Group meeting polls

A group meeting poll lets you suggest several possible times for a meeting and ask the invited people to say which ones suit them. Once the votes are in, you choose the best slot and the tool sends the confirmed invitation. Calendly and SavvyCal are tools that offer it.

Polls suit situations where you cannot see everyone's calendars, such as meetings with several clients, partners or outside suppliers. They replace the long email thread where each person replies with their own availability. They are less useful for internal meetings where calendars are shared, since collective scheduling can then find a time without voting. They also depend on people responding, so very large groups may stall.

• Ask how many time options a poll can contain and how many people can vote.
• Check whether voters need an account or can respond with just a link.
• Find out whether the winning time is picked automatically or the host decides.
• Confirm that the confirmed meeting is added to everyone's calendar.