# Outlook for procurement specialists on Mac: shared inbox, templates and rules in 2026

> Outlook for procurement specialists on Mac: set up a shared supplier mailbox, templates, rules and signatures, and ask Lazur for help while you work.

URL: https://www.lazur.app/for/procurement-specialists/outlook
Updated: 2026-11-07

Outlook for procurement specialists on Mac comes down to three setups: a shared supplier mailbox, reusable email templates, and rules that keep vendor mail sorted. In the current Outlook for Mac, a shared mailbox needs Full Access and an Exchange account, and templates need Microsoft 365 and version 15.35 (170610) or later. Below, you get each setup step, the traps that cost time, and how Lazur helps while you stay in Outlook.

## Quick answer

- Shared mailboxes in Outlook for Mac need Full Access and an Exchange account. Outlook does not auto-map them, so you add them yourself.
- Sending from a shared mailbox needs Send As or Send On Behalf. Without it, the email from that account will not be sent.
- Built-in templates need Microsoft 365 and version 15.35 (170610) or later. Outlook saves each one as an .emltpl file.
- Legacy Outlook for Mac was set to stop working on October 1, 2026 for people who opted into it. That date has passed, so check which client you use.
- Ask Lazur where a setting is, or to walk you through it. Lazur points and guides. It does not click for you.

## Check your Outlook for Mac version first

Start with the version. Open Outlook > About Outlook and read the build number. Most of the features on this page depend on a recent build. Built-in email templates need a Microsoft 365 subscription and version 15.35 (170610) or later. If your build is older, update it before you plan any change.

The newest build in Microsoft's 2026 release notes, at the time of checking, is 16.114, dated October 14, 2026. That release adds left-rail app customization and a third-party online meeting provider option. Newer builds may already exist, so check the release notes before you plan around a specific feature.

Two earlier 2026 builds matter for supplier work. Version 16.111, dated July 14, 2026, lets you edit a message in the Outbox before it sends. That helps when you spot a wrong PO number right after you click Send. Version 16.113, dated September 16, 2026, adds per-language spelling settings. Teams that write to suppliers in several languages will notice that change first.

> **Check before you plan:** Open Outlook > About Outlook before you follow any step on this page. If your build is older than the feature you need, ask IT for an update first.

- **16.114** Newest Outlook for Mac build in Microsoft's 2026 release notes at the time of checking ([source](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/officeupdates/release-notes-office-for-mac))
- **15.35** Earliest Outlook for Mac build with built-in email template controls for Microsoft 365 subscribers ([source](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/outlook/can-i-create-email-templates-in-outlook-for-mac))
- **October 1, 2026** Date legacy Outlook for Mac stops working, as quoted from Microsoft by a university IT blog ([source](https://blog.smu.edu/itconnect/2026/09/16/microsoft-discontinue-legacy-outlook-mac/))

![Outlook for procurement specialists on Mac: a buyer reviews supplier email at a desk](https://lfobmih1tpj3sgpo.public.blob.vercel-storage.com/content-images/role-app/procurement-specialists-outlook/outlook-for-procurement-specialists-on-mac-1-ac4138.jpg)

## Open a shared mailbox in Outlook for Mac

Most procurement teams share one mailbox for supplier mail. It might be called Purchasing, Sourcing or Supplier Requests. Outlook for Mac can open a shared mailbox, but the rules are narrow. It supports only Full Access permission on shared mailboxes. You also need a Microsoft Exchange account.

Outlook for Mac does not auto-map shared mailboxes. A mailbox you have permission for will not show up by itself. You add it once, using the route that fits your client.

1. New Outlook for Mac: File > Open > Shared Mailbox, then enter the mailbox address.
2. New Outlook for Mac, second route: Tools > Accounts > Delegation and Sharing > Shared With Me.
3. Legacy Outlook for Mac: File > Open > Other User's Folder, or Tools > Accounts > Advanced > Delegates.

If you cannot find the menu item, check which client you have open. The two clients use different routes, so the path you read online may not match your screen.

After you add the mailbox, open it and read the folder list. Do not move mail until you know which folders are real. A mistaken move is easy to make and slow to undo across a busy supplier thread.

## Send from a shared mailbox without getting blocked

Opening a shared mailbox and sending from it are two different permissions. Without Send As or Send On Behalf permission, the email from that account will not be sent. If you lack permission, Outlook sends a permission request to the other person.

