# Admin setup
Source: https://docs.joinpeach.co/admin-setup
Connect Peach to Microsoft 365 so your team can authenticate with Microsoft, access shared mailboxes, and send emails directly from Peach.
## What you'll accomplish
After completing this guide:
* Peach will appear as an Enterprise Application in Microsoft Entra
* Users will be able to sign in using Microsoft 365
* Shared mailboxes can be connected to Peach
* Your team can send and receive emails from Peach
You must be a Microsoft Entra administrator to complete this setup.
## Prerequisites
Before you begin, ensure you have:
* Microsoft Entra admin access
* At least one shared mailbox
* Permission to add Enterprise Applications
***
## Step 1: Grant Admin Consent
Open the following URL while signed in as a Microsoft administrator:
```text theme={null}
https://login.microsoftonline.com/organizations/adminconsent?client_id=45c38646-07a4-4998-b43c-58e1b5c0bcee
```
Microsoft will display the permissions requested by Peach.
Select **Accept**.
This creates the Peach Enterprise Application within your Microsoft tenant.
***
## Step 2: Verify Peach was added
Navigate to:
```text theme={null}
Microsoft Entra → Enterprise Applications
```
Refresh the page.
You should see **Peach** listed among your applications.
If Peach appears in Enterprise Applications, the consent step was successful.
***
## Step 3: Open the Peach application
Select **Peach** from the Enterprise Applications list.
***
## Step 4: Assign users and groups
Navigate to:
```text theme={null}
Users and Groups
```
Select **Add User/Group**.
Choose the users or groups that should have access to Peach.
***
## Step 5: Assign roles
Each user or group must be assigned a role.
Manage users, integrations, shared inboxes, and platform settings.
Work tickets, generate AI responses, and send emails from connected inboxes.
Select the appropriate role before saving the assignment.
Users who are not assigned to the Peach application will not be able to sign in.
***
## Verify access
Ask an assigned user to:
1. Navigate to `app.joinpeach.co`
2. Select **Sign in with Microsoft 365**
3. Complete authentication
If login succeeds, the Microsoft integration is configured correctly.
Successful login confirms that Peach has been properly configured within your Microsoft tenant.
***
## Troubleshooting
Verify the admin consent step was completed using a Microsoft Entra administrator account.
Confirm the user or security group has been assigned to the Peach Enterprise Application.
Verify the user has access to the shared mailbox in Microsoft 365.
***
## Next Steps
Review the permissions Peach requires and why.
Verify Peach can successfully send outbound emails.
# Connect a shared inbox
Source: https://docs.joinpeach.co/connect-a-shared-inbox
Peach uses shared inboxes to receive student inquiries and send responses on behalf of your office.
Shared inboxes can be connected during onboarding or at any time from Settings.
***
## Before you begin
Before connecting a shared inbox, ensure that:
* Your institution's IT team has completed the Microsoft 365 setup process
* You have access to the shared mailbox in Microsoft 365
* You are assigned as an Admin in Peach
***
## Connecting a shared inbox during onboarding
The shared inbox selection screen is only shown during onboarding when Peach does not yet have a shared inbox connected for your institution.
This commonly occurs when:
* A new institution is setting up Peach for the first time
* The first administrator is completing onboarding
You may not see this step if another user has already connected a shared inbox.
Examples include:
* An IT administrator testing the integration
* Another administrator completing setup before you
* An existing Peach deployment
Even if you do not see the shared inbox step during onboarding, you can connect additional inboxes later from Settings.
***
## Connect a shared inbox from Settings
Navigate to:
```text theme={null}
Settings → Email Integration
```
Under **Email Providers**, select **Connect Shared Inbox**.
***
## Select a shared inbox
Begin typing the name of the shared mailbox you want to connect.
Examples include:
* [financialaid@college.edu](mailto:financialaid@college.edu)
* [finaid@college.edu](mailto:finaid@college.edu)
* [scholarships@college.edu](mailto:scholarships@college.edu)
Select the mailbox from the search results.
Select **Connect**.
If the shared mailbox does not appear when searching, contact your Microsoft administrator to verify mailbox permissions.
