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Outlook Calendar Invites: Creation, Management, and Best Practices for Desktop & Mobile.

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— 7 min read

Blogs/Meetings

Mastering Outlook Calendar Invitations [Desktop & Mobile]

By Viraj Mahajan

Updated: 2024-09-26 | 8mins read

Content Overview

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Few people genuinely enjoy meetings, and I'm persuaded that a significant portion of this reluctance stems from the complexities of organizing them and distributing calendar invites. If I receive an email asking, "Could you arrange a session for the marketing team?" my mind immediately races through the numerous steps involved. Microsoft Outlook evidently recognized this common challenge, leading to the development of its Scheduling Assistant. This tool enables you to swiftly set up an Outlook meeting and dispatch the invitation to participants. If you're getting acquainted with Outlook and wish to learn how to send a calendar invite, this tutorial is for you! I've dedicated considerable time to crafting this guide, covering the essentials of dispatching Calendar invites in Outlook using both desktop and mobile platforms. I'll also explore how to follow up after sending an invite and how to forward a meeting invitation to additional attendees.

How to Dispatch a Calendar Invitation via Outlook

Before we delve deeper, it’s important to acknowledge that Microsoft Outlook has various iterations. For instance, I use Outlook for Microsoft 365 on a MacBook Pro, so the Outlook interface might look different on your device. Here, I’ll outline how to send a calendar invitation from Outlook on the web and through its applications.

1. Arranging with Outlook on the Web

Here’s the procedure for sending a meeting invite using Outlook on the web:

  • Step 1: To begin, go to the Calendar section and then click on New Event. You'll need to input the event details, including start time, end time, and location. Alternatively, double-clicking any date on the Outlook calendar will also bring up the New Event dialog.
  • Step 2: If you are organizing a meeting, you can input the email addresses or names of individuals you wish to invite by selecting Invite Attendees. You can also use the Optional button to include other participants.
  • Step 3: Next, utilize the Scheduling Assistant to view everyone's availability. You can opt to Repeat for setting up a recurring meeting. Finally, click the Save or Send button.

2. Arranging Using the Outlook Application

If you favor using the Outlook application on your desktop or mobile for setting up meetings, here’s how to proceed:

  • Step 1: Launch the Outlook application on your desktop and click the Calendar icon, typically found on the left-hand side of the interface.
  • Step 2: Press the blue New Event button and fill in the event title, start and end times, and use the invite attendees option.
  • Step 3: Lastly, select the Send button to schedule and distribute the Outlook meeting invitation.

Note: To schedule an Outlook meeting on a mobile device, download the application for your Android or iOS device. To do this, select the Calendar icon usually at the bottom of the screen, add your meeting details, and then tap Send.

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Effective Follow-Up Strategies for Your Calendar Invites

Imagine a perfect scenario where all invitees promptly reply with "Yes," "No," or "Maybe." Regrettably, this isn't the reality in our busy world, where inboxes are often swamped with unread messages. This is where the necessity of following up on calendar invitations arises. Here are some recommended practices for follow-ups:

  • Allow 24 Hours: It might be tempting to send a reminder shortly after the initial email, but this isn't ideal. It's advisable to wait at least a full day before sending a follow-up.
  • Remind Participants: For those who have responded with "Yes" or "Maybe," you can dispatch a reminder email containing the meeting details. Sending a reminder 24 hours prior to the event is always a good strategy.
  • Be Explicit: This tip is slightly different! You can apply this before the follow-up by including clear subject lines, such as "RSVP Requested" or "Response Required."

Guidance on Forwarding a Meeting Invitation in Outlook

If you've unintentionally omitted some individuals when sending out calendar invites, the most straightforward solution is to forward the invitation. Here’s how to forward a meeting invite in Outlook:

  • Step 1: Access your Outlook account and then open the specific meeting you wish to forward. In the top toolbar, find and click the Forward option. Note: If the meeting is part of a series, you'll be given two choices: either forward only the selected occurrence or the entire meeting series.
  • Step 2: In the To line, add the names or email addresses of the people to whom you intend to forward the meeting. Once completed, click the Send button.

