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Find suitable times and schedule meetings with Outlook’s Scheduling Assistant

Outlook’s Scheduling Assistant helps you easily see your colleagues’ availability so you can schedule meetings at a time that works for everyone – avoiding double-booking and back and forth messaging.

Scheduling a meeting using Scheduling Assistant

1. In Outlook, click the Calendar icon from the left-side menu.

Screenshot of the Outlook interface highlighting the Calendar icon in the left-side menu.

2. Select New Meeting and add required and optional attendees.

Screenshot of the Outlook "New Meeting" window showing required and optional attendee fields.

TIP: You can also press CTRL + Shift + Q to open a new meeting invitation.

3. Select Scheduling Assistant from the top ribbon.

a. Each attendee will appear in their own row.
b. To add more attendees, type their name in any blank row.

Visual tip showing the keyboard shortcut "CTRL + Shift + Q" for quickly opening a new meeting invitation in Outlook.

4. Review the availability grid:

a. Dark blue = Attendee is busy.
b. Light blue (hashed) = Tentative appointment (time is blocked out on attendee's calendar).
c. Light gray = Outside working hours.

Scheduling Assistant view showing multiple attendees listed in separate rows.

5. Select a meeting time when all required attendees are available.

TIP: Click AutoPick from the top ribbon to automatically find the next time all attendees are available.

6. Add a meeting title, location and details, then click Send.

For more information, visit Microsoft Support’s Scheduling Assistant article.

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