Scheduling a Meeting with Scheduling Poll in Outlook

Overview

Microsoft Outlook includes a feature called Scheduling Poll that helps you find a meeting time that works for multiple attendees.

Instead of sending emails back and forth to coordinate schedules, you can propose several meeting times and invite attendees to vote on their availability.

Scheduling Poll replaces the older Microsoft FindTime add-in.

With Scheduling Poll, you can:

  • Suggest multiple dates and times for a meeting.
  • View availability information for attendees within your organization.
  • Allow attendees to vote on their preferred meeting times.
  • Include participants outside Cedar Crest College.
  • Schedule a meeting based on the poll results.

Create a Scheduling Poll

Outlook on the Web and New Outlook

  1. Open Outlook on the web or the New Outlook application.
  2. Select New mail to compose a message.
  3. Add the email addresses of the people you want to invite.
  4. Enter a subject and any information about the proposed meeting.
  5. Select Apps from the message toolbar and choose Scheduling Poll. Depending on your Outlook version, you may find Scheduling Poll under the More apps menu.
  6. Select the meeting duration and review the available dates and times.
  7. Choose several meeting times for attendees to vote on.
  8. Review the poll settings and select Create poll.
  9. Send the email containing the scheduling poll.

Recipients can use the poll link to submit their availability.

Classic Outlook for Windows

  1. Open Outlook and select New Email.
  2. Add your meeting participants to the To field.
  3. Select New Scheduling Poll from the message ribbon. Depending on your Outlook version, this option may appear under Message or Insert.
  4. Select the meeting duration and proposed dates and times.
  5. Review the available poll settings.
  6. Select Create poll.
  7. Send the email to your attendees.

Note: The Scheduling Poll option may appear in a different location depending on your Outlook version and Microsoft 365 configuration.

Respond to a Scheduling Poll

If someone invites you to participate in a Scheduling Poll:

  1. Open the email containing the poll invitation.
  2. Select the scheduling poll link.
  3. Review the proposed meeting times.
  4. Indicate which times work for you.
  5. Submit your responses.

You may be able to indicate that a time is preferred or that you are unavailable, depending on the poll options.

You do not need to be a Cedar Crest College employee to participate in a Scheduling Poll.

Review Poll Results

After sending a poll, you can review participants' responses.

  1. Open the scheduling poll from your original email or the poll management link.
  2. Review the available meeting times and attendee votes.
  3. Identify the date and time that works best for the group.
  4. Select the appropriate time to finalize the meeting if it has not already been scheduled.

Depending on the poll settings, Outlook may automatically schedule the meeting when attendees reach a consensus.

Scheduling Poll Settings

When creating a poll, you may see options to:

  • Schedule when attendees reach consensus: Automatically schedule a meeting when the required participants agree on a time.
  • Hold selected times on your calendar: Place temporary holds on proposed meeting times to help prevent scheduling conflicts.
  • Notify me about poll updates: Receive notifications when attendees submit votes.
  • Require attendees to verify their identity: Help ensure that votes are associated with the intended participants.

Available settings may vary by Outlook version and organizational configuration.

Troubleshooting

I Don't See Scheduling Poll in Outlook

If the Scheduling Poll option is missing:

  1. Confirm that you are signed in to Outlook using your Cedar Crest College Microsoft 365 account.
  2. Try opening Outlook on the web.
  3. Create a new email and check the Apps or More apps menu.
  4. Confirm that you are using a supported Outlook version.
  5. If the feature is still unavailable, submit an IT Support Request.

Attendees Cannot Vote

If someone cannot access the poll:

  • Ask them to open the poll link in a current web browser.
  • Verify that the poll invitation was sent to the correct email address.
  • Check whether the poll is still open.
  • If identity verification is required, ensure they are using the intended email address.

The Meeting Was Not Automatically Scheduled

Automatic scheduling depends on the poll settings and attendee responses.

If the meeting has not been scheduled, open the poll results and manually select a meeting time.

Additional Resources

For Microsoft's latest instructions, visit Create a Scheduling Poll in Outlook.

Need Additional Assistance?

If you have trouble accessing or using Scheduling Poll, submit an IT Support Request.

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