Can one click really save hours of back-and-forth while keeping an executive’s calendar tidy?
This guide gives you the clear steps you need to act as a delegate, get proper permissions, and create meetings that show as sent from you on the owner’s behalf. Before you edit or add events, the calendar owner must share calendar access and grant the right permission level.
Choose editor access if you only need to create or change events. Choose delegate access when you must receive and respond to meeting requests for another person. After the owner shares, open their sharing email, accept it, and the added calendar appears in your calendar list.
When you create a new meeting, save it to the owner’s calendar so the meeting invitation shows correctly. Remember: once a meeting is sent, you cannot move it to a different calendar. This section also previews steps for classic and new Outlook web and adding a Teams link automatically.
Key Takeaways
- You must ask the owner to share calendar access; Outlook won’t grant it for you.
- Editor access lets you edit events; delegate access lets you handle meeting requests.
- Accept the sharing email so the added calendar shows in your calendar list.
- Save meetings to the owner’s calendar; the invite will display you sending on their behalf.
- Private events stay hidden unless the owner grants access to view private items.
What “on behalf of” scheduling means and when to use it
Being a delegate means you create and manage meeting entries in another person’s calendar and, when granted, respond to meeting requests with messages that show your name on behalf of the organizer.
Use this model when you support executives, manage team leads, or coordinate shared resources. It speeds replies and cuts conflicts.
Editor delegate access differs from delegate access: editors can add or change events, while delegates also receive meeting requests and can respond for the owner.
- Delegates work on the primary calendar; editors can also manage additional calendars.
- Owners choose where meeting requests and responses are delivered: delegate only, delegate plus owner, or both with response rights.
- Private events stay hidden unless the owner grants permission to view them.
| Role | Main Capabilities | Calendar Scope |
|---|---|---|
| Editor | Create and edit events | Primary and additional calendars |
| Delegate | Receive and respond to meeting requests; edit events | Primary calendar (default) |
| Classic Outlook assignment | Grants Send on Behalf plus Editor rights | Calendar folder |
Get the right access first: sharing, editor vs. delegate, and private events
Start with clear permissions. Confirm the owner shares the calendar and selects the level that fits your role. That single step prevents most invite failures and confusion.
Share your calendar and select Edit or Delegate permissions
In the new interface, the owner opens Calendar, chooses Share Calendar, adds the added person, and picks Can edit or Delegate.
Select Delegate when you must receive and respond for them. Choose Can edit if you only need to add or change entries.
Classic owners use File > Account Settings > Delegate Access and pick the person from the GAL. By default, delegates get Editor rights plus Send on Behalf.
Accept the sharing invitation to add it to your calendar list
The owner must hit Share to send an invite. You then must select Accept on the accept button in the invite to add their calendar to your calendar list.
If there is no accept button or the invite never arrived, use outlook web to accept or ask the owner to re-share from the web for reliability.
Let delegates view private items and manage categories (optional)
Owners can check options to let a delegate view private events or manage categories. Use these only when trust and privacy allow it.
Granting access private visibility affects all Exchange folders. Keep a record of who has permissions and what level so audits stay simple.
- Need a deeper look at planning tools? See this planning tools guide.
How to schedule on behalf of someone in Outlook
Start by confirming the owner’s calendar appears in your calendar list. If the added calendar is missing, accept the sharing invite so it shows in your view.
New Outlook on the web: Go to Calendar, click New event, then open the Save to calendar menu and select the owner’s calendar. Fill in title, attendees, date, time, location, and details, then send the meeting request. Recipients will see the invite sent from you on the owner’s behalf.
Classic Outlook on the web
Open Calendar from the app launcher and confirm the owner’s calendar is visible. Click New, set Save to calendar to the owner’s calendar, complete the fields, and send the meeting invitation.
Appointment versus meeting
Want an appointment without sending invites? Select the owner’s calendar but leave out attendees. Outlook will add the item to the calendar without creating a meeting invitation.
Use Scheduling Assistant
Open Scheduling Assistant to compare availability and pick the best slot. This tool shows free/busy and reduces conflicts far faster than manually checking calendars.
- Double-check you chose the correct calendar before sending; you cannot move a sent meeting later.
- Ensure the owner granted editor or delegate access so the owner’s calendar appears in Save to calendar.
- If a needed button is missing, switch to outlook web to finish the job; versions differ.
| Action | New Outlook on the web | Classic Outlook on the web | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Confirm calendar | Verify in calendar list | Open Calendar via app launcher | Owner’s calendar appears as selection |
| Create event | New event → Save to calendar → select owner | New → Save to calendar → select owner | Meeting saves to owner’s calendar |
| No invites | Select owner calendar, omit attendees | Select owner calendar, omit attendees | Appointment added without invitation |
| Find time | Use Scheduling Assistant | Use Scheduling Assistant | Fewer conflicts, accurate availability |
Responding to and managing meeting requests as a delegate
As a delegate, you’ll receive meeting requests and updates that name the calendar owner. Expect those messages in your Inbox with a clear note about who the request is for. That lets you act fast and keep the owner’s calendar accurate.
