What does an Outlook Meeting Invitation look like to non Outlook users?

Hi @Sheehy, Catherine, 

Thank you for reaching out to us regarding how Outlook meeting invitations appear to recipients who do not use Microsoft Outlook. 

When you send a meeting invitation via Outlook, it includes an attached .ics file, which is a universal calendar format supported by most modern email and calendar applications.  

Here's how it typically works for non-Outlook users: 

1. Gmail Users 

• Appearance: Gmail usually displays the meeting details directly in the email, with options to "Yes," "Maybe," or "No" to RSVP. 
• Calendar Integration: If the user clicks "Yes," the event is added to their Google Calendar automatically. 
• Compatibility: Gmail handles .ics files well. 

2. Apple Mail / iCloud Users 

• Appearance: The invitation appears as a calendar event with an "Accept," "Decline," or "Maybe" option. 
• Calendar Integration: Accepting adds it to their Apple Calendar. 
• Compatibility: Apple Calendar supports .ics files natively. 

3. Personal or Custom Domains (e.g., @clientdomain.com) 

• Appearance: Varies widely. Some email systems show the invitation as a plain email with an .ics attachment. 
• Calendar Integration: Users may need to manually open the .ics file in their calendar app (e.g., Google Calendar, Apple Calendar, Thunderbird). 
• Compatibility: Depends on the email client and calendar software they use. 

Most modern email clients and calendar apps support .ics files, so recipients can usually: 

• View the meeting details. 
• Accept or decline the invitation. 
• Add it to their calendar. 

However, some older or less common systems may not support automatic RSVP, and users might need to manually add the event. 

To ensure maximum compatibility, we recommend including the meeting details in the body of the email, along with a note that an .ics calendar file is attached: 

• Include clear meeting details in the email body (date, time, location, agenda). 
• Mention that an .ics file is attached and how to use it. 
• Offer a backup method (e.g., a link to a calendar event or a manual RSVP option). 

If you need any assistance or have further questions, feel free to let me know. 

Warm regards, 

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