HSPH FAQs
What is Office 365?
Office 365 (O365) is a fully-integrated suite of services geared to help people collaborate more effectively. O365 combines document sharing, email and calendaring, common Office applications, and social-networking tools into a single, web-based platform. Because the services and your data are in the cloud, you have access from virtually anywhere at any time.
The Harvard suite of tools currently includes:
- Office 365 Email & Calendar – All of the familiar email, calendaring and personal information management features you’re used to, but with 50GB of mailbox space!
- SharePoint – Collaboration and document-sharing via Team and Project Sites
- OneDrive for Business (formerly SkyDrive Pro) – Your personal repository for storing and sharing your work-related documents
Will my email address change?
No. Your email address will continue to be [email protected].
Will I use the same Outlook software? Outlook Web Access (OWA)? Mobile software?
Yes! If you use the Outlook client for PC or MAC, you will continue to use the same product. After a quick configuration change, you will be in the same familiar environment.
Likewise, your mobile software will not change. After some simple setting changes, you will access your mail as usual.
After you’ve been migrated, Outlook Web Access will be available at http://mso.harvard.edu. Your username changes to your complete email address. Your password remains the same. There are some nice visual upgrades to OWA in Office 365 and new features including OneDrive and Sharepoint.
Is there anything that I need to do ahead of the upgrade?
The only preparation needed is to plan on the day of migration bringing to the office any device (HSPH laptop, phone/tablet, etc…) that has the current HSPH email on it so you can configure it for the new email. Full instructions to do this are located at:
Harvard Chan School IT technicians will also be available the day of your migration to help with configuring devices if needed.
How long is the upgrade process? Will it be inconvenient?
Email upgrades will take place between 6 am and 8 am on a scheduled day for your department. You will need to be out of your email for this time. There are then quick configuration changes to make to your client software for desktops, laptops, and mobile devices. Assistance will be available on your floor as well as via the phone.
Is there a lot to learn?
Email and calendaring will function exactly as our current email system. There are some nice new collaborative features in OneDrive and SharePoint that may require some training.
When am I being upgraded?
A schedule is being developed and will be available on this website. All upgrades are expected to take place in February and March on Tuesdays and Thursdays with approximately 200 users migrating daily.
Are students being upgraded?
No. Students will continue to use GMAIL. Only faculty and staff are moving to Office 365.
Product FAQs and Training Materials
Harvard University Information Technology has created an excellent Office 365 portal that contains product FAQ and training materials.
Office 365 Portal
https://mso.harvard.edu/
Email Specific FAQs
https://mso.harvard.edu/exo_faq.html#issues
