Service Accounts and Their Uses
Categories: Best Practices Howtos Instruction Office 365
What is a Service Account?
At Oklahoma State University, employees can request the creation of an additional email address that is separate from their personal OSU email. This email address can be used for communication, social media, or to create accounts for online services like Google, Apple, and others. Service Accounts also have access to storage in OneDrive, making it a great tool to use for file sharing and storage in your office.
This is beneficial for many reasons, but one main benefit is that the email address can be used by continuing employees, even after the original requestor separates or retires from the university.
How does it work?
To request a Service Account, please contact your Computer Support Specialist and let them know how you would like the Service Account formatted, examples include washita4H@okstate.edu or agricultureIT@okstate.edu.
Also, your Computer Support Specialist will also need to know who will be managing the Service Account, or essentially who will “own” the account and email address. There is a minimum of two owners for each Service Account.
The owners of the Service Account also manage the account’s password in OKEY; keep in mind that because this is an additional account and email address, its password will be separate from your personal account. You can then access emails and OneDrive for the Service Account either by signing into cowboymail.okstate.edu, or adding the new account to your existing desktop apps like Outlook or OneDrive.
One other thing to keep in mind is that Service Accounts only last a year. However, they can be extended as many times as necessary year after year. Note the Extend option in the image below.
Changing the Service Account Password
Once the Service Account has been created, any of the owners can change the password. The password requirements for Service Accounts are the same as for your personal accounts.
- Open your favorite web browser and navigate to okey.okstate.edu
- Sign in with your personal OSU email address and password, Don’t try to sign into the Service Account at OKEY
- In the left-side navigation menu, find and click on Service Accounts
Service Account options in OKEY
- Click the Modify option listed in the Service Account info box.
- In the new left-side nav menu, find and click on Change Service Account Password near the top.
Here, you can change the password for the service account. The Service Account password is for accessing the email and other Microsoft 365 services for this account, like OneDrive. Notice that this does not change the password for any online accounts created with this email address, such as Google, Apple, or others.
Need Help?
Service Accounts are a great way to create a custom email address you can use for communication, OneDrive storage and sharing, social media, etc. If you have any questions, please contact your Computer Support Specialist.