Shared Calendars in Microsoft 365: Best Practices for Teams

In a busy workplace, coordinating meetings, deadlines, and availability across multiple people can quickly become a challenge. That’s where shared calendars in Microsoft 365 come in — a simple but powerful way to align your team, boost transparency, and reduce the endless back-and-forth of scheduling.

In this post, we’ll break down how shared calendars work, how to set them up, and the best practices that make them a productivity tool — not just another app people ignore.

What Is a Shared Calendar in Microsoft 365?

A shared calendar is a calendar that multiple users can view, edit, and manage together. It’s perfect for:

• Team scheduling

• Shared deadlines

• Project timelines

• Out-of-office planning

• Room or resource booking

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You can create a shared calendar using Outlook, Microsoft 365 Groups, or SharePoint — and they’re fully integrated with Microsoft Teams as well.

How to Create a Shared Calendar

There are a few ways to set up a shared calendar depending on how your team works:

1. Using Microsoft 365 Groups (Recommended)

When you create a Microsoft 365 Group (for example, when you create a new Team in Microsoft Teams), it automatically includes a shared mailbox and a shared calendar. You can access it in Outlook under "Groups."

2. Using Outlook

In Outlook:

• Go to Calendar

• Click Add Calendar > From Address Book

• Choose a user’s calendar to view

• Or go to Home > Share Calendar to share your own

  
  

3. Using SharePoint

If your team uses a SharePoint site, you can add a calendar as a web part and allow users to add or edit events.

Best Practices for Using Shared Calendars

Here’s how to make the most out of shared calendars:

1. Use One Calendar Per Purpose

Avoid using one big calendar for everything. For example:

• A team availability calendar for holidays/out of office

• A project calendar for key deadlines

• A meeting room calendar for bookings

Keeping things separated avoids confusion.

2. Set the Right Permissions

You can set permissions for who can view, edit, or manage the calendar. Stick to this rule of thumb:

• View only: Most users

• Edit: Project leads or admins

• Manage: IT or group owner

This keeps things organized and avoids accidental edits.

3. Keep It Updated

Calendars only work if people use them. Build habits around checking and updating shared calendars regularly. Make it part of your workflow, not just an afterthought.

4. Integrate with Microsoft Teams

If your team lives in Teams, make the calendar accessible there:

• Use the Outlook tab in your Team

• Add the Group Calendar as a tab

• Pin links in relevant channels

This saves people from switching apps to check availability or events.

5. Don’t Overcomplicate It

Stick to basic color-coding, consistent naming, and short titles. A calendar full of cryptic event names or unclear owners will be ignored.

Bonus Tip: Secure Your Shared Calendars

It’s easy to overlook, but calendars can contain sensitive information:

• Meeting links

• Client names

• Internal deadlines

Make sure your organization is using MFA (multi-factor authentication) and limiting calendar sharing to inside the company unless otherwise needed.

Ready to Streamline Your Team’s Scheduling?

Shared calendars in Microsoft 365 can help reduce chaos, improve communication, and keep everyone on the same page. But like any tool, they work best when they’re set up with intention.

If your business could use help optimizing Microsoft 365 or setting up a calendar system that truly works, our team is here to help. We support organizations with Microsoft 365 management, training, and infrastructure — so you can focus on getting work done.

Want to make the most of shared calendars? Our team can help you set everything up quickly and effectively — get in touch today.