Steps to Retract a Meeting Invitation in Outlook

If you're the organizer of a meeting in Outlook, you can retract the meeting request by simply canceling the event. This action is effective because whenever you cancel a scheduled event, the meeting is automatically cleared from the recipients' calendars. However, here's a crucial point: remember to include a message clarifying the reason for the schedule change.

Here’s how to recall a meeting invite in Outlook:

  • Step 1: Open Outlook and navigate to the calendar event you intend to recall or cancel. Click the Meeting icon (or similar, depending on your Outlook version) in the top navigation ribbon, and then choose the Cancel Meeting button.
  • Step 2: A message box will appear where you can type the explanation for retracting the meeting invitation, and then click the Send Cancellation option.
  • Step 3: If you need to cancel a single occurrence of a recurring meeting, select options like Cancel Occurrence. Conversely, to cancel all future meetings in the series, choose Cancel Series.

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DeepVo.ai offers:

  • High-Precision Speech-to-Text: Achieve up to 99.5% accuracy in transcription across more than 100 languages.
  • AI-Powered Summaries: Get concise meeting summaries, often in under 10 seconds, using customizable templates to extract key points and action items.
  • Intelligent Mind Maps: Visualize your meeting's core topics and structure with automatically generated mind maps, which can be exported as images.
  • Free and Secure: Access these powerful features for free, with the assurance of end-to-end encryption for your data.

Here’s how to record and transcribe Outlook meetings using DeepVo.ai:

  • Step 1: To begin, sign up for or log into your DeepVo.ai account. Getting started is free. Once logged in, navigate to the section for uploading or transcribing meeting audio/video.
  • Step 2: Upload your Outlook meeting recording (if recorded separately) or connect DeepVo.ai if it offers live meeting integration compatible with your setup. Select the primary language of the meeting for transcription.
  • Step 3: DeepVo.ai will process the audio, converting spoken words into an accurate text transcript.
  • Step 4: Once processed, access the transcript from your DeepVo.ai dashboard. From there, you can generate an AI summary, create a mind map, or download and share the transcript and other generated assets with your team members to ensure everyone is aligned.

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The straightforward steps for dispatching a calendar invite in Outlook that I've detailed will enable you to schedule meetings efficiently. Microsoft Outlook helps automate many procedures within its environment, but let’s elevate this further. DeepVo.ai can transcribe your Outlook or Teams meeting audio and extends its utility by helping you extract vital notes, generate quick summaries, and even visualize discussions with mind maps, making your post-meeting workflow significantly more productive.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is it beneficial to schedule a calendar event in Outlook?You can employ Outlook to arrange meetings, send out invitations, schedule full-day events, and even create personal appointments. It also allows the use of different calendars to view group schedules, enhancing coordination.
Can an email be sent as a calendar invitation in Outlook?Yes. You can transform an email into a calendar invitation in Outlook by utilizing features such as dragging the email to the calendar icon or using a "Meeting" button from an email (features may vary by Outlook version). This facilitates adding the event directly to your calendar. Both senders and recipients generally have an option to add such events to their Outlook calendars.
How can one create a recurring meeting in Outlook?Outlook provides a straightforward method for scheduling a recurring meeting (an event that repeats multiple times). Here’s how to establish a recurring meeting in Outlook:

  1. Open your Outlook calendar and select the New Event (or New Meeting) option.
  2. Assign a title to your Outlook meeting or event.
  3. Choose Invite Attendees and input the names or emails of individuals to invite.
  4. The subsequent step involves either manually setting the start and end times or selecting a suggested time slot.
  5. Select the Repeat (or Recurrence) dropdown/button, and then pick the desired recurrence interval (e.g., daily, weekly, monthly).
  6. The final steps typically involve entering the meeting location and, if applicable, enabling options like a Teams Meeting. Click Send to confirm.

About Viraj Mahajan

Viraj Mahajan is a highly accomplished author and professional writer with over a decade of experience. Having worked with prestigious publication houses, EdTech companies, and FinTech firms, Viraj's expertise spans various domains.

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