Manage equipment mailbox with PowerShell

In this article, we will show how to manage a Microsoft 365 equipment mailbox with PowerShell. Learn how to create, manage and modify an equipment mailbox. You can also view and export information about the equipment mailbox, convert it to another type, and bulk soft delete it.

Microsoft 365 mailbox types

There are four different mailbox types in Microsoft 365:

1. User mailbox
2. Shared mailbox
3. Room mailbox
4. Equipment mailbox

In this article, we will cover how to manage the equipment mailbox with PowerShell.

Resource mailbox

The resource mailbox doesn’t require a license and is used to manage meetings. Resource mailboxes are useful for managing the schedule of a conference room and allow users to reserve a timeslot.

There are two types of resource mailboxes:

1. Room mailbox is assigned to a physical location such as a meeting room or conference place.
2. Equipment mailbox is assigned to objects, not location-specific, such as laptops, cars, or microphones.

Connect to Exchange Online PowerShell

To be able to run the PowerShell commands specified in the current article, you will need to Connect to Exchange Online PowerShell.

Start Windows PowerShell as administrator and run the Connect-ExchangeOnline cmdlet.

Connect-ExchangeOnline

1. Create new equipment mailbox

PowerShell command syntax:

New-Mailbox -Name "<Name>" -Equipment

Run the below PowerShell command example to create a new equipment mailbox.

New-Mailbox -Name "Projector 11" -Equipment

The PowerShell output looks like the below example.

PS C:\> New-Mailbox -Name "Projector 11" -Equipment

Name                      Alias           Database                       ProhibitSendQuota 
----                      -----           --------                       ----------------- 
Projector 11              Projector11     EURPR02DG257-db113             49.5 GB (53,150...

2. Manage equipment mailbox properties

You can manage and change equipment mailbox properties with PowerShell commands.

Change display name and SMTP address

Change the display name and primary SMTP address for an equipment mailbox.

Run the below PowerShell command example.

Set-Mailbox "Projector 11" -DisplayName "Project Pool 11" -EmailAddresses SMTP:ProjectPool11@m365info.com,smtp:Projector11@m365info.com

Verify you changed an equipment mailbox correctly.

Get-Mailbox "Projector 11" | Format-List DisplayName,RecipientTypeDetails,PrimarySmtpAddress

The PowerShell output shows the display name, type, and SMTP email address.

PS C:\> Get-Mailbox "Projector 11" | Format-List DisplayName,RecipientTypeDetails,PrimarySmtpAddress


DisplayName          : Project Pool 11
RecipientTypeDetails : EquipmentMailbox
PrimarySmtpAddress   : ProjectPool11@m365info.com

Allow booking requests for equipment mailbox

Configure equipment mailboxes to allow booking requests to be scheduled only during working hours.

Run the below PowerShell command to allow booking requests.

Get-Mailbox -ResultSize unlimited -Filter "RecipientTypeDetails -eq 'EquipmentMailbox'" | Set-CalendarProcessing -ScheduleOnlyDuringWorkHours $true

To verify that you changed the properties for an equipment mailbox, run the Get-Mailbox cmdlet.

PowerShell command example

Get-Mailbox -ResultSize unlimited -Filter "RecipientTypeDetails -eq 'EquipmentMailbox'" | Get-CalendarProcessing | Fl Identity,ScheduleOnlyDuringWorkHours

The result of the PowerShell output show if the schedule during working hours is enabled (True) for each equipment mailbox.

PS C:\> Get-Mailbox -ResultSize unlimited -Filter "RecipientTypeDetails -eq 'EquipmentMailbox'" | Get-CalendarProcessing | Fl Identity,ScheduleOnlyDuringWorkHours


Identity                    : Projector 11
ScheduleOnlyDuringWorkHours : True

Identity                    : Projector 8
ScheduleOnlyDuringWorkHours : True

Identity                    : Projector 21
ScheduleOnlyDuringWorkHours : True

Enable automatic booking for equipment mailbox

You can manage to enable automatic booking for an equipment mailbox

Use the PowerShell command syntax.

Set-CalendarProcessing "<Identity>" -AutomateProcessing AutoAccept

Run the below PowerShell command example.

Set-CalendarProcessing "Projector 11" -AutomateProcessing AutoAccept

Verify that you enabled the automatic booking for a specific equipment mailbox.

