends
When the task is complete—or the agreed end point arrives—ask the administrator to remove or change the helper’s access. Then confirm with the administrator that the change took effect and, where practical, have the helper verify they can no longer reach the mailbox through that arrangement. If the work continues, document the new scope and end point instead of letting temporary access become indefinite.
Finally, check whether any drafts, forwarded messages, or downloaded files need follow-up under your organization’s normal handling practices. The goal is not only to close a permission, but to leave a clear record of what the helper was asked to do and what remains.
About this guide
Prepared with AI assistance for the BITTU Mail editorial library. Check important details against your original messages and current account settings. Product access depends on your role, plan and provisioning state. Provider interfaces and requirements can change.
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