Get administrator approval for a Microsoft inbox

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.

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 Fix a Microsoft sign-in blocked by security rules.