Editing a Shared Calendar

Question

I have shared my calendar with my assistant. She enters appointments, but sometimes I need to change appointment details after she has entered them. I am unable to do so, even though it's my own calendar. How can we correct this?

Answer 1

In Outlook on the web, this behavior usually occurs when the assistant has created the appointments directly in a shared or delegated calendar where the organizer/owner does not have sufficient rights to edit those specific items from the client being used.

For Outlook.com–backed shared calendars, there are known limitations and issues with editing shared calendars from some Outlook clients. In particular, some Outlook for Windows builds and Outlook.com shared calendars have had problems where users receive permission errors or cannot edit items, even on calendars they own or that are shared with them.

To correct this in a business/Outlook on the web scenario, use one of these supported paths to edit the appointments:

1. Edit the calendar directly in Outlook on the web
   • Sign in to Outlook on the web with the account that owns the calendar.
   • Open the calendar view and select the appointment.
   • Edit the details (time, subject, attendees, etc.) and save.
2. If using Outlook for Windows and seeing permission errors
   • Make sure the desktop Outlook is fully updated, because earlier builds (for example, Outlook 2016 Current Channel version 16.0.8326.2062) had a bug where users could not edit shared calendars and received errors about not having permission. This was fixed in build 16.0.8431.2079 and later.
   • In Outlook for Windows, go to File > Office Account > Update Options > Update Now to install the latest updates.
3. If the calendar is an Outlook.com calendar shared into Outlook
   • There are known limitations where shared Outlook.com calendars cannot be edited from Outlook for Windows, even if the account has been reconnected.
   • In that case, edit the shared calendar using one of the supported methods:
     • Go to the Outlook.com calendar in a browser and edit the event there.
     • Use Calendar for Windows 10.
     • Use a supported mobile app where the Outlook.com account is added.

If the assistant is entering appointments from a client that has these shared-calendar limitations (for example, certain Outlook for Windows builds with Outlook.com–based calendars), ensure that both the owner and the assistant use Outlook on the web or another supported client when creating and editing appointments on the shared calendar.

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References:

• Known issues with shared calendars in Outlook
• Fixes or workarounds for recent issues on Outlook.com
• Outlook.com shared calendar is no longer editable or syncing after migration
• Customers on Current Channel version 16.0.8326.2062 are not able to edit shared calendars

Answer 2

Hello Jeanette Roberts,

 

I have reviewed your messages in Private Message. Thank you for providing the information along with the screenshot. I truly appreciate your time and effort in sharing these details, as they are very helpful in understanding the situation more clearly.

 

Based on the screenshot you provided, I can see that the organizer of the meeting is listed as MK (Full name has been shortened for privacy and security purposes). From your description, I understand that they may be your assistant. If that is correct, the behavior you are experiencing is expected. The event was created on their calendar, and you were added as an attendee. As a result, the meeting appears on your calendar; however, this does not indicate that the event was created on your calendar. Instead, it remains owned and managed within the assistant's calendar.

 

To ensure that your assistant can create and manage events directly on your calendar (with you as the organizer) and you can edit it, it is important that your calendar is properly shared with them, with the appropriate permissions.

 

You may first try re-sharing your calendar by following the steps below:

 

Navigate to the calendar you would like to share > Click the three dots (More options) icon next to the calendar > Select Sharing and permissions

In the pop-up window, enter your assistant’s email address > Select the assistant's email from the list 

Set the permission level to Can edit > Click Share to apply the changes

 

This will grant your assistant the necessary permissions to access and manage your calendar.

 

On your assistant’s side, when creating a new meeting that should be hosted by you and stored on your calendar, it is important that they selects your shared calendar before sending the invitation.

 

They can follow these steps:

Click New event and choose Event

In the upper-right corner of the event creation window, select your shared calendar (instead of their own)

Enter the meeting details as required (title, time, location, etc.)

Add all necessary attendees
Click Send to finalize the event

 

Once these steps are completed, the meeting will be created directly on your calendar, and you will be recognized as the organizer. You will also be able to edit and manage the event as needed.

 

I hope this information is helpful. Since I do not have access to your device environment, there may be cases where my recommended solutions do not fully resolve the issue or other problems appear. If that happens, please update me right away with any new details or results in the Comment. I will do my best to support you and help find a solution as quickly as possible.

 

Thank you again for reaching out. I greatly appreciate your patience and understanding.

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Answer 3

In answer to your questions:

1. Only occurs for events created by my assistant.
2. I don't remember how I shared it with her. And I can't tell what version of Outlook I'm using, e.g. Outlook desktop app, Outlook on the web.
3. How do I find out the type of account and subscription?
4. I don't know if I'm sharing the calendar betwen two personal accounts.
5. When I shared my calendar I chose my assistant's name and "can edit"
6. I can try to send you a screenshot tomorrow. I have the same problem with every event my assistant creates.

Answer 4

Hi Jeanette Roberts,

Thank you for providing the additional details.

Based on your description, it appears that you have shared your calendar with your assistant and granted them Editor permissions. Your assistant is able to create events in your calendar, but you are unable to edit those events afterward.

I tested this scenario using two work or school accounts; however, I was unable to reproduce the issue on my side. Below is the result of my test:

Here is the result:

To help me better understand the situation and proceed with a more accurate investigation, could you please provide the following information?

• Does the issue occur with all events, or only with certain ones (for example, only events created by your assistant)?
• How did you share your calendar with your assistant (e.g., Outlook desktop app, Outlook on the web, or another method)?
• What type of account are you using, and which subscription is associated with it?
• Are you sharing the calendar between two personal accounts (e.g., @outlook.com, @gmail.com, etc.) or between two business accounts?
• Could you provide more details about the sharing configuration, such as the permissions set and any specific options selected?
• If possible, please share a screenshot of an affected event, including its event settings and how the issue appears on your side. Kindly ensure any personal or sensitive information is blurred or removed.

These details will help ensure that I can provide the most accurate guidance and determine the appropriate next steps.

Thank you in advance for your time and cooperation.
I look forward to your response.

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