Currently one can choose to accept or decline an appointment, or list it as
"tentative." Unfortunately, if one declines an appointment, it is removed
from the calendar. The suggestion is that one be able to optionally decline
an appointment without it being removed from the calendar.

Why would one want to decline without removing the appointment? To keep a
record of the invitation, or to remind one that one should follow up. Perhaps
the calendar is in flux and one may have to accept a meeting previously
declined, etc.

I find that many people (including me) seldom decline an appointment,
because of the side-effect of removing it. Instead, they reply with
"tentative", mentioning in the text that they will not be attending. I then
change the "show time as" value from "tentative" to "free" to help me
remember that I did that.

The problem with doing this is that the meeting organizer can't tell easily
determine the true number of people who have declined. Thus one should be
able to decline an appointment while still having control over whether it is
deleted from the calendar or not.

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http://www.microsoft.com/office/comm....calendari ng

JimH (FM) wrote:

Why would one want to decline without removing the appointment? To
keep a record of the invitation, or to remind one that one should
follow up. Perhaps the calendar is in flux and one may have to accept
a meeting previously declined, etc.

I find that many people (including me) seldom decline an appointment,
because of the side-effect of removing it. Instead, they reply with
"tentative", mentioning in the text that they will not be attending.
I then change the "show time as" value from "tentative" to "free" to
help me remember that I did that.

Why not save it to a separate calendar folder, then? You can display it
side-by-side with your normal calendar, but it won't impact your free/busy
info and it won't notify you, but you'll be able to see it.
--
Brian Tillman

"Brian Tillman" wrote:
Why not save it to a separate calendar folder, then? You can display it
side-by-side with your normal calendar, but it won't impact your free/busy
info and it won't notify you, but you'll be able to see it.

Several reasons... for example: Administrative assistants have many
calendars to look at already; this would double the number. Meetings would
not easily show up on PDA... important if the conflict clears, or your boss
sends you an urgent message that you need to go, or the conflicting meeting
ends early. Some devices have a small amount of screen real estate that would
make it hard to display two calendars. Thanks for your reply.

Why is it that in every thread I read about this very basic feature, the 'experts' all question why you can't just either 'tentatively accept' and faff around sending the meeting organiser a coded message saying 'Actually, I'm really not coming' or do some kind of jiggory pokery with other Outlook calendars, etc?

I simply want to let the meeting organiser know that I cannot attend, but keep the meeting in the calendar to remind me it's happening. e.g. I'm on annual leave for a week, but there's a team meeting that I want to remember is happening, so that someone can represent some views for me.

All it needs is an option for 'Keep declined appointments in Calendar'. Why is it so difficult for Microsoft to understand their customers' needs?

You are ABSOLUTELY correct in your observation, Andrew. There are multiple threads out there expressing the same concerns about the scripted response from Microsoft representatives. Then when someone gives the "MVPs" iron clad reasons that their solution is inferior, they go away (note they never answered you). Either that or they pull out the Best Practices statement.

I love the one about keeping a second calendar. So the organizer will still have to guess as to whether the individual is coming or not (but hey, you have this fabulous solution of multiple calendars to satisfy your every need).

I'm sure in the MVP's sterile world they just decline meetings right and left -- after all, they are too "Valuable" to be bothered with real world scenarios!