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Set automatic break time in the calendar after a created or accepted appointment

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Posted on by questMate

Hi, I would like to create a flow that after every created or accepted appointment invitation of one hour, it creates an automatic calendar entry of 15 minutes break time for me. I haven't found a solution for this yet. Is it possible?

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v-duann-msft Microsoft Employee on at

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Hi @questMate

Thank you for posting.

According to your description, you would like to create an event for 15 minutes break once you add/accept a new meeting.

It’s possible but the flow details may depend on your scenario. I’m currently still confused about the whole process. For example:
Now is 3/22 10:00AM and you create a meeting. The meeting starts at 3/23-2PM to 3PM. I would like to confirm whether you want this 15-mins break at 3/22 11:00AM~11:15AM. Or you want this break on 3/23 4PM~4:15PM.

Which scenario you want? When you want this 15-mins break? After you create/accept this meeting? Or after meeting finished?

In the meanwhile, to accept an event is different from to create an event. Thus, we need to create two flows separately due to using different triggers.

Hope to hear from you soon.

Thanks
Anna

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questMate 6 on at

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Hi @v-duann-msft

Thanks for asking.

I would like the break to be after the meeting. The procedure is as follows:

1. I receive an appointment proposal from 2PM~3PM. I accept the appointment proposal. Outlook directly and automatically sets a break in my calendar from 3PM~3:15PM.
2. I set an appointment from 2PM~3PM. outlook directly and automatically sets a break in my calendar from 3PM~3:15PM.

Since my colleagues have access to my calendar and therefore set internal meetings with the team or external meetings with customers, I want to prevent that I have two or three meetings without breaks in a row. I want to use the 15 minutes as a buffer for preparations or getting a cup of coffee 🙂

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v-duann-msft Microsoft Employee on at

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Hi @questMate

Thank you for your further explanation.

If that’s the case, we can design flow as below:

We can use ‘when an upcoming event is starting soon’ action to start the flow because if we use this action, we don’t need to consider who established this meeting.

The condition here is to filter meeting based on subject. If we don’t add this action, you will stuck in looping forever because this 15mins meeting creation. Of course, you can configure different condition to distinguish.

If flow detects it’s a break meeting, the flow terminates at once. If it’s a normal meeting, it will continue to create break meeting.

For example, when I have a meeting at 5:00PM-5:30PM, the flow runs at 4:35PM (due to 25mins ahead to trigger, it's changeable) and create a break meeting at 5:00-5:15PM.

Hope the content above may help you.

Thanks
Anna

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questMate 6 on at

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Thank you, Anna (@v-duann-msft).

That looks good already. But the break time is set to me at the start of the appointment, not after the appointment:
Appointment is from 2PM~3PM
Break appointment starts at 2PM~2:15PM

Is there still a possibility to check my appointments in the calendar without a look-ahead time - rather permanent. The reason is this: sometimes appointments are set for me several days in advance. I don't want to be fully booked in days ahead. If today (Monday) I accept an appointment on Friday (10AM~11AM), it doesn't mean that the break time will be created immediately after that - but after a certain predefined time. Of course, it would be best that my complete calendar is checked every 1~2 minutes.

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v-duann-msft Microsoft Employee on at

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Hi @questMate

Thank you for your update.

For your break meeting start time and end time issue. We should select 'end time' from dynamic content as the start time. The end time, we still use 'end time' as a base to add 15 mins.

For your ideal purpose, I need sometime to test. Once completed, I will keep you updated.

Thanks
Anna

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v-duann-msft Microsoft Employee on at

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Hi @questMate

Is there still a possibility to check my appointments in the calendar without a look-ahead time?
Yes, we can. For your meetings created long time ago, we can achieve it. But during the test, I found some limitations.

Most of the steps are similar, we just need to add one more loop to create break meeting for each. For flow details:

It creates all break meetings successfully. However, I found some potential problems need to inform you in advance. I named the new break meeting as ’15-mins break new’. As you can see, the first flow I tested yesterday created a break meeting at 5:30-5:45pm 3/22. Today, the secondary flow creates meeting at the same time. It means meeting conflict. However, the calendar can’t find this conflict and allow flow to create it.

For example, if you have already booked meeting1 at 9-10AM, and meeting2 at 10-11AM. The secondary flow will create break meeting at 10-10:15AM. It will overlap with your meeting2. Thus, I recommend you can using flow to create break meeting for incoming meeting instead of meetings booked long time ago. There is no any other better way to calculate the time between two adjacent meetings. If you can confirm you don’t such kind of consecutive meetings, you can try this flow.

Hope the content may help you.

Thanks
Anna

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questMate 6 on at

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@v-duann-msft I do it the way you describe, but still the break (is-state: 2PM~2:15PM) starts with the beginning of the meeting (2PM~3PM) and not after (should be: 3PM~3:15PM).

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v-duann-msft Microsoft Employee on at

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Hi @questMate

Thanks for update.

It doesn't make sense. Please help to check whether you set up correct time zone. Meanwhile, double check the output from 'get events' and find that the meeting you are testing, then compare the time.

Thanks for your patience.

Best regards,
Anna

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