A compact functionally rich timeline bar is embedded within an e-mail application window so that time-related information, such as calendar events, can be viewed and managed from within the e-mail window. The timeline bar consumes a small area of the e-mail window while presenting an optimal amount of information without interfering with the primary tasks regarding the e-mail application. The timeline bar displays as much of a string of calendar events as will fit in the timeline bar, and presents mechanisms with which a user can scroll forward and backward through the string of calendar events and can jump to particular dates within the string of events. Various presentations and operations are provided when a user hovers over corresponding features of the timeline bar, and various “drag-and-drop” operations are provided to initiate calendar event scheduling when a user drags-and-drops entities from other applications onto a feature of the timeline bar.