FindTime Add-in

Last updated: October 11, 2022

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Overview

FindTime is an Outlook add-in for scheduling meetings. The organizer can send multiple time options through FindTime and minimize the back and forth emails in scheduling. The add-in is also a great solution for when recipients are using non-Microsoft email services.

FindTime Help and Training

UW-IT is unable to provide individual or group training on how to use FindTime. However, Microsoft provides a number of excellent online help and training resources:

UW Tips

  • The initial FindTime display of available dates and time may not be accurate if recipients are not using UW Office 365 Exchange Online.
  • Recipients not using UW Exchange Online may need to go through the manual verification process before proceeding with the poll functionality in FindTime. For more information, please see Microsoft’s How to vote on a FindTime poll and refer to the “Manual email verification” section at the bottom of the page.

Limitations

Individuals with delegate-level access are unable to manage requests on behalf of others using FindTime.

Remove FindTime

By default, FindTime is enabled for all UW Office 365 accounts. In the event there is a need to disable FindTime, the directions below provide information on how to manage add-ins within Outlook on the Web.

Note: It is important to manage add-ins using the web-based version of Outlook in order for the changes to take affect across all devices (mobile, desktop, etc.) where Outlook is used.

Accessing the Add-ins Menu

Microsoft frequently reorganizes the location of certain features, and renames them, which makes providing step-by-step directions difficult. For the time being, the Microsoft add-ins menu icon looks like a stack of blocks two tall and two wide, with a plus sign (+) in the blank upper right quadrant:

A stack of blocks two tall and two wide with a plus sign in the upper right blank quadrant.

Manage add-ins while reading an email message
  1. In Outlook on the Web, click on any email to select it for reading
  2. Within the email message, if the add-ins menu icon is not already visible in the email’s menu bar, locate the More Actions menu (the trio of floating dots) and click to select
  3. Go the bottom of the list to find the add-ins icon and click to select
    1. If the add-in icon is not immediately visible, highlight View at the bottom of this list and then the icon should appear
  4. Select Get add-ins from the sub menu which opens the Add-ins for Outlook page
  5. In the left navigation bar, select Admins-managed
  6. Locate the FindTime add-in and click the Manage Add-in trio of dots in the lower right corner of the add-in
  7. Select Remove
Manage add-ins while composing an email message
  1. In Outlook on the Web, start a new email message
  2. Within the email message, if the add-ins menu icon is not already visible in the email’s lower menu bar, locate the More Actions menu (the trio of floating dots) and click to select
  3. Go the bottom of the list to find the add-ins icon and click to select
  4. Select Get add-ins from the sub menu which opens the Add-ins for Outlook page
  5. In the left navigation bar, select Admins-managed
  6. Locate the FindTime add-in and click the Manage Add-in trio of dots in the lower right corner of the add-in
  7. Select Remove

How to Vote in a Poll for Non-Microsoft 365 Accounts

After receiving an email that includes a FindTime poll, the process of selecting date and times compatible with your schedule is done through a link that takes you to a Microsoft FindTime page.

  1. In the email that includes the FindTime Poll, the last entry labeled “When” shows the number of available meeting times options. Tap or click the “# options”.
    Note: The text is written in black and does not appear as a link but it is the interactive piece of the poll.
  2. The link will open a browser page where it will display the Organizer (sender) and Attendees. Tap or click your name/email address.
  3. If the poll requires verification, there are two options:
    1. Sign in with a work or school account
    2. Verification code
      You will use the second option, verification code.
  4. Tap or click the “Send email verification code” link below the entry box for verification; the system will pop up a box informing you a verification code has been sent.
  5. Go to your email where the FindTime poll originated to locate the “Verify your email for poll: [name of poll]” email and copy the code.
    Note: The “Vote now” button will simply return you to the same page where the verification code must be entered, it does not automatically copy/verify.
  6. Return to the FindTime verification page and paste the copied code into the verification code box and tap/click submit.
  7. On the FindTime poll page you will see a list of available dates and times that the organizer has offered. From here, set your preference for availability on whether a meeting time will work by specifying yes, no, or Prefer from the list of times and date(s).
  8. Once you’ve selected your times, tap/click the Vote button at the bottom. The poll results will be updated for the Organizer, and once all recipients have completed voting, FindTime will identify, and if set to automatically, schedule the meeting according to the consensus gathered.
  9. Lastly, a calendar invite will arrive via email. Be sure to follow your email program’s steps for adding a meeting to your calendar.