How to Create a Group Calendar in Outlook

Organize a team and set up a Group Calendar in Outlook. Tracking everyone's schedules helps with meetings, allocating projects, and ensuring deadlines are met. It's a relatively simple process requiring a few logical steps. The Group Calendar is an effective tool for business teams, office schedules, and business functions. Group Calendars are a feature available only with Outlook on Microsoft Exchange Servers.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Outlook 2007 or 2010
• Microsoft Exchange Server 2000 or later

1. 
   The "View Group Schedules" window in Outlook 2007

   Open Outlook's Calendar. From the "Action" menu, select "View Group Schedules." This opens a window with a list of all existing group schedules. Select one of the Groups or create a new group. Creating a "New" group opens a window. Name the group and select "Okay."

2. 
   Adding group members

   Add members to the group from an address book, a public source (such as a company directory), or individually. Group members from outside the internal Exchange Server can be added if they are either on an Exchange Server and "share" the calendar or publish their calendars to the Internet (another Outlook feature). Double-click on a name or drag and drop one into the "To" field.

3. 
   Viewing group member availability

   Check schedules by selecting "View Group Schedules" from the "Action" menu, highlighting the appropriate schedule, and clicking "Open." A window with each group member's name and availability will appear.

4. 
   Selecting the "Scheduling" option

   Use the "New Meeting Request" to open an appointment window. You can also view group schedules when creating the appointment. The "Scheduling Option" on the Meeting Request's ribbon opens the group calendar to show availability for a common appointment time. When sending the Meeting Request, it's only necessary to enter the group name in the "To" field. Outlook will automatically populate the email addresses.

Tips & Warnings

• A home computer network or a non-Exchange Server network can overlay separate calendars in Outlook 2007 and 2010 using "Shared Calendars." Using "Shared Calendars" rather than "Group Schedules" allows separate shared calendars to be displayed with all appointment information available.
• Group members must keep Outlook calendars on the Exchange Server, otherwise the system cannot accurately show schedules. Personal and private appointments need to be checked when creating the item on a calendar. Depending on Exchange Server security options, holding the cursor over a "tentative," "busy," or "out-of-office" block can show calendar details.

References

• Microsoft Office Support - Group Calendars
• Microsoft Office Support - Setting Group Appointments

Resources

• Sharing Calendars in Non-Microsoft Exchange Server Networks