6 Best Microsoft Outlook Calendar Tips & Tricks to Manage It Better

The Microsoft Office Calendar is part of Microsoft 365 products and is not a stand-alone program. To access Microsoft Office Calendar, you’d have to make use of Microsoft Outlook.

Microsoft outlook calendar tips feature image

Integrating both apps makes it convenient to manage your schedule both from a digital and physical perspective. However, if you want to better manage your Microsoft Outlook Calendar, you should try out some of the tips below.

1.How to Set Work Hours on Outlook Calendar

Setting your work hours on Outlook ensures that anyone viewing your calendar knows your available working hours. This way, appointments, and meetings are set by the available periods.

Step 1: Launch the Outlook app.

Microsoft outlook calendar tips step 1

Step 2: After launching Outlook, click the File tab.

Microsoft outlook calendar tips step 2

Step 3: Click the Options button.

Microsoft outlook calendar tips step 3

Step 4: Select Calendar.

Microsoft outlook calendar tips step 4

Step 5: Under the menu for Work Time, input details of your Start Time, End Time, Work Week, First Day of the Week, and First Day of the Year.

Microsoft outlook calendar tips step 5

Step 6: Click OK to save changes.

Microsoft outlook calendar tips step 6

2.Recreating a Meeting

Recreating a meeting is a way of booking a new meeting using information from a previous meeting. This way, instead of manually inputting details of meeting attendees, time, location, etc., you save time and effort by recreating an old meeting. Here’s how to do so.

Step 1: Launch the Outlook app.

Microsoft outlook calendar tips step 7

Step 2: Select the Calendar icon on the left of your screen

Microsoft outlook calendar tips step 8

Step 3: Navigate your calendar to the previous meeting date.

Microsoft outlook calendar tips step 9

Step 4: Click the particular meeting, hold down the Ctrl key and drag the meeting over to the date or time you want the new meeting to take place.

Microsoft outlook calendar tips step 10

Step 5: Double-click the new meeting created, and all the relevant details will show as populated. Click on Send to send out the invite.

Microsoft outlook calendar tips step 11

3.Creating a Meeting From an Email

When you receive an email about an event and you want to set up a meeting with the sender of the email, follow the steps below.

Step 1: Double-click on the email which you will be using to set the appointment so a new window opens up.

Microsoft outlook calendar tips step 12

Step 2: Click the ellipsis (…) button on the right of your screen just by the email sender’s name.

Microsoft outlook calendar tips step 13

Step 3: Select the Meeting option and this should open a new meeting window.

Microsoft outlook calendar tips step 14

Step 4: The email sender’s name or address should already be auto-populated in the Required field. However, you will need to populate other details such as Meeting Location and Time.

Microsoft outlook calendar tips step 15

Step 5: Click the Send button.

Microsoft outlook calendar tips step 16

4.Date Navigator

If you want to get a view of your appointments or meetings for a week or month, the date navigator on the Calendar can provide that.

Step 1: Select the Calendar icon on the left of your Outlook screen.

Microsoft outlook calendar tips step 17

Step 2: At the top of your screen, there should be options to view your Calendar for Today, Next 7 Days, Work Week or Month. Choose your preferred view.

Microsoft outlook calendar tips step 18

5.Using Natural Language to Book Meeting Start Times

When booking a meeting or appointment, you may opt to use the Date Navigator to get a view of your calendar for the period. An alternative to using the Date Navigator option in Outlook is Natural Language. Here’s how to use it.

Step 1: On the Home tab in Outlook, select New Items.

Microsoft outlook calendar tips step 19

Step 2: Select Meeting or Appointment depending on your preference.

Microsoft outlook calendar tips step 20

Step 3: In the field for Start Time instead of choosing a date from the calendar, simply type a proposed time in words. e.g. 7 weeks, Christmas, Thanksgiving etc. Outlook should bring out a date.

Microsoft outlook calendar tips step 21

6.Viewing Multiple Calendars

If you would like to set up a meeting with individuals in Outlook, you can view their calendars to check for a suitable time to schedule a meeting or a chat. However, this depends on if you have been granted permission to do so on Exchange or the individual is part of your organization. Here’s how it works.

Step 1: Select the Calendar icon on the left of your Outlook screen.

Microsoft outlook calendar tips step 22

Step 2: At the top of your screen, click the Open Calendar option.

Microsoft outlook calendar tips step 23

Step 3: If you’ve been granted permission to view the Calendar via Exchange, select Open Shared Calendar. However, if the person is within your organization, select From Address Book. If you have a link to a calendar on the internet, you can also select From Internet.

Microsoft outlook calendar tips step 24

Step 4: Input the name or link (depending on the chosen option) of the individual and select OK. You should get a view of the calendar of the individual.

Microsoft outlook calendar tips step 25

Setting Out of Office Responses

The tips above should help you manage your Outlook Calendar better. However, they are not exhaustive as there are other tricks you can perform on Outlook such as setting Out of Office Responses and Serial Reminders.

Last updated on 13 July, 2021

The above article may contain affiliate links which help support Guiding Tech. However, it does not affect our editorial integrity. The content remains unbiased and authentic.