From what I can tell about Outlook is that an invite, once sent to you, shows up as tentative in your calendar until you deal with it. I have not seen anything that looks like it will change that behaviour.

I have 2003, so it may not be the same, but I think it's under Tools | Options | Calendar Options | Resource Scheduling.

You are, of course, a "resource."

I guess I don't get it - won't it be just as annoying when they send you a regular email invitation? At least this way you just click a button to respond, rather than writing back, adding to your calendar if it's a yes, and then deleting or filing the email.

But I'm a calendar 'ho. If it's not on my calendar, it's not in my head, generally speaking.

Following Ginger's path - do you have "automatically accept" checked? If so, then I take back what I said about not seeing the annoying. If not, though, I don't see anything on the resource scheduling that would help, though I confess I don't really understand what the first option entails.

I guess I don't get it - won't it be just as annoying when they send you a regular email invitation?

no, because at least then I know what the hell is going on, as opposed to some random meeting showing up on my calendar. Today, I had a reminder pop up because the secy had scheduled a meeting for today. I told her that we had to reschedule, and we did for last week, but it still showed up on my calendar and reminders.

I do not have accept appointments checked. Interestingly, the other options are greyed out.

It's also annoying because she sends a meeting request for our weekly department meeting that's been a recurring meeting on my calendar forever, and now it's there twice.

So it goes on your calendar without hitting your inbox first? Yeah, okay, that would be maddening.

It's also annoying because she sends a meeting request for our weekly department meeting that's been a recurring meeting on my calendar forever, and now it's there twice.

Yep, we've got one of those. But then she sends the room assignment by regular email so that it doesn't appear in the reminder and you have to go hunt for it. Fun!

I schedule a lot of meetings for work. Does she not put the objective in the body of the invite?

We absolutely need the invite to at least show up as tentative because people's schedules are so busy that if the time isn't reserved, it will be scheduled in the next 30 minutes.

I hate when people have open time, and then when I schedule, they block off the time and decline. It feels like a major victory to get 5 people in a room, nevermind scheduling a CRC review with people from 2 companies plus tech.

I would tell the secretary that you will decline anything you don't know the objective of.

I schedule a lot of meetings for work. Does she not put the objective in the body of the invite?

the subject of the email was "Program 1/Program 2" Program 1 is my program, Program 2 is a program that is similar to mine, but unaffiliated.

But when you open the invitation, it doesn't say anything like "Meeting to discuss the implications of blah blah blahcakes on Programs 1 & 2"?

I use that for objective, to say whether or not it is a recurring meeting, and to add conference call information.

Also, we don't have people added as resources, they are added as optional or required attendees. Resources are the conference rooms and equipment.

But when you open the invitation, it doesn't say anything like "Meeting to discuss the implications of blah blah blahcakes on Programs 1 & 2"?

nope. "program 1/program 2". in toto.