Microsoft Outlook allows you to reserve meeting rooms and other shared resources, such as Board of Education (BOE) vehicles, while creating a meeting or appointment. This ensures the resource is available and prevents double bookings.
Before You Begin
Before booking a room:
- Verify you have permission to reserve the room.
- Have your meeting date, time, and attendees ready.
- If your meeting does not require attendees, you may create a New Appointment instead of a New Meeting.
Tip
Use New Meeting whenever possible so all attendees receive the meeting invitation and room information automatically.
Create a Meeting or Appointment
- Open Microsoft Outlook.
- Navigate to Calendar.
- Select one of the following:
- New Meeting to invite attendees.
- New Appointment if no attendees are required.
Enter Meeting Details
Complete the meeting information, including:
- Meeting title
- Required attendees (if applicable)
- Meeting date
- Start time
- End time
- Meeting description or agenda
Add a Room
You can add a room in one of two ways.
Option 1: Type the Room Name
- Select the Location field.
- Begin typing the room name.
- Select the room from the list of suggestions.
Official Outlook Rooms display a blue room icon next to their name.
Option 2: Use Room Finder
If you are unsure which room to reserve, use Room Finder.
- In a New Meeting, select Room Finder.
- In a New Appointment, select the Location field, type any letter, then select Browse with Room Finder from the bottom of the suggested locations list.
For detailed instructions, see Microsoft Outlook - Find a Room Using Room Finder.
Verify the Room
Once selected:
- The room name will appear in the Location field.
- The room will also be added as a required attendee.
You may add multiple rooms if your event requires more than one location.
Send the Meeting Request
After reviewing the meeting information:
- Select Send.
The room reservation request is automatically submitted.
What Happens Next?
After you send the invitation, Outlook processes the room request.
Depending on how the room is configured, you may receive one of several automated email responses:
- Accepted – The room has been successfully reserved.
- Declined – The room is unavailable or there is a scheduling conflict.
- Pending Approval – A room delegate must approve your request.
- Permission Denied – You are not authorized to reserve the room.
For additional information, see Microsoft Outlook - Understanding Room Booking Responses.
Cancel or Update a Room Reservation
If your meeting changes:
- Edit the meeting to change the room, date, or time.
- Remove the room from the meeting if it is no longer needed.
- Delete the meeting to cancel the reservation entirely.
Outlook will automatically update or cancel the room reservation when appropriate.
Important
If your room request was denied, Outlook does not automatically remove the room from your meeting invitation. You must manually remove the room or select a different location before sending an updated invitation.
Tips
- Reserve meeting rooms as early as possible, especially for large meetings or popular locations.
- Include all meeting attendees whenever possible so everyone receives the correct room information.
- If a room is unavailable, use Room Finder to locate an alternate room or adjust the meeting time.
- If you receive a Permission Denied message, contact one of the room's delegates to request a reservation.
Summary
Microsoft Outlook makes it easy to reserve meeting rooms while scheduling meetings and appointments. Simply create your meeting, add a room, send the invitation, and Outlook will process the reservation based on the room's availability and booking rules.
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