OpenSlot · Guides

How many time slots should you offer for a meeting? (and how to pick them)

"I'm flexible, whenever works for you" feels polite and is the slowest possible way to schedule anything: it hands the whole search to the other person. Offering a short, specific list is faster for both of you and reads as considerate rather than vague.

How many

Three to six. Fewer than three and a single conflict sends you back a round; more than six and the list becomes work to read. For a group, offer the slots where everyone is free and trim to the best six.

Spread them

Across at least two different days, and ideally mixing mornings and afternoons. A list of five slots all on Thursday afternoon is really one option.

Size them to the meeting

Offer blocks at least as long as the meeting. If you need 45 minutes, don't list 30-minute gaps. Set the minimum slot length in your tool to match the meeting, and it stops showing the gaps that don't fit.

Timezone and format

One timezone line at the top, in the recipient's zone if you know it. Day headings, then times under each day. This format scans in two seconds on a phone, which is where most replies happen:

All times in US/Eastern
• Today 07/08
  03:30 PM - 04:00 PM
  05:00 PM - 05:30 PM
• Thursday 07/09
  09:30 AM - 10:30 AM
  12:00 PM - 01:00 PM
  02:30 PM - 03:00 PM

OpenSlot produces exactly this from your Outlook free/busy — pick the people, the window, the timezone and the shortest slot to show — so offering the right number of good options is a click, not a calendar scan.