350 million people use Outlook, making it a significant tool for scheduling and organizing. Adding appointments to someone else’s calendar in Outlook is a valuable skill, especially in professional settings. First, open a new meeting request. This is typically found under the "New Items" section in the "Home" tab. You will then need to add the person to the "To" field, as if you were sending them an email.

Next, enter a subject, location, and date and time for the meeting. The key step is using the "Scheduling Assistant". Click this button on the "Meeting" ribbon. This view shows the availability of all attendees. You can see free/busy information. This lets you choose a time when everyone is free. Once you've determined the best time, send the meeting request. The recipient will receive an invitation and can accept, decline, or propose a new time. Their acceptance will add the appointment to their calendar automatically.

Expert opinions

Expert: Emily Carter

Hello, I'm Emily Carter, and I'm happy to guide you through the process of scheduling time on someone's calendar using Microsoft Outlook. I work daily with Outlook and have helped countless people master this essential skill. Here's a straightforward, step-by-step guide:

Scheduling a Meeting or Appointment:

1. Open Outlook and Navigate to Calendar: Start by opening your Outlook application. On the navigation bar at the bottom or top (depending on your Outlook version), click on the "Calendar" icon. This will display your calendar view.

2. Create a New Appointment/Meeting:

   • For an Appointment (only involving you): Click within a specific time slot on your calendar. A small window will pop up. You can also click the "New Appointment" button in the "New" section of the "Home" tab.
   • For a Meeting (involving others): Click the "New Meeting" button in the "New" section of the "Home" tab.

3. Fill in the Details (Critical for both Appointment and Meeting):

   • Subject: Briefly and clearly describe the purpose of the appointment or meeting (e.g., "Project Kick-off Meeting," "1:1 with John").
   • Location: Enter the location (e.g., "Conference Room A," "Microsoft Teams," "Office").
   • Start and End Time: Select the date and time for your appointment or meeting. This is crucial for accuracy. You can manually type in the times or use the calendar dropdowns. Pay close attention to AM/PM!
   • Attendees (Meeting Only): This is where you add the people whose calendars you want to affect.
     • Click the "To…" button (or directly type email addresses in the "Attendees" field).
     • A "Select Attendees and Resources" window will appear. Type the names or email addresses of the people you want to invite. Outlook will often suggest contacts as you type.
     • Select the appropriate name from the search results and click the "Required," "Optional," or "Resources" buttons to assign roles. (Required attendees must be there, Optional attendees are welcome but not essential, and Resources like conference rooms can also be added here).
     • Click "OK" to return to the meeting/appointment window.
     • Important: When adding multiple attendees, Outlook will often use the Scheduling Assistant (see step 4).
   • Body/Description: Use this area to provide more detail about the appointment or meeting. Include an agenda, relevant links, or any other information your attendees need.
   • Recurrence (Optional): If the appointment or meeting happens regularly (e.g., a weekly team meeting), click the "Recurrence" button (in the "Appointment" or "Meeting" menu) to set it up. Choose the frequency (daily, weekly, monthly, etc.) and the end date.

4. Use the Scheduling Assistant (Especially for Meetings):

   • When inviting attendees to a meeting, the Scheduling Assistant can be a huge help. It's usually displayed automatically or found in the "Meeting" tab.
   • The Scheduling Assistant displays attendees' availability. You'll see color-coded blocks representing their scheduled time. Busy times are typically shown in red, free times in white, and tentative times in other colors.
   • Use the Scheduling Assistant to identify the best time for the meeting based on everyone's availability. This helps avoid scheduling conflicts. You can also use it to find a conference room.
   • Adjust the meeting time or propose alternative times based on the displayed availability.

5. Set Reminder (Recommended): In the "Appointment" or "Meeting" menu (usually near the top) is an option for "Reminder." Set a reminder to prompt you and your attendees to remember the event. The default is usually 15 minutes, but you can change it as needed.

6. Send or Save:

   • For a Meeting: Click the "Send" button. This will send an invitation email to all the attendees. They'll receive a request to accept, decline, or propose a new time. The event will then appear on their calendars once they accept. You can resend the invitation if needed (e.g., if there's a change).
   • For an Appointment: Click the "Save & Close" button. This will save the appointment to your calendar.

Key Considerations and Tips:

• Check Availability: Always use the Scheduling Assistant or check attendees' calendars (if you have permission to do so) to avoid scheduling conflicts.
• Clear Subject Lines: Make sure your subject lines are descriptive and concise.
• Detailed Descriptions: Provide all the necessary information in the body of the appointment or meeting, including an agenda, relevant documents, or any pre-reading material.
• Reply to Invitations Promptly: Respond to meeting invitations as soon as possible, especially if the meeting is time-sensitive. This helps organizers plan effectively.
• Cancellation: If you need to cancel a meeting, open the meeting request from your calendar, click the "Cancel Meeting" button (in the "Meeting" tab), and Outlook will send a cancellation notification to all attendees. For appointments you can simply delete them.
• Permissions: You must have permission to view another person's calendar in order to effectively see their availability and avoid scheduling conflicts. The exact permissions required can vary depending on your organization's setup. Contact your IT department if you are not sure.
• Time Zones: Be mindful of time zones if scheduling meetings with people in different locations. Outlook can often help with this, but double-check the times.

By following these steps and keeping these tips in mind, you'll be able to schedule time on anyone's calendar in Outlook efficiently and effectively. Remember that practice makes perfect. Good luck!

Here's an FAQ on scheduling in Outlook:

Q1: How do I create a new meeting request in Outlook?
A: Open your Outlook calendar and click "New Meeting" or "New Items" > "Meeting." This will open a meeting request form where you can add attendees, a subject, location, and time.

Q2: How do I add someone to a meeting in Outlook?
A: In the meeting request, type the person's email address in the "To" field. Outlook will automatically check their availability if they're using Exchange or Outlook.com.

Q3: How do I check someone's availability in Outlook?
A: In the meeting request, use the "Scheduling Assistant" to see attendees' availability. This view shows when people are free, busy, tentative, or out of office.

Q4: How do I set the meeting time and duration in Outlook?
A: Select the desired start date and time in the meeting request form. Then, choose the meeting's duration (e.g., 30 minutes, 1 hour) from the dropdown menu or manually enter it.

Q5: How do I send the meeting invitation in Outlook?
A: Once you've filled in all the details, click the "Send" button in the meeting request. Attendees will receive an email invitation and can respond to accept, decline, or propose a new time.

Q6: How can I suggest a new time for a meeting in Outlook if I'm not free?
A: When you receive a meeting invitation, click "Propose New Time" in the invitation. You'll be able to offer alternative meeting slots to the organizer.