From Group Calendar (Public Folders) to private calendars. (Outlook user calendars)

Concept
Without additional configuration the default setting is that group calendars sync. in one direction, from user calendar to group calendar.
There may however be a need for the ability to create, change or delete items in the group calendar and have those items replicate
back to the personal calendar of a user. To accommodate for this there is a button in step #1 of gcadmin.exe to toggle "2-way sync" for
every individual group calendar.

Exchange GroupCalendar supports two methods for creating items that sync. into the personal calendar of a group calendar user.
(without the need to be added to that user calendar as a delegate)

1- Directly in Outlook or Outlook Web Access, in the GroupCalendar, without the use of extra software on the pc.
2- Using the GridView tool which needs installation on the pc.

This page provides user instructions for the Outlook method. The GridView Tool is self explanatory.
The Administrator instruction apply to both the Outlook method as well as the Grid View tool method.

Administrator instructions  (click here for User instructions)

1: The GroupCalendar where any or all of the users should be allowed to create or change items for other users must be two way sync enabled.
The toggle button for that is in gcadmin.exe (step 1) on the server, and you must log in as the gcadmin user to operate it.

2: The default user permission for GroupCalendars is the Author role.
With that level of permissions, all users can create new items in a GroupCalendar.
When they use the correct syntax, they can create items for all other members of that Group Calendar.
The default Author role is not sufficient to enable users to change items in the GroupCalendar.

The suggested setting for client permissions is: - Default : Reviewer role - Trustees:  Either the Owner role or Custom role (picture)
To change the permissions on a public folder: Open Exchange System Manager, go to Folders> Public Folders> GroupCalendars> GC Name and right click it. Click the Client Permissions button and adjust the settings. For Exchange 2007 this interface is no longer available on the server.The command shell can be used for setting permissions or alternatively start Outlook as the gcadmin user.	Picture 2

User Instructions

Note: the following instructions use only Outlook as an interface but for some users the grid view tool is a better solution.

1- To create a single item for one other user in the group calendar (and have it replicate back to that user's personal calendar)

- Find an existing item in the groupcalendar to learn what the name is for that user. The names are displayed in the subject of every item.
- Create a new item in the group calendar and type in the subject # followed by  the name followed again by #.
- Then type the subject and set all other properties (text, color etc.)  Example :   #john# This is a test
- Save & close the item

note: When you create the item in the public calendar for another user and it should not fire a reminder for the user then you should set the reminder in the item to 0 minutes.

2- To create a single item for multiple users (and have it replicate back to those users personal calendars)

- Open a new item and type in the subject # followed by the name followed by | followed by the other name followed again by #.
- Then type the subject and set all other properties (text, color etc.)  Example :   #john|Alice|Jack|james# This is a test
- Save & close the item

note: When you create the item in the public calendar for another user and it should not fire a reminder for the user then you should set the reminder in the item to 0 minutes.

3- To create a single item (event) for all users who are a member of a specific GroupCalendar (and have it replicate back to that user's personal calendar)

- Open a new item and type in the subject # followed by  *  followed again by #.
- Then type the subject and set all other properties (text, color etc.)  Example :   #*# This is a test
- In the groupcalendar it shows only one item with [*] subject.

When one of the groupcalendar members changes the item in the personal calendar, the group item does not change along however it shows [*] ~!!!~ subject to indicate that one of the members is out of sync..
It logs the change in the body text of the group item body
The administrative person can reschedule/change the Event item in the group calendar and it will move/resync. in all user calendars.
The subject will reset back to [*] subject because now all group items are in sync again.

- The event can be deleted from all user calendars and their groupcalendar by adding the special character string #X# to the subject of the item in the groupcalendar.

note: When you create the item in the public calendar for another user and it should not fire a reminder for the user then you should set the reminder in the item to 0 minutes.

4- To change an item for a user who's item is showing in the GroupCalendar (and have the change replicate back to that user's personal calendar item)

- Open / change / save the item in the GroupCalendar.(*)

 (*) If you get an Outlook error message or question if you want to save it in the default folder of the item, you need more permission on the public folder

5- To create a Meeting for multiple attendees without them having to accept the meeting. (and have the meeting replicate back to the attendees personal calendars)

- Create a new normal item in the GroupCalendar.
- Type the meeting attendees in the subject. Example  #Jack|James|John# Sales meeting
- On the planning tab add the attendees to the list ( Jack, James & John )
- Close the item using the X in the upper right corner
- Click YES on the question if you want to save the item
- Click NO on the question if you want to send the item to the attendees (*)

(*) Click NO or the attendees will get a duplicate meeting.

6- To change a Meeting item that is showing in the GroupCalendar. (and have the change replicate back to the attendees personal calendar items)

- Open / change / save the item in the GroupCalendar. (*)

(*) DO NOT USE THE SEND UPDATE BUTTON..
When a scheduled meeting is changed in the GroupCalendar, the item will update automatically in the organizers personal calendar and the other users (attendees) will automatically receive an update notice which seems to come from the organizer.

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