Jan 15 2021 08:42 AM
I've been having a recurring issue where I cannot access the chat for a meeting scheduled though Outlook as a Teams meeting (not associated with any Team or Channel). Another user scheduled the meeting and wants to share meeting documents before the meeting begins. However, every time I (and other attendees) try to access the chat, I receive a message that says "Sorry, chat is unavailable until you join the meeting." I've tried recreating the issue on my own, and every time I schedule a meeting (whether through Teams or through Outlook), I don't run into this issue. The other user is typically scheduling meetings with 50+ participants, and in my tests I'm only inviting 1-2 participants. Could this be the difference? We want to be able to share the meeting documents before the meeting, but find it annoying to have to email them out when we could just utilize the chat.
Jan 16 2021 09:06 AM
Hi @avpacheco
It’s worth noting that, although the Chat with Participants link is displayed in the invitation page before joining the meeting, this will not work.
So keep in mind, if you click on this link, you’ll get a message warning that ‘Chat is not available until you have joined the meeting’.
Chat is only available after joining the meeting
Jan 18 2021 04:46 AM
I'm a little confused by that because I have scheduled other meetings and attendees accessed the chat just fine before joining. Why is the chat unavailable sometimes and not others?
Jan 21 2021 08:12 AM
I would like to add that I am trying to start some pre-meeting notes. I am following the instructions from here: Take meeting notes in Teams
They instruct me to access the meeting chat, which apparently is not possible until I join the meeting.
Mar 02 2021 07:32 PM
@avpacheco could it potentially be due to internal vs. external?
For example, when I'm invited to another meeting by someone internal (user on our tenant) I can access the meeting chat prior to the meeting.
However if it is an external person inviting me to the meeting, when I try to access the chat I get the message 'Sorry, chat is unavailable until you join the meeting'.
Mar 11 2021 05:58 AM
@Mr_Trust_A This is 100% NOT my experience. We join chat before the meeting all the time to inform colleagues that a prior meeting will run over or share a bit of relevant info.
May 31 2021 03:17 AM
this is due to a new setting in meeting options
this only happens for us if we set 'peeple i invite only'
you also have the abilityt o allow chats in meetins only
May 31 2021 11:34 AM
May 31 2021 11:40 AM
Aug 30 2021 12:38 AM
Good day...!!!!
I saw your query and found an option to start group chat before the meeting. Go to your outlook calendar ---> select the particular meeting ----->then go to the "meeting"/"respond" menu in menu bar ---> click on "contact attendees" --->"Reply all with IM". Once you clicked on this option, team group chat will open up with all attendees. Hope this will help you. Also find the screen shot for better understanding.
Apr 01 2022 05:17 AM
Figured it out!
You need to right-click on the Calendar invite in TEAMS -- not Outlook. It gives you the option there.
You can do the IM participants in Outlook -- It just doesn't give you the meeting header and include it as part of the meeting