Trying to find a meeting time for a group of people within outlook can be a little tricky. FindTime is an add-on feature in Outlook that helps make scheduling meetings easier by allowing attendees to vote on a meeting date/time. 


1. To get started, create a new email in Outlook or reply to an email. 


2. Next, add your attendees. Required attendees go in the “To” line and optional attendees go in the “CC” line.


3. On the Home tab, select New Meeting Poll. 


Note: If you're using OWA (Outlook Web App), select the FindTime icon at the bottom of the email. If you do not see the FindTime icon, select the three dots (...) to bring up more options and select FindTime. 



4. Next, a window will display where you can select your meeting settings and possible dates/times.


  • Duration: Select a duration from the drop down list. If you want to select a Custom time, choose Custom. The maximum duration is 12 hours and 59 minutes. 
  • Work Hours: Check this option to limit the meeting times to work days and work hours. 
  • Time Zone: Where you can update the time zone, if needed. 


5. Next, select a date using the arrows next to the month and day to see each attendees' availability.

  • The people icons show whether meeting participants are required and their availability. Underlined attendees mean required, green means available, yellow means may be busy, red mean busy, and grey means unknown. 
  • Select the person icon with a clock to view an attendees status. 
  • Select the calendar icon to view your calendar. 




6. Once you have selected the date and duration for the meeting, choose the time slots you wish to add to the invite. You can select more than one. Click Next. 



 

7. Enter the meeting location and toggle your desired poll settings on/off. 


  • Notify me about poll updates: You will receive an email each time an attendee votes. 
  • Schedule when attendees reach consensus: A calendar event will be automatically scheduled when all required attendees have voted in favor of a specific meeting time. If multiple options were favored, the earliest option will be scheduled.
  • Hold selected times on my calendar: A tentative event is placed on your calendar for each time option you proposed. These event holds are removed when the meeting is scheduled or when the poll is canceled. 
  • Lock poll for attendees: Attendees can not suggest new times.
  • Email notifications in FindTime Language: The language that you use FindTime in will be used to send related email notifications. English is the default. 
  • Require attendees to verify their identity: Attendees will be required to authenticate before voting.


5. Next, click Add to email to add the meeting options to your email.



6. FindTime will insert a block in your email for attendees to select for voting. If you need to change the meeting settings, click Edit Poll at the bottom of the FindTime pane. 


When you're ready to send your email and start the voting process, click Send in the upper left. 



 


7. When attendees receive your email for voting, they will click Select Options. The Select Options page will look similar to the image below.


 


11. Findtime will send you email notifications and automatically place the meeting on your calendar.


Learn how to manage your FindTime Poll here: https://helpdesk.lsua.edu/support/solutions/articles/48001205095-managing-a-findtime-poll


If you have any questions, submit a Help Desk ticket to [email protected].