How to Troubleshoot Free/Busy Calendar Issues

Complete guide to resolve calendar availability lookup problems across Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, and Exchange platforms.

Last updated: 2025-12-13 Troubleshooting Free/Busy

Overview

Free/Busy calendar availability issues can prevent users from seeing each other's calendar status across different platforms. This comprehensive guide covers troubleshooting steps for Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, and Exchange environments.

Common Symptoms

• No availability information shown
• One-way Free/Busy lookup only
• Error messages when scheduling
• Outdated calendar status

Affected Platforms

• Google Workspace (G Suite)
• Microsoft 365
• Exchange Server
• Outlook clients

Initial Diagnostic Checks

User List Verification

Before diving into complex configurations, verify basic user setup requirements in your Cloudiway environment.

Essential Checks:

→ User exists in the Cloudiway user list
→ User is assigned to the correct connector
→ Domain assignment: If the list is empty, only one connector should contain the user's domain
→ Email format: Verify exact email address format matches

Quick Test

Test Free/Busy lookup with a known working user first to isolate whether the issue is user-specific or system-wide.

Google Workspace Troubleshooting

Looking up Google users from external systems

When external systems (Microsoft 365, Exchange) try to query Google Workspace calendars:

Required Configurations:

✓
Domain name accuracy: Must match exactly (case-sensitive)
Example: company.com vs Company.com will fail
✓
Administrator permissions: Service account needs calendar access rights
Check Google Admin Console → Security → API Controls
✓
API scope verification: Service account must include: https://www.googleapis.com/auth/calendar.freebusy

Testing Google API Access

Use Google's API Explorer to test the freebusy.query method with your service account credentials to verify API access is working correctly.

Looking up external users from Google Workspace

When Google Workspace users need to see availability of external (Microsoft 365/Exchange) users:

Google Admin Console Configuration:

Navigate to:
Apps → Google Workspace → Calendar → Calendar interop management

Setting	Required Value
Exchange Web Service URL	Must match Cloudiway's assigned URL
Exchange Role Account	Must correspond exactly to Consumer Key
Password	Must match Consumer Secret (case-sensitive)

Configuration Verification

After making changes in Google Admin Console, allow up to 24 hours for propagation across all Google services.

Microsoft 365/Exchange Troubleshooting

Looking up Microsoft 365/Exchange users

When external systems query Microsoft 365 or Exchange calendars:

✓
Domain name verification: Confirm domain name is correctly entered and matches tenant
Check both primary domain and any aliases
✓
Service account licensing: Standard Account must have valid Exchange license
Basic licenses may not include Free/Busy API access
✓
Authentication verification: Verify account credentials are current
Check for recent password changes or MFA requirements
✓
PowerShell connectivity: Test Exchange Online PowerShell connection
Connect-ExchangeOnline -UserPrincipalName admin@domain.com

Looking up external users from Microsoft 365

When Microsoft 365 users need to see external calendar availability:

PowerShell Diagnostic Commands:

Check current availability address spaces:

Get-AvailabilityAddressSpace

Test specific user Free/Busy:

Get-MailboxCalendarSettings user@domain.com | fl

Required Configuration Values:

ForestName	Must match target domain exactly
UserName	Must match Consumer Key from Cloudiway
TargetAutodiscoverEpr	Must match Cloudiway's assigned URL
UseServiceAccount	Should be set to $true

Common Free/Busy Issues

Global Address Book Requirements

Issue: Exchange and Microsoft 365 only forward Free/Busy requests for objects that exist in the Global Address Book (GAB).

Solution Steps:

Create mail-enabled contact objects for all external email addresses
Ensure contacts appear in the Global Address Book
Verify contact email addresses match exactly with external domains
Allow 30-60 minutes for GAB synchronization

One-Directional Free/Busy Availability

Issue: Calendar availability shows in only one direction between organizations.

Root Causes & Solutions:

•
Asymmetric configuration: Organization relationship exists only on one side
Check both tenants' sharing policies
•
Permission mismatch: Different sharing levels between organizations
Ensure both sides have equivalent sharing permissions
•
Stale configuration: Old relationship needs refresh
Remove and recreate the organization relationship

Authentication and Permissions Issues

Service Account Problems:

• Expired or changed passwords
• Multi-factor authentication blocking API access
• Insufficient calendar permissions
• Account locked or disabled

Permission Verification Commands:

# Check service account status
Get-User serviceaccount@domain.com | fl
# Verify calendar permissions
Get-MailboxFolderPermission user@domain.com:\Calendar

Network and Firewall Considerations

Ensure that your network allows outbound connections to Cloudiway's servers. Free/Busy queries require HTTPS connectivity on port 443 to the configured endpoint URLs.

Step-by-Step Resolution Guide

Systematic Troubleshooting Approach

Step 1: Environment Verification (5 minutes)

□ Confirm user exists in Cloudiway user list
□ Verify connector assignment
□ Check domain name accuracy
□ Test with known working user

Step 2: Credential Validation (10 minutes)

□ Test service account login
□ Verify API permissions
□ Check for recent password changes
□ Validate Consumer Key/Secret pairs

Step 3: Platform-Specific Configuration (15 minutes)

□ Run platform-specific diagnostic commands
□ Verify organization relationships
□ Check Global Address Book entries
□ Test API connectivity

Step 4: Advanced Diagnostics (20 minutes)

□ Enable detailed logging
□ Analyze error messages
□ Test bidirectional functionality
□ Review network connectivity

Success Indicators

Your Free/Busy configuration is working correctly when:

• Users can see availability status in both directions
• Calendar information updates within 15-30 minutes
• No error messages appear during meeting scheduling
• Free/Busy queries work consistently across different clients

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take for Free/Busy changes to propagate?

Typically 15-30 minutes for calendar updates, and up to 24 hours for configuration changes in Google Admin Console or Exchange Online.

Can Free/Busy work with on-premises Exchange?

Yes, Cloudiway supports Free/Busy lookups with Exchange Server 2013 and later versions. Additional firewall and DNS configuration may be required.

Why do I see "No information" for some users?

This usually indicates the user doesn't exist in the Global Address Book, lacks proper permissions, or is not properly configured in the Cloudiway user list.