Setting Up Branch Appointment Calendars with Calendly

In July 2020, Marketing set up Calendly accounts for all FFL branches so that customers can schedule an appointment with their branch.  IT created a shared mailbox for each branch that has a connected calendar, so that when the customer makes the appointment, Calendly is configured and will auto-sync with the internal FFL branch calendar and automatically place the appointment there for branch personnel to see.

Setting this up for a new branch can be a long, arduous, and aggravating process if you choose not to follow the helpful guidance below.

- Create the Shared Mailbox in O365.  Name will be "[branch]Appointment" and email address [branch]@ffl.net (or other affiliate domain).  Add the appropriate branch staff as members of the shared mailbox.

- This will create an accompanying user in O365 with accompanying email address/username of [branch]Appointment@FMHC.onmicrosoft.com.  This user MUST be assigned an Exchange Online (Plan 1) license.  Also, on the same screen, you will want to "Reset password" and set it to the password listed in KeePass (search "Calendly").

- Through O365, you will need to log into Azure Active Directory (found under the Admin centers section).  From there, go to Users --> search the name of this new user (i.e. [branch]Appointment) --> Assigned roles --> Add assignments --> make this user an Application administrator.  This is required to give Calendly access to the calendar.

- Make sure the [branch]Appointment@ffl.net email address is added as a user in BAE/SilverSky to allow incoming external emails.

- Marketing will send an invite to this new address for Calendly.  You will be able to access this message in the new mailbox through OWA (use this link: https://outlook.office365.com/owa/fmhc.onmicrosoft.com).  Make sure you are using a private browsing window in a browser OTHER than Internet Explorer (IE syncs with your own credentials and might try logging into your personal OWA).  Log in with the user's email address (i.e. [branch]Appointment@FMHC.onmicrosoft.com) and the password you set earlier.  In the login process, you should NOT be taken to a customized FMHC Login page.  If you are, it will not let you log in and will state that your credentials are incorrect.  (Alternatively, if you run into trouble, simply add yourself temporarily to the new shared mailbox so you can access the invitation email in Outlook.)

- Set up the Calendly account, with name "FFL [branch] Appointment" and same password as before.  You will be asked to confirm the email address by going back into OWA and clicking the link in the email that is sent by Calendly.  Once that is confirmed, bypass the screen asking if you want to set a custom URL.  Then, you will arrive at a screen asking which email system/platform you wish to sync with.  In this case, choose Outlook/Office 365 Calendar.  

- When asked to log in, use the @FMHC.onmicrosoft.com address and password.  Then, it should ask you to grant permissions for Calendly to sync with the account and manage the internal calendar.  Once granted, you should be set.

As long as the branch employees are members of their appropriate branch appointment calendar shared mailbox, and they can see the shared mailbox listed in Outlook, the appointment calendar should be viewable in Outlook --> Calendar --> My Calendars section.