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Any way to have events in iCloud calendars to block out time in an Exchange calendar?

dmfresco

dmfresco

macrumors regular
Original poster
Sep 8, 2002
225
51
Ann Arbor
My Admin uses Outlook/Exchange for calendaring. I keep most of my own calendars and appointments in iCloud and a few Google calendars. Usually, I manually make a duplicate event and copy it to my Exchange calendar so no one tries to schedule a meeting for me at a time that might be blocked but not seen by my Admin.

Is there a way that will let me use iCloud/iCal calendars, but automatically mirror or duplicate the event or block the time in my Exchange calendar?
 
Not sure of the answer. But, I do wonder if there is a 'Shortcut' that could be used to create an item for you, when you create an item in X calendar...
 
That's an interesting idea. I really have not found Siri Shortcuts all that intuitive. I should probably give it another try.
 
I have never been able to figure out a way to do this. But I’m replying here so I’ll get updates if someone happens to post a solution.
 
dmfresco said:
My Admin uses Outlook/Exchange for calendaring. I keep most of my own calendars and appointments in iCloud and a few Google calendars. Usually, I manually make a duplicate event and copy it to my Exchange calendar so no one tries to schedule a meeting for me at a time that might be blocked but not seen by my Admin.

Is there a way that will let me use iCloud/iCal calendars, but automatically mirror or duplicate the event or block the time in my Exchange calendar?
Click to expand...
I was thinking about this some more last night. What about adding your work email as an attendee to the iCloud meeting that you create. That would send a calendar invite to your work account. I think unaccepted invites appear as potentially busy on an exchange account (although that might be a setting that you can change).
 
mk313 said:
I was thinking about this some more last night. What about adding your work email as an attendee to the iCloud meeting that you create. That would send a calendar invite to your work account. I think unaccepted invites appear as potentially busy on an exchange account (although that might be a setting that you can change).
Click to expand...
Great idea but I just tested and it wouldn't work across email/calendaring systems.
 
nicho said:
Great idea but I just tested and it wouldn't work across email/calendaring systems.
Click to expand...
I just tried it too and it did not work. It seems like a great idea. Interestingly, I was testing some Zoom invites with my wife whose job is on Exchange, and I think inviting her from iCal worked‽‽‽
 
P.S. I did get the invitation that I was able to accept. But it did not create the event in my Exchange. I even checked in OWA and Outlook.
 
dmfresco said:
I just tried it too and it did not work. It seems like a great idea. Interestingly, I was testing some Zoom invites with my wife whose job is on Exchange, and I think inviting her from iCal worked‽‽‽
Click to expand...

Perhaps her zoom account is set up to monitor her calendars? Mine is.

I also got an invitation which could be accepted, but the information on the icloud server didn't sync to my work exchange server and create an event... which is kind of to be expected really.
 
Weird. When I do that, it sends the meeting invite to my work account, which then puts a tentative appt on my work calendar. It shows up in my work calendar, although it did take a few minutes to show up. Not sure what settings are like that caused that to happen. I don’t remember changing anything from my company’s default.
 
I did some more digging on my work email account & according to a quick google search, having the option ‘Automatically process meeting requests and responses to meeting requests and polls’ checked puts meeting invites received via email onto your calendar with a tentative setting. I do have that option selected. The emails still show up in my inbox & I can select accept, decline or tentative, but it looks like all that does is place the space holder in your calendar.

I’m not 100% sure that is the difference, but you might want to look into that, as it works fine for me & that is the only setting I can see that looks like it might be applicable.
 
I found that setting in the Windows app. The setting does show up everywhere though (Windows, Iphone & web)
 
Can you please tell me where exactly these settings are in Outlook 2016? I have a Windows computer that I never use but can check. Thanks.
 
I have figured out how to make it work!

1. Invite my med school email address from iCal.
2. Receive the email in in Web OWA.
3. Add the event to my calendar in OWA.
4. No need to open the Mac or Windows Outlook client.

This approach works great for me!
 
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