***
## What happens next?
After connecting a shared inbox:
Incoming emails from the shared mailbox are imported into Peach.
Student inquiries become tickets that can be managed by your team.
Staff can send emails directly from the connected shared mailbox.
***
## Next Steps
Learn how Peach manages incoming student inquiries.
Resolve mailbox connection and email delivery issues.
# Introduction
Source: https://docs.joinpeach.co/index
Welcome to Peach.
Peach is an AI-powered communications platform built specifically for financial aid offices.
By connecting your shared inbox to Peach, your team can manage student inquiries, collaborate on responses, access institutional knowledge, and leverage AI to reduce repetitive work.
## Why Peach
Financial aid teams manage thousands of student questions each year, often across multiple staff members, inboxes, and systems.
Peach brings these workflows into a single platform.
Organize and manage incoming student emails from shared inboxes.
Generate response drafts and get answers to financial aid questions with citations.
Centralize institutional policies, procedures, and guidance.
***
## Built for financial aid
Unlike general-purpose help desk tools, Peach is designed specifically for higher education financial aid offices.
Peach helps teams:
* Respond to student inquiries faster
* Maintain consistency across staff responses
* Reduce repetitive email drafting
* Preserve institutional knowledge
* Improve visibility into office performance
***
## Core platform areas
Manage incoming student communications from shared inboxes.
Ask questions and generate response drafts using institutional and regulatory guidance.
Store and organize policies, procedures, and reference materials.
Measure response times, ticket volume, and team activity.
***
## How Peach works
Connect your financial aid inbox to Peach.
Incoming emails are automatically imported into Peach.
Staff can review, assign, and respond to student questions.
Messages are sent directly from your institution's mailbox.
***
## Ready to get started?
If your institution has already completed the Microsoft 365 setup process, continue to the Onboarding guide to connect your first shared mailbox and begin managing student inquiries.
[Go to Onboarding →](/onboarding)
# Onboarding
Source: https://docs.joinpeach.co/onboarding
This guide walks through the initial setup process that new users complete when accessing Peach for the first time.
Most users complete setup in less than 5 minutes.
***
## Before you begin
Peach relies on your institution's email environment to authenticate users and connect shared mailboxes.
Before starting setup, confirm that your IT team has completed the Microsoft 365 integration process.
Your IT team should have:
* Configured Peach in Microsoft Entra
* Granted the required Microsoft permissions
* Assigned users or security groups to the Peach application
* Granted access to the shared mailbox your office uses for student communications
Most setup issues occur when the Microsoft integration has not been completed or the user does not have access to the appropriate shared mailbox.
[View the Microsoft 365 setup guide](/overview)
Once your IT team has completed these steps, you can continue with onboarding.
***
## What you'll accomplish
By the end of setup, you will:
* Sign in using your institutional account
* Connect your team's shared inbox
* Upload institutional policies and procedures
* Invite team members
* Prepare Peach to draft policy-aligned responses
***
## Step 1: Sign in
Authenticate using your institutional Microsoft 365 account.
Peach uses your organization's existing authentication system and does not require a separate password.
Once authentication is complete, Peach will identify the shared mailboxes you have access to.
***
## Step 2: Connect your shared inbox
Depending on how your institution was set up, you may not see this step during onboarding.
The shared inbox selection screen is only shown when Peach does not yet have a shared inbox connected for your institution.
If another user has already configured Peach, such as:
* An IT administrator testing the Microsoft integration
* Another administrator completing setup
* A staff member who previously connected an inbox
then Peach may skip this step and continue directly to the next stage of onboarding.
Even if you do not see this step during onboarding, you can connect additional shared inboxes at any time from **Settings → Email Integration**.
See the [Connect a Shared Inbox](/getting-started/connect-a-shared-inbox) guide for detailed instructions.
If displayed, select the shared mailbox your office uses to communicate with students.
Common examples include:
* [financialaid@college.edu](mailto:financialaid@college.edu)
* [finaid@college.edu](mailto:finaid@college.edu)
* [scholarships@college.edu](mailto:scholarships@college.edu)
Begin typing the mailbox name and select the appropriate inbox.
