What is a Special Purpose Account (SPA)?
SPAs are a new type of account introduced to campus in November 2014. These accounts are intended to be used for collaborative purposes within a department, and can own their own bMail and Box account.
They are similar to Personal CalNet IDs, and instead of shared passwords which legacy departmental email accounts used, you will authenticate with your SPA CalNet ID plus your personal CalNet ID and Personal CalNet passphrase. Once you have done so, you can access a bMail, Box or other account owned by your SPA.
How do I create a SPA, or manage the members of an existing SPA?
SPAs can be managed via a self-service offering through Berkeley’s Identity Console. You can find this tool here : https://idc.berkeley.edu/spa
Any SPA that you are a member of, you can manage through this tool.
How do I create a bMail Account for use with my SPA?
Instructions for creating a bMail Account for use with your SPA can be found here : https://calnetweb.berkeley.edu/calnet-departments/special-purpose-accounts-spa/spa-affiliated-departmental-bmail-accounts
What levels of access / permissions are available for a SPA?
There are two types of roles/access levels for a SPA. The first is member access, the second is delegated access.
Members of a SPA can do the following:
- Log directly into the SPA (This allows the use of bCal, bDrive, Box, etc.)
- Delegate access to the SPA
- Create/change the bConnected Key for the SPA (needed for mail client configuration)
- Add/remove members to the SPA
- Use all email related features for the SPA
Delegates of a SPA can do the following:
- Use all email related features for the SPA
Note: When sending email from a SPA as a delegate, recipients will see “This email sent on behalf of…”
Membership to a SPA should be given out sparingly, as all members have equal administrative rights and access to the account. For most users, delegated access should be adequate.
- Please note that only staff and affiliate employees qualify as members of SPAs, students are ineligible unless they are also employees.
If you need assistance determining what type of access should be granted, please contact the CSS-IT Service Desk at itcsshelp@berkeley.edu, or by calling 510-664-9000, Option 1
How do I login directly to a SPA?
Instructions for logging directly into a SPA can be found here : https://berkeley.service-now.com/kb_view.do?sysparm_article=KB0010483
How do I delegate access to a SPA?
First, log directly in to the SPA, using the instructions above.
Next, follow the instructions for delegating access to an account, which can be found here : https://berkeley.service-now.com/kb_view.do?sysparm_article=KB0010479
How do I use my SPA with an email client?
Instructions for using your SPA with an email client can be found here :
Apple Mail : https://berkeley.service-now.com/kb_view.do?sysparm_article=KB0010551
Outlook : https://berkeley.service-now.com/kb_view.do?sysparm_article=KB0010557