Setting up shared calendars

Summary

This guide helps you troubleshoot and resolve: Setting up shared calendars. Follow the steps below to fix the issue.

Common Causes

Problem

You need to share your calendar with colleagues or view someone else’s shared calendar in Microsoft Outlook.

Why use shared calendars?

• Let others see your availability
• Book meeting rooms efficiently
• Coordinate with team members
• View colleague schedules

Part 1: Sharing your calendar

Step 1: Share your calendar (Outlook Desktop)

1. Open Outlook and switch to the Calendar view.
2. Click Share ► Calendar Permissions.
3. Press Add….
4. Enter the name or email address of the person you want to share with and select them from the list.
5. Choose a permission level:
   • None – No access
   • Free/Busy – Can only see if you’re free or busy
   • Limited details – Can see subject and location
   • Reviewer – Can see all details (read‑only)
   • Editor – Can make changes to your calendar
6. Click OK, then Apply and OK again.
7. Outlook will automatically send a sharing invitation to the recipient. They must accept the invitation before the calendar appears in their view.

Step 1: Share your calendar (Outlook on the Web)

1. Sign in to Outlook on the Web (OWA) and select the Calendar icon.
2. On the ribbon, choose Share ► Share calendar.
3. Enter the recipient’s email address.
4. Select the desired permission level from the dropdown (e.g., Can view all details).
5. Optionally add a message, then click Share.

Sharing with external guests

1. Follow the steps above for Outlook Desktop or Outlook on the Web.
2. Enter the external email address of the person outside your organisation.
3. Select a permission level. External recipients typically receive an email invitation and must accept it to view your calendar.
4. Be aware that external sharing may be restricted by your organisation’s security policies. If you cannot enter an external address, contact your IT administrator.

Part 2: Opening a shared calendar

Method A: From an email invitation

1. Open the invitation email you received.
2. Click the Open this calendar button or link.
3. The shared calendar will appear in your Outlook calendar list.

Method B: Add manually

1. In the Calendar view, click Add calendar ► Open shared calendar.
2. Enter the name of the person whose calendar you want to open.
3. Select the correct entry from the suggestions and click OK.
4. The calendar will be added alongside yours.

Method C: From the address book

1. Go to File ► Open & Export ► Open Shared Calendar.
2. Click Name…, type the person’s name, and select them.
3. Press OK to add the calendar.

Part 3: Viewing multiple calendars

1. In the Calendar view, locate the left sidebar that lists your calendars.
2. Check the boxes next to the calendars you wish to view.
3. Use the colour dropdown to change calendar colours for easier distinction.
4. Select Day, Week or Month to change the view.

Part 4: Using shared calendars effectively

Overlay view

1. Select two or more calendars in the left sidebar.
2. Click the Overlay button on the ribbon.
3. The selected calendars will be stacked, helping you find common free times.

Room Finder (for meeting rooms)

1. When creating a meeting, click the Room Finder pane.
2. Choose an available room from the list.
3. Room availability across multiple locations is displayed, simplifying booking.

Delegate someone (grant full access)

1. Go to File ► Account Settings ► Delegate Access.
2. Click Add… and search for the person you want to delegate.
3. Set the desired permissions for Calendar, Inbox, Tasks, etc.
4. Click OK. The delegate can now manage your calendar on your behalf.

Troubleshooting

Calendar not showing

• Ensure the calendar is enabled in the left sidebar.
• Confirm the owner has shared the calendar with you.
• Refresh Outlook (press F5 or use Send/Receive).
• If the issue persists, see Calendar invite not showing.

Can’t see details

• The owner may have granted only Free/Busy access.
• Ask them to change your permission to Reviewer or higher.

Permission propagation delay

New permissions can take up to 15 minutes to propagate across Exchange. If changes don’t appear, wait a short period and then retry.

Need to remove access

1. Open Calendar Permissions.
2. Select the person whose access you want to remove.
3. Click Remove and confirm.

Outlook cache issues

If shared calendars are not updating, try refreshing Outlook first. If the problem persists, you can clear the Outlook cache:

1. Close Outlook completely.
2. Navigate to %localappdata%\Microsoft\Outlook in File Explorer.
3. Delete the *.ost files. Outlook will recreate them on restart.
4. Reopen Outlook and allow it to resync. This process may take some time depending on your mailbox size.

Leaving the organisation

When you leave the organisation, your calendar sharing permissions are typically removed along with your account. Calendars you have shared with others may become unavailable, and shared calendars you have added to your own view will disappear. Export any important calendar data before your departure date.

Need more help?

Open a Ticket or speak with your manager if you:

• Can’t access a shared calendar you were promised
• Require higher permissions
• Are having trouble seeing availability

Still Having Issues?