What is the Difference Between Meeting and Appointment?

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The difference between a meeting and an appointment lies in their nature, purpose, and participants. Here are the key distinctions:

  • Meeting: A meeting is an event where multiple people gather to discuss a specific topic, plan, or activity. It usually has a set purpose and agenda, and it can involve workers, dealers, teachers, or other groups of people. Meetings involve multiple individuals and often take place at specific dates, times, and locations.
  • Appointment: An appointment is a more formal event that requires a block of time at a future date and time, typically involving only two individuals. Appointments are often scheduled in advance and are used to designate a specific time for individuals to meet with someone else for a particular purpose. Examples of appointments include meetings with a doctor, a business client, or a government official.

In summary, a meeting is a gathering of multiple people with a specific purpose and agenda, while an appointment is a formal, scheduled event involving a smaller number of individuals for a particular purpose.

Comparative Table: Meeting vs Appointment

The difference between a meeting and an appointment can be summarized as follows:

Feature Meeting Appointment
Definition A meeting is an event scheduled on your calendar that involves other people and sends invitations to attendees. An appointment is an event scheduled on your calendar that involves only you.
Purpose Meetings are typically used for collaborating, discussing, or deciding on topics, and they usually involve multiple participants. Appointments are used for setting aside time for a specific task or activity, such as research, personal time, or one-on-one meetings.
Visibility Meetings appear on attendees' calendars once they accept the invitation. Appointments are private by default and visible only to you.
Resources Meetings often involve reserving resources, such as rooms or equipment. Appointments typically do not involve resource reservation.

In Outlook, you can create meetings and appointments using the Calendar view. Meetings can be scheduled as recurring events, making it easy to plan and manage repeating events. Appointments can also be set as recurring events, allowing you to easily schedule and manage repeating tasks or activities.