How to use Microsoft FindTime in Outlook

In this step-by-step tutorial, learn how to schedule meetings faster and more easily using the Microsoft FindTime add-in for Microsoft Outlook.
Organizers need a Microsoft work or school account to set up a meeting poll. FindTime unfortunately does not work with Microsoft consumer free or paid accounts. Meeting participants do not need to have a Microsoft account to vote on meeting times.
Install FindTime at findtime.microsoft.com
Article on the development of FindTime: www.microsoft.com/en-us/garag...
As full disclosure, I work at Microsoft as a full-time employee. I also worked on the FindTime project.
Watch all of my videos on Microsoft Outlook: • 📨 How to use Outlook

[@MarsorryIckuatuna]

This should really be a standard feature of Outlook, brilliant little add-in.

[@sanathkumarbp]

Exactly my thought

[@marialecoultre3245]

Kevin, thank you so much for your amating video tutorials. You are the only person from the IT world whose explanations I understand. Thanks to your videos, I started to use so many Microsoft tools that are very helpful! You have very clear explanations and very well illustrated. Your examples are easy to understand. You are a very talented tutor!

[@johnvodopija1743]

Another very good tutorial. I’m going to test drive this tomorrow. Thank you 👍😎🇦🇺

[@jailmoneysendinmatemoneyla2818]

You are amazing. I love your videos. I am an executive assistant, and this tool will be life-changing for me. Thank you!

[@Libraryladee28]

Thanks Kevin! I’m definitely going to give this a try!

[@katlegosojane1]

I put this app to work immediately, and it was easy to use thanks to you. Thanks Kevin!

[@readingnerd1]

Brillant addition, Has improved my workflow immensely.

[@markusmarschalek4732]

You saved me tons of life time, Kevin! Thank you!

[@Ashishjangir05]

Hi Kevin, You make things very simple. I just loved your channel

[@msouga]

Excellent Add-In. Great Tutorial. I will definitely use it.

[@MichaelToub]

I forgot about this.. I'm going to use it tomorrow, thanks!

[@YixuanShao]

Thank you! This is life-saving!!

[@alannay]

Super helpful. Thanks, Kevin!

[@graemegourlay2850]

Nice add-in. I used "Doodle" for many years for this type of thing. This tool is nice as it has Outlook integration.

[@KevinStratvert]

Doodle is a pretty great tool as well, especially if you don't have a work or school Microsoft 365 account. Cheers!

[@AmirulShare]

Hi, Kevin...awesome sharing from you...tqvm

[@dorishercules4860]

Hi kevin,thank you. very helpful videos

[@margaritasmith8796]

Brilliant add-in! Love it

[@superblessed2956]

Great video. My org currently uses Teams. I will have to see if I need to download this. Thank you.

[@TheNetflixNook]

this was super helpful! way easier than doodle poll

[@giancarlo8830]

Another awesome app from Microsoft!

[@burakbektas190]

Nice video Kevin, thank you so much

[@gin9908]

Hi Kevin , it is very useful, I have instantly tried in my o365Account , will spread the word to all my colleagues

[@KevinStratvert]

Thanks for sharing! You'll find that people save a lot of time scheduling meetings :)

[@joycestewart6822]

Excellent tool. Please comment on your thoughts of how it compares to Doodle Poll or the Voting buttons in outlook.

[@cathyomalley2602]

Hi Kevin! Just watched your tutorial on Find Time. One important question: How does an assistant to an invitee who manages their calendar, vote for the person being invited? Last week I did an initial findtime meeting poll and invited all who needed to attend the meeting ... and also copied their assistant who manages their calendar. All of the assistants had trouble voting for their supervisor ... the vote went under their name, not the supervisor .... also, strangely, when the assistant went in to vote for their supervisor, they got completely different times in the poll for the proposed meeting, some even at 8 and 9:00 at nigh. HELP! Thanks

[@chrisheyes5531]

Another good video 👍 i would like to see another advanced video covering mail merge. I often have to change the information in my excel spreadsheet and then have problems with the merge document updating. Any tips would be great. Also, dates don’t always import easily especially when a formula is involved. Again, any suggestions? All the best from Manchester UK 😃

[@vals.2721]

This is amazing. OMG, game changer!

