Inbox and Calendar Permissions for Assistants: Google Workspace and Microsoft 365

Part of our guide: How do you keep data secure with offshore staff?

Never give an assistant your password. Both Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 have built-in delegation designed for this. This guide is part of our data security cluster.

How does Gmail delegation work?

In Gmail settings, under Accounts, you can grant mail delegation to another account in your organization (admins may need to enable it). The delegate can read, send and delete mail on your behalf, and sent mail shows "sent by" the delegate. They can't change your password or settings. See Google's help article on delegating your Gmail account.

How do you share a Google Calendar with edit rights?

In Calendar settings, share your calendar with the assistant and choose Make changes to events (or Make changes and manage sharing if they need to share it onward, which is usually unnecessary).

How does delegation work in Microsoft 365?

In Outlook you can add a delegate with specific permission levels for Inbox and Calendar (for example Editor for calendar, Reviewer for inbox), and choose whether they receive meeting requests. Admins can also grant Send on behalf or Send as permissions. Microsoft documents this under delegates in Outlook.

Microsoft notes that delegate access requires a work or school Microsoft 365 or Exchange Online account, and editor or delegate access can't be given to people outside your organization, so create the assistant a user in your own tenant.

Which permission level should you choose?

Start narrow: calendar edit plus inbox read and draft, then expand to send once you trust their tone. Keep private items marked private.

What else should you set up?

• MFA on the assistant's own account.
• Labels or folders for Action, Waiting and FYI.
• A rule that anything involving money, legal matters or HR goes to you.

When the engagement ends, remove delegation the same day. See secure offboarding and inbox management for executives.