Transferring calendar items between Outlook and Autotask

Configuration

When you install the Autotask MS Outlook plug-in, calendar integration is initially disabled. For information on how to enable and configure calendar integration, refer to Calendar tab.

General principles

The following general principles apply to calendar item transfers:

  • The Outlook calendar is considered the user’s private calendar, and only calendar items that are explicitly and manually transferred to Autotask will be shared with the Autotask Calendar.
  • Once an Outlook calendar item has been sent to Autotask, Autotask is considered to be the master database, and changes made in Autotask will be synced to Outlook. The exception are recurring Outlook appointments.
  • If changes are made in Outlook, they must be manually synced. Click Send to Autotask > Calendar Items, and update the master calendar in Autotask, otherwise the next GET will override the Outlook calendar with outdated data.
  • You cannot create new Autotask recurring appointments in Outlook. You can only send recurring appointments created in Outlook to Autotask. Refer to Sending Outlook calendar items to Autotask.
  • Service Calls cannot be created as an Outlook Calendar Item first. There simply is no equivalent in Outlook to a Service Call (which is the calendar item part) that contains work assignments (tickets or tasks). The Service Call calendar item that is displayed on the Outlook calendar is simply the schedule info, location, and the ticket and task information entered as plain text in the Calendar Item description field (identical to the info that is displayed when you hover over a Service Call item in the Autotask Calendar.)
  • If a Service Call is deleted in Autotask, it is also deleted from Outlook the next time a GET is triggered.

Comparison of calendar items in Outlook and Autotask

Transfer options

NOTE  When you initiate an action that causes you to access Autotask, you will need to authenticate, unless you are already logged into Autotask on the same device.