[@101325]

I am amazed we didn't have this before now.

[@lindathompson2595]

Great video I learned a lot. Can you do a video on polling outside folks using the web version. Thanks.

[@scoogsy]

Nice, that was great. I’ll use that app 🙂

[@jeffzelf]

How did I not know about this!

[@swim610]

Best add in ever!!!

[@ddd2056]

Hi Kevin, thanks for the great video. Does this work for scheduling 1:1 meetings (so that audience can select from available time slots on a first come first served basis)?

[@vimalgehlot2033]

Hey Kevin, your videos are really awesome..... I just wanted you to make a tutorial about how to schedule meetings where attendee do not join the class without the organiser permission. Really need to know for office 365 Education Thanks

[@thomasclark9164]

Great video.

[@mcfee8647]

Thank you

[@rommelzapanta7277]

Hi Kevin, Thanks for the great video. This is consider as one of the hidden gems that that wish we know earlier. (Clue for your next youtube title :)). We started using FindTime in our organization and I noticed that the participant/s are allowed to delete other participants during the poll. How can I prevent or block participants from deleting other participants?

[@bradyward2828]

Great content Kevin, as always. I am looking for a procedure to use FIndTime to schedule an MS Teams Channel Hosted meeting. I can't find a way besides getting a consensus and (not auto-scheduling) and then manually creating a corresponding Teams channel meeting. Clunky. Power Automate is available to me.

[@24601Justin]

Kevin, great video and great product! Is it possible to add an additional participant once you have sent the email with the FindTime invitation?

[@susanclark1778]

How many attendees can poll on meeting times? What about time zone differences - is that supported? Great product- looking forward to trying it out!

[@teresasilletti3317]

Is there a way to disable Skype? The meeting sends a message to the recipient with a skype link. Unfortunately, we use Zoom, not Skype.

[@colinong-dean4612]

I started using this about a month ago, and it's been really helpful, but I've just run into a small issue. You noted in an earlier reply that it's possible to disable auto-schedule when setting up the poll and just schedule the meeting manually. Does this means it's not possible to manually schedule a meeting originally set to auto-schedule? There's a "Schedule" button next to each of the times in my poll (for which auto-schedule was enabled), but when I clicked on Schedule, it didn't seem to work.

[@quentinb4796]

Hi Kevin, thanks for the great video, however I was wondering why the holds no longer disappear after we have a consensus for the meeting and schedule it? I have to delete the holds manually now. Thanks for any help on this and have a great day!

[@andrearmstead5001]

Hi, great tutorial. is there a way to add a findtime hyperlink to the outlook signature?

[@EASYTECHNIKS]

thank you

[@addisonspencer8938]

I'm debating on using this for work but for scheduling interviews. If I send out a list of times to 10 people are they able to all select the same time or if 1 person selects 1 time will that time show as unavailable to everyone else?

[@aswanfadhl7988]

Very useful , I love this . I was wondering about the meeting location option . when I crate a poll and select online meeting it defaults to skype . is there anyway i can select Zoom instead or teams ?

[@ravedave1272]

Great Tutorial - as always. But you left out a very important point, which was the main point for me watching this video. - How do I finalize a meeting, when net everyone has voted yet? Maybe you can answer me on that one. Thanks!

[@CBlakeDavis]

This is my question as well

[@ravedave1272]

@@CBlakeDavis actually you can open the meeting request you sent out in FindTime web view and select any date. Meeting requests will be sent out afterwards.

[@mcmankee]

On the final screen you presented, can the meeting host edit the meeting info before clicking "Send Update" button? Can meeting host change the online meeting platform to Skype or Zoom? These are areas where "Bookings" falls short. Thanks.

