How To Set Up Shared Calendars For My Small Business Team

Summary

This guide helps you troubleshoot and resolve: How To Set Up Shared Calendars For My Small Business Team. Follow the steps below to fix the issue.

Common Causes

Shared calendars allow team members to view availability and schedule meetings without manual coordination. This article outlines how to configure shared calendars across common platforms, assign appropriate permissions, and troubleshoot common visibility issues for small business and home office users.

Quick Fix Steps

1. Identify which platform your organization uses (Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, or Apple iCloud).
2. Open the calendar application and locate the sharing or delegation settings.
3. Add team members by email address and assign the appropriate permission level.
4. Ask recipients to accept the sharing invitation.
5. Verify that shared events appear in the correct calendar view.

Detailed Instructions

Microsoft 365 Outlook (Desktop)

1. Open Outlook and select the Calendar icon in the bottom navigation pane.
2. In the Home tab of the ribbon, select Share Calendar.
3. Choose the calendar you want to share from the dropdown menu.
4. Click Add, then enter the email addresses of your team members.
5. Select each recipient and choose a permission level:
   • Can view when I'm busy — shows free/busy status only.
   • Can view titles and locations — shows event details but not private items.
   • Can view all details — shows full event information.
   • Can edit — allows the recipient to create and modify events.
   • Delegate — allows the recipient to manage the calendar on your behalf.
6. Click Send. Team members will receive an email invitation to add the shared calendar.

Microsoft 365 Outlook on the Web

1. Sign in to Outlook on the web and select the Calendar icon.
2. Right-click My Calendars in the left sidebar and select Sharing and permissions.
3. Enter the email address of the person you want to share with.
4. Select a permission level from the dropdown menu.
5. Select Share.

Shared Mailbox Calendars in Microsoft 365

1. Ensure you have been granted Full Access or Read and Manage permissions to the shared mailbox by your administrator.
2. In Outlook desktop, right-click your email account name in the folder pane and select Add shared folder.
3. Enter the shared mailbox email address and select Calendar.
4. Click Add. The shared mailbox calendar appears under Shared Calendars.
5. In Outlook on the web, right-click Other calendars, select Open calendar, then choose From directory and search for the shared mailbox.

Google Workspace Calendar

1. Open Google Calendar in a web browser.
2. Under My calendars on the left, hover over the calendar you want to share and select Options (three dots) > Settings and sharing.
3. Under Share with specific people, select Add people.
4. Enter the email addresses of your team members.
5. Choose a permission setting from the dropdown:
   • See only free/busy (hide details)
   • See all event details
   • Make changes to events
   • Make changes and manage sharing
6. Select Send. Recipients must click the link in the invitation email to add the calendar.

Apple iCloud Calendar

1. Open the Calendar app on macOS or sign in to iCloud.com.
2. Select the calendar you want to share in the sidebar.
3. Select the Share Calendar icon (person with a plus symbol) next to the calendar name.
4. Enter the email addresses of your team members.
5. Choose View Only or View & Edit.
6. Select OK or Send. Invitees receive an email or iCloud notification to join the shared calendar.

Troubleshooting

Shared Calendar Not Appearing

1. Check that the recipient has accepted the sharing invitation in their email inbox.
2. In Outlook, ensure the shared calendar is ticked under Shared Calendars in the folder pane.
3. In Google Calendar, confirm the calendar is enabled under Other calendars on the left sidebar.
4. Restart the calendar application and refresh the view.

Permission Changes Not Updating

1. Ask the calendar owner to re-send the sharing invitation with the updated permission level.
2. Remove and re-add the shared calendar in the recipient's application.
3. Wait up to 15 minutes for permission changes to synchronize across servers.

Events Not Visible to Team Members

1. Verify the event was created in the shared calendar, not the user's personal default calendar.
2. Check that the event is not marked as Private, which hides details from viewers with limited permissions.
3. Confirm the recipient has at least Can view titles and locations or See all event details permission.

If your team continues to experience calendar visibility or permission issues, Open a Ticket and our support team will assist you.

If you host with us, you don't need to do this yourself — just Open a Ticket and our Brisbane team will get it sorted.

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