When scheduling meetings with multiple people, it can be difficult to find a time that works for everyone. Whitespace makes this easier by providing tools to review resources’ availability without having to wait for them to respond to a meeting request.
The Scheduling Assistant shows attendees’ availability based on their Tufts Outlook calendars. Then, you can choose a date and time that works for the majority of attendees.
Create a meeting
When you create a new meeting, Scheduling Assistant displays the attendees’ availability, preventing scheduling conflicts. It is a powerful tool that streamlines the meeting planning process, enhancing collaboration across the platform.
You can use this feature when creating a meeting within Outlook. To get started, open a calendar view and click the new meeting icon. Then, select “Scheduling assistant” from the drop-down menu.
When you select “Scheduling assistant,” a window opens that shows you a graphical representation of your schedule and the availability of the people you’ve invited to the meeting. The window is like a bar graph, with the dates and times that are free for each person appearing along the left side of the screen. Horizontal bars indicate busy appointments, and vertical spaces indicate time slots that are available. Click a time to confirm the meeting. The meeting will now appear on your calendar and in the calendars of the people you’ve invited to it.
Suggest a meeting time
With a single click, you can find a time that works for everyone. The Suggested Times feature takes into account the availability of attendees and available conference rooms. It eliminates the need for back-and-forth emails and reduces the amount of time spent scheduling meetings.
This feature is particularly useful when you need to find a time for a meeting with multiple people. It analyzes the free and busy calendars of all attendees to identify conflict-free meeting times. It also adjusts for different time zones, simplifying cross-border collaboration.
However, this feature is only available if the attendees’ calendars are shared with you. You can’t use this tool to schedule meetings with people outside of your organization. This is why it’s important to set up your calendar to share it with others. Then, you can use Suggested Times and other outlook scheduling assistant features to streamline meetings. You can even assign tasks and track responses. This helps increase productivity and fosters effective teamwork.
Delegate a meeting
When you’re delegating a meeting, you can use scheduling assistant to find a time that works for all attendees. The tool considers everyone’s availability and displays a graphical representation of their calendars to help you coordinate schedules. It also tracks the status of the meeting and any responses from the attendees.
Once you’ve granted a delegate access to your calendar, they can respond to and create meetings on your behalf. You can decide whether to give them editor (can read, edit, and create items) or reviewer (can view only your calendar) permissions. You can also choose to allow them to receive meeting requests and responses in their Inbox.
If the attendee is in a different time zone, the tool automatically converts the meeting to their local time. This feature can be especially useful for teams that work remotely. The delegate can decline a request and propose a new time or tentatively accept the meeting. They can also change the subject and location of the meeting, and set the agenda.
Manage a meeting
In a company with multiple teams, scheduling meetings can become complicated and time-consuming. Coordinating calendars, finding a meeting time that works for everyone involved, and dealing with conflicts can be a nightmare. However, with the help of the Outlook Scheduling Assistant, arranging a team meeting is easy.
To schedule a meeting, navigate to the Calendar tab and select “New Teams Meeting.” Enter essential meeting details and add participants by entering email addresses or selecting them from your address book. Then, utilize the scheduling assistant to find suitable times and prevent scheduling conflicts.
The scheduling assistant shows a visual display of attendees’ availability, making it simple to identify times that work for them. In addition, the person arranging the meeting is automatically included as the organizer and will receive an invitation to attend. This feature helps to streamline meeting coordination and promotes a collaborative work environment. Moreover, the web interface makes it easy to manage and organize meetings irrespective of your device or location.
