Historically to see if someone was busy, I created a meeting notice and added them to it. I could then see their free/busy time and subject information for their meetings.

Then I learned that I could open their calendars and see their time merged with mine, so that i wouldn't have to create the meeting invite. Nice! But can't get it working.

Several people have granted me reviewer access to their calendars. When I go into Outlook for Mac, select File > Open > Calendar and search for and select the person, it appears to gain access to the person's calendar. I do not get any errors. The person's name now appears in my left-hand navigation under a heading "Shared Folders"  When I check the check box next to their name (to turn on display), nothing happens. i don't see their calendar. I had expected to see their calendar items displayed, merged with mine. I do not see any of their items at all. 

If I try to add someone whose calendar i do NOT have access to, it correctly errors out with a permissions error.

Further for those calendars that I DO have access to, once I have added them as shared folders, if I create a meeting invite, add that person, and look at the scheduling assistant, their schedule is completely blank! If I remove that person from the shared folders view, and then create a new meeting invite to them, magic poof, their stuff comes back into the scheduling assistant. And yes, I believe that I am creating the meeting invite on my calendar, not theirs.

Totally confused at this point. 

What level of permissions do I need to have to see their calendars in the merged view? Reviewer? 

Does this functionality work as I have described my expectations? Am I doing something wrong (I hope) or does it just not work?

THANK YOU!