Troubleshooting

Meeting Requests Do Not Have Accept and Decline Buttons

When I send meeting requests, the recipients don't receive them as meeting requests. The Accept and Decline buttons are missing and the request looks like a normal email message.

You're probably sending meeting requests over the Internet and not through an Exchange Server. Outlook sends meeting requests in iCalendar format. Unfortunately, this format isn't transmitted correctly if it isn't sent through an Exchange Server. You can resolve this issue by telling Outlook to send meeting requests in vCalendar format instead of iCalendar format. To make this change, select Tools, Options, Calendar Options. Clear the check box marked When Sending Meeting Requests over the Internet, Use iCalendar Format. Click OK twice to apply your changes.

Meeting Invitations Never Appear in My Inbox

When I receive meeting requests, they're automatically accepted or declined and the meeting is scheduled on my calendar. I never have the option to accept or decline them myself.

Your mailbox is probably configured as a resource mailbox. To check, select Tools, Options, Calendar Options, Resource Scheduling. If the Automatically Accept Meeting Requests and Process Cancellations check box is checked, clear it and meeting requests will once again appear in your Inbox.