Set Up Appointment Blocks in Microsoft Bookings

Microsoft Bookings allows faculty to set up custom blocks of time for student appointments. This article shows how to create a service, customize availability, and share a booking link.

Quick Links: | Prerequisites | Instructions | Troubleshooting | Next Steps |

Microsoft Bookings lets faculty create appointment blocks for student signups, such as office hours, advising sessions, or one-on-one meetings. By customizing your availability in Bookings, you can offer flexible times that students can book directly through a shared link. This guide shows you how to set up a Booking calendar and define blocks of time when students can sign up.

Prerequisites

• An active Chico State account
• Access to Microsoft Bookings via Office 365: Microsoft Bookings Sign-In
• A web browser
• Basic familiarity with your schedule and desired meeting durations

Step-by-Step Instructions

To create a Booking calendar and define available time blocks for students, do the following:

1. Go to Microsoft Bookings and sign in using your Chico State credentials.
2. If this is your first time using Bookings, select Get it now to create your first calendar. Enter a name (e.g., "Dr. Smith - Office Hours") and select your department or relevant business type.
3. From the left-hand menu, select Services.
4. Select + Add a service to create a new appointment type (e.g., "Office Hours" or "Advising Appointment").
   To customize your available time blocks within the service:
5. In the Service name field, enter a name your students will recognize (e.g., "Office Hours").
6. Set the Default duration (e.g., 15 or 30 minutes).
7. Scroll down to the Availability options section.
8. Choose Custom hours to define the specific days and times students can book this service.
9. For each day, select the time range you want students to be able to sign up (e.g., Mondays from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM).
10. To add multiple time blocks on the same day, select + Add time and define an additional time range.
11. When finished, select Save.

You’ll return to the Services page, where your appointment type is now listed.

12. From the left-hand menu, select Booking page.
13. Under Booking page access control, adjust any settings as needed (e.g., requiring Microsoft 365 account sign-in).
14. At the top of this page, copy your Booking page link.

You can now share this link with your students via email, Canvas, or your syllabus.

Troubleshooting

• If students report that no time slots are available, double-check that:
  • You’ve added availability under Custom hours
  • The Service is marked as Available
  • You’ve published your Booking page
• If your calendar isn’t showing available times, ensure your personal Outlook calendar isn’t blocking those times (Bookings respects your busy/free status).

For more help, see the full Chico State Microsoft Bookings User Guide.

 

Next Steps (Optional)