Automatically add buffer time between meetings by using the built-in Outlook features to end appointments early. Use this time to refill coffee, check email, take a quick walk or whatever you need to do between meetings.

Outlook for Windows

1. Open the Outlook application
2. Click File | Options
3. On the left-hand menu, choose Calendar
4. Under the Calendar Options section, place a checkmark by Shorten appointments and meetings:
5. Select your option - None, End Early or Start Late
6. In the Less than one hour: field, select the number of minutes to end early or start late (0, 5, 8 or 10 minutes)
7. In the One hour or longer: field, select the number of minutes to end early or start late (0, 5, 10 or 15 minutes)
8. Click the OK button

Outlook on the web

1. Log in to Outlook on the web
2. In the application menu, select Outlook
3. In the menu bar, select Settings (gear icon)
4. Near the bottom, choose View all Outlook Settings
5. In the left-hand menu, choose Calendar, then Events and Invitations
6. Place a checkmark by Shorten duration for all events
7. Select your option - End events early or Start events late
8. In the Less than one hour: field, select the number of minutes to end early or start late (0, 5, 8 or 10 minutes)
9. In the One hour or longer: field, select the number of minutes to end early or start late (0, 5, 10 or 15 minutes)
10. Click the Save button

If you need to remove a large number of calendar items in Outlook to free up space or improve performance, you can do it by opening your Calendar in List view or by archiving your calendar.  Archiving could be used if you may need access to the old calendar items in the future.

Removing Calendar Entries in the List View

1. Open your Calendar.
2. Click the View tab.
3. Click Change View.
4. Choose List.

Note: The calendar items will be sorted by Start date.  They will be sorted by single events and recurring events.   You can sort the calendar items by any of the headings listed:  SUBJECT, LOCATION, START, END, RECURRENCE PATTERN, CATEGORIES.

5. To delete a range of Calendar entries, click on the first entry to be deleted. Hold down the Shift key and click on the last entry in a given range to be deleted. For example, you could delete all entries older than January 1, 2013.
6. Press Delete.
7. Repeat Steps 3 and 4 as needed to delete additional Calendar entries.
8. Click the View tab.
9. Click Change View
10. Choose Calendar.

Reset the List View to Default

1. Click the View tab.
2.  Click Reset View.
3. Click Yes.

Some users report that their "New Skype Meeting" button disappears so they can no longer make a meeting into a Skype meeting.

Follow these steps to add it back in:

1. Start Outlook.
2. Choose File | Options | Add-Ins
3. On the Manage menu, select COM Add-Ins and select Go.
4. Click the box next to Skype Meeting Add-in for Microsoft Office 2016 and click OK to save the changes.  

For more information see https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/3097122/skype-meeting-control-is-not-displayed-on-outlook-2016

Directions are available here to use the new Zoom Add-In for Outlook on all available platforms.

Make sure that you do not have any additional calendars linked to your calendar when using the Zoom Add-In.

Scheduling a Zoom Meeting using the Zoom add-in

1. Create a new meeting by clicking New Meeting   (depending on your Outlook version, you may have to select New Meeting again from the drop down list) or double-click in an open timeslot on the calendar
2. Click the Add a Zoom Meeting icon (you may have to sign in with your HawkID and HawkID password the first time)

3. Type the appointment details and add attendees.
4. Click Send to send the invite

NOTE -- if you previously scheduled with the Zoom plug-in, you should remove it and use the add-in instead.