Overview
With some team members working varied or flexible schedules in multiple locations — on campus or remote — it is becoming essential to share work status or location with teammates.
Here are some tools and practices that can help.
Outlook Signature
Create or update your email signature to include your schedule's hours and locations. For example, you may alternate buildings based on the days of the week, or perhaps you are working remotely at times. You can also help others contact you by providing a good phone number at which to reach you.
Note: Be sure to follow the SLE Style Guide when formatting your signature, and consider including your pronouns.
Check out this source of information and instructions for creating signatures.
Outlook Calendar
Set your standard working hours in your Outlook calendar. All other times will appear grayed out when someone looks at your calendar.
In Outlook, navigate to File > Options > Calendar, then configure your schedule.
If you work remotely, consider adding a recurring appointment to your calendar and select a "show as" status for the appointment as "Working Elsewhere." In Outlook's Scheduling Assistant, time ranges with this appointment will still display your schedule as available to invite to meetings.
- In Outlook, select the Calendar module, then New Appointment
- Optionally, select Recurrence and configure start and end times, days of the week, and times that you are working in an alternate location.
- Select Ok.
- In the Show As setting, select Working Elsewhere, then save your appointment.
Set your calendar permissions to allow everyone in the MSU organization to view your titles and the locations of your appointments or meetings. This will allow others to propose meetings and discern when you are available in-person or virtually. Don't forget to mark confidential appointments as private.
- In Outlook, select the Calendar module.
- In the left, My Calendar menu, find and right-click the listing for Calendar - YourNetID@msu.edu.
- Select Sharing Permissions.
- Under the name field, make sure My Organization is selected and highlighted blue.
- For permissions, select the button for Can view titles and locations.
- Click Ok.
Microsoft Teams Status
Set your status in Teams to show a brief description of your schedule. Be sure to check the box to show your status in channels or when someone messages you.
- Open the Microsoft Teams desktop application.
- In the upper-right, select your profile icon (your picture or initials).
- Select Edit status message.
- Type your schedule information, including the days and times of the week and corresponding locations.
- Check the box for Show when people message me.
- Set the drop-down option for Clear status message after (time increment). To leave it showing indefinitely, select Never.
- Select Done.