[@melissaw7]

Hi Kevin! Love it! Doesn't seem, however, that it allows you to act on behalf of another (as an admin would need to). In playing around with this, I'm realizing it notes me as the organizer and is placing holds on my calendar instead of the executive I'm creating the meeting for. When creating the meeting (in Outlook), I first started by selecting my executive but the software isn't accounting for that and only allows actions by the direct user. Is there a way around this? That would be my only concern. Otherwise, awesome software!

[@meesterbee]

Hi Kevin. Superb piece of software this! Is there any way to change the calendar it uses?

[@gibsonjs1]

Hi Kevin, thanks for another great video. Find time looks great and I'll be adding it to my workflow. But I have another scheduling challenge that I think your expertise with Microsoft products could help point me in the right direction. I must hold office hours (using Teams) and it would be handy if students could assign themselves to a time that works for them. Once a student takes a time slot, it would then become a confirmed appointment for that student and me. Does something like this exist? I've checked out the Bookings add-on for Teams and it seems to offer something like that. What would you suggest?

[@CynthiaMuhumuza]

This is exactly what my issue is. Hopefully Kevin can suggest a solution.

[@ryannewsom8953]

Hey Kevin, great videos. I also create tutorials like these for my company. What mic are you using? It sounds really good!

[@KevinStratvert]

I use a rode nt usb mic. It runs for about $170. I love the sound quality! I did a review video on it a little while back. Cheers!

[@ryannewsom8953]

@@KevinStratvert cool thanks!

[@joycestewart6822]

Hi Kevin, If you are organizing meeting for your Boss based on that calendar, how do you use this if you don't have access to your Bosses email just access to the calendar?

[@jenniferpoliakon4738]

Are you only able to propose meeting times on the hour or half hour. I'm asking because we often schedule meetings either at smaller increments of time. As a few example I might just need to pull together a quick huddle meeting and it might only be 5 - 15 minutes in duration; so I might want to propose a time that starts at 10, 15, or 45 minutes after the hour begins. Please let me know if there is a settings adjustment that I can modify to allow for this. Thanks!

[@koushikdvk]

Hello Kevin, thanks for your knowledge sharing. I would like to ask you, if it's possible can you make a video on Windows hello biometric fingerprint login and integration the same to weblog in. Thanks in advance.

[@salmanel-farsi3744]

@Kevin I am about to perform a Snack + Learn in our org about *your* application (now that I know you were one of the contributors). What is not showing up is at 12:00min of your video, you show that we can click on each of the attendees and choose a time on behalf of them. But I am only seeing myself. Does it matter if the attendees are external to the org? I guess I could look at the results so far, cancel the poll and just manually send another meeting invite with the most popular, but did not achieve 100% consensus. Thank you.

[@MrGebbo1]

Started using this today and it's fantastic. However it's not giving the Teams meeting option but instead offers Skype.

[@markusruckels2884]

Hi Kevin, great solution - is there also an inbound self-scheduling solution available so external customers can book a meeting with me in a publicly availabe (web?) calendar, which syncs with my Outlook calendar and doesn't require me to make any proposals? Thought Microsoft Bookings can do the same but looks this is only working for internal customers inside my own organization? Thanks for any hint in advance, Markus

[@emcolumbus]

Is there a way to specify what the agenda will be during the initial setup or do you have to specify that after it's decided?

[@TonySep30]

@KevinStratvert - Would you be able to inform Microsoft that there's a need for voting buttons in meeting invites? I.e., finding out dietary restrictions for lunch plans; also for if participants will attend in person vs. remotely via MS Teams.

[@carolinekadow2447]

Hi, Kevin :) is there a way, how to allow the delegate to create a meeting on behalf of another user and have only the delegate receive the responses? As an administrative assistant, i spend nearly 3 hours a day scheduling meetings on behalf of other people... thanks! :)

[@rubyg1986]

I'm also interested in this as well. Our org schedules meeting with applicants....

[@elrealfoley]

In the delegator's inbox: Create a mailbox rule to mark the email as read (e.g. based on subject line containing "Accepted:") + move to the Archive folder + forward it to you (i.e. the delegate).

