--- title: "Set-AvailabilityConfig in Powershell: All You Need To Know" slug: set-availabilityconfig-powershell published: 2025-02-20T05:16:37.000Z updated: 2025-02-20T05:16:37.000Z feature_image: /blog/images/set-availabilityconfig-powershell/set-availabilityconfig-syntax-microsoft-learn.1600.webp feature_image_alt: Microsoft Learn documentation for the Set-AvailabilityConfig cmdlet showing its PowerShell syntax author: James Futhey author_slug: james meta_description: Learn how to use the Set-AvailabilityConfig cmdlet in PowerShell to manage free/busy data sharing in Exchange environments. status: published --- Managing **free/busy information** across your organization can be complex, especially when dealing with cross-forest environments or external tenants. The Set-AvailabilityConfig cmdlet in PowerShell addresses this challenge. Whether **configuring user-specific access, setting up organization-wide proxies, or controlling external tenants' access to availability data**, this cmdlet offers flexibility. Learn how to use Set-AvailabilityConfig in five easy steps! ## What is Set-AvailabilityConfig Cmdlet in PowerShell? The Set-AvailabilityConfig cmdlet in ExchangePowerShell is **a command used to configure access levels for free/busy information within an organization**. It allows administrators to define specific accounts or security groups, either on a per-user or organization-wide basis, that are trusted for availability proxy requests. Below is the [syntax of Set-AvailabilityConfig](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/exchange/set-availabilityconfig): ```powershell Set-AvailabilityConfig [-AllowedTenantIds ] [-Confirm] [-DomainController ] [-OrgWideAccount ] [-PerUserAccount ] [-WhatIf] [] ``` ## 3 Things You Can Do with the Set-AvailabilityConfig Cmdlet Using this command becomes simpler once you understand its parameters. Here are three tasks you can perform using Set-AvailabilityConfig in PowerShell: 1. **Control Free/Busy Sharing with Specific Tenants:** In Exchange Online, you can use the AllowedTenantIds parameter to specify which Microsoft 365 tenants can access your organization’s free/busy information. This parameter is useful for secure collaboration between trusted organizations. 2. **Set an Organization-Wide Proxy Account:** With the OrgWideAccount parameter, administrators can designate an account or security group to handle free/busy proxy requests across the entire organization. This is particularly valuable for managing availability in environments with multiple Exchange forests that are not inherently trusted. 3. **Configure Per-User Free/Busy Access:** The PerUserAccount parameter allows you to define individual accounts or groups that can issue proxy availability service requests on a per-user basis. This gives granular control over who can access free/busy data, enhancing security and flexibility. ## Prerequisites for Using the Set-AvailabilityConfig Cmdlet In order to use this command, you need to comply with these simple prerequisites: - **Permissions Assigned:** Ensure you have the required permissions to run the cmdlet. The specific permissions depend on the environment (on-premises Exchange or Exchange Online). - **Exchange Environment:** Confirm whether you're working in on-premises Exchange or Exchange Online, as some parameters are exclusive to Exchange Online. - **Trusted Accounts or Groups:** Identify the accounts or security groups you want to configure for organization-wide or per-user free/busy proxy access. These can be mailbox users, mail users, or security groups. - **Tenant IDs for Exchange Online:** If configuring free/busy sharing in Exchange Online, you need the tenant ID(s) of the organizations you want to allow access to. ## 5-Step Guide to Using the Set-AvailabilityConfig Cmdlet Follow these five steps to use this command effectively. ### Step 1: Connect to Exchange Online PowerShell Before you can execute the Set-AvailabilityConfig cmdlet, you need to **establish a connection with Exchange Online using PowerShell.** To do this, use the Connect-ExchangeOnline cmdlet: ```powershell Connect-ExchangeOnline -UserPrincipalName admin@yourdomain.com ``` This command prompts you to enter the credentials of an admin user. Once the connection is successful, you’ll be ready to run commands that interact with your Exchange environment. ### Step 2: Understanding the Parameters for Set-AvailabilityConfig As we mentioned before, the Set-AvailabilityConfig cmdlet is used to manage and control access to free/busy information within your organization. To use this cmdlet effectively, you need to understand its **most important parameters: - PerUserAccount:** This parameter is used when you need to assign a user or security group to manage free/busy information on a per-user basis. For example, if you want a specific user to handle free/busy data for other users, this is the parameter you’ll use. - **OrgWideAccount:** This parameter is used when you want to set up an organization-wide free/busy proxy account. It’s generally used for administrative purposes, especially in cross-forest or large-scale environments. - **AllowedTenantIds:** This is an Exchange Online-specific parameter. It allows you to restrict which external Microsoft 365 tenants can access your organization’s free/busy data. It’s useful if you want to control or limit the sharing of availability data with external organizations. Understanding these parameters **allows you to control how free/busy information is shared internally and externally**, and determine who can access this data. ### Step 3: Set Up a Per-User Free/Busy Proxy Account The PerUserAccount parameter allows you to **assign a specific user or security group as the responsible party for handling free/busy information on a per-user basis.** Let’s say you want to assign the user james@meetingroom365.com as the per-user proxy for handling free/busy information. To do that, run this command: ```powershell Set-AvailabilityConfig -PerUserAccount james@meetingroom365.com ``` This command configures james@meetingroom365.com as the account authorized to access free/busy information for specified users or those within the same organization. ### Step 4: Configure an Organization-Wide Free/Busy Proxy Account If you need to configure an account or group that has access to free/busy information for the entire organization, **you can use the OrgWideAccount parameter.** Now, let’s assume you want to set james@meetingroom365.com as the organization-wide proxy for free/busy information: ```powershell Set-AvailabilityConfig -OrgWideAccount james@meetingroom365.com ``` This command sets james@meetingroom365.com as the account with permission to access all users' free/busy data across the entire organization. ### Step 5: Restrict Free/Busy Sharing to Specific Tenants (Exchange Online Only) In Exchange Online, you can control which external tenants are allowed to access your organization’s free/busy information by using the AllowedTenantIds parameter. To **allow access to your free/busy data for specific external tenants**, use the following command: ```powershell Set-AvailabilityConfig -AllowedTenantIds "b7d1a8a3-0735-49f9-a598-45b3c7421253" ``` This command **allows only the tenant with the ID** "b7d1a8a3-0735-49f9-a598-45b3c7421253" **to access free/busy information from your organization.** You can specify multiple tenants by separating their tenant IDs with commas, which provides flexibility in sharing availability data. ## Optimizing Set-AvailabilityConfig for Your Exchange Setup By effectively using the Set-AvailabilityConfig command**, you ensure that internal and external users have the appropriate access to availability information**, whether it's for specific users or organization-wide configurations. Here’s a recap of the key points discussed: - Set-AvailabilityConfig works to set per-user or organization-wide accounts to manage free/busy data sharing within your Exchange environment. - With the command, you can control which external tenants can view your availability data using tenant IDs, ensuring security and privacy. - If the cmdlet isn’t working, check permissions and ensure you're connected to Exchange PowerShell, as missing permissions or connection problems are common causes of failure.