Patent ID: 8392512

Claim:
A method of managing a shared electronic mail account co-owned by at least two owners, the method comprising: intercepting electronic mail account configuration settings received from the at least two owners, wherein the intercepted electronic mail account configuration settings are generated local to the at least two owners; sending the intercepted mail account configuration settings to be saved in an archive having current electronic mail account configuration settings; comparing the intercepted mail account configuration settings with the current electronic mail account configuration settings; combining the intercepted electronic mail account configuration settings with the current electronic mail account configuration settings based on a shared electronic mail account profile so as to generate shared e-mail account configuration settings; estimating an expected time needed to reply to a message received at the shared electronic mail account; replying to the received message by sending a reply message containing an indication of the expected time, wherein the expected time needed to reply to the message received at the shared electronic mail account is determined by at least one of an indication of periods of time of unavailability of members of the shared electronic mail account, levels of productivity based on a daily agenda, and an interaction with a calendar function of a team member, and a determination of messages that are to be first served; and applying the shared e-mail account configuration settings so as to affect the operation of the shared electronic mail account, wherein the shared e-mail account configuration settings are based solely on the shared electronic mail account profile, inclusive of the local changes consistent with the account profile, and exclusive of local changes inconsistent with the mail account profile.