Here is a worked example. A buyer opens the sourcing mailbox, writes a reply to a supplier, and clicks Send. The email does not go out from that address. The message itself is fine. The fix is a permission, granted by the mailbox owner or IT. Once it is granted, the same reply sends from the shared address.

> **Full Access is not Send As:** Full Access lets you open and manage the mailbox. It does not let you send as that mailbox. Ask for Send As or Send On Behalf when your team replies from it.

Add-in support in shared mailboxes varies by scenario, according to Microsoft. If an add-in you rely on does nothing in the shared inbox, test it in your own mailbox first. Then decide whether the team can work without it there.

## Email templates in Outlook for Mac for POs and RFQs

Templates stop you from retyping the same supplier message. Built-in templates in Outlook for Mac need Microsoft 365 and version 15.35 (170610) or later. Microsoft saves each template as an .emltpl file.

To use one, go to File > New, pick the template, add recipients and content, then send. Keep the placeholders visible. Change the PO number, the date and the contact name each time, and leave the rest alone.

Good first templates for procurement are a request for quote, a PO change confirmation, a late delivery follow-up, and a credit note request. Write one template for each message you send again and again. Skip the one-off messages.

- RFQ: scope, response date, and the contact for questions
- PO change: old PO number, new PO number, and the reason
- Late delivery: PO number, promised date, and the new request
- Credit note: invoice number, amount, and the line in dispute

> **Templates and shared inboxes:** The My Templates add-in needs an Exchange account. It is not available in shared mailboxes opened in Outlook for Mac. If the team works from the shared inbox, build templates in your own mailbox, then copy the text into the shared inbox when you need it.

A quick example. A supplier misses a delivery date by a week. You open the late delivery template, fill in the PO number and the promised date, and add the new date you need. That is three fields, not a new email from scratch.

Keep one master copy of each template text in a shared document. When a term changes, update the master first. Then rebuild the template from it, so every buyer sends the same wording.

## Outlook rules on Mac after the switch

Microsoft's help lists rules creation and editing as supported for Exchange On-Prem Mail. The same help page notes a known issue in some GCC environments. There, you may see a message that says rules are not supported. If you see it, take it to IT.

Rules can break after a client switch. A June 2026 Microsoft Q&A thread reports that a user's rules stopped working after moving to the new Outlook for Mac. In the same thread, search and junk reporting also failed. One thread is not proof of a trend. It is still a reason to test before you trust a rule.

Open Settings with ⌘, and look for the rules area under Mail. If the path differs in your build, ask Lazur to point at it. Start with one rule, such as a supplier domain that should land in a Quotes folder. Add more only after the first one works.

- Send a test message from another account you control, so it matches the rule.
- Check the destination folder. Did the message land where the rule says?
- Search for an old supplier message by sender. Does it appear?
- Report one junk message. Does the same sender come back?
- Write down any failure with your build number from Outlook > About Outlook.

## Outlook signatures on Mac for buyers and approvers

Microsoft lists signatures as supported for Exchange On-Prem accounts. The same help page says accounts added in the new app are not automatically added to Legacy Outlook. The reverse is true too. If you still use both clients during the switch, set your signature in each one.

A buyer signature usually carries your name, title, phone number and the team's contact line. Keep it short. Long footers push the actual reply down the screen, and that looks careless on a phone.

After you change a signature, send a reply to yourself. Open it on your phone and on your Mac. Check the spacing, the links and the line breaks. A signature that looks fine in the composer can look different once it arrives.

## Search supplier email in Outlook for Mac

Procurement depends on old threads. A contract from last year can settle a dispute this week. So search matters more than most people expect. The June 2026 Q&A thread describes search that stopped working after the switch. Another user reported folders that were all over the place after migration.

Use the search box at the top of the window. Narrow the search with from: and subject:. Put a supplier domain or a PO number in the search to find the thread faster. If you still have both clients, try the same search in each one.

> **Search returns nothing?:** Check which mailbox and folder you are searching. A search in a shared mailbox may not match your own mailbox. If mail you know exists does not show up, take the search problem to IT.

## Legacy Outlook for Mac cutoff: what it means for you

Microsoft is retiring the connection that legacy Outlook for Mac uses with Exchange Online. Only people who opted into Legacy Outlook are affected. A university IT blog that quotes Microsoft says legacy Outlook for Mac will stop working on October 1, 2026.

Microsoft's own help page says support for legacy Outlook for Mac ends in October 2026. Both dates are now behind us. If you still open the legacy client, check with IT before you change anything. Microsoft's help says switching between the two is done from a Help menu option.

