How to use meeting polls for groups on Calendly
Quick Answer
Meeting polls on Calendly allow you to propose multiple time options to a group of participants who can vote on their preferred meeting times. This feature is available on Pro plans and above, and helps find the best meeting time when coordinating with multiple attendees.
Prerequisites
- A Calendly Pro, Teams, or Enterprise account
- Administrative access to create meeting polls
- Email addresses of participants you want to poll
- Basic understanding of Calendly's interface
Step-by-Step Instructions
1
Access the Meeting Polls Feature
Log into your Calendly account and navigate to the main dashboard. Click on Create in the top navigation bar, then select Meeting Poll from the dropdown menu. If you don't see this option, ensure you have a Pro, Teams, or Enterprise plan as meeting polls are not available on the Basic plan.
You can also access meeting polls by clicking the plus icon (+) next to your event types and selecting Meeting Poll.
2
Set Up Basic Poll Information
Enter a descriptive Poll Title that clearly identifies the purpose of the meeting. Add a detailed Description explaining what the meeting will cover and any preparation participants should do. Choose your Meeting Location - this can be a physical address, video conferencing link, or you can let participants know the location will be determined later.
Keep the title concise but specific, such as 'Q4 Planning Meeting - Marketing Team' rather than just 'Team Meeting'.
3
Configure Meeting Duration and Settings
Set the Meeting Duration using the dropdown menu - options typically range from 15 minutes to 8 hours. Under Additional Settings, you can enable Buffer Time before or after the meeting if needed. Choose whether to allow participants to see other responses by toggling Show poll results to participants.
Consider adding 15-30 minutes of buffer time for important meetings to account for preparation and wrap-up.
4
Add Time Options for Voting
Click Add Time Option to propose your first meeting time. Select the date using the calendar picker, then choose the start time from the dropdown. Repeat this process to add multiple time options - aim for 3-5 options to give participants flexibility without overwhelming them. You can see all proposed times listed below as you add them.
Consider different time zones when adding options and try to include times that work across different regions if you have international participants.
5
Add Participants to the Poll
In the Participants section, enter the email addresses of people you want to invite to vote. You can add emails one by one by typing them in the field and pressing Enter, or copy and paste multiple emails separated by commas. Calendly will send each participant an email invitation with voting instructions.
Double-check email addresses for accuracy as incorrect emails will prevent participants from receiving the poll invitation.
6
Customize Poll Settings and Permissions
Review the Poll Settings section where you can set a Response Deadline by clicking the calendar icon and selecting a date and time. Choose whether to allow participants to select multiple time options or limit them to one choice. You can also enable Anonymous Voting if you want responses to be private.
Set the response deadline 2-3 days before you need to finalize the meeting to allow time for scheduling confirmation.
7
Send the Poll and Monitor Responses
Review all settings and click Create Poll to send invitations to participants. You'll be taken to the poll dashboard where you can monitor responses in real-time. Participants will receive an email with a link to vote on their preferred times. You can view response rates and individual votes (unless anonymous voting is enabled) from the poll management page.
Send a reminder email through the poll dashboard if you haven't received responses from all participants within a day or two.
8
Finalize the Meeting Time
Once you have sufficient responses or the deadline has passed, review the voting results on the poll dashboard. Click Schedule Meeting next to the time option with the most votes or your preferred option. This will create a calendar event and send meeting invitations to all participants with the confirmed time and location details.
Even if one option has the most votes, consider the importance of key stakeholders' availability when making the final decision.
Common Issues & Troubleshooting
Participants aren't receiving poll invitation emails
Check that email addresses were entered correctly and ask participants to check their spam folders. You can resend invitations from the poll dashboard by clicking Resend Invitations.
Meeting Poll option is not visible in the Create menu
Meeting polls are only available on Pro, Teams, and Enterprise plans. Upgrade your account or contact your account administrator if you're on a team plan to ensure you have the necessary permissions.
Participants can't vote on the poll times
Ensure the poll hasn't passed its response deadline and that participants are clicking the correct link in their invitation email. Check if the poll is still active in your poll dashboard and hasn't been accidentally closed.
Time zones are showing incorrectly for participants
Calendly automatically adjusts times to each participant's local time zone based on their browser settings. If issues persist, ask participants to verify their browser's time zone settings or include time zones in your poll description for clarity.
Prices mentioned in this guide are pulled from current plan data and may change. Always verify on the official Calendly website before purchasing.