Accept, Tentative, or Decline — what attendees see
Choose Accept, Tentative/Maybe, or Decline when you respond meeting requests. If you accept, the meeting shows as busy on the owner’s calendar.
If you send a response, the organizer sees the message from you on the owner’s behalf. Owners using outlook web usually won’t get your response email, but they will see the updated status on their calendar.
Edit or cancel meetings and send updates
You can open any meeting on the owner’s calendar to make changes or cancel. When you make changes, Outlook sends updated meeting invitation notices from you on the owner’s behalf.
Verify attendee lists, times, and locations before sending updates. Track recurring series carefully and decide whether an edit affects a single occurrence or the whole series.
Control who receives invitations and responses
Owners can set invitation processing: delegate only; delegate plus a copy to owner; or both delegate and owner. Confirm these delegate permissions so you know whether the owner will see copies.
- Expect meeting requests and updates to arrive in your Inbox with a note showing who the request is for.
- Accept, Tentative, or Decline; accepted items appear busy on the owner’s calendar.
- Your responses display as sent by you on the owner’s behalf, keeping delegation transparent.
- Respect private items—only open them with explicit access.
| Action | What you do | What organizer sees |
|---|---|---|
| Respond | Accept/Tentative/Decline | Response from delegate on owner’s behalf |
| Edit | Change time, attendees, or details | Updated meeting invitation sent by delegate |
| Cancel | Remove event and notify attendees | Cancellation message from delegate on owner’s behalf |
Add a Teams meeting from Outlook when scheduling on someone’s behalf
Add Teams conferencing when creating a meeting entry so attendees get a one-click join link. Switch to Calendar and select New Teams Meeting for an invite that includes join and dial‑in details automatically.
If you started with a standard New Meeting or New Appointment, click the Teams Meeting button at the top of the event form to convert it. Add attendees, subject, location, start and end times, and a short message, then select Send.
- Open Outlook’s calendar and pick New Teams Meeting to auto-add conferencing details.
- Convert an open appointment by using the Teams button in the event header.
- Ensure Save to calendar is set to the owner’s calendar before adding Teams so the meeting invitation appears on the right calendar.
- For recurring series, convert the series so every instance contains the Teams link.
- If you need a channel meeting, create it from Teams; Outlook cannot target a channel when creating the invite.
Tip: Use Scheduling Assistant along with Teams when picking times for people across time zones. If the Teams option is missing, verify the Teams add‑in is enabled or restart the app.
Need deeper setup guidance? See this Microsoft thread on Teams meetings and.
Troubleshoot access and sharing issues
Small sharing glitches often cause the biggest delays; this section fixes them fast. When a share fails, quick verification usually clears the issue.
No Accept button in the invitation? Some desktop builds omit the accept button on sharing messages. Open Outlook on the web, find the sharing email, and select Accept. That action should add the owner’s calendar to your calendar list immediately.
No sharing email arrived?
Ask the owner to re-share their calendar from Outlook on the web. Web resends are the most reliable for delivery. If the added calendar still does not appear, refresh your view or sign out and back in.
Change or remove delegate permissions
Owners can open Share Calendar in the web app and Remove the person or edit delegate access. In classic Outlook, use File > Account Settings > Delegate Access to change permission levels.
- If the sharing email lacks an accept button, open outlook web, locate the invite, and select accept button.
- Right‑click any added calendar in your list to remove it from view without stopping the owner’s sharing.
- Confirm delegates have the needed permission before editing or sending a meeting; insufficient permissions will block actions.
| Problem | Quick fix | Where |
|---|---|---|
| No accept button | Select Accept in web app | Outlook web |
| No invite received | Owner re-shares from web | Outlook web |
| Change delegate rights | Use Share Calendar or Delegate Access | Web or classic Outlook |
Tip: Keep a short audit of who has access and when changes occurred. That record speeds resolution when meeting updates fail or permissions drift.
Keep calendars in sync and streamline meeting requests going forward
Standardize steps so delegates make changes the same way every time. ,
Agree which processing option the owner will use: delegate only, delegate plus copy, or both. Document that choice and the expected response flow.
Always select calendar when creating a meeting and confirm the added calendar appears in your calendar list. Use Scheduling Assistant for complex invites to cut conflicts across time zones.
Review delegate permissions quarterly. Confirm who can edit or cancel meetings, who may view private events, and who can respond meeting requests. Remove access via Share Calendar > Remove when it’s no longer needed.
For sharing steps and a concise guide on granting access, see share Outlook calendar.