Run the below PowerShell command example.

Get-CalendarProcessing "Projector11" | Fl Identity,AutomateProcessing

See the results of the PowerShell output about this specific equipment mailbox below.

PS C:\> Get-CalendarProcessing "Projector11" | Fl Identity,AutomateProcessing


Identity           : Projector 11
AutomateProcessing : AutoAccept

Bulk enable automatic booking for equipment mailbox

Enable automatic booking for all equipment mailboxes in one PowerShell command

Run the below PowerShell command example.

Get-MailBox | Where {$_.ResourceType -eq "Equipment"} | Set-CalendarProcessing -AutomateProcessing:AutoAccept

You can also check that you enabled the automatic booking correctly using the Get-CalendarProcessing cmdlet.

To verify, run the below PowerShell command example.

Get-Mailbox -ResultSize unlimited -Filter "RecipientTypeDetails -eq 'EquipmentMailbox'" | Get-CalendarProcessing | Fl Identity,AutomateProcessing

The PowerShell output shows all the equipment mailboxes and whether the automatic booking is enabled.

PS C:\> Get-Mailbox -ResultSize unlimited -Filter "RecipientTypeDetails -eq 'EquipmentMailbox'" | Get-CalendarProcessing | Fl Identity,AutomateProcessing


Identity           : Projector 11
AutomateProcessing : AutoAccept

Identity           : Projector 8
AutomateProcessing : AutoAccept

Identity           : Projector 21
AutomateProcessing : AutoAccept

3. Manage equipment mailbox permissions

Assign Send on Behalf permission to equipment mailbox

You can assign a user Send on Behalf permission on a single equipment mailbox.

PowerShell command syntax:

Set-CalendarProcessing "<Identity>" –ResourceDelegates "<Identity>"

Powershell command example:

Set-CalendarProcessing "Projector8@m365info.com" –ResourceDelegates "Chris Lucas"

Now the user “Chris Lucas” is a delegate that can Send on Behalf of the equipment mailbox “Projector8@m365info.com”.

Assign Send As permission equipment mailbox

You can assign a user Send As permission on a single equipment mailbox.

PowerShell command syntax:

Add-RecipientPermission "<Identity>" -Trustee "<Identity>" -AccessRights SendAs -Confirm:$False

PowerShell command example:

Add-RecipientPermission "Projector8" -Trustee "David Kent" -AccessRights SendAs -Confirm:$False

The PowerShell output shows the following result.

PS C:\> Add-RecipientPermission "Projector8" -Trustee "David Kent" -AccessRights SendAs -Confirm:$False

Identity    Trustee                              AccessControlType AccessRights Inherited
--------    -------                              ----------------- ------------ ---------
Projector 8 eec2668a-0773-4947-93ba-2223f6acfe55 Allow             {SendAs}     False    

Assign Full Access permission to equipment mailbox

You can assign a user Full Access permission on a single equipment mailbox.

PowerShell command syntax:

Add-MailBoxPermission "<Identity>" -User "<Identity>" -AccessRights FullAccess

PowerShell command example:

Add-MailBoxPermission "Projector8" -User "Brenda Smith" -AccessRights FullAccess

The PowerShell output shows the following result.

PS C:\> Add-MailBoxPermission "Projector8" -User "Brenda Smith" -AccessRights FullAccess

Identity             User                 AccessRights                    IsInherited Deny 
--------             ----                 ------------                    ----------- ---- 
Projector 8          S-1-5-21-70143928... {FullAccess}                    False       False

4. Display equipment mailbox information

View a list of all Office 365 equipment mailboxes.

Get-Mailbox -Filter '(RecipientTypeDetails -eq "EquipmentMailBox")' | Select Name,Alias

The PowerShell output looks like the below example.

PS C:\> Get-Mailbox -Filter '(RecipientTypeDetails -eq "EquipmentMailBox")' | Select Name,Alias

Name         Alias      
----         -----      
Projector 11 Projector11
Projector 8  Projector8 
Projector 21 Projector21

Display equipment mailbox calendar settings

View the calendar settings for a single equipment mailbox.

PowerShell command syntax:

Get-Mailbox "<Identity>" | Select ResourceType,RejectMessagesFrom,RejectMessagesFromDLMembers,RejectMessagesFromSendersOrMembers,SendModerationNotifications

PowerShell command example:

Get-Mailbox "Projector8" | Select ResourceType,RejectMessagesFrom,RejectMessagesFromDLMembers,RejectMessagesFromSendersOrMembers,SendModerationNotifications

The PowerShell output shows the below result.

