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Using SharePoint to store Outlook Free/Busy data

I had never thought of this before until a poster on one of my blogs wondered if this was possible.  Sure enough, it is!  However, this is really only of value for people who:

  • Do not have Microsoft Exchange
  • Have Exchange and also have SharePoint exposed to the Internet with anonymous authentication enabled

The latter is a highly unlikely scenario for most SPS deployments due to obvious security concerns.  Although you could create a single, top-level WSS site that is exposed this way, you may already have a public facing web or FTP server that is much more suitable for storing the Free/Busy data.  Of course, now that Microsoft has dropped their free storage mechanism for FB, you now have to store it yourself somewhere.

Anyway, the best approach to storing FB info for all of the users in your network is to create/use a WSS Site that everyone has access to, and create a dedicated Document Library with Author permissions for the required users.  Then, in Outlook go to Options -> Preferences -> Calendar Options -> Free/Busy Options and enter the full URL to the Document Library in the "Publish to my location" text box:

e.g.
http://intranet/sites/ASite/FreeBusyLibrary/yourname.vfb

And that is really all there is to it.  It works pretty much the same way as storing Free/Busy data on a web server or an FTP server.  For more info on sharing Free/Busy info, see the "Publishing free/busy information section" in my article on Office Online.

Published Wednesday, January 05, 2005 3:37 PM by legault
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Comments

# re: Using SharePoint to store Outlook Free/Busy data

This is exactly what I need...However, how do you access this information from Sharepoint when you are setting up a meeting? Thanks!
Wednesday, February 01, 2006 7:23 AM by Anonymous

# re: Using SharePoint to store Outlook Free/Busy data

Sonja: See the section "Publishing free/busy information" in my article at http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/assistance/HA011477571033.aspx.
Sunday, February 05, 2006 8:28 PM by legault

# re: Using SharePoint to store Outlook Free/Busy data

HI Eric
I did read your article thanks. However I was curious how you access the information within Sharepoint. For example I use Sharepoint to set up a meeting but need to access free/busy. There is no option in the calendar for this.

I'm also running into problems with our firewall here so this may be a moot point anyway!

Thanks
Monday, February 06, 2006 9:28 AM by Anonymous

# re: Using SharePoint to store Outlook Free/Busy data

Sonja: Yeah, you can't access the FB info from SharePoint, you need to use the Scheduling tab in an Outlook appointment item. An interesting idea for an add-in though!
Tuesday, February 07, 2006 8:28 AM by legault

# re: Using SharePoint to store Outlook Free/Busy data

I finally got the publishing to work, but have 10 people publishing to one folder. I read your article here http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/assistance/HA011477571033.aspx. but can't figure out how to set the global free/busy search path for all contacts. Are you supposed to just put ftp://%SERVER%/pub/Freebusy/%NAME%.vfb into the search box, or substitute it? I would think substitute, but what do you put instead of %NAME% when you have 10 names you want. Your instructions at least were more helpful than Microsoft's! The only thing I can find is the same thing reprinted over and over
Tuesday, February 07, 2006 8:51 PM by Anonymous

# re: Using SharePoint to store Outlook Free/Busy data

No worries, found some detailed instructions where it suggested that the name of the file has to be the same as the beginning of your email address...As well they suggested you close Outlook after setup and open again before setting up a meeting. Either or both of those combined worked for me...Now to sort my icalendar nightmares!
Wednesday, February 08, 2006 7:30 AM by Anonymous

# re: Using SharePoint to store Outlook Free/Busy data

thanks, it's exact i have been looking for !!!
Thursday, June 22, 2006 2:46 AM by Anonymous
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