> **Dates differ by source:** Sources do not agree on the exact day. Plan as if the cutoff has already passed, and ask IT which client your account uses today.

## Faster with Lazur

Lazur runs on your Mac next to Outlook. Hold ⌥⌘ and ask about anything on screen. Lazur answers out loud. Ask where a setting is, and Lazur draws a circle and a label around it. Ask how to do something, and Lazur guides you one click at a time, waiting for each click. You can also see [Lazur in Outlook](https://www.lazur.app/apps/outlook) for the screens it covers.

Lazur does not click buttons, edit files, or operate other apps for you. You make each change yourself. That matters for permissions. A Send As grant should be a choice you make, not one a helper makes for you.

Hold fn to dictate. Lazur types clean, formatted text at the cursor, in any app. That helps with supplier replies, where talking through a delivery problem can beat typing it. Lazur keeps a memory of what you asked and did, on your Mac.

Privacy works like this. Lazur listens and looks at the screen only while you hold the shortcut. Audio and the screenshot go to AI providers to answer, and they are not stored. Content is never used to train AI models.

## Keyboard shortcuts for daily supplier mail

- ⌘N starts a new message.
- ⌘R replies to the sender.
- ⌘, opens Settings, where you look for rules and signatures.
- Hold ⌥⌘ to ask Lazur about anything on screen.
- Hold fn to dictate with Lazur at the cursor.

## Mistakes that waste a morning in Outlook

- Assuming a shared mailbox appears on its own. Mac does not auto-map it, so add it yourself.
- Mixing up Full Access with Send As. Full Access lets you open the mailbox, but sending needs its own permission.
- Building templates inside the shared inbox, then finding the My Templates add-in missing.
- Trusting old rules after the switch without one test message.
- Setting a signature in one client while you still use the other.
- Skipping the version check, then wondering why a feature you read about is missing.

Most of these are settings problems, not broken mail. Check the permission or the version first, then run one test. That order saves the most time.

![Person typing a supplier reply on a laptop at an office desk](https://lfobmih1tpj3sgpo.public.blob.vercel-storage.com/content-images/role-app/procurement-specialists-outlook/outlook-for-procurement-specialists-on-mac-2-4d9a81.jpg)

## Procurement tasks in Outlook for Mac and what they need

| Task | Where it lives in Outlook for Mac | What it depends on |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Open the sourcing inbox | File > Open > Shared Mailbox | Full Access and an Exchange account |
| Send a reply from that inbox | New message, sent from the shared account | Send As or Send On Behalf permission |
| Reuse a PO follow-up | File > New, then pick the template | Microsoft 365 and version 15.35 (170610) or later |
| Sort quote replies automatically | Rules in Settings (⌘,) under Mail | Rule support on your account, tested after the switch |
| Find an old contract thread | Search box at the top of the window | Working search after migration |

_Common supplier tasks in Outlook for Mac, and the permission or version each one needs._

Use the table as a checklist. When a row fails, the last column tells you what to check. Most failures trace back to one missing permission or an older build.

## Edge cases to plan for

Some setups behave differently. Microsoft documents rules and signatures most clearly for Exchange On-Prem accounts. GCC environments can show a rules not supported message. Add-ins in shared mailboxes depend on the scenario, so do not assume one works everywhere.

Team changes cause most permission trouble. When someone joins or leaves, ask IT to review who holds Full Access and Send As on each shared mailbox. A permission nobody remembers can still send mail under the team's name.

If your team relies on an add-in for supplier data, test it in the shared mailbox first. Write down what works and what fails, with the build number. That note makes the IT request shorter and clearer.

Lazur runs on macOS, on Apple silicon and Intel. Windows is planned, not available yet, so this page covers the Mac side only. If you also handle spend data, see [Excel for procurement specialists on Mac](https://www.lazur.app/for/procurement-specialists/excel).

![Procurement specialist working in Outlook on a MacBook at an office desk](https://lfobmih1tpj3sgpo.public.blob.vercel-storage.com/content-images/role-app/procurement-specialists-outlook/outlook-for-procurement-specialists-on-mac-3-31f19a.jpg)

## Questions to take to IT before you change settings

1. Is the shared mailbox on an Exchange account, and which permission does my team hold?
2. Does our team hold Send As or Send On Behalf for the sourcing inbox?
3. Are rules supported in our environment, or does a GCC message apply?
4. Is my Outlook for Mac still on legacy, and which date does my account use?
5. Who approves a permission request when a teammate needs Send As?

