Welcome to Microsoft Office 365
As a registered MiraCosta College student, you have access to Microsoft Office 365 apps, including Word, Excel, Access (installed version only), PowerPoint, Outlook Email, and OneDrive which includes up to 1 Terabyte of storage. The MiraCosta College subscription allows you to install the suite of Office products on up to 5 PCs or Macs, in addition to mobile devices such as phones and tablets, at no cost to you. With Office 365, you can get things done from virtually anywhere. Whether you're on your computer at home, or on the go with your phone or tablet, you will have access to the very latest versions of your documents, all the time.
Your Microsoft Office 365 services will be available to you by the first day of the semester. If you enroll after the first day of classes, you’ll have access within 48 business hours.
After provisioned, if a student has not been enrolled for two consecutive semesters (semesters being defined as Spring and Fall), the MS Office 365 account will be revoked.
Important Information
- After logging in, you will be asked if you want to stay signed on. We recommend choosing No, especially if you are using a shared or lab computer.
- Always sign out to prevent others from accessing your data. To sign out, click the avatar in the upper right area, and choose "Sign Out", then clear cache and close the browser.
- Please note that by using Microsoft Office 365, some basic directory information may be visible to others, including your name, MiraCosta student email address, and SURF ID.
- Office 365 access and services are subject to the same rules and policies that govern
other communications services at MiraCosta College.
Board Policy 3720 Computer and Network Use and the Associated Administrative Procedures AP 3720 and AP 3750
How to sign in to Office 365
- Go to the MiraCosta Okta Sign On
- Sign in with your SURF ID and password.
- Then look for the tile called "Office 365"
Frequently Asked Questions
- Sign in to SURF
- Click "Message Center"
- Click "Office 365 Welcome Email"
- There you will find your student.miracosta.edu email address
- Office 365 services become available once a student is enrolled in classes(s).
- Once a student has not been enrolled for two consecutive regular semesters (regular semester being defined as either fall or spring), access is revoked.
- To avoid data loss, please relocate/backup your MiraCosta Office 365 data prior to services revocation. It is the responsibility of the student to do so.
Microsoft Office 365 apps such as Word, Excel, Outlook Email, and OneDrive. Microsoft Office Mobile Apps - available from the App or Play Stores.
- Word
- Excel
- Outlook
- PowerPoint
- Access (installed version only)
- OneDrive storage
- Go to the MiraCosta PortalGuard Portal
- Logon using your SURF ID and password just as you always do.
- Then, choose the tile labeled Office 365.
- You'll be asked whether you'd like to stay signed on. We recommend NO. Never choose Yes when using a shared or lab computer.
- You'll then be on the landing page.
Click the Avatar in the upper right area. Choose Sign out, then clear cache and close the browser.
When you Sign on to apps you downloaded using the App or Play Store, or when you add your email to your device's native email app, the sign on name is your complete MiraCosta email address.
Apps examples: OneDrive, Outlook, your mobile device native app
In other words, when signing on, instead of your SURF ID, you must logon using your full MiraCosta email address and your standard MiraCosta password.
Example: bsmith1234@student.miracosta.edu
You'll then be redirected to MiraCosta's Single Sign-On portal where you'll enter your MiraCosta password. If successful, you'll then be directed back to the Mobile App.
Online help is available on the Microsoft Office 365 support site. Help is available by selecting the Question Mark (?) at the top, right corner of your Office 365 landing page.
I am having issues accessing MiraCosta Office 365. I also use Office 365 at <insert any other organization here>, so when I go to the Office 365 URL, it directs me to <insert any other organization here>.
Probable Causes
MiraCosta uses Single Sign-On. It's likely your password is saved and automatically fills or the other organization also uses Single Sign-On.
Solutions
Option One
Use the MiraCosta Okta Single Sign-On Portal entry point to sign on. Login with your entire MiraCosta student email address and
SURF password. Click the tile labeled "Office 365."
Option Two
Use a different browser for MiraCosta than used for the other organization.
Example: Chrome for other organization, Firefox for MiraCosta
Should you need assistance, please contact the Student Help Desk.
Employees who are also students: Continue to sign on using your employee username and credentials for both your employee and student role.
Protecting Your Data in Office 365
- Set-up your multi factor authentication
- You are responsible for protecting the data you choose to store in Office 365.
- Always Sign out of your Office 365 session and close all browsers. If using a lab or other shared computer, Sign out of your Office 365 session, clear browser cache, then restart the computer.
- Keep your operating system and software patched and up-to-date.
Sharing in Office 365
- Periodically review security and sharing settings, ensuring that information is shared only with intended audiences.
- When sharing, use folders to share groups of files with specific people.
- Share files with specific individuals. Do not share with:
- "Anyone with the link" – This allow anyone access to your data.
- "People in MiraCosta College with the link." – This allow anyone in MiraCosta - College, staff, faculty, and other students - access to your data.
- Be careful when sending links to shared folders because they can be forwarded to others to whom you did not intend to provide access.
- Remember that once a file or information is shared, the recipient can download it to a device and share it with others.
- Remove individuals when they no longer require access to files or folders.
TIP: How to see what is shared all in once place. How to add and revoke access.
Sign on to Office 365.
Open the OneDrive tile.
On the left side, you'll see Shared:
Select shared. On the right, select Shared by you.
Hover over the three dots to the right of the file or folder. Choose manage access.
Then on the right side you’ll see where you can see what links are shared or if there is direct access..or both.
General Tips to avoid being phished
- Set-up your multi factor authentication
- MiraCosta will never ask for your password. Never share your password with anyone. Reputable organizations will never ask for your password by email, phone, text message, or in person.
- If you suspect your password has been compromised, it is important you change your password right away. This would be a good time to set-up your multi factor authentication
- Phish frequently will be an email with a file sharing link to Google, Dropbox, Office 365 and other cloud providers.
- Phish might insist you take some sort of action or there will be a consequence.
- Phish may appear to come from people and organizations you trust.
- Phish will most often include a link for you to click. Oftentimes, the site will look very similar to a legitimate site.
- If you are unsure if a message is legitimate or if you aren't expecting it, delete it.
- Though the signature of an email may include a legitimate name or logo, this alone should not be used to determine whether an email is actually from from that person or organization.
- Spoofed email addresses. You may see the friendly display name that is a fake. Verify the actual email address to confirm it is legitimate.
You might consider changing the default of "Reply All" to "Reply"
- Log in to your MiraCosta Email account.
- Go to the settings gear icon located in the upper right area.
- You will the "Search all Settings" field. Type reply
- You will see "Reply Options" and you can make "Reply" not "REPLY ALL" the default.
