User Suspension & Offboarding
How MoovMail handles suspended, removed, and converted users — aligned with Gmail and Microsoft 365 lifecycle practices.
Overview
MoovMail uses four account states for personal mailboxes:
| State | Login / IMAP / SMTP | Inbound mail | License seat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active | Allowed | Delivered | Counts |
| Suspended | Blocked | Stored (optional forward + auto-reply) | Counts |
| Pending removal | Blocked | Bounce, forward, or accept (org policy) | Freed immediately |
| Shared mailbox | Delegates only | Delivered to shared address | Counts |
Phase 1 — Suspend user
Use suspend for temporary access blocks (leave of absence, investigation, HR hold).
- Admin path: /admin → User Management → Suspend
- Blocks web login, compose, IMAP, and SMTP immediately (existing JWT sessions are rejected on next API call)
- Inbound mail is still accepted and stored in the user's mailbox
- Optional org policy (General → User Offboarding Policy): auto-reply to senders, forward copies to a manager
- All existing mail, calendar data, and files are preserved
- Restore with Activate
Phase 2 — Remove user
Use remove when a person leaves the organization.
- /admin → User Management → Remove
- Choose disposition:
- Keep read-only — mailbox hidden from user; admin can restore within grace period (default 30 days, configurable 14–90)
- Convert to shared mailbox — same email address becomes a shared mailbox with delegates
- Export then purge — same grace window; export mail via Admin import/export before purge
- License seat is freed immediately
- After grace period: hard-delete user row, all messages, attachments (S3/MinIO), and files — unless legal hold is on
Removed-user inbound policy
Configure under General → User Offboarding Policy:
- Bounce — reject delivery (similar to Gmail after account deletion)
- Forward — copy to selected manager mailbox
- Accept — store in removed mailbox (admin/export only)
Phase 3 — Enterprise options
Legal hold
Enable when removing a user to prevent automatic purge regardless of grace period. Release hold from admin when litigation ends.
Shared mailbox conversion
When removing with Convert to shared mailbox, the address keeps receiving mail. Assign delegates who can manage the shared mailbox from Admin → User Management.
Auto-reply on offboarding
Organization policy can send one auto-reply per sender per day while a user is suspended or pending removal, informing senders the mailbox is unavailable or no longer monitored.
Comparison with Gmail & Microsoft 365
| Scenario | Gmail / Workspace | Microsoft 365 | MoovMail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suspend | Suspend user; mail retained | Block sign-in; mail retained | Suspend; inbound stored; auth blocked |
| Delete user | Transfer then delete; data loss if not transferred | Soft-delete 30 days; shared mailbox option | Pending removal + grace; shared conversion; legal hold |
| Mail after delete | Transferred or purged | Recoverable items / shared mailbox | Admin restore, Recoverable Items for deleted mail, hard purge after grace |