Some users have discovered they can't send sharing invitations when they right click on the calendar or contacts folder in their mailbox and choose Share, Share [folder].
![Choose Share [folder] from the context menu](https://b76191.smushcdn.com/76191/images/2013/general/share-menu.png?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1)
When they try to send the email, they receive an error:
"Folder sharing is not available with the following entries because of permission settings on your network."
Cause and Solution
This happens when the user picks the recipient's name from the autocomplete list. The entry in the autocomplete list contains the SMTP address, not the Exchange x.500 information from the Active Directory, so Outlook thinks it's an outside address and denies it.
Delete the recipient's name when it comes up in the autocomplete list and select it from the Global Address List (GAL) instead.
Sending the sharing invitation from Outlook on the web should also work. If it fails in Outlook on the web, check the sharing settings in the Exchange Admin console.
Assign Permissions
Sharing the calendar won't automatically give the person you are sharing with the permission to view the calendar. You'll need to give them permission before you share the calendar, especially if the default permission is set to None.
To do this, right click on the Calendar and choose Properties. Click Add, select the person's name and assign permissions.
Bhavani says
Hi Diane,
Thanks for your quick response. Could you please confirm if this is normal behavior.
Bhavani says
Hi Diane,
I have removed the user from autocomplete list, gave user the permission on the contact folder and selected the recipient from GAL. It worked.
But I tried to share it again with the same recipient using auto complete list however it gives same error. Do I need to choose the recipient address from GAL every time I share the folder?
Diane Poremsky says
Yes, always choosing from the gal is recommended - using the autocomplete list is hit or miss.
Guillermo says
Thanks youre awesome!!!
Esther Miller says
Thank you! Very useful.
anon says
+1
even in 2020 on O365 this was an issue and this fix resolved.
Thanks!
Michael says
Wow, worked just like you described. Wish all Microsoft "features" could be fixed so easily!!
Roshan says
Your points really help me understand why outlook reject to open the folder.
I change the DNS to google DNS then it worked.
Paul G says
Wow that's great, thanks!
Joe Price says
Thanks so much, this worked for me.
Jay says
Thanks for your prompt response.
I followed the same procedure that you outlined for the Calendars...
But, as I mentioned, it appears that I am passed the permissions level issue.
Are you saying that message "error while preparing to send..." is generated because of permission restrictions--?
Please advise
Jay says
I failed to mention that I am attempting to share a "Task" folder, not a Calendar....
I have no issues when sharing my Calendars, only "Task" folders.
With your suggestions, I am now past the permission restriction. Now getting "error while preparing to send".....
Diane Poremsky says
the cause and solution should be the same for any folder type - they need to have permissions and you may need to remove their name from the autocomplete list.
John says
Thank You! This fixed our issue. I love easy fixes.
steve Ferranti says
I'm having a similar problem. I can share with one of my workers but the other get a message "The folder is not available" any ideas
Diane Poremsky says
Are you all using the same version of Outlook? Are all updates installed? How is the person opening the folder in their outlook? (Using Open other users or as an additional mailbox).
Matt S. says
Is there anyway to do this if the user is not in your Global Address List? Trying to share Outlook contacts with someone on a hotmail account using outlook.com.
Diane Poremsky says
You can't share with Hotmail users unless your calendar is in outlook.com too, or you use office 365 Exchange online and the admin enabled calendar publishing outside of the organization.
Gary says
Diane, you're the best!
Jay says
that worked, but now getting message "error while preparing to send"
Diane Poremsky says
Does the person you want to share with have permission to the calendar? You need to set that first, before sharing, as outlook won't give them permission automatically. Right click on the calendar folder, choose properties then permissions and click Add, select their name and give them appropriate permission.