[@TonySep30]

@@rubyg1986 when you are initially granted delegate access there's a box that needs to be unchecked by the delegator that says do not receive meeting responses

[@froufou100]

I work internationally and meetings are with people in different time zone but this only works in 1-time zone, right?

[@budzugan]

maybe a stupid question, but - you can see who´s busy and available at what time in findtime, right? so I could use it as scheduling assistant, just look through who´s free at what time and just go ahead and create meeting then?

[@JimFikes]

Cool tool.

[@wingwilliams]

Does the other also need to have find time installed in order to vote?

[@MiekeVerhoeven]

How does this work with delegation? When I'm not planning in my own calendar, but i my Managers Calendar

[@zoemcaden2966]

I love this _theoretically_. I've been using for a few weeks and over a dozen meetings. I have not yet had 100% response so I have manually chosen the meeting times based on the responses I have had. Problem is the meetings do not show tentatively in invitee calendars so by the time I set the meeting, some people who said they were available have had other things scheduled. How can I add the tentative times to their calendars so they can see that they've tentatively agreed to a meeting at that time?

[@hanandrew7099]

It would be really cool if we could follow up with a FindRoom after findtime

[@daviddoherty1262]

How would you use FindTime when the people that are scheduling with are in different time zones, or when you are traveling yourself?

[@juliasmom04]

Hi Kevin. Thank you for this video. I am an EA for a CEO of a large non profit and I often have to schedule meetings on the CEO's calendar for her along with several other people from inside and outside our organization. Here is my question, I do not need the meetings to be placed on MY calendar, but would need them to be placed on the CEO's calendar. Do you know if there is a setting for something like this? or would I have to just manually schedule the agreed upon meeting time on the CEO's calendar?

[@heatherpham9617]

Yes, I am also an EA and have the same question

[@HelloMrMike]

Roomfinder - Could you make a tutorial about roomfinder? What is best practice with respect to information filled in Location, Office, etc.

[@sarahearley5138]

Hi Kevin, Is there a way to ask to find a recurring time? For example, a weekly meeting?

[@sirmud]

Is there a way to HOLD the meeting times on the recipients" calendars as well? Or is it ONLY for the meeting organizer?

[@roalafa1]

There is but the recipients have to allow it.

[@terrichef]

Someone please correct me if I am wrong. In this video, the meeting invite was sent. (otherwise when Kevin opened up the appointment, it would have said "you have not yet sent this invite" or something similar. Notice, it DOES say "no responses have been received for this meeting). Thoughts?

[@AlexhSized]

Kevin, how about Using different Time Zone (example): Presenter - Pacific Standard Time (PST) Team - Eastern Standard Time (EST) Supplier - Central European Time (CET)

[@kristallockwood3853]

Hi Kevin, will find time schedule for you even if not all attendees respond? We would like to use this for our IEP meetings with parents. They don't always respond to our requests. So will it still do that if everyone but one responds?

[@prateeeks]

Can you please suggest if Microsoft offers a template email that we can send to all users about the new Add-In and how it can help them with daily scheduling?

[@HassanAhmed-uj1jj]

Than you

[@yquintana5673]

Hi Kevin, I am having trouble with adding the information to the email. I get notification that it can’t complete the steps, but then I notice it places 3-4 holds for each proposed time. I’m not sure what I am doing wrong. Can you help?

[@resrudeboy]

is there a way to set a expires time for the poll? so they have to vote in a certain amount of time?

[@gerace]

The company I work at is trying to develop a solution for determining where meeting attendees will be located (remote or on site). Any chance you think this could be implemented into the tool? I realize you no longer work for Microsoft but maybe you have some idea of the roadmap or another tool that integrates with outlook resource booking which can solve for this? Microsoft Bookings maybe?

