SharePoint calendars II: Connect a SharePoint calendar to Outlook

Connect to and view or edit from Outlook

You may already understand the benefits of using a calendar on a SharePoint site, and how to use one.

But what if you keep track of your own schedule in Outlook? Do you have to keep switching between the Web browser and Outlook?

Luckily, the answer is no. If you’re an Outlook user, you can connect the shared calendar to Outlook.

SharePoint calendars II: Connect a SharePoint calendar to Outlook

Make the SharePoint calendar visible in Outlook

Connecting the SharePoint calendar to Outlook is straightforward.

Starting from the calendar on the SharePoint site, click Connect to Outlook on the Actions menu.

Once the calendar is connected to Outlook, you’ll be able to view it in the main Outlook window.

SharePoint calendars II: Connect a SharePoint calendar to Outlook

Enter a calendar item from Outlook

Once you make the connection, you’ll be able to create, modify, or even delete events and appointments in the SharePoint calendar just as you do in your own main calendar.

As you saw earlier, once you connect the SharePoint calendar to Outlook and view it from there, it looks very similar to your main Outlook calendar.

To create a new calendar entry, start by clicking in the shared calendar in Outlook, and then edit the entry from there.

SharePoint calendars II: Connect a SharePoint calendar to Outlook

Enter a calendar item from Outlook

The entries you make in the shared calendar through Outlook are visible in the calendar on the SharePoint site, too.

You’ve probably already thought of this, but it’s worth mentioning anyway:

Because the calendar is shared, many things you do in the shared calendar — such as making new appointments, changing them, or deleting them — have the potential to impact others.

SharePoint calendars II: Connect a SharePoint calendar to Outlook

A word on Outlook reminders

When you connect a SharePoint calendar to Outlook, you’ll be able to set reminders for yourself by using the same process you would follow for any Outlook appointment.

Keep in mind, though, that reminders will work only for you, and they’ll remind you only from Outlook.

That is, reminders aren’t shared and they aren’t available from the Web site version of the calendar.

SharePoint calendars II: Connect a SharePoint calendar to Outlook

You’ve seen that in Outlook you can view two calendars at once: your personal work calendar, which isn’t visible on the SharePoint site, and the public calendar, which is.

So what if you have an appointment or event that you want to appear in both calendars? Do you have to create that appointment twice?

Happily, the answer is not really — because it’s easy to create a copy.

Copy entries from private to public

SharePoint calendars II: Connect a SharePoint calendar to Outlook

Here’s the best method for copying copy an item from your own calendar to the SharePoint calendar.

Select the item, click Copy to Folder on the Edit menu, and select the shared calendar in the SharePoint Lists folder as the destination.

Copy entries from private to public

SharePoint calendars II: Connect a SharePoint calendar to Outlook

If you want to copy an item from the SharePoint calendar into your own personal calendar, you can do that, too.

First, in Outlook, select the item in the SharePoint calendar that you want to appear in your own private calendar.

Then click Copy to Folder and copy the item to the Calendar folder in your own mailbox.

Go the other way: Copy from public to private

SharePoint calendars II: Connect a SharePoint calendar to Outlook

Work offline

If you travel for work and you take your computer with you, will you be able to use the SharePoint calendar even when you’re not connected to my company’s network?

Yes. When you connect the SharePoint calendar to Outlook, a copy of that calendar is created on your own computer.

When you disconnect from your company’s network, that copy of the calendar is still available to you, and you can continue to use it even though you’re offline.

SharePoint calendars II: Connect a SharePoint calendar to Outlook

Synchronize your entries

Suppose you’ve entered an item into the SharePoint calendar by starting from Outlook.

How quickly will others see that new item?

The standard synchronization rate is 30 minutes.

That is, if you do nothing, the calendar will be synchronized between the SharePoint site and your computer approximately every 30 minutes.

SharePoint calendars II: Connect a SharePoint calendar to Outlook

Synchronize your entries

If 30 minutes seems like too long to wait, you can always force the SharePoint calendar entries to be updated sooner if you want.

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In Outlook, click to select the SharePoint calendar folder under Other Calendars.

Click Send/Receive on the Tools menu, and then click This Folder.

Here’s what to do.

SharePoint calendars II: Connect a SharePoint calendar to Outlook

Disconnect the calendar from Outlook

Here’s what to do if you want to disconnect the SharePoint calendar from Outlook.

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Right-click the entry for the calendar under Other Calendars.

On the shortcut menu, click Delete “SharePoint Calendar Name” (where SharePoint Calendar Name is the name of the shared calendar).

SharePoint calendars II: Connect a SharePoint calendar to Outlook

Disconnect the calendar from Outlook

This will remove the copy of the calendar from Outlook and from your own computer. It will not affect the calendar on the SharePoint site.

If you change your mind and want to reconnect, you can always do that by starting from the SharePoint site again.