Outlook showing wrong time for calendar event links opened on mobile

Andy Hall 1

Hi,

We are providing add to calendar links for Office 365 and Outlook using the prescribed format. It works in desktop browsers where the user logs into their outlook web application account, but when the same link is used on iphone or Android phone the actual time of the event isn't parsed and the calendar defaults to suggesting 30 mins as of the next hour.

https://outlook.office.com/calendar/0/deeplink/compose?allday=false&body=Description%20blob&enddt=2022-11-19T05%3A45%3A00%2B00%3A00&path=%2Fcalendar%2Faction%2Fcompose&rru=addevent&startdt=2022-11-19T04%3A15%3A00%2B00%3A00&subject=Testing%20Office%20365%20links%20onMobile

So if I click the above link at 15:50 on any day before the 19/11/22 the Outlook calendar event will go to 19/11/2022 - 16:00 for 30mins. It ignores the 4:15 - 5:45 time and suggests 30mins from the next full hour. This part of the code isn't being respected. T04%3A15%3A00%2B00%3A00 > T04:15:00+00:00.

Is there a way to code the start and end time ( &startdt= ) in a way that workds within the mobile apps?

Note that the tag options below are extremely limited. I've been forced to select a tag that doesn't apply. What's that all about. You can do better!

ChristyZhang-MSFT 20,801 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor

2022-11-16T05:44:03.667+00:00

Hi @Andy Hall ,

Welcome to our forum!

In order to further confirm the issue, please provide more information about your case:

but when the same link is used on iphone or Android phone the actual time of the event isn't parsed and the calendar defaults to suggesting 30 mins as of the next hour.

How did you get the link and how did you use the link?

What about creating a meeting in calendar manually with iphone or Android phone?
Andy Hall 1 Reputation point

2022-11-18T12:44:34.863+00:00

Hi Christy

The link was generated in the parcel.io tool https://parcel.io/tools/calendar

Here's a sample link.
https://outlook.office.com/calendar/0/deeplink/compose?body=Test%20meeting%20invite%20created%20for%20UTC%2B7%0AThis%20link%20is%20to%20be%20tested%20on%20mobile%20to%20check%20that%20the%20UTC%2B7%20time%20populates%20the%20online%20calendar%20in%20Outlook%20web%20app.%20&enddt=2022-12-23T07%3A00%3A00%2B00%3A00&location=Bangkok&path=%2Fcalendar%2Faction%2Fcompose&rru=addevent&startdt=2022-12-23T06%3A00%3A00%2B00%3A00&subject=Testing%20add%20to%20calandar%20url%20for%20Outlook%20web%20app%20on%20mobile

The timezone is coded as
startdt=2022-12-23T06%3A00%3A00%2B00%3A00 which is 06:00:00 + 00:00 This should be interpreted as UTC 00:00 by the calandar
&enddt=2022-12-23T07%3A00%3A00%2B00%3A00 which is 07:00:00 + 00:00 This should be interpreted as UTC 00:00 by the calandar

On desktop the Outlook Web Application and the Desktop application parse the start and end time as UTC + 00:00. GOOD
On mobile, the Outlook Web Application for Office and Live gets the right day, but is unaware of the start/end time and places a default 30min meeting on the next hour based on current location.

This issue was previously reported here, with no resolution. https://github.com/InteractionDesignFoundation/add-event-to-calendar-docs/issues/21

The aim is to avoid having to create different links for mobile.
ChristyZhang-MSFT 20,801 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor

2022-11-22T08:26:14.513+00:00

Hi @Andy Hall ,

Thanks for your reply!

Looks like the issue is more related to Outlook for mobile. Please kindly understand that the Outlook tag here we mainly focus on general issues about Outlook desktop client. In order to better solve your problem, it's suggested to post your issue on this dedicated forum for Outlook for Mobile for more professional help.

Thanks for your understanding and hope your issue would be resolved soon.