If your shared mailbox does not appear, contact your Microsoft administrator to verify mailbox permissions.
***
## Step 3: Upload policies and procedures
Upload the documents Peach should use when generating drafts and answering questions.
Examples include:
* Financial aid policies
* Verification procedures
* Scholarship guidelines
* Appeal processes
* Internal office documentation
Supported file types:
* PDF (.pdf)
* Microsoft Word (.docx)
* Text files (.txt)
Peach uses these documents to generate institution-specific responses rather than generic financial aid guidance.
You can skip this step and upload documents later to the Knowledge Base.
***
## Step 4: Invite your team
Once your inbox is connected, invite other staff members who should have access to Peach.
Navigate to:
```text theme={null}
Settings → Team Management
```
Administrators can add users individually or grant access through Microsoft security groups.
Each user can be assigned one of the following roles:
### Admin
Admins can:
* Manage users
* Configure integrations
* Connect shared inboxes
* Manage platform settings
### Editor
Editors can:
* Work on tickets
* Generate AI-assisted drafts
* Send emails
* Access connected inboxes
Only users who have been assigned access to the Peach application by your institution's IT team can sign in.
We recommend inviting all staff members who regularly respond to student inquiries from your shared mailbox.
***
## What happens next?
Incoming student emails are imported into Peach.
Uploaded materials become available to the AI Assistant and email drafting workflows.
Staff members can access Peach and work on tickets together.
Generate drafts, reference institutional policies, and send responses directly from Peach.
***
## Next steps
Learn how to manage incoming student inquiries.
Learn how Peach uses institutional policies and procedures.
# Overview
Source: https://docs.joinpeach.co/overview
Peach integrates directly with Microsoft 365 to help financial aid offices manage shared inboxes, collaborate on student communications, and authenticate users through their institutional accounts.
## What Peach uses Microsoft for
Peach uses Microsoft 365 for three primary functions:
Users sign in securely using their Microsoft 365 credentials.
Peach reads incoming emails from approved shared mailboxes.
Peach sends responses directly from your shared mailbox.
***
## How it works
Incoming messages arrive in your shared mailbox, such as [financialaid@college.edu](mailto:financialaid@college.edu).
Peach automatically synchronizes incoming emails and creates tickets.
Team members can collaborate, use AI-generated drafts, and reference institutional policies.
Emails are delivered directly from your shared mailbox through Microsoft 365.
***
## What Peach can access
Peach only accesses resources that your organization explicitly authorizes.
Peach does not require access to individual user inboxes.
Typical mailbox examples include:
* [finaid@college.edu](mailto:finaid@college.edu)
* [financialaid@college.edu](mailto:financialaid@college.edu)
* [scholarships@college.edu](mailto:scholarships@college.edu)
***
## Security model
Peach is registered as an Enterprise Application within Microsoft Entra.
Access is controlled through:
* Microsoft user assignments
* Microsoft security groups
* Peach role permissions
Only users assigned to the Peach application can access the platform.
***
## Before you begin
To connect Peach, your organization will need:
* Microsoft 365
* Microsoft Entra administrator access
* At least one shared mailbox
* Users assigned to the Peach application
***
## Next steps
Register Peach in Microsoft Entra and grant permissions.
Review the permissions Peach requires and why.
# Permissions
Source: https://docs.joinpeach.co/permissions
Peach requires several Microsoft Graph permissions to authenticate users, discover shared mailboxes, and send and receive email.
## Why permissions are required
Peach operates using shared inboxes commonly used by financial aid offices.
These permissions allow Peach to:
* Authenticate staff members
* Discover shared mailboxes
* Read incoming student emails
* Send responses from approved mailboxes
* Synchronize mailbox activity
Peach only accesses mailboxes that your organization explicitly authorizes.
***
## Required permissions
| Permission | Type | Purpose |
| -------------------- | ----------- | -------------------------------------------------- |
| Mail.ReadWrite | Application | Read emails and update message status |
| Mail.Send | Application | Send emails from approved shared mailboxes |
| MailboxSettings.Read | Application | Identify available shared mailboxes |
| User.Read | Delegated | Authenticate users |
| User.Read.All | Application | Retrieve mailbox and user information during setup |
***
## Permission details
### Mail.ReadWrite
Allows Peach to:
* Import emails into Tickets
* Mark messages as read
* Synchronize mailbox status
Without this permission, Peach cannot display student emails inside the platform.
