You may be using Acuity Scheduling with one of its direct integrations for virtual appointments, such as Zoom, Google Hangout, GoToMeeting, or JoinMe.

However, if your company uses Microsoft Teams, there isn't a direct integration with Acuity. Fortunately, you can easily create your own integration using Zapier. Setting up a free account or a 14-day free trial on Zapier takes just a few clicks.

Important Note: While Zapier can integrate directly with Microsoft Teams, it does not support scheduling meetings via the Teams integration. To schedule meetings, you will need to use Zapier's Outlook integration instead. This allows you to manage appointments through your Outlook calendar, which can then be used with Microsoft Teams.

Requirements for Your Custom Acuity & Outlook Integration:

• Administrator access to the Acuity Scheduling account.
• A Microsoft 365 Business Starter plan (or equivalent).
• Access to the Outlook account where meetings will be scheduled.
• A Zapier account. (14 day free trial available for new users)

How Zapier works

Zapier is an automation tool that connects web applications that lack direct integrations, allowing you to streamline processes. In our example, we’ll use Zapier to make Acuity Scheduling "communicate" with Microsoft Outlook. While Zapier is easy to learn, it can handle complex automations and integrations, helping you scale your business operations efficiently.

In Zapier, you create "Zaps", which are essentially mini workflows built using a flowchart-like system. Each Zap is made up of tasks, which allow you to create step-by-step workflows that automate different processes.

Using Zapier's Outlook integration

When integrating Microsoft Teams with Acuity Scheduling, there's a common misconception often seen in forums like the Zapier Community. Although Zapier offers a direct MS Teams integration, the solution you're looking for actually involves using Zapier’s Outlook integration.

By first creating an event in Outlook, you can then update it to a virtual meeting. Since Outlook and Teams share the same calendar, and virtual meetings in Outlook are powered by Microsoft Teams, you'll be able to join those meetings via Teams. This method leverages the seamless connection between Outlook and Teams.

How to set up the integration

For the simplest version to schedule virtual appointments via Zapier you will need to set up a ZAP with 3 tasks:

1. Create a new Zap to schedule appointment
2. Trigger: 'Appointment scheduled' on Acuity Scheduling
3. Step: "Create Event" with MS Outlook
4. Step: "Update Event" with MS Outlook

1. Create your Zap

Step 1: Set Up a Trigger in Zapier for Acuity Scheduling Appointments

1. Log into Zapier: If you don’t already have an account, you’ll need to create one.
2. Create a New Zap: Click on "Create Zap."
3. Choose Acuity Scheduling as the Trigger App:
   • Select “Appointment Scheduled” as the trigger event. This will trigger the Zap whenever an appointment is booked in Acuity Scheduling.
   • Connect your Acuity account and customize the trigger settings if needed.

2. Add your Acuity appointment trigger

2.1 Create a New Zap

• Log in to Zapier and click on the “+ Create Zap” button to start creating a new automation (Zap).
• In the Trigger section, search for and select Acuity Scheduling as your trigger app.

2.2 Select the New Appointment Trigger Event

• After selecting Acuity Scheduling, you'll be prompted to choose a Trigger Event.
• From the dropdown menu, select New Appointment. This trigger will activate the Zap whenever a new appointment is scheduled in Acuity Scheduling.

2.3 Connect Your Acuity Scheduling Account

• Click on “Sign in to Acuity Scheduling” to connect your account if you haven’t done so already.
• You’ll need to provide your Acuity Scheduling API Key, which you can find in your Acuity Scheduling account under Integrations > API.
• Once connected, Zapier will confirm the connection, and you can proceed.

2.4 Set Up the New Appointment Trigger

• After connecting your account, you’ll be asked to set up the specifics of the New Appointment trigger. The options include:
  1. Calendar:
     • If you have multiple calendars in Acuity, you can select a specific calendar to monitor.
     • If you want Zapier to trigger on appointments across all your calendars, leave this field as “All Calendars.”
  2. Appointment Type:
     • You can choose a specific appointment type that should trigger the Zap.
     • For instance, if you only want to trigger on consultations but not on other appointment types, select "Consultation" from the list.
     • If you want to trigger the Zap for all appointment types, leave this field as "Any Type."
  3. Status:
     • This field usually defaults to "Scheduled," meaning the Zap will trigger only when a new appointment is scheduled.
     • You typically don’t need to change this unless you have specific conditions under which you want the Zap to trigger.

2.5 Test Your Trigger

• Zapier will now ask you to test the trigger to ensure everything is set up correctly.
• Click on “Test trigger”, and Zapier will pull in recent appointment data from your Acuity Scheduling account to test.
• If Zapier finds a recent appointment, it will display the data so you can review it. This allows you to verify that the correct information is being captured by the trigger.

3. 'Create an event' using Microsoft Office

• Select a new task Microsoft Office > Create Event
• Connect the Outlook account you want to invite your clients from
• Add a meeting title and a meeting

4. Update an event using Microsoft Office

1. Handle Reschedules and Cancellations:
   • Reschedule: Create a separate Zap to handle reschedules. Use the "Appointment Rescheduled" trigger in Acuity Scheduling and update the corresponding Outlook event.
   • Cancellation: Similarly, use the "Appointment Canceled" trigger to delete the corresponding Outlook event.
2. Set Up Reminders:
   • You can create an additional step in your Zap to send reminder emails or notifications through Outlook, ensuring your clients are well-prepared for the meeting.

Possible Pitfalls When Setting Up Your Outlook x Acuity Scheduling Integration

While the integration is relatively straightforward, there are a few important considerations to keep in mind:

1. Access to Team Calendars

To schedule appointments via Zapier, you need access to the Outlook account of each team member. This requires logging into their Outlook account through the Zapier dashboard using their Microsoft 365 credentials. A simpler workaround is to use a single 'master' account to schedule all meetings, and then invite your team members to join. This way, you only need access to the 'master' account, minimizing the need for individual logins.

2. Visibility of Your Team's Email Addresses

If you use individual team members' email addresses to invite clients to meetings, the clients will be able to see and contact those team members directly. To prevent this, when updating the meeting to a virtual event, you can select the option to "hide attendee list." Additionally, using the 'master' account to schedule meetings (as mentioned above) can help maintain privacy for your team members.

3. Updating Outlook Events When Appointments Are Rescheduled

If an appointment is rescheduled in Acuity, you’ll need to set up a separate Zap to reschedule the corresponding event in Outlook. To streamline this process, it’s helpful to add the Appointment ID as a unique identifier in the subject line of the Outlook event. This allows you to quickly search for the event using Outlook’s search function when setting up the Zap to handle rescheduling.

Final Thoughts on Integrating Acuity Scheduling with Microsoft Teams via Zapier

This integration between Acuity Scheduling and Microsoft Teams, managed via Zapier and Microsoft Outlook, is a simple way to automate the process of scheduling online meetings. By following the steps outlined above, you can save time and ensure all meetings are organized smoothly. Since your Outlook and Teams calendars are synced, all meetings will automatically appear in both, making it easy to manage your schedule in one place.