Inconsistent Calendar Info -- Design problem? Any Fixes?
 

We are using Outlook 2003 on Exchange 2003 SP2 for both.

Viewing folder & free/busy info not consistent in calendar view vs.
Scheduling view.

If you set the permission for the Default user to Folder Visible
(Share My Calendar Calemdar Properties Permissions Check Folder
Visisble for Default name)
Then other people will just see a blank calendar if they try to open your
calendar to view. This is a very odd behavior because if, with the same
setting and nothing more, others try to schedule a meeting with you in a
meeting composition/planning screen, they could see your free/busy time
blocks. Of course they cannot see the contents since the permission for that
(read items) is not checked.
We know that in order for others to see your entries when they open your
calendar view, you need to also check "read items" in the permissions area.
The inconsistency is a problem.

Expected behaviors:
Outlook should at least display things consistently. Meaning when I try to
open someone's calendar whose permission for the Default user is "Folder
Visible," I should at leat see the time blocks, similar to the calendar
scheduling view. For now, it lets me see the time blocks only if I try or
pretend that I am scheduling a meeting with that person (or pull that name up
in a group view).
A cosistent design is: view free/busy time in scheduling, and view the same
free/busy time in calendar page.
Our many vocal top level exec admins are giving the product a round of bad
rumors, and that it is not up to heavy duty use.

--
ToÃ*n Pham
University of Maryland University College
www.umuc.edu