How to Set Up and Manage Calendar Groups for Your Small Business Team in Microsoft Outlook

Summary

This guide helps you troubleshoot and resolve: How to Set Up and Manage Calendar Groups for Your Small Business Team in Microsoft Outlook. Follow the steps below to fix the issue.

Common Causes

Calendar groups in Microsoft Outlook allow small business teams to view multiple colleagues' calendars in a single window. Instead of adding individual attendees one by one when scheduling a meeting, you can check combined availability at a glance and book time slots more efficiently. This guide walks you through creating and managing calendar groups in Outlook for Windows and Outlook on the web.

Create a Calendar Group in Outlook for Windows

1. Open Outlook and select Calendar from the bottom navigation bar.
2. In the ribbon, go to the Home tab.
3. In the Manage Calendars group, select Calendar Groups.
4. Choose Create New Calendar Group.
5. Type a name for the group (for example, "Sales Team" or "Brisbane Office") and select OK.
6. In the Address Book window, select the team members you want to add.
7. Select Group Members to add them to the group, then select OK.
8. The new calendar group appears in the left navigation pane under Calendar Groups. Select it to view all members' calendars side by side.

Create a Calendar Group in Outlook on the Web

1. Sign in to Outlook on the web at outlook.office.com.
2. Select the Calendar icon from the left sidebar.
3. Right-click My Calendars in the left navigation pane.
4. Select New calendar group.
5. Enter a name for the group and select Save.
6. Right-click the new group name and select Add calendar.
7. Search for a colleague's name or email address, select their calendar, and select Add.
8. Repeat for each team member you want to include.

View Combined Availability

1. Select your calendar group from the navigation pane.
2. Outlook displays each person's calendar in a separate column, colour-coded for easy identification.
3. Look for white space across all columns to find a time when everyone is free.
4. Select an available time slot and choose New Meeting to send an invitation to all group members.

Manage an Existing Calendar Group

1. Right-click the calendar group name in the navigation pane.
2. Choose from the following options:
   • Add Calendar: include another team member.
   • Remove from Group: remove a selected calendar.
   • Delete Group: remove the entire calendar group.
   • Rename Group: change the group name.
3. Confirm your selection if prompted.

Tip: Use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + 2 in Outlook for Windows to switch quickly to Calendar view.

Caution: Calendar groups only show availability for people within your organisation who have shared their free/busy information. External contacts or colleagues who have not shared their calendar will not display availability details.

Troubleshooting

Calendar group is not visible

• Ensure you are in Calendar view, not Mail view.
• Expand the Calendar Groups section in the left navigation pane if it is collapsed.
• Restart Outlook and check again.

Colleague's calendar shows as blank or unavailable

• Ask the colleague to share their calendar with you and grant at least Free/Busy permission.
• Verify that you have the correct email address for the team member.
• Remove the calendar from the group and re-add it.

Cannot create a calendar group

• Confirm you are using a Microsoft 365 or Exchange account; calendar groups are not available in standalone POP/IMAP configurations.
• Contact your IT administrator if the Calendar Groups button is greyed out.

If you continue to experience issues with calendar groups, Open a Ticket with 220 Internet Services support.

Still Having Issues?