First Steps

Working from Home

First Steps – depending on what you need to do

 This is a simple checklist for those who don’t normally work from home, but may need or choose to during special circumstances.  Most people will only want to stay connected via email.  Others may need to access documents or even agency application systems.  Below is a menu of options, depending on what you need.  

Email

There are two ways to get to your State of Maine email:

Option 1: Outlook (full version) on your State laptop (if you have a State-issued laptop)

Log onto your State laptop.  This gives you full Outlook like you’re used to at the office.  

Option 2: “Web mail” (light version of Outlook)

This can be used from your home computer – but only if you already have “MFA” (multi-factor authentication) configured or a SecurID (RSA) physical token or the RSA software installed on your home computer. 

If so, then Webmail is available via the internet by browsing to https://outlook.office365.com/ and entering your State of Maine email address, Active Directory password, and MFA or RSA passcode.  For more on setting up MFA, see here.

OneDrive documents

OneDrive is a Microsoft cloud file storage service.  Documents stored on OneDrive are available from anywhere.  Since this is a State of Maine secured service, you have two options, similar to email options above:

Option 1: State laptop

Log onto your State laptop, and OneDrive is automatically available to you.  This gives you access to OneDrive like you’re used to at the office.

Option 2:  Home computer

OneDrive can be accessed by clicking here.  Similar to Outlook on the web, this will work for you only if you have configured multi-factor authentication (MFA) or a SecurID (RSA) token.  

Documents on your State of Maine network drives

If you need more than just email and your cloud-based OneDrive documents, then you have to first “map your drives” in order to get to these folders that are on OIT servers in Augusta.  This will only work if you have a State-issued laptop (not your home computer).

1. Step 1: Log onto your State laptop.  
2. Make sure you have an Internet connection.  You can check that by trying to browse to any site on the Internet.
3. Launch AnyConnect to get a connection to the State’s network.  You can find the AnyConnect application by clicking the “Start” button (bottom left of screen) and typing AnyConnect
4. Authenticate with MFA.
5. After AnyConnect says it’s connected, then “map your drives” by hitting the icon (usually loaded on the desktop) called “Map Drives”
6. It will take a couple minutes to “load” and then you have to hit OK in order to begin mapping your drives – it doesn’t do so until you say “OK”
7. After a few minutes, it will come back and say that your network drives are available.  Then you can go to your network drives (F and higher, whatever you have), just like at the office.  

Agency application systems

These are generally only available if logged in with a State laptop and launching AnyConnect to get a secure, authenticated session on the State network.  You may or may not have to also map your drives.  

Depending on agency policies, you may or may not be allowed such access remotely.  

If you have any questions or need help, call the OIT Help Desk at 207-624-7700.