Arranging meetings using Exchange/Outlook

All staff have access to an Exchange mailbox and calendar (although some groups currently choose not to). By default all Birkbeck Exchange users can view free/busy time in all other Birkbeck Exchange user’s calendars. Therefore if you are arranging a meeting amongst Exchange users, this is the most efficient solution.

Over and above basic free/busy visibility, the use of Exchange Calendars to schedule meetings is even more effective where further calendar visibility is granted to the meeting organiser, which is probably appropriate amongst groups who regularly work together.

The use of Exchange Calendars requires some discipline in calendar use. It does not work well where users either arrange meetings that are not recorded in their calendar, or block out large swathes of time ‘just in case’ - as there is no distinction in free/busy time between important meetings that are definitely occurring, and a speculatively booked slot.

Please remember that anyone with whom you share visibility of your calendar can also view all calendar event narrative description and attachments - unless you mark events as ‘Private’.

For staff who don’t use an Exchange Calendar, and for meetings with external attendees, the use of Doodle can be helpful.