--- key: microsoft-inbox-admin-consent title: Get administrator approval for a Microsoft inbox audience: staff section: communications/email routes: ["/settings/communications/email-accounts"] permissions: ["communications.email.provider_connection.manage"] features: ["communications.email"] since: 0.0.1 updated: 0.0.1 status: published summary: What to do when Nova asks whether you are the Microsoft 365 administrator, how to approve Nova yourself or send the request to the person who is, and what they see. keywords: [admin consent, approval needed, need admin approval, IT approval, permission request, microsoft 365 administrator, approve nova, company approval] related: [connect-a-microsoft-inbox, microsoft-inbox-account-troubleshooting, microsoft-inbox-conditional-access] --- In the sidebar, open **Settings**, then choose **Email Accounts** under **Communications** (`/settings/communications/email-accounts`). On the **Connect** tab, in the **Connect mailbox** panel, Nova asks **Are you the Microsoft 365 administrator for this company?** as soon as you type a work address in **Mailbox to connect** for a company that has not approved Nova yet. This article covers both answers, and what the administrator sees. Personal Outlook.com, Hotmail, Live and MSN addresses never need this. ## Before you start - The administrator is the person who creates email addresses for the company, often the IT company. If you are not sure, choose **I'm not sure**: you sign in as the mailbox, and Nova helps from there if Microsoft asks for an administrator. - The approval is given once per company. After it, anyone at the company who connects a mailbox sees the company name followed by "already approved Nova. One sign-in and you are done." and skips this article. - Approving does not connect the administrator's own mailbox. It lets Nova connect the mailbox named in the request, once the person who started setup signs in as it. ## If you are the administrator 1. Choose **Yes, I'm the administrator**. The progress strip now shows **Company approval** before **Sign in as the mailbox**. 2. Type your administrator address in **Your administrator email (optional)** if you like. Nova shows it back to you under **Use this account** so you sign in with the right one. 3. Read the card headed **Before you go to Microsoft: approve Nova first**, then select **Go to Microsoft to approve Nova**. 4. At Microsoft, sign in with your administrator account, not the mailbox. Microsoft shows the permissions Nova needs for your company. Tick "Consent on behalf of your organization" if you see it, then choose Accept. 5. Back in Nova, the **Finish mailbox setup** page says Nova is approved for your company, and **Company approval** is ticked. Under **Next step**, select the button that reads Go to Microsoft and sign in as followed by the mailbox address. 6. At Microsoft, sign in as the mailbox itself, and choose Accept if asked. Nova shows **Connected**. ## If someone else is the administrator 1. Choose **No, someone else is**. The card headed **What happens next** explains that nothing goes to Microsoft yet. 2. Select **Ask your Microsoft administrator**. The panel closes and the **Connect** tab shows **Ask your Microsoft administrator** with the prepared request under **Approval request**, marked **Pending**, naming the **Target mailbox**. 3. Type their address in **Administrator email** and select **Send email**. To send it yourself, use **Copy IT email** and **Copy request link** instead, or **Open request** to see the page they will see. 4. Wait for them to approve. The request expires after 14 days; select **Extend** beside it in the request list on the **Connect** tab if you need longer. 5. When they approve, Nova emails you a link that lands on the sign-in step. You can also select **Check status**, then **Continue setup**, or use the request list on the **Connect** tab, where the request shows **Approved** with the sign-in button. 6. At Microsoft, sign in as the mailbox itself, not the administrator, and choose Accept if asked. Nova shows **Connected**. ## What the administrator sees The link opens a Nova page titled **Nova Email Inbox Integration** with your company's name at the top. They do not need a Nova account. The page shows **Waiting for approval**, the **Request details** including the **Target mailbox**, and the **Requested permissions**. Under **Approve Nova**, they select **Approve in Microsoft**, sign in with their administrator account, and choose Accept. The page then shows **Approved** and says the person who started setup finishes by signing in as the mailbox. Approving does not connect the administrator's own mailbox, and they can close the tab. ## If something looks different - You chose **I'm not sure** and Microsoft shows a page titled "Need admin approval": choose "Return to the application without granting consent". Nova shows **Ask your Microsoft administrator** on the **Finish mailbox setup** page. Under **Send the prepared request**, type their address in **Microsoft administrator email**, check the **Subject** and **Message** under **Message preview**, then select **Send request** (or **Open in email app**, **Copy link** and **Copy message**). Once they have approved, select **Refresh status** on that page: the screen changes to say Nova is approved for your company, with the sign-in button. - The screen says Nova is approved for your company, followed by "One more step": you signed in at Microsoft as the administrator when Nova asked for the mailbox. That account was not connected, and that is expected. Select the sign-in button and choose the mailbox this time. - **Send email** or **Send request** is missing: you are not signed in to Nova in this browser, or a different organization is open. Use **Copy request link** or **Open in email app** instead. - The request shows **Denied**: the administrator said no. Talk to them, then start [[connect-a-microsoft-inbox]] again. - **Expired**, **Cancelled** or **This approval request is no longer active**: start [[connect-a-microsoft-inbox]] again to get a new request. Turn on **Show history** in the request list to see closed requests. - **Your company's Microsoft security rules blocked this sign-in**: the administrator also has to allow Nova in the company's sign-in rules. See [[microsoft-inbox-conditional-access]].