Google Workspace Training / User / Calendar

Outlook Calendar v. Google Calendar: Main Differences

There are many differences between Outlook and Google Calendar’s general approach to collaboration. Below are some of the main conceptual differences between the providers.

Scheduling

  • Outlook: Schedule a meeting or appointment.
  • Google Calendar: Create an event.

Recurring / Repeating events

  • Outlook: Create recurring events.
  • Google Calendar: Create repeating events.

Change ownership of an event

  • Outlook: Transfer ownership of an event by deleting and then recreating the event.
  • Google Calendar: Change the event’s owner.

One-on-one meetings

  • Outlook: Schedule one-on-one meetings as individual meetings.
  • Google Calendar: Create one-on-one meetings or bookable appointment slots.

Add attendees / guests to an event

  • Outlook: Add attendees to an email invitation.
  • Google Calendar: Add groups or guests to event details.

Fee / busy availability

  • Outlook: See if people are free or busy.

  • Google Calendar: See if people are available and choose from suggested meeting times.

    Note: To see if people using Microsoft Exchange are available, your administrator must enable Google Calendar Connector. For details, see Administrator Setup for GWSMO.

See new meeting times

  • Outlook: See new meeting times from Gmail users in Outlook.
  • Google Calendar: Accept new meeting times from Outlook users in Gmail.

Conference / Video calls

  • Outlook: Schedule a conference call.
  • Google Calendar: Automatically add video calls in event details.

View multiple calendars

  • Outlook: View calendars side by side.
  • Google Calendar: Overlay calendars.

Delegate access

  • Outlook: Give Delegate Access to calendars.
  • Google Calendar: Delegate calendar access.

Color-coding / Importance markers

  • Outlook: Use importance markers to identify events.
  • Google Calendar: Use color-coding to distinguish events and calendars.

Public calendars

  • Outlook: Publish a calendar.
  • Google Calendar: Make a calendar public.

Time zones

  • Outlook: Select time zones for an event.
  • Google Calendar: Narrow time zone selection by country.

Remove yourself from an event

  • Outlook: Remove yourself by deleting an event and recreating it with a different owner.
  • Google Calendar: Remove yourself from an existing event.