I've read several threads in the Microsoft Community that ask a similar question, but none provided a solution. I'm hoping someone out there can offer resolution that doesn't require:

a) purchase of a separate non-Microsoft add-in
b) manual entry of the categories on every profile accessing the calendar

The problem is this: I created a shared calendar with a very extensive master list of color-coded categories. I shared this calendar. When the two Reviewers open the calendar (they are set to Reviewers and already have "Full Details" available) the calendar they are viewing has the details of events, but none of them are color-coded/categorized the way they appear on the calendar I own.

I've already tried updating the data file to update the color categories on all the machines, including my own. All this did was create overlap in the color categories already situated on the main calendar I own. For example, instead of having just the category I designated to the event, it now had my custom category/color plus things like "Birthday," "Personal," or "Business" that shared the same color. I spent hours going through and fixing the horrendous mess this supposed fix created.

This calendar is meant to be shared with everyone at a company. Dozens of people will have access, so updating each profile with the color-coded master category list manually is not an option.

For reference, every profile attempting to access the shared calendar and its color-coded events is using Microsoft Office 2010. I'd greatly appreciate any guidance anyone can offer on how to get everyone the calendar is shared with using the same Master Category list I have set up.

AW

If the Calendar is stored in a shared/room mailbox, you just add said mailbox directly in Outlook (as additional account, not as additional mailbox). That should expose the categories.