Supporting Meeting Set-Up in Canvas with Microsoft Bookings

Description 

Need an easy way for students to book time with you? Microsoft Bookings lets OHIO instructors and staff offer office hours and one-on-one meetings, and it can be quickly shared with students in Canvas. It makes scheduling easier for both students and instructors. Add the Bookings link to your Canvas course (like your syllabus or a module) and let students know how to use it to book time with you.

Microsoft Bookings is suggested for office hours and similar scheduling needs because it: 

• Connects with your Outlook calendar to help prevent double bookings 

• Supports Microsoft Teams for virtual meetings 

• Is supported at OHIO 

• Can be used across courses and other student interactions for a simple, consistent experience 

Solution  

1. Explore OHIO’s Microsoft Bookings Help Materials 

1. Review Getting Started with Microsoft Bookings documentation 

2. Follow recommended steps to access the tool and set up your individual Bookings page 

2. Share Your Bookings Page with Students 

1. Copy your Bookings page link 

2. Add it to your Canvas course (e.g., syllabus, module, or announcement) and tell students how they should use it to schedule time to meet with you 

3. Students can select available times, which will sync with their OHIO calendar and send automated reminders for upcoming meetings 

Additional Information

Some Canvas institutions choose to enable the Scheduler tool, a native feature for course-level appointment sign-ups. At OHIO, we have taken a different approach based on a few key limitations of the tool and a focus on providing a more integrated experience. 

The Scheduler tool:  

• Does not integrate with Microsoft Outlook, so availability is not coordinated with existing calendars 

• Does not automatically add appointments to student calendars 

• May contribute to confusion when multiple scheduling tools are used in Canvas, particularly when those tools do not connect to students’ institutional calendars 

Please consider joining the Teaching and Learning Advisory Community to share questions, feedback, or ideas related to your use of Canvas. 

Get Help From OIT 

• Visit the Bookings: Microsoft Bookings page to create a ticket 

• Additional Microsoft Bookings Help Material from Microsoft 

Get Help from Canvas 

• Get 24-hours/7-days a week Canvas support   

  • Live chat with Canvas support (Faculty)  

  • Dial the Canvas Support Hotline number located under "Get Help" in the Canvas Global Navigation Menu  

• Contact OIT at 740‑593‑1222 if you need help logging in, accessing test or practice courses, or using tools that connect to Canvas.