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How to Stop Microsoft Bookings Appointments from Being Added Automatically

Aamir Naveed Akram Oct 10, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user wants to prevent Microsoft Bookings from automatically adding unapproved appointments to their calendar.

How to Stop Microsoft Bookings Appointments from Being Added Automatically

Product: Microsoft Bookings
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Managing appointment schedules and requiring manual approvals for new bookings.
Observed behavior: Appointments are automatically added to the calendar before the user has manually approved them.

Before you start

Ensure you have administrator access to the Microsoft Bookings calendar you wish to modify so you can update the booking page and scheduling policies.

Solution 1Recommended

Disable Automatic Calendar Updates in Booking Page Settings

Change the scheduling policy to require manual approval before appointments are automatically added to your calendar.

By default, Microsoft Bookings may be configured to automatically accept and add appointments to your calendar. Disabling this feature ensures you have full control over your schedule and can manually approve or decline incoming requests.

Open your Bookings calendar

Edit Booking Page settings

Navigate to the 'Booking page' tab in the left-hand menu and click on 'Edit' to access your scheduling preferences.

Update the Scheduling policy

Scroll down to the 'Scheduling policy' section and disable the option labeled 'Automatically add appointments to my calendar'.

Enable manual approval notifications

Under the 'Notifications' section, check the boxes to enable email alerts for both customer and staff bookings so you are immediately notified of pending requests.

Save your changes

Click 'Save and publish' at the top of the page to apply the new settings to your live booking calendar.

Disable Automatic Calendar Updates in Booking Page Settings

Manual Approval Workflow: Once disabled, you must manually review and approve each booking request in your Bookings dashboard before it appears on your Outlook calendar.

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Manage Your Business Documents and Schedules with WPS Office

While Microsoft Bookings is a specialized scheduling tool, managing the rest of your business administration shouldn't require an expensive subscription. WPS Office provides a lightweight, free, and highly compatible alternative to Microsoft Office for creating schedules, invoices, and planning documents.

1. Download WPS Office: Visit the official WPS Office website and click 'Download WPS Office Free'.
2. Install the application: Run the installer and follow the simple on-screen instructions to set up the software on your device.
3. Organize your business: Open WPS Spreadsheet or Document to start tracking your schedules, customer lists, and daily tasks efficiently.

Fully compatible with Microsoft Excel, Word, and PowerPoint formats.Free and lightweight suite perfect for managing daily schedules, invoices, and business reports.Intuitive, tabbed user interface that makes transitioning from Microsoft Office effortless.Built-in PDF editing tools for managing booking confirmations and contracts.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why are my Microsoft Bookings appointments showing up on my calendar automatically?

This happens because the 'Automatically add appointments to my calendar' setting is enabled by default in your Scheduling policy. Disabling this setting forces the system to wait for your manual approval.

How do I know when a customer requests a new booking?

You can enable email notifications under the Notifications section of your Booking page settings. This ensures you receive an alert whenever a customer or staff member submits a booking request.

Can I require manual approval for specific services only in Microsoft Bookings?

Yes, you can edit the settings for individual services. Go to the Services tab, select the specific service, and adjust the booking options to require manual approval for that particular appointment type instead of applying it to the entire page.

Will customers be notified when I manually approve their appointment?

Yes, once you manually approve the booking request in your calendar, a confirmation email is automatically sent to the customer containing the finalized appointment details and calendar invites.

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