External Guest User Unable to Add Room Mailbox Calendar Despite Organization Relationship and Limited Details Permissions

Jose-Gabriel Gomez 0 Reputation points
2026-09-28T12:11:15.21+00:00

Hi everyone,

I'm hoping someone can confirm whether this behaviour is expected or if there's additional configuration required.

Scenario

We have two Microsoft 365 tenants with calendar sharing configured between them.

The calendar we are trying to share belongs to a Room Mailbox.

The external user:

  • Has been added as a Guest User
  • Has Limited Details permissions on the room calendar
  • Can be seen in the calendar permissions list

We've also confirmed:

  • External calendar sharing is enabled
  • A Sharing Policy exists for the external domain
  • An Organization Relationship exists between both tenants

The Issue

The external user cannot add or open the Room Mailbox calendar in Outlook on the web.

The user attempts to:

  1. Open Outlook on the web
  2. Go to Calendar
  3. Select Open Shared Calendar
  4. Enter the Room Mailbox email address

The calendar cannot be added.

Additional Information

When attempting to grant Reviewer permissions via PowerShell, Exchange returns an error indicating that FullDetails access is not supported for the external user.

This suggests Exchange recognises the user as external and is enforcing a limitation.

Questions

  • Is it supported for a guest user from another Microsoft 365 tenant to access a Room Mailbox calendar directly?
  • Is the behaviour above expected, even when sharing policies, organisation relationships and calendar permissions are correctly configured?
  • Has anyone successfully implemented this scenario?
  • Are there any additional settings or workarounds that should be considered?

Any guidance would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Exchange Online
Exchange Online

A cloud-based service included in Microsoft 365, delivering scalable messaging and collaboration features with simplified management and automatic updates.

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  1. Ruby Nguyen 2,800 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-09-28T13:48:18.3066667+00:00

    Good day Jose, 

    An Organization Relationship allows users in different tenants to view calendar availability, but it doesn't provide direct access to open a Room Mailbox calendar as a shared calendar in Outlook on the web. 

    Even when a guest account is added to calendar permissions, Exchange Online still treats that account as an external user. As a result, permissions such as Reviewer or Full Details don't grant access to the Room Mailbox calendar. 

    Since a Room Mailbox is intended for room reservations rather than shared calendar access, you may consider the following options: 

    Option 1: Use Scheduling Assistant (Recommended) 

    If the external user only needs to check room availability: 

    Have the external user create a new meeting in Outlook. 

    Add the Room Mailbox as the location or attendee. 

    Open Scheduling Assistant to view the room's availability. 

    User's image

    Select an available time and send the meeting request if a reservation is needed. 

    Option 2: Share a dedicated calendar 

    If the external user needs ongoing read only access to a calendar: 

    Create or use a licensed internal user mailbox. 

    Create a separate calendar (new blank calendar) in that mailbox. 

    Apply the appropriate sharing policy. 

    Send a calendar sharing invitation to the external user. 

    Have the external user accept the invitation from their organization account. 

    Please note that this dedicated calendar is separate from the actual Room Mailbox calendar.

    Reservations made in the Room Mailbox won't automatically appear in the dedicated calendar. An authorized user must update the calendar manually, or the organization must implement a separate approved synchronization solution. 

    If the requirement is to view real time Room Mailbox availability, using Scheduling Assistant and adding the Room Mailbox to a meeting request remains the recommended approach. 

    I completely understand how these limitations in Exchange Online can feel disruptive. It’s not just about aesthetics; these differences can genuinely affect how smoothly your organization works and navigates the day. 

    As a forum user, I hope you understand that I don’t have the ability to modify or escalate product issues directly. However, I strongly recommend submitting your feedback through the Outlook · Community. This is the most effective way to ensure your voice reaches the product team and can be considered for future improvements.   

    Once you've submitted your feedback, feel free to share the link here in the comments. I’ll be happy to upvote it to help bring more visibility.  

    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. 

    If you have any questions or need further support, please don’t hesitate to reach out at any time. 

    Thank you again for your time and for raising this important usability concern. 


    If you have any extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment".        

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