How do I create a shared calendar that doesn't show appointments/invitations were created by one user?

Question

I am trying to create a shared calendar for work that allows team members to add appointments/meetings and to be able to invite other people to these events. I created a new calendar, and shared it with people with the "can edit" permissions. When other users edit the calendar and invite people to the appointment, it shows up with my name (I assume because I was the one who created the calendar). I also receive notification any time someone sends an invite/accepts the invite. Is there a way to resolve this where I am not the main user and/or admin? And so no name shows on the appointment?

Answer 1

To create a shared calendar in Outlook that does not show appointments or invitations as created by a specific user, you can consider the following steps:

1. Create a Shared Mailbox: Instead of creating a calendar under your personal account, create a shared mailbox. This way, the calendar will be associated with the shared mailbox rather than an individual user. All appointments created in this calendar will show as being created by the shared mailbox.
   • To create a shared mailbox, go to the Microsoft 365 Admin Center, select Admin > Users & Groups > Shared Mailboxes, and then select Add.
2. Set Permissions: Once the shared mailbox is created, add team members to the shared mailbox with appropriate permissions. They will then be able to access and edit the shared calendar without it being tied to your individual account.
3. Access the Shared Calendar: Team members can access the shared calendar from their Outlook by adding the shared mailbox to their account. This way, any events they create will show as being created by the shared mailbox, not by an individual user.
4. Notification Settings: To avoid receiving notifications for events created by others, you may need to adjust your notification settings in Outlook. This can typically be done in the settings menu under calendar options.

By using a shared mailbox, you can effectively manage a calendar that does not attribute events to a specific user, thus maintaining a more neutral appearance for all team members involved.

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References:

• Install and set up Appointment Booking template
• Sharing calendar and contacts in Microsoft 365

Answer 2

Hi @Laurel Tesar,

Thank you for posting your question to Microsoft Q&A Forum.

I'd love to clarify some key takeaways to know about creating a shared calendar in Outlook and why the behavior you’re seeing occurs,

When you create a calendar in Outlook, you are its owner. Even if you grant Can edit permissions, the calendar still belongs to your mailbox. This means:

• Any meeting invitations sent from that calendar use your account as the organizer.
• Responses and notifications are routed to you because Outlook assumes you’re responsible for that calendar. 

Unfortunately, there’s no setting to make a shared calendar “anonymous” or remove the owner’s name entirely. This is by design in Exchange/Outlook.

You can try some workarounds to reduce or change this behavior

1. Use Delegate Access Instead of just “Can edit,” assign Delegate permissions. Delegates can schedule and respond to meetings on your behalf, and you can control whether notifications go only to them or to both of you:
   • Go to Calendar > Share Calendar > Sharing and permissions.
   • Add the person and select Delegate.
   • Under Send invitations and responses to, choose Delegate only so you don’t get copies. 

You can use this article for guidance: Share and access a calendar with edit or delegate permissions in Outlook - Microsoft Support

1. Shared Mailbox with Calendar If you want invites to come from a neutral address (not your name), ask your IT admin to create a shared mailbox with its own calendar. Everyone added to that mailbox can send invites as the shared address. This is the only way to avoid showing your name as organizer. For reference, please read: About shared mailboxes, shared folders, and shared calendars in Outlook - Microsoft Support
2. Notification Settings In Outlook on the web or new Outlook, you can turn off email notifications for updates on shared calendars:
   • View > View settings > Calendar > Shared calendars > Calendar updates.
     • Uncheck the shared calendar to stop update emails. 

For more information, please give this document a read: Receive notifications from a shared calendar in Outlook - Microsoft Support

However, you've proposed a great idea to enhance Outlook usability. We're continuously enhancing Outlook based on user feedback, and your input plays a valuable role in shaping future updates. If this feature is important to your workflow, I highly recommend submitting a suggestion directly from Outlook by navigating to: Outlook · Community. This is the most effective way to ensure your voice reaches the product team and can be considered for future improvements.  

Once you've submitted your feedback, feel free to share the link here in the comments. I’ll be happy to upvote it to help bring more visibility.  

Additionally, since many other users have expressed similar concerns but may not know where to submit feedback, if my response has helped you better understand the situation and guided you toward a possible next step, please mark it as the “Accepted Answer.” Your action will help pin this post to the top, making it easier for others in the community who are experiencing the same issue to find your feedback and support it.  

Thank you again for your time and for raising this important usability concern. 

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