A user complained about the GMT offset not being applied to meetings received from other time zones in Outlook 2010:
"Having an issue with Outlook 2010 where the GMT offset is not being applied to meetings received from time zones other than local. Meetings appear ok on mobile email and webmail calendar as well as Outlook 2007 on the same operating system. As soon as Outlook 2010 is installed meeting shows up at the wrong time."
After suggesting he turn off all devices syncing with the calendar, he discovered the problem:
Meetings sent from Outlook 2007 on Exchange 2003 and received by Outlook 2010 on Exchange 2007 that are accepted on the mobile device, where the time zone is automatically set by the network, appeared without the GMT offset in Outlook 2010 on the recipient's side. After manually setting the time zone on the smartphone, the appointments appear at the correct time in Outlook 2010.
He adds:
Strangely enough, anything sent from Outlook 2010 on Exchange 2007 and accepted by the same smartphone appear ok in the recipient Outlook 2010.
Moral of the story: It's always the time zone setting. :) While this is true with all versions of Outlook, it's especially true with Outlook 2010 as it handles time zones differently, due in part to it's ability to "float" all day events.
When Outlook 2010 is installed on Windows 7, you must use the proper time zone for your location. If your area does not observe DST, do not use a time zone that does, then disable the automatically update check box.
Troubleshooting Tip: When you sync a smartphone with the mailbox and something isn't working as expected turn off the phone. If the issue goes away, the problem is not with Outlook. If it doesn't go away, identifying the cause will be easier when outside forces aren't in the picture.
More Information
A script to troubleshoot issues with Exchange ActiveSync (TechNet blog)
thanks for your comment Diane. in the meantime I fixed the problem -but on the trail to find a fix I added another problem. firstly, as the time problem as mentioned on 20/2 seemed to be confined to just a week's worth of appointments, I opened each one and found a drop down menu where i could change the time zone to my place: this wasn't avail in the appointments that hadn't been affected. the new problem? as i trawled thru various answers i saw talk of a little programme -this merely took out some of my recurring appointments; er, I mean deleted for ever! I'll look into a backup to retrieve them.
pretty happy with things now.
k
New computer, Win 8.1 Outlook 2010. forgot to change time zone when first used Outlook. my appointment showed correct time but gave a diff time to my recipient in same city. corrected the (single) time zone and no DST in outlook and checked windows. all ok from my point of view - sent off test appoint to my fav recipient in nearby suburb again: all ok. this afternoon, with no other settings changed, my calendar now shows all my appointments 3 hours earlier. closed and re-opened outlook and it's still in error. please tell me what I can do to rectify this.
Appointments created before you changed the time zone use the old time zone. You can change the time zone so the appointments are correct, export the calendar to Excel or CSV, delete them from the calendar, fix the time zone and import them from Excel/CSV.