Hey guys, this is Youssef from Netrosa.com.au and today I’m
going to show you a common solution to a common
problem when migrating to Microsoft Office 365. In this
example, let’s assume you have a hosting and domain registrar
that hosts its own mail server, which means you can
create unlimited emails and you can use them subsequently for
any of your intended purposes.
And you’ve recently wanted to migrate to Office 365 and
have hit the stump of having to register up to
100 licences and maybe only 20 of them are personal
or only 10 of them are are actually going to
be used.
So Microsoft Office 365 tells you that in order to
use Exchange and Exchange Online Protection, you have to set
up the MXC name and text record.
What if I was to tell you that there is
a solution to this problem?
This is a very big problem for people that use
CRMS or have many contact that services that types of
emails that they do not intend on purchasing a licence
for and they’re stumped by having to purchase licences for
up to 100 emails.
The solution is fairly simple, you can keep the current
settings and do the following.
So after you’ve verified your domain with Microsoft Office 365,
which usually expects you to create a text record on
your DNS, what you can do is keep the current
settings, verify your domain, and then do the following.
Create an email forwarding from your email to your Microsoft
alias, and I’ll show you how to do this.
So as you’re setting up your domain, you’ll see that
your domain is now included in the domain section of
your email of your Microsoft Office 365.
If I go to active users, I will see that
in my name I have youssef@netrosa.com.au and I have
an alias which is youssef@netrosa.onmicrosoft.com.
This means that if I ever send an email to
this, it will go on to usufatnetrozer.com and this is
exactly what we need in order to set up this
workaround.
So in order to do this in your Cpanel,
usually when you search for email forwarding.
So I’m using direct admin in this case.
It works on both Plesk and cpanel and major panel
providers.
So if I write forwarding forwarders, you’ll see that in
this section I can create an email folder and I
can write the email.
So the email that already exists on the system, right?
And then I put the destination as the alias on
Microsoft and then I click add.
Now I’ve already done this, so I’m not going to
repeat myself.
And now for any email that comes to this email,
it’s to this email.
It’s going to be forwarded to Microsoft.
You only need to do this for the emails that
you intend to use Microsoft 365 with.
So in my instance, I want to set up Teams
meetings on my Outlook.
Hence I have I have done this for my email.
So when I come, when I when I now send
an email to this sorry to this email address.
Our mail server handles this and points it to Microsoft.
Hence we have all the features on Outlook.
So in this short example, this is an IMAP configuration.
It@netrosa.com.au.
As you can see, I don’t have access to Teams
and I don’t have access to other features that you
could normally have access to on when using an Office
365 account.
If I go to youssef@netrosa.com.au as you can see I
can set up a Teams meeting and use the basic
functionality of Outlook, which is what most people only want
to use.
Unfortunately, Microsoft has added a lot of stumps in the
way to be able to achieve this functionality.
I hope this video helped you and if you have
any questions or are looking for any IT related services,
visit netrozer.com AU.
Thank you.
Clever Workaround: Using Office 365 Features Without Purchasing Unnecessary Licenses
In the world of business IT, migrating to Microsoft Office 365 can sometimes present unexpected challenges. One common issue many organizations face is the requirement to purchase licenses for all email addresses associated with their domain, even if not all of them need full Office 365 functionality. Today, we’ll explore a smart solution to this problem that can save your business both money and hassle. We will show you how to setup microsoft 365 without changing mail servers
The Problem: License Overload
When migrating to Office 365, many businesses discover they need to purchase licenses for every email address they’ve created, even if some are only used for specific services or automated processes. This can lead to unnecessary expenses, especially for companies with numerous email addresses used for CRM systems, contact forms, or other non-personal purposes. There is a way to use Microsoft 365 without setting CNAME, TXT and MX records that Microsoft requires you to do when you setup using Exchange and Exchange protection
The Solution: Email Forwarding
Fortunately, there’s a workaround that allows you to use key Office 365 features without purchasing licenses for every email address. Here’s how it works:
Verify your domain with Microsoft Office 365 (typically by creating a TXT record in your DNS settings).
Keep your current email hosting setup.
Set up email forwarding from your existing email addresses to your Microsoft aliases.
Step-by-Step Guide
After verifying your domain with Office 365, you’ll see it listed in the Domains section of your admin panel.
In the Active Users section, you’ll notice two email addresses for each user:
Your custom domain email (e.g., youssef@netrosa.com.au)
A Microsoft alias (e.g., youssef@netrosa.onmicrosoft.com)
In your hosting control panel (cPanel, Plesk, or DirectAdmin), locate the Email Forwarding or Forwarders section.
Create a forwarder for each email you want to use with Office 365:
Source: Your existing email address
Destination: The corresponding Microsoft alias
Add the forwarder, and you’re done!
Benefits of This Approach
By implementing this workaround, you can:
Use Office 365 features like Teams meetings and enhanced Outlook functionality
Avoid purchasing unnecessary licenses for all email addresses
Maintain your existing email setup for addresses that don’t require Office 365 features
Conclusion
This clever solution allows businesses to enjoy the benefits of Office 365 without the burden of excessive licensing costs. It’s particularly useful for organizations with numerous email addresses used for various automated services or those transitioning gradually to the Microsoft ecosystem.
Remember, you only need to set up forwarding for the email addresses you intend to use with Office 365. This approach gives you the flexibility to choose which accounts get full functionality while keeping costs under control.
If you need assistance with this setup or have any IT-related questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to professionals who can guide you through the process.