***
### Mail.Send
Allows Peach to:
* Send responses from shared mailboxes
* Deliver AI-assisted drafts
* Send messages directly from Tickets
This permission does not give Peach permission to send from arbitrary mailboxes. Access is controlled by your Microsoft configuration.
***
### MailboxSettings.Read
Allows Peach to identify which shared mailboxes are available for connection.
This improves onboarding and mailbox selection.
***
### User.Read
Allows users to authenticate with Microsoft 365.
Peach uses Microsoft authentication rather than requiring separate passwords.
***
### User.Read.All
Allows Peach to retrieve mailbox information necessary during onboarding.
This permission is used to help identify available shared mailboxes.
***
## Security considerations
Some Microsoft tenants apply additional restrictions to emails sent by applications.
In certain environments, outbound messages may generate a Non-Delivery Report (NDR) until Microsoft mail flow policies are updated.
If outbound email delivery fails, see the [Troubleshooting](/troubleshooting) guide.
***
## Need help?
Experiencing issues with your Microsoft integration? Visit the [Troubleshooting](/troubleshooting) guide for solutions to common setup, mailbox, and email delivery issues.
# Troubleshooting
Source: https://docs.joinpeach.co/troubleshooting
This guide covers the most common Microsoft 365 integration issues.
## Peach does not appear in Enterprise Applications
### Symptoms
* Peach is not visible in Microsoft Entra
* Users cannot be assigned
### Resolution
Verify that the Admin Consent URL was completed using a Microsoft Entra administrator account.
Refresh the Enterprise Applications page after consent is granted.
You should see Peach listed as an Enterprise Application.
***
## Users cannot sign in
### Symptoms
* Login fails after Microsoft authentication
* User receives an access error
### Resolution
Verify the user has been assigned to the Peach Enterprise Application.
Navigate to:
```text theme={null}
Microsoft Entra → Enterprise Applications → Peach → Users and Groups
```
Confirm the user or security group is listed.
***
## Shared mailbox does not appear
### Symptoms
* User completes onboarding
* Expected mailbox is missing
### Resolution
Verify the user has access to the mailbox within Microsoft 365.
Peach can only display mailboxes that Microsoft has granted the user permission to access.
Mailbox permissions are managed within Microsoft Exchange and Microsoft 365.
***
## Emails are not appearing in Peach
### Symptoms
* Mailbox connects successfully
* New emails do not appear
### Resolution
Verify:
* The mailbox connection completed successfully
* The mailbox still exists
* Microsoft permissions have not been revoked
You can disconnect and reconnect the mailbox from Peach Settings.
***
## Outbound emails fail to send
### Symptoms
* Email sends successfully in Peach
* Recipient never receives the message
* Microsoft generates a Non-Delivery Report (NDR)
### Resolution
Many Microsoft tenants apply stricter filtering to application-generated mail.
Your Microsoft administrator may need to create an Application Access Policy.
Example:
```powershell theme={null}
New-ApplicationAccessPolicy `
-AppId 45c38646-07a4-4998-b43c-58e1b5c0bcee `
-PolicyScopeGroupId `
-AccessRight RestrictAccess `
-Description "Scope Peach Mail.Send to shared mailboxes only"
```
This configuration varies by institution and may require assistance from your Microsoft administrator.
***
## Test outbound email delivery
Peach includes a built-in email delivery test.
Navigate to:
```text theme={null}
Settings → Email Integration
```
Select **Test Outbound** for the connected mailbox.
Send a test message to your email address.
Receiving the test email confirms that Microsoft is allowing outbound mail from Peach.
***
## Still need help?
If the issue persists, gather the following information before contacting support:
* Institution name
* Shared mailbox address
* User email address
* Screenshot of the error
* Any Microsoft NDR message
Providing this information will help us resolve the issue more quickly.