PS C:\> Get-Mailbox "Projector8" | Select ResourceType,RejectMessagesFrom,RejectMessagesFromDLMembers,RejectMessagesFromSendersOrMembers,SendModerationNotifications


ResourceType                       : Equipment
RejectMessagesFrom                 : {}
RejectMessagesFromDLMembers        : {}
RejectMessagesFromSendersOrMembers : {}
SendModerationNotifications        : Always

Display equipment mailbox calendar processing settings

You can view information for a single equipment mailbox.

PowerShell command syntax:

Get-Mailbox "<Identity>" | Get-CalendarProcessing | FL

PowerShell command example:

Get-Mailbox "Projector8" | Get-CalendarProcessing | FL

Display equipment mailbox calendar permission

You can view all the calendar access rights for a single equipment mailbox.

PowerShell command syntax:

Get-MailBoxFolderPermission <Equipment:\Calendar> | Select FolderName,User,AccessRights

PowerShell command example:

Get-MailBoxFolderPermission "Projector8:\Calendar" | Select FolderName,User,AccessRights

The PowerShell output shows the below result.

PS C:\> Get-MailBoxFolderPermission "Projector8:\Calendar" | Select FolderName,User,AccessRights

FolderName User        AccessRights    
---------- ----        ------------    
Calendar   Default     {LimitedDetails}
Calendar   Anonymous   {None}          
Calendar   Chris Lucas {Editor}  

Export list of equipment mailboxes to CSV file

You can export information about all equipment mailboxes to a single CSV file. This way, you can easily search for the equipment mailboxes.

PowerShell command syntax:

Get-Mailbox -Filter '(RecipientTypeDetails -eq "EquipmentMailbox")' | Select RecipientTypeDetails,Name,Alias | Export-CSV <Path>

PowerShell command example:

Get-Mailbox -Filter '(RecipientTypeDetails -eq "EquipmentMailbox")' | Select RecipientTypeDetails,Name,Alias | Export-CSV "C:\temp\Equipment Mailboxes Info.CSV" –NoTypeInformation -Encoding UTF8

Once you export the information, you can find the CSV file in the C:\temp folder.

Open the CSV file with an application like Microsoft Excel to see the results.

5. Convert equipment mailbox

You can convert an equipment mailbox to another mailbox type.

Run the PowerShell command to convert the equipment mailbox to a shared mailbox.

Get-Mailbox "Projector 11" | Set-Mailbox -Type Shared

Use the PowerShell command to convert the equipment mailbox to the room mailbox.

Get-Mailbox "Projector 11" | Set-Mailbox -Type Room

Run the PowerShell command to convert the equipment mailbox to a regular user mailbox.

Get-Mailbox "Projector 11" | Set-Mailbox -Type Regular

6. Delete equipment mailbox

You can easily soft delete a specific equipment mailbox with PowerShell. It means the deleted equipment mailbox will stay in the Azure AD recycle bin for 30 days before it is permanently deleted. You can restore deleted equipment mailboxes in Manage Microsoft 365 users recycle bin.

Soft delete equipment mailbox

You can soft delete a single equipment mailbox.

PowerShell command syntax:

Remove-Mailbox -Identity "<Equipment Identity>" -Confirm:$false

PowerShell command example:

Remove-Mailbox -Identity "Projector 11" -Confirm:$false

Bulk soft delete equipment mailbox

Run the below PowerShell command to bulk soft delete equipment mailboxes.

Get-Mailbox -Filter '(RecipientTypeDetails -eq "EquipmentMailBox")' -ResultSize Unlimited | Remove-Mailbox -Confirm:$false

Hard delete equipment mailbox

If you want to hard delete a mailbox permanently, you need to go through a couple of steps. Read more about it in the article Force delete Microsoft 365 mailbox with PowerShell.

Did this help you to manage Office 365 equipment mailbox with PowerShell?

Conclusion

You learned how to manage equipment mailboxes with PowerShell. There are a lot of possibilities when it comes to managing an equipment mailbox. The most essential tasks are to create, convert, delete, assign permissions, and export a list of equipment mailboxes.

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