Creating Meetings in Microsoft 365: Outlook vs Teams

The article compares the features and functionalities of Outlook and Teams for creating meetings in Microsoft 365. It highlights key differences, such as scheduling tools, integration with calendars, and collaboration options, to help users choose the best platform for their needs.

Overview

Microsoft 365 offers two primary methods for scheduling meetings: Microsoft Outlook and Microsoft Teams. While both serve the purpose of meeting scheduling, they have distinct characteristics and storage usage.

Outlook Meeting Creation

How to Create a Meeting

1. Open Outlook Calendar
2. Click "New Meeting" or "New Meeting Request"
3. Add attendees' email addresses
4. Select date and time
5. Add meeting details and location
6. Click "Send"

Key Characteristics

• Traditional email-based scheduling
• Works across all devices
• Integrates with personal and shared calendars
• Supports external participants easily

Teams Meeting Creation

How to Create a Meeting

1. Open Microsoft Teams
2. Click "Calendar" in left sidebar
3. Select "New Meeting"
4. Add attendees
5. Choose date and time
6. Add meeting details
7. Click "Schedule"

Key Characteristics

• Video conferencing integration
• Real-time collaboration tools
• Background effects and meeting options
• Integrated chat and file sharing

Comparative Storage Breakdown

Outlook Meetings

• Storage Location: Exchange Online
• Items Stored:
  • Meeting invites
  • Email attachments
  • Calendar events

Teams Meetings

• Storage Locations:
  • SharePoint
  • Stream
  • OneDrive
• Items Stored:
  • Meeting recordings
  • Shared files
  • Meeting chat logs
  • Collaboration notes

Best Practices for Meeting Storage Management

Outlook

• Regularly clean up old meeting invites
• Archive or delete unnecessary attachments
• Use shared links instead of file attachments
• Monitor mailbox storage limits

Teams

• Set automatic meeting recording deletion
• Manage recording storage locations
• Use channel-specific meeting recordings
• Implement retention policies

Choosing Between Outlook and Teams Meetings

Choose Outlook When:

• Scheduling with external participants
• Simple, straightforward meetings
• Minimal collaborative needs
• Primarily informational sessions

Choose Teams When:

• Requires video conferencing
• Needs real-time collaboration
• Involves screen sharing
• Complex team interactions