ScheduleWorld

Configuring Outlook To Use ICalendar

If you are using Outlook to communicate with people using scheduleWorld you need to configure Outlook to use an open standard (RFC 2445) for iCalendar messages.

Microsoft has a website that explains how to configure Outlook to use iCalendar to publish your free/busy times and send meeting requests.

Outlook 2000: Configure Outlook 2000

Outlook 2003: Configure Outlook 2003

Outlook 95, 98, XP: Configure Outlook XP

NOTE: Chris Hodgetts and Kenneth Rybka have mentioned that the screenshots shown do not appear if you have installed Outlook in "Corporate" mode. You must configure Outlook in "Internet Only" mode so you can use open standards for iCalendar messages.

NOTE: Kenneth Rybka emailed the following useful information:

Outlook 2000 Clients must have Hotfix 825817 applied, file OUTLOOKff.msp, 3219kb installed. Installation prompts/requires access to the original installation media, MS Office Std or Pro. Installation of this patch will enable the client machines to open and record the calendaring information onto an Exchange Server, for messages from (Exchange 2000) and Lotus Notes 6.5 that are sent inbound in the .ics format. I know that clients versions Lotus Notes 6+ has built-in support for iCal, as does Outlook 2002.

When scheduling a meeting in Outlook 2000 one must create a new meeting and fill in the necessary info. For attendees, highlight all intended attendees (Exchange Server mailbox holders only!) DO NOT add external Lotus Notes employees here. Adding them here results in a message being send with junk characters, probably some type of translation/encoding error.

To set up external attendees, now click on Actions, and select 'Forward as iCalendar'. This will pull up a new mail message with your xyzmeeting.ics RFC Standard calendar file attachment. Now, erase all Exchange employees from the To: field, add all Lotus Notes employees, and click send. The Outlook Calendar meeting screen should still be present with your employees. Hit Send.

External employee responses will generate an e-mail message to the sender, and add an appropriate entry to their Exchange 2000 and Notes/Domino calendaring.

Kenneth further added:

So you know the history since the 825817 document does not clearly spell out the rollup package, it has a hidden history: