How to use and Configure Meeting WorkSpace in SharePoint 2010 using Outlook

The below easy 8 steps will guide you on how to use SharePoint meeting workspace in SharePoint 2010 and how to configure it using OutLook, I have used Outlook 2007 version and in Outlook 2010 it is more or less the same steps I guess,

Step 1.

Go to the SharePoint 2010 site you are having and then navigate to the Calendar

Step 2.

Navigate to the tab Calendar > Click on Connect to Outlook

Step 3.

Click Allow, and this will link your SharePoint calendar on to Outlook, Now you can see your Outlook Calendar and SharePoint Calendar Side by Side

Step 4.

Click on the SharePoint Calendar and select the appropriate Schedule date and time, right click > select New Meeting Request, this brings up the outlook "Meeting Request Mail" screen

Step 5.

Fill in to "To:" with appropriate recipients, always remember to add "YOUR OWN" name aswell,  as this will make outlook to throw a pop-up box in the end asking you if you want to synchronise this with your "Outlook" calendar. Once you fill out TO, Subject , Location , click on "Meeting Workspace" icon on top of the window  and click "Create", this will create a Meeting Workspace for you under the SharePoint site you have, and will insert a link to the new "Meeting workspace".

Step 6.

Clicking on Send will throw you couple of pop-ups

 Popup 1 > Say OK

Popup 2 > Say Yes

Step 7.

That's it, now you have setup a meeting and the below things have happened now:

1. it will create a Meeting Schedule for you in your Outlook Calendar  and on the SharePoint Calendar.

2. It will also populate all the members on to the meeting workspace from the "To" field on to the "Attendee's" list in the Meeting workspace.

3. It will also put a schedule in your SharePoint calendar where you can navigate to the Meeting workspace.

Meeting Workspace:

SharePoint Site Calendar:

It might take 2 or 3 minutes to reflect the meeting in SharePoint calendar as its done by a job service. Double clicking on the event will show you the Meeting workspace and other details (including the attachments if any) where you can navigate to the Meeting workspace.

From the Next time you schedule the Meeting, make sure you follow this step as it will help to create only one "Meeting workspace" and track all your meetings on the same workspace as oppose to create multiple workspaces.

Step 8.

Once you click the "Meeting Workspace" > Click on the "Change Setting and select the second option.

Select the Second option "Select a Workspace" > Click  "Link to an existing workspace" this should show the previous workspace you created, Select it and click on >  OK  >  Link


This will create a new meeting schedule on the Same Meeting workspace and you can track all your meeting schedules, agendas, Meeting minutes on the same Meeting Workspace and Navigate to this from your Team site Calendar.

Hope this steps helped you to configure Meeting workspace from Outlook and how you can make use of SharePoint more in your project or in your day to day activities.