How To Guide
How to Set Up Shared Calendars for Teams
Shared calendars keep teams coordinated by showing everyone's availability, meetings, and deadlines in one place.
Overview
Shared calendars prevent scheduling conflicts and ensure team visibility. Most calendar apps support sharing across platforms.
Step 1: Google Calendar
Set up shared calendars in Google Calendar.
1
Create a Team Calendar
- Open Google Calendar (calendar.google.com)
- Click '+' next to 'Other calendars' → 'Create new calendar'
- Name it (e.g., 'Marketing Team', 'Company Events')
- Add a description and set timezone
- Click 'Create calendar'
2
Share with Team Members
- Click the three dots next to the new calendar → Settings
- Scroll to 'Share with specific people' → Add people
- Enter email addresses and set permissions
- 'See all event details' for view access
- 'Make changes to events' for edit access
- 'Make changes and manage sharing' for admin access
Step 2: Outlook / Microsoft 365
Share calendars in the Microsoft ecosystem.
1
Share Your Outlook Calendar
- Open Outlook Calendar → Home tab → Share Calendar
- Select which calendar to share
- Enter recipient email addresses
- Set permission level: Can view when I'm busy, Can view titles and locations, Can view all details, Can edit
- Click Share
2
Create a Shared Calendar
- In Microsoft 365 admin: Create a shared mailbox or group
- Add team members to the group
- The group calendar appears automatically in Outlook
- Create team events on the group calendar
- All members see events in their calendar view
Step 3: Calendar Best Practices
Get the most from shared calendars.
1
Team Calendar Guidelines
- Use colour coding for different event types
- Include video call links in event descriptions
- Set working hours so colleagues see your availability
- Block focus time to prevent meeting overload
- Use 'Speedy meetings' setting (25 or 50 minutes instead of 30 or 60)
- Review and clean up the calendar at the start of each week
3
Advanced Calendar Features
- Appointment scheduling: Share booking links with clients (Google Appointment Slots, Outlook Bookings)
- Create recurring events for standing meetings with easy modification of individual occurrences
- Use calendar overlays to view multiple team calendars simultaneously
- Set up automatic meeting room booking integrated with your calendar system
- Enable world clock for teams working across time zones
- Use scheduling assistant to find meeting times that work for all attendees
4
Calendar Etiquette and Efficiency
- Always include a clear agenda in meeting invitations
- Decline meetings that do not require your presence — it is respectful of your time
- Use 'Propose new time' rather than declining outright when the time doesn't work
- Include video call links in all meeting invitations by default
- Send meeting notes and action items within 24 hours of the meeting
- Review and clean up recurring meetings quarterly — cancel meetings that are no longer valuable
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