Version 2020.04 adds the ability to sync 2-way with Office 365 and Microsoft 365 calendars. This functionality includes syncing with Outlook.com and Exchange Online calendars as well, and is available in both the Pro and Ultimate versions of VueMinder. Previously, only the Ultimate version could sync with Exchange Online, and syncing used Basic Authentication which will no longer be supported by Microsoft.Modern Authentication and Exchange Online
Under this new feature, VueMinder will securely connect using Modern Authentication (OAuth 2.0), rather than Basic Authentication (username and password). Microsoft announced they are
ending support for Basic Authentication when connecting to Exchange Online. That was supposed to happen in October 2020, but has been extended until 2021 due to workplace disruptions caused by COVID-19. In any case, if you're currently syncing VueMinder 2020.03 or earlier with Exchange Online, that functionality will stop working when Microsoft pulls the plug. Updating to the latest version of VueMinder is strongly advised to avoid any disruptions when Basic Authentication stops working.
The previous version of VueMinder used Microsoft Exchange Web Services (EWS) for syncing with Exchange Online. Microsoft has announced they are
no longer releasing feature updates for EWS. For all intents and purposes, EWS is deprecated and has been replaced with Microsoft Graph. The latest version of VueMinder has also been updated to use Microsoft Graph for syncing with Exchange Online, Office 365, Microsoft 365, and Outlook.com. VueMinder is still capable of syncing with on-premises installations of Microsoft Exchange using EWS.
An alternative to syncing with Google Calendar
If you don't want to sync your calendar with Google Calendar, syncing with Microsoft 365 provides a viable alternative. Any changes you make in VueMinder will automatically sync to your Microsoft 365 account. You can also access the synced calendar on your mobile devices by using the Microsoft Outlook calendar app for
iOS and
Android. This will enable you to keep VueMinder in sync with your mobile devices, without exposing your calendar data to Google.
How to add an existing Microsoft 365 calendar to VueMinder
If you already have Outlook.com, Office 365, Microsoft 365, or Exchange Online calendars, you can sync those calendars with VueMinder by following these steps:
- Click the "File -> Add Calendar -> Add Microsoft 365 or Office 365 Calendar" menu command in VueMinder.
- A "Sign in to your account" window will appear. If you have multiple accounts, select the account you'd like to use. If you have calendars in multiple accounts you'd like to add, you can repeat these steps for each account. VueMinder is not limited to how many accounts can be connected.
- After selecting the desired account, sign in if required. If you use a password to sign in, that password is not saved or transmitted by VueMinder. Instead, an authentication token is returned by Microsoft which VueMinder uses for connecting.
- Depending on your Microsoft account, another page might appear where you can view which permissions VueMinder requires for syncing and accept the requested permissions. If you manage accounts or permissions for your organization, you can consent for your entire organization so other people won't need to do this. Click the "Accept" button to continue.
- After you sign in and grant VueMinder permission to access your account, the "Add Microsoft 365 or Office 365 Calendar" window will refresh to list all the calendars in your account. That list will include calendars you own, calendars other people have shared with you, and group calendars.
- To add a calendar, click the calendar's name. If the calendar can be edited by your account, you can choose a sync direction of either "2-way" or "1-way: Microsoft 365 to VueMinder". You can also adjust the calendar appearance and choose whether reminders should be included when syncing.
- Click the "Add Calendar" button to finish adding the calendar. It will download to VueMinder and will automatically sync whenever there are additional changes. The initial sync might take a few minutes, so please be patient. The Status Bar at the bottom of the main VueMinder window will update when the initial sync is completed. Subsequent syncing will be much faster, since only changes since the previous sync will need to be processed - not the entire calendar.
- If you have other calendars in your account that you'd like to add, click each calendar and then click the "Add Calendar" button to add. Each calendar will be queued for syncing. Again, this might take a few minutes.
- If you have calendars in other Microsoft accounts that you'd like to sync, click the "Account" drop-down. If your account was previously connected, it will appear in the drop-down list. Otherwise, select the "Add account" option. The "Sign in to your account" window will appear again, where you can pick the desired account. After signing into the account, the "Add Microsoft 365 or Office 365 Calendar" window will refresh to list the calendars associated with the selected account, and those calendars can be added as described in the previous steps.
How to add an existing VueMinder calendar to Microsoft 365
If you have calendars in VueMinder that you'd like to add to your Microsoft account, you can do so by following these steps:
- Right-click the name of your calendar in the Calendar Items list of the main VueMinder window and select "Calendar Properties" from the popup menu. You can also double-click the calendar's name to open the Calendar Properties.
- Select the "Sync" tab.
- Check the box labeled "Sync with Microsoft 365 or Office 365". If you've previous connected VueMinder to one or more Microsoft accounts, you can select the desired account from the "Account" drop-down. Otherwise, a "Sign in to your account" window will appear. If you have multiple accounts, select the account you'd like to use.
- After selecting the desired account, sign in if required. If you use a password to sign in, that password is not saved or transmitted by VueMinder. Instead, an authentication token is returned by Microsoft which VueMinder uses for connecting.
- Depending on your Microsoft account, another page might appear where you can view which permissions VueMinder requires for syncing and accept the requested permissions. If you manage accounts or permissions for your organization, you can consent for your entire organization so other people won't need to do this. Click the "Accept" button to continue.
- Click the OK button to finish. Your calendar will be uploaded to your Microsoft account and will be available for syncing with the Microsoft Outlook app on your iOS or Android devices. If your calendar contains many events, it might take a few minutes for the calendar to upload. Please wait until the initial sync is complete before adding or modifying events in that calendar. Subsequent syncing will be much faster, since only changes that have been made since the previous sync will need to be processed.
