Google has added a new “Optional attendees” feature to Google Calendar, which brings it closer to a full-fledged desktop application.
Now, when you create or edit a meeting or appointment in Google Calendar, you can make some of the guests and attendees optional.
To do this, simply click on the “Make some attendees optional” link. Then, click on the icon next to the guests to toggle between optional and mandatory.
Google explains:
Guests’ roles in meetings tend to vary as well. Some people have to be there to lead the meeting or help make decisions, whereas others are gathering information they may be able to digest just as well via the notes. Without knowing which attendees are crucial and which are optional, it can be difficult to know which meetings you really need to attend.
With a couple clicks, you can openly communicate the importance of a meeting for each attendee. Click on the “Make some attendees optional link” above the guest list and then toggle the role of each attendee by clicking the icon next to his or her name.
This feature may not be of much use to a regular user, but for business ones it’s a great addition.
The optional attendees feature should be rolling out to all Google Calendar users shortly, regardless if they use the business version, in Google Apps, or the regular one.