How to Use the Scheduling Assistant and FindTime in Outlook

Applies to: Microsoft Outlook (Desktop, Web), Microsoft 365
Article Type: How-To
Last Updated: 2026-05-19

Summary

This article shows you how to use Outlook's built-in Scheduling Assistant to find open time slots when booking meetings, and how to use the FindTime add-in to send a poll when you need attendees to vote on the best meeting time. These tools eliminate the back-and-forth emails that waste time when coordinating schedules.

Prerequisites

• A Microsoft 365 account with Outlook access.
• For Scheduling Assistant: works in Outlook Desktop (Classic and New) and Outlook on the Web.
• For FindTime: the FindTime add-in must be available in your organization (it is included with most Microsoft 365 plans).

Instructions

1. Use the Scheduling Assistant (Built Into Outlook)

The Scheduling Assistant shows you a visual timeline of every attendee's availability so you can pick a time that works for everyone — without asking each person individually.

Outlook Desktop (Classic)

1. Open Outlook and go to Calendar.
2. Click New Meeting (or press Ctrl + Shift + Q).
3. Add your attendees in the To field (or Required / Optional fields).
4. Click the Scheduling Assistant tab (next to the Appointment tab at the top).
5. You will see a grid with each attendee listed on the left and their calendar displayed as colored blocks:
   • Dark blue/purple = Busy
   • Light blue/striped = Tentative
   • Purple with pattern = Out of Office
   • White/empty = Free
6. Look for a vertical column where all attendees show as Free (white).
7. Click on the free time slot to set the meeting time, or drag the meeting block to adjust the duration.
8. Optionally, use the AutoPick button (bottom left) to let Outlook automatically suggest the next available slot.
9. Switch back to the Appointment tab to add the meeting subject, location, and agenda.
10. Click Send.

Outlook on the Web

1. Go to outlook.office.com and open Calendar.
2. Click New event.
3. Add attendees in the Invite attendees field.
4. Click Scheduling Assistant in the event toolbar (or it may appear automatically as a side panel).
5. The availability grid works the same way — look for free slots and click to select.
6. Add your meeting details and click Send.

New Outlook (Desktop)

1. Open New Outlook and go to Calendar.
2. Click New event.
3. Add attendees in the Invite attendees field.
4. Click the Scheduling Assistant button in the toolbar.
5. Browse the availability grid, select a free slot, and send the invitation.

Tip: The Scheduling Assistant only shows availability for people within your organization. External attendees' calendars will appear as "No information available" — for those situations, use FindTime (Step 3) instead.

2. Use Suggested Times (Quick Alternative)

Outlook can automatically suggest meeting times based on attendee availability.

1. Create a New Meeting and add your attendees.
2. Look for the Suggested times panel on the right side of the meeting form (Outlook Web and New Outlook) or below the scheduling grid (Classic Outlook).
3. Outlook shows a list of time slots ranked by availability — green checkmarks mean everyone is free.
4. Click a suggested time to apply it to the meeting.
5. Add your details and click Send.

3. Use FindTime to Send a Scheduling Poll

When you cannot find a time that works for everyone — or when scheduling with external contacts whose calendars you cannot see — use FindTime to send a poll. Attendees vote on their preferred times, and FindTime books the meeting automatically once a consensus is reached.

Step A: Access FindTime

1. Open Outlook and create a New Email (not a calendar event).
2. Add the people you want to schedule with in the To field.
3. In the ribbon, click FindTime (or Suggested meeting times).
   • In Outlook on the Web: click the three-dot menu (⋯) in the email toolbar and select FindTime.
   • If you do not see FindTime, it may need to be installed — see the Troubleshooting section below.

Step B: Select Time Options

1. FindTime opens a panel showing your calendar and the calendars of internal attendees.
2. Click on available time slots to add them as voting options (aim for 3–5 options to give attendees flexibility).
3. Selected times appear as a list on the right.

Step C: Configure Poll Settings

1. Set the meeting duration (30 min, 60 min, etc.).
2. Choose a meeting location (physical room, Teams meeting, or custom).
3. Configure optional settings:
   • Auto-schedule — Automatically books the meeting when enough attendees agree on a time (recommended).
   • Lock poll after scheduling — Prevents changes after the meeting is booked.
   • Hold selected times on my calendar — Temporarily blocks the proposed times so they do not get double-booked.

Step D: Send the Poll

1. Click Insert to email (or Send poll).
2. FindTime inserts a voting link into the email body.
3. Add any additional context in the email and click Send.
4. Recipients click the link, vote on their preferred times, and FindTime handles the rest.

4. Book a Room Using Room Finder

When your meeting needs a physical conference room, use Room Finder alongside the Scheduling Assistant.

1. Create a New Meeting and add attendees.
2. Click Room Finder (in the ribbon or the location field).
3. Browse available rooms by building, floor, or capacity.
4. Rooms that are free during your selected time slot appear with a checkmark.
5. Select a room and it is added to the meeting as the location.

See How to Use Room Finder in Outlook for detailed Room Finder instructions.

5. Best Practices for Scheduling Meetings

• Check availability first — Always use the Scheduling Assistant before sending an invite. Booking over someone's existing meeting creates conflicts and frustration.
• Include an agenda — Even a few bullet points in the meeting body helps attendees prepare and decide if they need to attend.
• Use "Optional" wisely — Mark attendees as Optional if they do not need to be present but need to be informed.
• Set the correct duration — Default meetings are 60 minutes, but many discussions need only 30 or even 15 minutes. Shorter meetings respect everyone's time.
• Use FindTime for large groups — For meetings with 5+ people or external contacts, a FindTime poll is almost always more efficient than the Scheduling Assistant.
• Propose a new time — If you receive a meeting invite that conflicts with your schedule, click Propose New Time instead of declining outright.

Troubleshooting

TIP

The Scheduling Assistant is most useful when all attendees are within your organization and have up-to-date calendars. If someone's calendar shows as completely free when you know they are busy, they may not be keeping their Outlook calendar updated — reach out to them directly.

Symptom / Error	Potential Cause	Solution
Attendee shows "No information available"	External contact or calendar not shared	Use FindTime to send a poll instead. External calendars are not visible in the Scheduling Assistant.
FindTime is not in the ribbon or menu	Add-in not installed or enabled	Go to File > Get Add-ins (or Manage Add-ins in Outlook Web) and search for "FindTime." Click Add.
All time slots show as busy	Attendees have packed schedules	Try extending the search range (next week, next two weeks). Use FindTime to let attendees indicate their own availability.
AutoPick does not find any open slots	Working hours mismatch or calendar conflicts	Manually scroll through the scheduling grid. Consider scheduling outside standard hours with attendee agreement.
Meeting was booked but room shows as unavailable	Room was booked by someone else between selection and sending	Re-open the meeting, use Room Finder to select a different available room.
FindTime poll link does not work for external recipients	Recipient's organization blocks external links	Send the poll options as plain text in the email body and ask them to reply with their preference.

Related Articles

• How to Create a Calendar Event in Outlook
• How to Use Room Finder in Outlook
• How to Manage Calendar Sharing Permissions in Outlook
• How to Troubleshoot Outlook Calendar Issues (Missing Meetings, Sync Problems)
• How to Set Up an Out-of-Office Reply in Outlook
• Understanding Teams Meetings — Features, Roles, and Best Practices

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