Allow all to see same colors in a Group Calendar

Hi @Michelle Dutton Brown, 

I hope you're doing well today. 

From your description, you want all members viewing your Microsoft 365 Group calendar, including those accessing it through a Teams Channel, to see the same category names and the same category colors.  

In Outlook, categories are designed primarily for personal organization, which means the category color mapping is saved per user rather than being centrally stored as a single shared set for the Group calendar. As a result, even when the category name exists on an event, different members may see different colors, or may not see a color at all, depending on their own Outlook category list and the client they are using.  

Below are some practical approaches that suit this situation, and each one improves consistency in a different way. 

1/ Standardize the category set for every member (best for fast consistency) 

• First, define one official list of categories and the exact color for each category, for example: WFH as Purple, Leave as Yellow, On site as Blue. 
• Next, ask every member to create those same categories in Outlook using the same names, because name matching is what keeps the experience consistent. 
• Finally, apply those categories to the Group calendar events going forward, and the team will see consistent colors once their personal category lists match the standard.  
• Reference: Create and assign color categories in Outlook - Microsoft Support 

2/ Roll out categories centrally (best for larger teams and new joiners) 

• First, have your Microsoft 365 administrator prepare the standard category list and communicate the exact naming format to prevent duplicates such as WFH and Work From Home. 
• Next, the administrator can distribute the standard category list to users so the same category names appear consistently across mailboxes, which reduces manual setup and helps future team members inherit the standard quickly. 
• Finally, members restart Outlook and reopen the Group calendar so the updated category list is available when they categorize new events.  
• Reference: Set categories, flags, or reminders - Microsoft Support 

3/ Share your category setup using the Outlook notes method 

If you would prefer a faster way to distribute category settings to your team without requiring each member to add them one by one, you can share your category configuration through Outlook's built-in Notes feature. This method allows you to package your categories into a shareable file that teammates can import directly into their own Outlook. 

• To do this, navigate to the Notes section in Outlook by selecting the three-dot menu at the bottom of the navigation pane and choosing Notes.  
• From there, create a new note and assign all of your desired color categories to it.  
• Once done, save the note as a .msg file and share it with your team members.  
• Each member can then open the file in their own Outlook and use the Upgrade to Color Categories option found under Folder Properties to import the categories automatically. 
• Reference: Assign a color category to a calendar event in Outlook - Microsoft Support 

4/ Use a Teams friendly visual method when Teams is the primary viewing place (best for clarity in the Channel) 

• First, add a clear label in the event title such as WFH, Leave, Training, or Customer so it is visible in Teams regardless of category color rendering. 
• Next, keep the same wording order and capitalization across all events so filtering and scanning stay consistent for everyone. 
• Finally, continue applying Outlook categories for users who rely on Outlook views, while the title labels provide a dependable shared visual cue for Teams Channel viewers. 
• Reference: Use a Group calendar in Outlook to schedule and edit events - Microsoft Support 

Alternatively, as a forum moderator, I hope you understand that I don’t have the ability to modify or escalate product issues directly. The "New Outlook" is still very much a work in progress, and Microsoft frequently adds back legacy features based on user feedback. However, I strongly recommend submitting your feedback through the Microsoft Teams · Community.This is the most effective way to ensure your voice reaches the product team and can be considered about how company-only contacts are handled in search results, with potential improvements being considered  for future improvements.        

You've clearly identified a real-world challenge, and your suggestion reflects a deep understanding of user needs - feedback like yours is truly valuable and helps shape the future of Microsoft team.  

Once you’ve submitted your feedback, feel free to share the link here. I’d be happy to upvote it to help increase its visibility.  Moreover, if you are unable to submit feedback, please inform me at your convenience. In that case, I will gladly assist by submitting it on your behalf to ensure your request is properly captured.           

Additionally, as other users have raised similar concerns and may not be aware of where to share their feedback, I hope this response helps clarify the situation and suggests a potential next step. Highlighting this information can make it more visible to others in the community who may be facing the same issue, making it easier for them to find guidance and contribute their feedback as well.     

Thank you again for your time and for raising this important usability concern. If you have any further questions or need additional assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach out.     

Wishing you a smooth rest of your day.

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