Start Projects Right with Perfectly Timed Kickoff Meetings
Get all stakeholders in the room when it matters most
WhenToMeet helps project managers coordinate kickoff meetings with stakeholders across teams, departments, and time zones. Find times when everyone can attend to set your project up for success with generous free-tier limits.
The Challenge
- ✕Coordinating availability across project team members, stakeholders, and sponsors
- ✕Delayed project starts because you can't find a time that works for everyone
- ✕Key stakeholders missing kickoff meetings due to scheduling conflicts
- ✕Managing multiple project kickoffs for portfolio of concurrent projects
- ✕Accommodating remote team members and offshore resources in different time zones
How WhenToMeet Helps
Get Everyone Aligned
See when all project stakeholders—team members, sponsors, clients, and cross-functional partners—are available for the kickoff.
Start Projects Faster
What used to take a week of scheduling coordination now takes 1-2 days. Get projects kicked off quickly while momentum is high.
Calendar-Aware Scheduling
Connected calendars automatically show busy times, ensuring your kickoff doesn't conflict with other critical meetings or deadlines.
Handle Distributed Teams
Project team across time zones? WhenToMeet converts all times to local zones for each participant automatically.
Respect Team Capacity
Avoid scheduling kickoffs when team members are already overloaded by seeing their calendar availability before finalizing.
Key Features
Calendar Integration
Connect stakeholder calendars to see real availability and avoid conflicts with existing project work, meetings, and commitments.
Quick Participation
Project team members and stakeholders can vote without creating accounts—just share the link and they're in.
Easy Sharing
Generate unique poll links for each project kickoff. Share via email, Slack, Teams, Jira, or your project management tool.
Stakeholder Notifications
Get notified when team members vote and when it's time to finalize the kickoff meeting, keeping the project on schedule.
Buffer Time Protection
Add buffer time before kickoffs so team members can prepare materials and mentally transition from their current work.
Get Started in 3 Steps
Create kickoff poll
Add potential kickoff meeting times based on typical project schedules. WhenToMeet suggests times that work across time zones and shows conflicts from connected calendars.
Stakeholders vote
Share the poll with all project team members, stakeholders, and sponsors. They can see their calendar overlay and vote on available times in seconds.
Finalize and kick off
Review responses to find a time that works for required participants. Finalize the kickoff meeting, and the event syncs to everyone's calendar with agenda and materials.
Best Practices for Project Kickoff Planning
- ✓Schedule kickoff meeting polls as soon as project approval is confirmed to maintain momentum
- ✓Propose 4-5 time slots within the first 1-2 weeks of the project timeline
- ✓Identify required participants (must attend) vs. optional participants to guide final decision
- ✓Set a response deadline that allows time to finalize before the ideal project start date
- ✓Enable calendar overlay so stakeholders can see their existing commitments while voting
- ✓Consider time zones for distributed teams—aim for times during business hours for all regions
- ✓For large projects, schedule kickoff 90-120 minutes and ensure you find a time with minimal conflicts
Frequently Asked Questions
Do all project stakeholders need to create accounts?+−
No, only the project manager needs a free WhenToMeet account. All team members and stakeholders can vote on their availability by simply clicking the poll link—no signup required.
What if I can't find a time that works for everyone?+−
WhenToMeet shows you which times work for the most people. You can prioritize required participants and proceed with the time that works for them, offering recordings or follow-up meetings for others.
Can I schedule other project meetings at the same time?+−
Yes! Create separate polls for kickoff, standups, sprint reviews, and stakeholder check-ins to coordinate your entire project cadence.
How quickly can I get a kickoff meeting scheduled?+−
Most polls get responses within 24-48 hours if you set a clear deadline. You can finalize the kickoff as soon as enough stakeholders vote, turning weeks of coordination into days.
Can I see who hasn't responded yet?+−
Yes, you can see which stakeholders have voted and send reminders to those who haven't responded, ensuring you get input from all required participants.
What if the project timeline changes before the kickoff?+−
Simply create a new poll with updated dates. The quick voting process means you can reschedule within hours and keep the project moving.
How does this integrate with project management tools?+−
WhenToMeet syncs finalized meeting times to calendar systems (Google Calendar, Microsoft 365, etc.). Many project management tools integrate with calendars, or you can manually add the meeting to your PM tool.
Is there a limit to how many project kickoffs I can schedule?+−
Group scheduling is completely free with unlimited polls, participants, and time slots. Whether you're managing one project or an entire portfolio, you can schedule kickoff meetings at no cost.