Outlook: Use Scheduling Poll to Schedule Meetings

Overview

Scheduling poll app is an Outlook add-in (formerly named Scheduling Poll) used for scheduling meetings with attendees of calendars you do not have access to inside or outside of the organization. 

What is the Scheduling Poll?

Scheduling Poll is available in the Outlook desktop app and Outlook on the web (recommended). Scheduling Poll sends proposed times to attendees that they can vote on days and times, when it reaches a consensus everyone invited gets their calendar is blocked. Auto-scheduling is turned by default on a meeting invitation is sent to all attendees, and their calendars are blocked for the specified time that was voted on, saving you time. No more going back and forth between email or trying to find meeting times that work for everyone.

Create Your Scheduling Poll Poll

1.      Create a new calendar event in Outlook.

2.      Type in an event title and add attendees as normal.

3.      Click the Scheduling Poll icon (it might be listed under the ellipses in Outlook on the web).

Select the Proposed Meeting Times

1.      The Scheduling Poll pane opens (right-side of the screen)

2.      From the Duration drop-down menu, select the duration of your meeting, the default is 30 minutes.

3.      Select the day and start times of your proposed meeting. Starting times can overlap so keep that in mind when proposing start times. You can choose multiple dates if desired. Click Next to manage the poll settings

View Availability of Attendees

Hover over the times, if you hover over the person it will show you who is available may be busy, is busy or availability is unknown indicated by different colors.

Poll Settings

Turn on or turn off Teams meeting

Manage your Poll Settings

You can manage your poll before creating your email. Simply hover over the option and click the link to turn it on or off.

As the organizer it is important to keep the preferred times up to date and track your polls on the Scheduling Poll Dashboard. You can manage, edit, cancel, or delete your polls and change the default poll settings. 

When you've set up the poll click Add to email, a new window opens (not an appointment). You can add more meeting details, as desired.

Attendees calendar are not reserved (blocked), you may want to include wording that lets them know to vote on the poll as soon as they can. Once they vote their calendars are blocked.

When you are done adding to your email, click Send. This is not a meeting appointment, it is a regular email.

What Do Invited Attendees See?

The invited attendee needs to select the link with the number of options. They will be able to choose from the provided dates and times. Select from Yes, No, and Prefer. The Prefer option will have a heart icon, when finished they click Vote.

Attendees will be able to see how others voted.

Remember there is no appointment slot reserved on their calendar so it's important that recipients respond as soon as possible. Once an invited attendee votes their calendar is blocked for the proposed times as tentative.

You are invited to a meeting

Proposed Meeting Times

Voted Meeting Times

What Do I See as the Organizer?

The organizer gets email updates if they enabled it when they sent out the meeting Poll with the Scheduling Poll app. Below you will see examples of what you'd see when your poll has been voted on, and the dates and times chosen. The heart icon means preferred. When your poll has reached an agreement between all attendees.

Attendee Vote Poll 1 

Attendee Vote Poll 2 



Poll Reached Conscensus


 

Finalize the Meeting

Scheduling Poll automatically sends a calendar appointment to all attendees once a consensus has been reached if automatic scheduling is enabled, and emails you the Organizer so that you can add other meeting details as needed such as an agenda or attachments, or a Teams meeting if you didn't enable it before you created the meeting poll. All previous holds are removed from your calendar. Open your calendar to edit your meeting.

Teams Meeting Scheduled 

Manage Your Polls on the Scheduling Poll Dashboard

Track and manage your polls from https://outlook.office365.com/findtime/dashboard

The Scheduling Poll dashboard is only viewable by you the Organizer. Learn how to use the Scheduling Poll Dashboard.

 
How do I Start a Scheduling Poll Meeting in Outlook?

Outlook desktop app

Start a new email as normal, which is the Message tab > New Meeting Poll

Outlook web

Scheduling Poll may need to be added to your message interface or your Calendar interface.

To add Scheduling Poll to your Calendar. Click the gear icon (upper-right of screen) then in the search box type in calendar, click calendar surface to open it. Click the Scheduling Poll checkbox then Save.

To add Scheduling Poll to a message in your Inbox. Click the gear icon (upper-right) then in the search box type in quick, select Quick actions to open it. In Customize actions sections "Message surface" and "Toolbar", click the Scheduling Poll checkbox then Save.

Scheduling Poll: Microsoft Resources

• Access Scheduling Poll 
• Create a poll using Scheduling Poll
• Scheduling Poll voting 
• Scheduling Poll organizer dashboard 
• Privacy and personal data protection 
• Auto scheduling in Scheduling Poll  
• Include an online meeting with Scheduling Poll