When you log in to Outlook Web Access (OWA) there are several steps that you may have to go through. Not everyone will encounter everything I list here, but these are the most common.
These screenshots may appear slightly different depending on what version of web browser you have and how it’s configured. I’m going to use IE screenshots, since that’s what’s recommended.
When you click on the link for OWA the first thing that’s likely to pop up is this:
This is a standard ‘secure connection’ warning. Click OK to continue.
The next Security Alert pop-up is about the certificate. Your connection to OWA will be encrypted. Nothing will ever guarantee 100% security, but this goes a long way to making sure that only you read your e-mail. Here’s what the alert looks like:
Click Yes to proceed. There are ways to get rid of this, see the tips and tricks section once it's built.
This should bring you to the actual login here:
Some versions of IE will display a Domain: field beneath password. If your’s does, leave it blank and ignore it.
Your username should be WALS\yourlastname, so if your last name is Johnson, put WALS\Johnson in the User name field. If you do not yet have an account, contact your library director to request an account for you. The direction of the slash is important: WALS\Johnson is correct, WALS/Johnson will pop up an error.
The user name field is forgiving when it comes to capitalization. WALS\SMITH, Wals\Smith, and wals\smith will all work equally well.
Password is pretty straightforward, but never check the ‘Remember my password’ box. Your password will change, probably more often than you’d like, so having IE remember an outdated password will prevent you from logging in.
Then click OK and you should be set. Now if you are ready...
The most common problem occurs when your account requires a password change or your password is incorrect: you'll see a "Error: Access is Denied." message when you try to login. OWA will display reminders at the top when you need to change your password, but (at this time) you cannot change your password in OWA. If you let your password expire, OWA will not let you login.
The fastest way to fix this is to login to any staff PC on the network as yourself (WALS\Lastname). If you’re prompted to change your password, do so, then try to go back into OWA with your new password. If your login doesn't work on a staff PC, contact WALS Staff to reset your password.