---
title: Introduction
slug: XKsI-introduction
docTags: 
createdAt: 2025-09-07T20:48:43.966Z
---

This guide explains how to set up a connection in **Activate** to **Microsoft Exchange Online (EXO)**. This connection may be used in both **hybrid** and **cloud-only** environments.

Activate communicates with Exchange Online using both **Microsoft Graph** and **Exchange Online PowerShell**. Different features and objects rely on one or the other — or sometimes both — depending on the operation being performed.

The next set of guides will walk you through:

- Preparing Activate for Exchange Online configuration 
- Creating an **application registration** in **Entra ID** 
- Generating a **certificate** that Activate will use to securely authenticate with Exchange Online 

# Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure that:

- The **Activate connection to Entra ID** is already set up. See the [Introduction](docId\:XPdejox5bcXkHGfyG5Uuw) document for guidance on configuring this connection. 
  - This step will already be completed for Cloud Only instances of Activate.

# Steps to Connect Activate to Exchange Online

Follow these docs in the following order to configure Activate to connect to Exchange Online.

1. [Activate Office365 Exchange Server Configuration](docId\:d_CpvjgpPpXiJUGZNOE4R) 
2. [Entra ID Application Registration](docId\:A7bRY17tITFNccCSSLy6S)
3. [Certificate for Exchange Online](docId\:viMujIbKEC04eYsDF3_nX)
4. [Test Exchange Online Connectivity](docId\:rkWaQW2a7sdBm0FOSBkpz)