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How to schedule a meeting on Teams Essentials plan

david-cslu 106 Reputation points
2023-08-18T14:01:08.6733333+00:00

Hello

Normally when subscribed to MS365 Business Standard or similar, the Teams app will show a "Calendar" icon where the users see their MS365 calendar and can schedule a meeting with internal or external participants.

However I have a user that is only subscribed to the "Teams Essentials" plan. In their Teams app the "Calendar" icon is missing. I assume this is because a user that is only on the "Teams Essentials" plan doesn't have a MS365 calendar.

However the description of the standalone "Teams Essentials" SKU clearly states that users with this SKU can schedule meetings and use a "calendar app" in Teams.

So the question is: how?

How can they schedule meetings if the calendar doesn't show in their Teams app?

Microsoft 365 and Office | Install, redeem, activate | For business | Windows
Microsoft Teams | Microsoft Teams for business | Other
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  1. Iftikhar Ali 170 Reputation points
    2023-08-19T20:23:23.4433333+00:00

    Details > The availability of the calendar feature in Microsoft Teams can vary depending on the specific subscription plan and organization's settings. Here's how users with a "Teams Essentials" plan can schedule meetings and use the calendar app in Teams:

    Use Outlook Calendar Integration: Users with a "Teams Essentials" plan may not have a dedicated Microsoft 365 calendar. Instead, they can integrate their Outlook calendar with Microsoft Teams. Here's how:

    • Open Microsoft Teams.
    • Click on your profile picture in the upper-right corner.
    • Select "Settings."
    • Under "General," make sure "Turn on new meetings experience" is enabled.
    • Now, when scheduling a new meeting in Teams, it will create an event on the user's Outlook calendar.

    Access Calendar via the Web: Users can also access their calendar through the Outlook web app (Outlook on the web) by visiting outlook.com or the organization's custom webmail URL. This allows them to schedule meetings and manage their calendar even if they don't have a dedicated Microsoft 365 subscription.

    Consider Upgrade: If scheduling meetings and managing calendars within Teams is a critical requirement for the user, you might consider upgrading their subscription to a plan that includes full Microsoft 365 capabilities, such as Business Standard. This will provide them with a dedicated calendar and more comprehensive productivity tools.

    It's essential to note that Microsoft's subscription plans and features can change over time, so it's a good practice to review the specific features and limitations associated with each plan on the official Microsoft 365 website or consult with your Microsoft 365 administrator for the most up-to-date information regarding your organization's licensing and settings.

    If the answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and kindly upvote it. If you have extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment".

    1 person found this answer helpful.

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  1. Iftikhar Ali 170 Reputation points
    2023-08-19T20:21:54.81+00:00

    Users on the "Teams Essentials" plan can book meetings in Teams by linking their Outlook calendar. They may not see the dedicated "Calendar" icon, but they may access their calendar using the Outlook online app or consider upgrading to a plan with full Microsoft 365 capabilities for a dedicated calendar.

    If the answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and kindly upvote it. If you have extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment".

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  3. Schneider, Tobias 2,100 Reputation points
    2023-08-22T14:13:44.36+00:00

    Do you use the free program version of Microsoft Teams? Then this is the reason why the calendar function is missing for you. This is because the classic Teams calendar, which appears as a tab on the left side of the menu bar, is a one-to-one copy of your personal Outlook calendar - the central calendar function within the Microsoft/Office 365 ecosystem. This individual calendar is also displayed to you in Teams, so you don't have to constantly switch back and forth between applications and duplicate appointments when scheduling Teams meetings. And for this very reason, the two "calendar locations" must also be able to synchronize with each other.

    • The technological basis for the calendar data to be exchanged/synchronized between Outlook and Teams at all is "Microsoft Exchange Online Server".
    • Exchange Online, however, is only available as a fixed component of a Microsoft 365/Office 365 subscription - just as the Outlook email client is a fixed component of the Office packages.
    • The free Microsoft Teams (free), on the other hand, is a stripped-down standalone version that runs without Microsoft/Office 365. That's nice. But then, of course, it can't access the other Office 365 tools for which a fee is charged, and has to do without these components!
    • Accordingly, not all functions of the paid full version can be included in the free Teams free version - the calendar and Exchange Online are just two examples of several that are missing.

    If this is helpful, please accept the answer. Thank you.

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