Assuming you've followed the previous instructions to enable access to UIowa Microsoft Exchange e-mail server from Thunderbird, you should also synchronize your calendar with Exchange ActiveSync. As of writing this guide, access to our Zimbra web interface is disabled, along with calendar access. However, if you've been using Thunderbird, you have a local copy of the calendar which can be used to sync with the Microsoft server. Expand the steps below to access instructions and click on the small screen shots to see larger versions.
0. Save Your Existing Calendars
Before doing anything else, you should export your existing calendars to ".ics" files just in case. Ideally, these can be imported into any calendar system, but I know these sometimes fail with the Outlook calendar system.
In the "Calendar" tab:
Right-click each calendar -> Export Calendar -> save as ics file
Keep track of these. You should be able to use them to restore your calendar or to initialize it on other systems, such as the Microsoft Office 365 system.
If you want to load one of these .ics files into the Office365 calendar, the steps are:
- Login to office365.uiowa.edu
- Open Outlook, then Calendar
- Add calendar
- Upload from file
- Select .ics file
- Select Calendar
- Import
1. Add Extensions to Thunderbird
First, select "Add-ons and Themes" under the "hamburger" menu (three horizontal lines). Alternatively, follow "Tools" -> "Add-ons and Themes". The "Add-ons Manager" tab should appear. Search for and add two extensions, the first named "TbSync" and the second named "Provider for Exchange ActiveSync". When they're installed, the extensions should appear as in the screen shot below. Select the "wrench" icon next to "TbSync" to begin configuration.
2. Add Account
From the "Account actions" drop-down menu in the lower left corner, select "Add new account" and "Exchange ActiveSync" from the cascade menu.
3. Microsoft Office 365
Select the "Microsoft Office 365" option. Enter anything you want in the "Account name:" box -- it's just a label. Be careful to enter NOT YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS, but your HawkID@uiowa.edu in the "User name" field. In the screen shot, "ljg" is my HawkID. Finally click "Add account" in the lower right corner.
4. HawkID Login
The two-factor HawkID login for Office 365 should appear. The "HawkID" field should have the hawkid@uiowa.edu form already entered. Enter your password and click "Log In". Complete the login using your normal two-factor method.
5. TbSync Account Manager
There should be an "Office365" (or whatever you named it) in the "Accounts" list of the "TbSync account manager" window as below. Check the "Enable and synchronize this account" box under the "Synchronization status" tab. A list of available calendar-like resources will appear. I recommend selecting each one individually, followed by clicking the "Synchronize now" button in the lower right corner.
In the final state, you probably want to sync all of the available resources. Finally enter a value for "Periodic synchronization (in minutes)". I recommend no less than 10 minutes.
7. New Calendar Display
The new calendars should now appear in your Thunderbird Calendar tab. If you haven't done it already, right-click on the old calendar entries in the left column and delete them.