[@morrisnakhla]

Re New outlook >> Hi I do not work (retired), the main feature I use in the Classic MS Outlook is the Calendar for all my daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly appointments (I cannot function without my calendar - So teams, emails etc. are not important. But I use emails sometimes but mostly use Gmail. I did switch to the new outlook, but I did not like it - so many features of the calendar are missing. I switched back to the classic outlook. My question is when I am forced to use the new outlook, are all my appointments / reminders will transfer over, also the customized quick access bar will exist?? Currently my outlook (MS office 365) is linked to iCloud for windows, So I have access to my calendar on my iPhone, my laptop and Desktop which helps me to add or update any appointment in any of the 3 that I use at home or if I am out and add new appointment on my iPhone - would this feature will exist ? Comments from KZbin blogger: Lots of people have tried it and switched back. Remember the new coke disaster in the 1980’s? Maybe this is the same!

[@KemarConstantine]

Cool app 👍🏿

[@Pauledisonswift]

Hey Kevin. Will you be replacing this video with one on the integrated Outlook Scheduling Poll that replaces FindTime? Thanks!

[@kabagb]

Hi. Great video. I just want to be able to send options and save meetings and NOT have them go onto my calendar, as I'm not attending. I would like all responses to come to me. Thanks.

[@lialiang1981]

any way to book a multiple meeting using Find time? Or I have to send out multiple poll to book multiple meeting?

[@GordonMcCague]

Thanks

[@KevinStratvert]

Wow, thanks so much, Gordon! Much appreciated 🙌

[@andysaw9443]

Is three a way for me to download all my outlook entries for the coming weeks to include recurring items . I did a copy but notice that it does not capture recurring items

[@jennifersmith8333]

What happens if you can't reach consensus or not everyone responds? Do you then manually schedule the meeting and remove the proposed times manually?

[@ericjhendo]

time to update your edge browser Kevin :) good video though we have started to use this now in our company

[@michaelcoughlin8238]

I've only heard the intro to this video, but it sounds like it's based on "most votes win" do only the required attendees vote, not the optional? Just because most people vote for a spot, if the key person/people cannot attend, it should not "win".

[@ilhanozturk8846]

Hi Kevin, Thanks for the explanation. Could you assist me in the next issue? I have 40 people in my workgroup in outlook. I want to plan a meeting with each of them solely. They must choose the proposed date and time. Howe do I do that with FindTime. I do not want 40 people in one meeting. The must pick a time and date so that the program say that is free or occupied (chosen by another member in the group) Waiting for your positive feedback.

[@sarahclarke5955]

I schedule meetings on behalf of my peers so I do not want the meeting to hold in my calendar but the persons on whose behalf I am arranging the meeting. Can this be done?

[@halvorgronlund7951]

How would a draw on the polls turn out, or only a majority being able to meet (meaning that no proposed times worked for all attendees)? Will organizer be mailed to take a decision?

[@KevinStratvert]

Find time will only auto schedule once all required attendees have voted and it’ll go with the optimal time (ie most people can make it). If there’s a draw, I believe the logic goes with the sooner time. You can turn off auto scheduling if you prefer to manually pick the final time. Cheers!

[@vedantjoshi8141]

When I go to install button it opens ms docs and tell me information But I have a office 365 work account so why it is not installing find time

[@brandiialize]

Trying to figure out how to Add-in Find Time in my Outlook on my laptop.

[@enos128]

Kevin, when will you cover Scheduling Polls in Outlook?

[@elizabethdeluca3406]

I am unable to add it to my desktop outlook but do have it in my outlook web. Any help to get it into my outlook desktop?

[@tinajthesinger]

Hi! I tested this with a gmail account of mine (sending a FindTime invite in Outlook) - but my vote from the gmail account wasn't recognised. I will keep trying but so far am unable to schedule a meeting with one other person (i.e. me)...

[@user-qh8tx8xu1j]

I need to schedule meetings with 15 different vendors every 90 days. I would like to send one email to all vendors and control their access to the poll so that they can only anonymously see who voted on what time and day. Is this possible?

[@natalieorellana4763]

Hi Kevin, is it true that FindTime was replaced with scheduling poll?