Frequently Asked Questions
These FAQs should help answer many of your questions about changes to Micrsoft 365 services at Virginia Tech.
If you have additional questions, please refer to the user information pages on this website, or contact 4Help IT support at 4help.vt.edu or by calling 540-231-4357.
General questions
The changes to licensing structures from Microsoft created both a need and an opportunity to control costs, simplify the administration of email, and strengthen cybersecurity protections.
As we make changes to align with these new licensing models, we also are committed to making sure that we are providing the right services to meet the specific needs of each constituent group in our diverse Virginia Tech community.
You can check the amount of Microsoft storage you are using by logging into the MyCAT Tool at https://mycat.ccs.vt.edu/. Scroll down to and open the M365 tab to view your storage in OneDrive and Exchange Online.
Yes. The era of free or low-cost online file storage is coming to an end, and the Virginia Tech community needs to change how we plan for and administer cloud storage.
Google Workspace changes are complete as of Nov. 1, 2024.
For information on current Google services for various user groups, please visit the 4Help article, Understanding the Microsoft and Google Services for Virginia Tech.
Department FAQs
Employees are assigned to departments in Banner. For Microsoft storage, departments will receive a storage pool equal to 75 GB per A5 licensed purchased.
Managing a shared resource involves two different aspects: managing access and managing storage.
Managing Access
Microsoft has different levels of access for Teams and SharePoint sites: owner, member, and guest. Beginning in June 2025, for Microsoft shared resources to remain active, a department must claim that resource and ensure at least one employee (preferably two) holds the owner role on that resource.
Employees may make requests for new Teams or SharePoint sites or Microsoft Groups through the Service Catalog.
Managing Storage
Departments will be responsible for managing storage within their shared resources by either: A) ensuring that their shared drives/spaces do not exceed the default storage limit, or B) allocating more storage to collaborative spaces as needed.
Storage can be allocated from their departmental storage pool or by purchasing additional storage from the Software Service Center.
Effective Aug. 16, 2024, requests for new SharePoint sites, Teams sites, or Microsoft Groups must be approved by a person listed on the department's official approver list with Identity Management Customer Support (IMCS). Requests may not be made by students, retirees, or alumni.
The process for requesting and approving a new Microsoft shared space should be handled through the IT Service Catalog form for requesting a Departmental Team, SharePoint Site, or M365 Group.
Employee FAQs
Canvas will not be affected.
Yes. You can create and share course materials in Microsoft 365. A full list of apps available within Microsoft 365 is available in the article, Understanding Employees' Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 Services.
Microsoft Exchange Online is the sole email service for employees as well as for students. You may use the Outlook desktop app, the Outlook Web App, and/or the Outlook mobile app to access your VT email.
Employees should use the Outlook client on Exchange Online to send and receive email. You have the option to use the Outlook web client, or you can install and configure the Outlook desktop and/or mobile apps on your devices.
The following 4Help Knowledge Base articles might help:
Most employees will receive a baseline individual storage allocation of 25 GB in the Microsoft environment, which is to be used for Exchange Online and OneDrive. Storage allocations for shared resources will be deteremined by the department that sponsors those resources.
If you wish to increase your storage allocation for your individual Microsoft 365 services, or for a shared resource that you manage, please contact your department's IT professionals or organizational unit (OU) administrator.
As long as you remain an employee, you will receive all services as outlined in the Understanding Employees' Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 Services. As an alum, you will receive the alumni Gmail service; however, email will arrive in your Exchange Online mailbox while you remain an active employee.
Retiree FAQs
No, your VT username and password will stay the same. Your email address and login will stay the same, too.
Employee affiliations have the highest precedence. As long as you are also an employee, you will be able to access Google Workspace and Microsoft 365, with storage limits that apply to your employee affiliation. This 4Help article will help you understand services based on your affiliation(s).
It depends on your date of retirement.
All who retire(d) on or after June 2, 2023 receive Microsoft 365 services, with 10 GB of Microsoft storage available, upon retirement. You will have access to Google Drive (i.e., your account will work) so that you can access documents shared with you, but you will not have storage within the Google Workspace environment yourself. If you fall into this group, you will need to transfer any files you own within your VT Google Workspace to another location prior to retirement.
See Understanding Retirees' Google and Microsoft 365 services (after June 1, 2023) for details.
Those who retired on or before June 1, 2023 retained Google Workspace services for email and storage. See Understanding Retirees' Google Services (June 1, 2023 and earlier) for details.
Regardless of what services you receive, any university data in a retiree's account that resides within Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 should be transferred to an appropriate department.
Student FAQs
Information on upcoming Microsoft changes impacting students are explained on the student information page. In brief:
- A 10 GB storage cap in Microsoft 365 will go into effect starting June 2, 2025.
- Students may no longer create new SharePoint sites, Teams sites, and Groups, but may be added as members by an owner of that space.
If you need to be added to a Teams or SharePoint site, contact the person(s) listed as an "Owner" of that space and request that they add you. If you are not sure who has the owner role, contact the faculty or staff member most closely associated with that space.
Starting in June 2025, each student will be provided 10 GB of storage within the Microsoft environment, which includes Exchange Online for email/calendar and OneDrive for file storage (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Forms, etc.).
You can check the amount of Microsoft storage you are using by logging into the MyCAT tool at https://mycat.ccs.vt.edu/. Scroll down to and open the M365 tab to view your storage in OneDrive and Exchange Online.
As long as you have no other affiliation with the university following your graduation (i.e., you are not also an employee), you will transition to alumni Gmail service after you have not taken classes for two major semesters (fall and spring). At this point, you will lose access to Microsoft 365 services, and receive only email service via Gmail. You will keep your PID and vt.edu email address.
You will be notified approximately 60 days before your services are expected to change; however, it is your responsibilty to save any important files or messages from your Virginia Tech student services (Google Drive, OneDrive, Exchange Online etc.) as data will not be saved or migrated for you.
The following articles contain more information about transitioning from student to alumni services:
Microsoft 365 Exchange Online is the definitive email solution for students. Students should use the Outlook client on Exchange Online to send and receive email. You have the option to use the Outlook web client, or you can install and configure the Outlook desktop and/or mobile apps on your devices.
The following 4Help Knowledge Base articles might help:
Students with leadership positions in student organizations should contact Student Engagement and Campus Life within Student Affairs to discuss any Teams or SharePoint needs for their organization.