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Outlook Email and Calendar Tips and Common Questions

This article is for FHDA faculty and staff using Office 365 Outlook in the browser. It covers the everyday questions ETS hears most: missing email, calendar behavior, sharing, and where familiar options moved.

Finding your way around

  • Search: use the search bar at the top of the Outlook window, along with Filter above your message list.
  • Print, Create rule, and other options: click the three dots at the top right of the window, or the three dots inside the message you're reading.
  • Directory and contacts: click the People icon at the bottom left of the window. The directory opens in a new browser tab with a search bar at the top.
  • Task list: the check-mark icon at the bottom left, next to the People icon, opens your task list in a new tab.
  • Calendar: the calendar icon at the bottom left opens your calendar in a new browser tab, which makes it easy to flip between an email and the event you're creating from it.

Sending options: importance and receipts

  1. In a new message, click the three dots at the top of the compose window.
  2. Hover over Set importance to choose High, Normal, or Low.
  3. Or click Show message options… to request a read receipt or delivery receipt, then click OK.

Calendar how-tos

Delete versus cancel a meeting

Right-clicking and deleting a meeting only removes it from your calendar. You must Cancel the meeting to send a cancellation notice to the invitees.

Create an all-day "banner"

  1. Click New event in the upper left of the calendar.
  2. Turn on All day.

Create an event that spans more than one day

  1. In the event window, click the down arrow under the end-time field and select Custom.
  2. Click the second date and time and change them to the event's actual end.

Add an .ics or .vcs event to your calendar

  1. Save the .ics or .vcs file to your local drive or OneDrive.
  2. In your calendar, select Import calendar on the left.
  3. Click From file, then Browse, and locate the saved file.
  4. Click Import. The event appears in your calendar.

Share your calendar

  1. Click the Settings wheel, then View all Outlook settings at the bottom.
  2. Click Calendar, then Shared calendars.
  3. Under Share a calendar, select Calendar.
  4. Review the people already listed and adjust their access with the dropdown arrows — existing share settings carry over, so it's worth checking who still has access.
  5. To add a co-worker, start typing their name in the search box, select them, choose their access level, and click Share. Use the trashcan icon to remove someone.
  6. Check the access level set for People in my organization — that's what all employees see.

Common questions

Email is missing — where did it go?

Check the Focused Inbox setting, which is on by default and splits your mail into Focused and Other tabs. Click the Settings wheel and choose whether Outlook should sort messages or show everything in one inbox (Don't sort my messages).

I emailed my distribution list and got bounced messages.

District distribution lists are maintained in the cloud system, but campus-managed lists can have issues. Contact your college marketing and communications department about campus lists.

I don't see the meeting rooms I manage reservations for.

Meeting room accounts may need to be re-added to your account. Follow the calendar sharing steps above to add them back.

How much storage do I have?

50 GB. As you approach the limit you may be unable to send mail — use OneDrive links instead of attachments to save space.

Is the connection encrypted?

Yes, the connection to Office 365 Outlook is encrypted, and Proofpoint spam and virus filtering remains active on all district email.

Get help

Submit a ticket at helpdesk.fhda.edu or call the ETS Call Center at (408) 864-8324 (x8324). Leave a callback number — most issues can be resolved over the phone.