Bring your build number and a screenshot of the error. IT can act faster when they see the same screen you do. You can also [download Lazur for Mac](https://www.lazur.app/download) when you want help while you work.

## With Lazur

Lazur is a voice assistant for the Mac that lives in the notch. Hold ⌥ ⌘ and ask; it sees your screen, answers out loud, points at buttons and walks you through apps. Hold fn to dictate. Free for 3 days, then $18/month: https://www.lazur.app/download

- “Where do I open the supplier shared mailbox?”: Lazur circles the File menu, labels Open > Shared Mailbox, and says the route out loud. (Points at it)
- “Walk me through adding the sourcing mailbox.”: Lazur guides you one click at a time, waiting for each click, through the route that fits your client.
- “Why won't this reply send from the shared inbox?”: Lazur explains the Send As or Send On Behalf check and what Outlook does when that permission is missing.
- “Where is the template option for this kind of message?”: Lazur circles File > New and the template list, then labels the item you need.
- “What is this supplier asking me for?”: Lazur reads the open thread and answers out loud with the request in a few sentences.
- “Draft a follow-up asking for the revised quote by Friday.”: Lazur drafts the text and types it at the cursor, so you can check it before you send.
- “Dictate the note about the new delivery date.”: Hold fn, speak, and Lazur places clean, formatted text at the cursor in the message.
- “Remind me to call the vendor Thursday morning.”: Lazur adds the reminder to Apple Reminders.
- “Why did my rule stop moving supplier mail?”: Lazur explains likely causes from what is on screen, then points at the rules area in Settings.

## FAQ

### Does Outlook for Mac support shared mailboxes for procurement teams?

Yes, with limits. Outlook for Mac supports only Full Access for shared mailboxes, and you need an Exchange account. It does not auto-map shared mailboxes. Add the mailbox yourself from File > Open > Shared Mailbox in the new client.

### Why won't my email send from a shared supplier mailbox?

The most likely cause is a missing Send As or Send On Behalf permission. Microsoft says the email will not be sent without one. Ask the mailbox owner or IT to grant it. Full Access alone does not let you send.

### Which Outlook for Mac version do I need for email templates?

Built-in template controls need a Microsoft 365 subscription and version 15.35 (170610) or later. Check your build under Outlook > About Outlook. Templates save as .emltpl files and open from File > New.

### Is legacy Outlook for Mac still working?

Microsoft set October 1, 2026 as the date legacy Outlook for Mac stops working for people who opted into it. Microsoft's help page says support ends in October 2026. Both dates are now past. Check which client you use, and ask IT before you switch back.

### Why did my rule stop working after I switched Outlook clients?

A June 2026 Microsoft Q&A thread reports rules that stopped working after a switch to the new Outlook for Mac. Test one rule with a message you send yourself. Check the destination folder, and note your build number.

### Does Lazur click buttons or change settings in Outlook?

No. Lazur points at things, guides you one click at a time, and answers out loud. You make each click and change yourself. Lazur does not operate other apps for you.

### Does Lazur see my supplier emails?

Lazur listens and looks at the screen only while you hold a shortcut. Audio and the screenshot go to AI providers to answer, and they are not stored. Content is never used to train AI models.

### Is Lazur available on Windows?

Not yet. Lazur runs on macOS, on Apple silicon and Intel. Windows is planned, not available.

## Sources

1. [Can I create email templates in Outlook for Mac?](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/outlook/can-i-create-email-templates-in-outlook-for-mac), Microsoft Support, checked 2026-11-07
2. [Open a shared Mail, Calendar or People folder in Outlook for Mac or legacy Outlook for Mac](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/outlook/open-a-shared-mail-calendar-or-people-folder-in-outlook-for-mac-1), Microsoft Support, checked 2026-11-07
3. [Outlook for Mac](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/outlook/outlook-for-mac), Microsoft Support, checked 2026-11-07
4. [Release notes for Office for Mac](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/officeupdates/release-notes-office-for-mac), Microsoft Learn, checked 2026-11-07
5. [Microsoft to Discontinue Legacy Outlook for Mac in October](https://blog.smu.edu/itconnect/2026/09/16/microsoft-discontinue-legacy-outlook-mac/), SMU IT Connect, checked 2026-11-07
6. [What is up with this new Outlook for Mac and why was I forced out of the legacy version](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/5921919/what-is-up-with-this-new-outlook-for-mac-and-why-w), Microsoft Q&A (community), checked 2026-11-07