Microsoft 365 Specific Emails Auto-BCC Setup Guide

What This Accomplishes

• Selective BCC functionality - Only emails from chosen users are BCC'd
• Granular control - Add or remove users without affecting others
• Department-specific monitoring - Monitor sales team, executives, or other specific groups
• Easy management - Simple user selection interface
• Same reliability - Uses the same proven transport rule technology

Prerequisites

• Administrator Access: Global Administrator or Exchange Administrator permissions
• Destination Email: The email address where BCC copies should be sent
• User List: Know which specific users need BCC monitoring

 

Step 1: Enable External Forwarding (REQUIRED)

Before configuring BCC rules, you must enable external forwarding in your tenant:

1. Go to Microsoft 365 Defender Portal: https://security.microsoft.com
2. Navigate to Email & collaboration > Policies & rules > Threat policies
3. Click Anti-spam policies
4. Select Anti-spam outbound policy (Default)
5. Click Edit protection settings
6. Change Automatic forwarding from "Automatic - System-controlled" to "On - Forwarding is enabled"
7. Click Save

 

Step 2: Access Exchange Admin Center

1. Sign in to Microsoft 365
   • Go to https://admin.microsoft.com
   • Sign in with your administrator account
2. Navigate to Exchange Admin Center
   • Click "Admin centers" in the left menu
   • Select "Exchange" from the dropdown
   • Or go directly to: https://admin.exchange.microsoft.com

 

Step 3: Create the Specific Users Rule

1. Go to Rules Section
   • In Exchange Admin Center, click "Mail flow" in the left navigation
   • Click "Rules"
   • Direct link: https://admin.exchange.microsoft.com/#/transportrules
2. Start New Rule Creation
   Click the "+" button (Add a rule)
   • Select "Create a new rule" from the dropdown

 

Step 4: Configure Rule for Specific Users

Name Field:

Auto BCC for Specific Users

(Or any descriptive name you prefer)

Apply this rule if:

1. First dropdown: Select "The sender"
2. Second dropdown: Select "is this person"
3. User selection: Click "Select members" button
4. Choose users:
   • Search for users by name or email
   • Click the checkbox next to each user you want to include
   • Selected users will appear as blue chips at the top
   • Click "Save" to confirm your selections

You should see something like: "Is received from 'admin@getbrokerkit.net' or 'test@getbrokerkit.net'"

Do the following:

1. First dropdown: Select "Add recipients"
2. Second dropdown: Select "to the Bcc box"
3. Email address field: Enter your destination email (e.g., XXXX@bcc.brokerkit.app)

Add Loop Prevention (Except if):

1. First dropdown: Select "The message headers..."
2. Second dropdown: Select "includes any of these words"
3. Header name: X-MS-Exchange-Inbox-Rules-Loop
4. Words: *

 

Step 5: Save and Enable the Rule

1. Click "Next" to proceed to rule settings
2. Configure rule settings:
   • Mode: "Enforce" 
   • Priority: Set to a number like 2 (lower numbers = higher priority)
   • Comments: "Auto-BCC specific users with loop prevention"
3. Click "Save" to create the rule

 

Step 6: Enable the Rule (Critical!)

1. Return to Rules list - you'll see your new rule listed
2. Click on the rule name - a right-side modal appears
3. Click "Enable" button in the modal
4. Wait for confirmation that the rule is enabled
5. Verify status shows "Enabled" in the rules list

 

Testing and Verification

Test Immediately

Rules often work right away but can take up to 30 minutes for full propagation.

Verify Selective Functionality

1. Send test email from included user - should receive BCC copy
2. Send test email from non-included user - should NOT receive BCC copy
3. Check sent items - both users should have normal sent items
4. Verify existing forwarding - should continue working normally(if set up)

Managing Users in the Rule

Adding More Users

1. Go to Mail flow → Rules
2. Click on your specific users rule
3. Click "Edit rule conditions"
4. In the sender selection, click "Select members"
5. Add additional users
6. Save changes

Removing Users

1. Edit the rule as above
2. In the user selection, click the "X" on user chips to remove them
3. Save changes

Rule Priority Considerations

• Lower numbers = higher priority
• If a user is in both tenant-wide and specific user rules, both will apply
• Set specific user rules to higher priority (lower number) if you want different behavior

 

Troubleshooting Common Issues

BCC Emails Not Appearing

• Verify external forwarding is enabled (Step 1)
• Check if rule is enabled: Most common issue - ensure you clicked "Enable" after saving
• Test immediately: Rules often work right away, but can take up to 30 minutes for full propagation
• Verify destination: Confirm the BCC email address can receive messages
• Check rule status: Ensure rule shows as "Enabled" in Exchange Admin Center