What Is Delegated Access? (And Why It Matters for Your Business)

Have you ever needed an assistant to check your inbox, manage your calendar, or send an email on your behalf, without giving them your password?

That’s exactly what delegated access is for.

Whether you’re using Microsoft 365, OneDrive, or a custom app, delegated access is a secure way to let someone (or something) act on your behalf, without handing over full control.

In this article, we’ll explain what delegated access is, why businesses use it, and how to use it safely.

 

What Is Delegated Access?

Delegated access is when a signed-in user gives permission to an app (or another user) to take actions on their behalf.

Think of it like this:

• You’re the boss. Your executive assistant books a flight for you using your frequent flyer account, but you didn’t give them your password. Instead, you gave them just the right access they needed to do the job.

That’s delegated access.

In the digital world, it works the same way. Your app (or employee) gets just enough permission to read or update information, without opening the door too wide.

 

Why Should You Use Delegated Access?

Here are 3 reasons businesses rely on delegated access:

 

1. Security

You don’t want users sharing passwords or having full admin rights just to help each other out. Delegated access limits permissions and helps prevent mistakes or abuse.

 

2. Productivity

Delegated access lets assistants, tools, or coworkers act on someone’s behalf, like replying to emails, managing calendars, or accessing shared documents, without delays or bottlenecks.

 

3. Compliance

It’s much easier to track who accessed what, when, and why. That matters for industries like healthcare, finance, or legal, where data handling must be precise and auditable.

 

Real-World Example: Managing OneDrive Files with Microsoft 365

Let’s say Alice wants to use a secure app to open a file from her OneDrive. Here’s how delegated access works:

• The app asks for permission (a “scope” called Files.Read) to view Alice’s files.
• Alice approves this access — just for that app, just for her data.
• The app can now act as Alice and open her files — but only her files.

If the app tries to open someone else’s files? Access denied.

If the app wasn’t approved for Files.Read? Also denied.

That’s the beauty of delegated access: controlled, specific, secure.

 

When Delegated Access Is a Bad Fit

Delegated access requires a signed-in user. That means it’s not a good choice for:

• Automation scripts that run overnight
• System-wide backups that touch every user’s data
• Background tasks that need access without a person clicking “approve”

For those cases, you’d use what’s called “application-only access” — a different kind of permission model.

 

Final Thoughts: Don’t Give Away the Keys

If you’re giving employees or apps more access than they need, you’re creating risk — for your company and your clients.

Delegated access solves that.

It’s a smarter, safer way to share responsibility inside your business — whether it’s for managing inboxes, files, calendars, or customer data.

At Novatech, we help businesses set up least-privilege access policies that work in the real world — not just on paper.

Need help configuring delegated access across Microsoft 365 or other apps?

We’ll make sure your users have the access they need — and nothing more.