We're Upgrading SFU Mail

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Overview

Aligned with the university’s What’s Next Objective: Transform the SFU experience and SFU's digital transformation, SFU is upgrading to Exchange Online, a new cloud-based email system. This upgrade aims to enhance IT security, improve user experience, and enabling access to Microsoft’s suite of products like OneDrive, Teams and SharePoint.

Between 2023 and 2025, all SFU mailboxes will be upgrading to Exchange Online.

What I need to Know

TIMELINE

Between 2023 and 2025, all SFU mailbox account will be upgraded to Exchange Online. You will be notified through email at least two weeks prior to your account being scheduled to upgrade.

• Undergraduate student accounts will transition between January 2024 and April 2024.
• Graduate Students, Staff, Faculty, Role/Sponsored Accounts will transition between May 2024 and August 2024.
• Retirees will transition at a later date.

Note: Dates are tentative and subject to change.

ACTIONS BEFORE UPGRADE

To ensure uninterrupted access to SFU Mail, take the following actions before your scheduled upgrade:

Using SFU Mail via Web Browser

• Prepare for New URL: You can access SFU Mail on any device and web browser using the weblink, https://outlook.office.com, after your scheduled upgrade. Bookmark or save the new link, as the current weblink (https://mail.sfu.ca) will become outdated.
• Prepare for New Sign-In Format: Your email sign-in format will be "YourComputingID@sfu.ca" on the Microsoft login page when you are upgraded.

Using SFU Mail via Email Applications (i.e., Outlook Desktop, Apple Mail)

• Temporary Interruption: After your scheduled upgrade, your desktop and mobile email applications may disconnect from SFU Mail. You may need to remove and re-add your SFU account to resume connection. For continued access, you can always access SFU Mail through the new weblink, https://outlook.office.com, on any browser.
• Prepare to switch to Approved Apps: Only approved email apps will have permission to connect to SFU Mail. You may want to check if you are using an approved app and prepare a switch if necessary. For a list of approved apps, see: New Changes to SFU Mail - New Requirements.

Tips

• Your email signature on the browser version of SFU Mail will be lost during the upgrade. You can add it back once the upgrade is complete.
• Bookmark this webpage for easy access to troubleshooting resources.

ACTIONS AFTER UPGRADE

Using SFU Mail via Web Browser

• Switch to the New URL: You can access SFU Mail on any device and web browser using the weblink, https://outlook.office.com. Update any bookmarks to point to the new SFU Mail Outlook weblink.
• Use the New Sign-In Format: You will now see Microsoft login page. Your email sign-in format will be "YourComputingID@sfu.ca" on the Microsoft login page.
• Try out the New Features and Environment: Explore the new features and check if you have everything. You may need to re-add your email signatures.
• Check your Shared Items: Share calendars, folders and delegation may be temporarily unavailable after the upgrade until those permissions are re-shared to you.

Using SFU Mail via Email Applications (i.e., Outlook Desktop, Apple Mail)

• Reconnect your apps: Check if your desktop and mobile email applications can send and receive new emails from SFU Mail. You may need to remove and re-add your SFU account to resume connection. For continued access, you can always access SFU Mail through the new weblink, https://outlook.office.com.
• Use Approved Apps: Only approved email apps will have permission to connect to SFU Mail. For a list of approved apps, see: New Changes to SFU Mail - New Requirements.
• Consider switching to Outlook: Outlook for Desktop and Mobile are fully supported by the university. We encourage you to use Outlook as it offers the best experience with SFU Mail.

New Changes to SFU Mail

For a quick summary of the changes:

• New Features
  • SFU Mail now has the latest Outlook email features
  • SFU Mail on Browser will communicate with other Microsoft 365 apps.
  • Outlook on Desktop will have more integration with Microsoft 365 suite.
  • Microsoft Teams and other Microsoft 365 Apps (e.g., Bookings, Planner) will now communicate with SFU Mail.
• New Requirements to connecting to SFU Mail
  • By integrating SFU Mail with the Microsft 365 suite, new security requirements ensure better data security for the SFU community and compliance with provincial privacy regulations.
  • Only approved third-party email applications and tools can connect to SFU Mail. For details, see our External Tools/Apps Changes and FAQs.
  • Connecting through IMAP/POP configurations now require OAuth2 authentication.
• Service Changes and Limits
  • Mailbox storage limits are determined by your assigned Microsoft licensing. All current SFU staff and faculty have up to 100 GB of mailbox storage.
  • With modern accident prevention features available to SFU Mail, email backup are not provided by SFU/Microsoft to ensure efficient use of resources.
  • SFU Mail is secured by Microsoft enterprise-level security.
• Compatibility
  • Older mobile devices may not be able to connect to SFU Mail through email apps. For continued access, you can always access SFU Mail through the new weblink, https://outlook.office.com on any browser.
  • Older browsers will continue to work on SFU Mail.

For more information on changes and new features, see New Change to SFU Mail.