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In recent months, organizations around the globe have transitioned to remote work to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. As a result, remote teams are leveraging a vast suite of collaboration tools like Slack and Zoom as part of the virtual workday. Rather than using these tools individually, it’s possible to connect some of these platforms for added functionality. A popular platform pairing involves syncing Slack with Outlook Calendar.
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Once synced, Outlook Calendar will automatically update statuses in Slack to let others know when a team member is busy or inaccessible throughout the workday. Additionally, the app will send a notification at the start of each day to provide a concise rundown of scheduled engagements. The app will also notify people before scheduled meetings and provide links to Zoom, Skype, Webex, etc., to streamline the process. Below, we’ve detailed a step-by-step-guide explaining how to sync Outlook Calendar with Slack.
How to sync Outlook Calendar and Slack
First, people will need to select Add Apps below the apps section on the left sidebar in Slack. Next, the apps page will open with a search bar at the top and suggested apps below. If Outlook Calendar appears as one of the top apps on the page, select this option. If Outlook Calendar does not automatically load under your top apps type Outlook Calendar in the search bar and press Enter.
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A page will load detailing the myriad capabilities enabled by syncing Outlook Calendar and Slack and people must next select Connect Account at the bottom. This will open a new tab where individuals will need to enable Outlook Calendar to access their Slack workspace by selecting the green Allow button at the bottom of the page.
If you have successfully synced your Outlook Calendar and Slack workspace, an Outlook Calendar option should appear below the apps section on the left sidebar on Slack. People will also receive an Outlook Calendar app Slack notification with the option to enable automatic status updates. To enable these automatic updates, select Turn On below the message, at which point, the accounts should be synced.
People may want to test the cross-platform functionality to ensure the connection has been successful. To do so, schedule an imminent meeting in Outlook Calendar. If a Slack notification is sent via the Outlook Calendar app to coincide with the scheduled meeting, the two platforms are synced.
