Is it possible to set Outlook event categories?

[Power_Automater]

I have a simple flow in which I would like to create an outlook event, but I've noticed that in the action it doesn't have anywhere to set the event category. Is there a way to do this since I would like all events created by this flow to appear as a consistent color?

Also if I create a red category with the name "Important", would this override any of the calendar owner's categories they may have set up? Eg. if they also happen to have a red category but named "Ignore".

[MarconettiMarco]

Hello @Power_Automater ,

please follow these steps:

https://www.cloudappie.nl/lowcode-categorize-meetings-outlook/

If I have answered your question, please mark your post as Solved.
If you like my response, please give it a Thumbs Up.

BR,

Marco

[Power_Automater]

Sorry I cannot access that link, would you be able to include the method here please?

[VictorIvanidze]

I do not know why you "cannot access that link", but in short, you have to use a GRAPH request to categorize. 

[MarconettiMarco · Accepted solution]

@Power_Automater you have to use this actions

[Power_Automater]

Thank you @MarconettiMarco , I will try this out today. Just wondering though how do I set what color the category is since the HTTP request only has the category name? Or do I need to define the category before using the HTTP?

[MarconettiMarco]

Hello @Power_Automater ,

you need first to define Categories in Outlook.

If I have answered your question, please mark your post as Solved.
If you like my response, please give it a Thumbs Up.

BR,

Marco

[Power_Automater]

Thank you for that @MarconettiMarco , I hadn't realised the category needs to be setup manually first. In that case if I need to create an event (and categorize it) each time a user makes a request is there a way to create the category and then categorize the event dynamically without having created it in the user's outlook first? Since it is not practical to do this for all of the possible users manually ahead of time. For example I am wondering if there is a step that could be added into the flow before creating the event that could do this, and the HTTP could placed after the event creation, if that makes sense.

[TepTep]

Hi @MarconettiMarco 

Is it possible to have 2 category in 1 event using flow? If yes, how?

Thank you so much!

[VictorIvanidze]

hi @TepTep,

in the request body  categories is an array.

So just set them this way:

"categories":["Red Category","Blue Category"]

[TepTep]

How about if I'm running multiple flow with various condition based on the following:

1. Number of Attendees
2. External Organizer
3. Through keyword

Lets say I have an event that will fall in 2 categories based on the above conditions.
Since based on my experience the action "Send HTTP request" will just overwrite the categories.

[VictorIvanidze]

And what's the problem? If you wish to save a category that already set, read it before and then add to categories array:

["oldCat","newCat1","newCat2"]

[MlleBaeten]

Please vote for this Idea if you think category should be available to set in the Outlook / M365 'Update event' and 'Create event' standard actions.

https://ideas.powerautomate.com/d365community/idea/a37dfdf8-b5d5-4f72-a137-e3461bae7a1f

[leoriosan]

the solution doesn't work, because the 'ID' returned by any of the existing event functions isn't the same as the graph event ID.  I was getting '"The specified object was not found in the store." errors every time.  I had to run an http request and filter the results by iCalID, then parse the resulting JSON, THEN use the value returned for ID in the parsed JSON.  Once you have that ID you can run a patch or get. 

Someone smarter than me can tell me why the event ID from "Get Event V3" and "Create Event V4" isn't the same as the graph GET function.

[VictorIvanidze]

Hi @leoriosan,

sorry I don't catch your point. Could you please reproduce this and let me know  the result?

[leoriosan]

Sorry should have clarified - my test is specific to a shared calendar.  I've since learned my issue is because the calendar ID is not static across instances of the same shared calendar, but the iCalID is, hence the need to run an http request to grab the iCalID, since the Get Event V3 is using my personal connection to the shared calendar instead of the shared calendar itself.