Tired of juggling calendars and missing meetings because something slipped through the cracks? If you're using Appoint and want your Google Calendar and Outlook to play nice together, you're in the right place. This guide gets straight to the point: you'll learn what works, what doesn't, and exactly how to get your calendars synced up—without pulling your hair out.
Whether you're managing a small business, running client appointments, or just trying to keep your life organized, syncing Appoint with your main calendars saves time and prevents double-bookings. Let's get started.
Why Sync Appoint With Google Calendar and Outlook?
Before diving into the how-to, let's be clear: syncing is about keeping your schedule up-to-date everywhere. When you connect Appoint to your calendars:
- You see all your events in one place.
- Bookings made through Appoint show up instantly on your main calendar.
- You block off busy times so clients can't book you when you're already busy elsewhere.
- You avoid embarrassing double-bookings.
But, not all syncs are created equal. Some setups only push appointments one way. Others are slow to update. And sometimes, the integration breaks. I’ll flag the pitfalls as we go.
What You Need Before You Start
Don’t waste time troubleshooting basic stuff. Here’s what you’ll want lined up:
- An active Appoint account
- Access to the Google or Outlook account(s) you want to sync
- Admin rights if you’re on a business calendar
- A desktop/laptop browser (some steps are clunky on mobile)
Heads up: If you’re using a locked-down work account, you might need IT to approve calendar integrations. If that's you, save yourself the frustration and get them involved early.
1. Syncing Appoint With Google Calendar
Step 1: Find the Calendar Integration Settings
- Log in to Appoint.
- Navigate to your account or profile settings.
- Look for “Integrations,” “Calendar Sync,” or similar. (Naming depends on your Appoint plan.)
If you can’t find this, check the help docs or your plan features—some cheaper plans don’t include calendar syncing.
Step 2: Connect Your Google Account
- Click the option to add or connect a calendar.
- Choose Google Calendar.
- You'll be redirected to a Google sign-in/authorization screen.
Tip: Only connect the calendar you actually use for work. If you accidentally connect your personal calendar, all your dentist appointments will show up as “busy” in Appoint.
- Grant the requested permissions. Appoint will need to:
- View your calendars
- Add new events
- (Sometimes) delete or edit events
Be wary: If you’re not comfortable with Appoint having this level of access, stop and reconsider. Read up on their privacy policy, especially if you're handling sensitive info.
Step 3: Choose Which Calendars to Sync
- Some people have multiple Google Calendars (work, personal, side gig, etc.).
- Appoint usually lets you pick which ones to sync.
- Best practice: Only sync the calendars you actively use for appointments, not everything.
Step 4: Set Your Sync Preferences
- One-way sync: Bookings from Appoint show up in Google Calendar, but not the other way around.
- Two-way sync: Busy times from Google block your Appoint availability, and Appoint events show up in Google.
Two-way sync is the goal. If your plan supports it, turn it on. Otherwise, you'll still risk double-bookings.
Step 5: Test the Sync
- Create a test appointment in Appoint. Check Google Calendar—does it show up?
- Block some time off in Google Calendar. Does Appoint mark you as unavailable then?
- If something doesn’t work, disconnect and reconnect. Sometimes calendar syncs get stuck the first time.
2. Syncing Appoint With Outlook Calendar
Outlook has a few flavors: regular Outlook.com, business Microsoft 365, and old-school Exchange. The process is mostly the same, but permissions can get tricky with business accounts.
Step 1: Open Calendar Integration Settings in Appoint
- Same as with Google—find the “Integrations” section in your Appoint settings.
- Click to add/connect a calendar, then choose Outlook (sometimes called Microsoft or Office 365).
Step 2: Sign In and Authorize Appoint
- You’ll be redirected to Microsoft’s sign-in page.
- Log in to the account you want to connect.
- Approve the permissions—Appoint needs to read and write to your calendar.
Pro tip: If your company uses single sign-on or multi-factor authentication, be ready for some extra steps.
Step 3: Pick the Right Calendar
- Outlook users often have calendars for different teams or purposes.
- Select only the calendars you really want to sync.
- Avoid syncing shared calendars unless you need to—this can cause confusion.
Step 4: Choose Sync Direction
- As with Google, pick one-way or two-way sync.
- Two-way is better if you want your Outlook events to block Appoint bookings.
Step 5: Test Everything
- Schedule a fake meeting in Appoint. Does it appear in Outlook?
- Block time in Outlook. Does Appoint see it as busy?
- Test recurring events, too—they’re notorious for breaking in some integrations.
3. Troubleshooting Common Sync Issues
Let’s be honest: calendar syncing breaks sometimes. Here’s what to watch for.
Events Not Appearing
- Refresh your calendar (sometimes it lags by a few minutes).
- Make sure you’re looking at the right calendar in Google/Outlook.
- Check your sync settings—did you pick the correct calendar to sync?
Double-Bookings Still Happen
- Did you set up two-way sync, or just one-way?
- Are you blocking off “busy” time in your main calendar, or is everything marked as “free”?
- If you use multiple calendar tools (like Apple Calendar), only events on synced calendars will count.
Authorization Errors
- If permissions change (like your Google password resets), you might need to reconnect Appoint.
- Company policies sometimes revoke access without telling you. Reauthorize if things stop working.
Recurring Events Aren’t Syncing
- Not all integrations handle recurring events well.
- If this matters to you, do a few tests. If it’s consistently broken, you might need to enter repeats manually or contact support.
Pro Tips to Make Calendar Sync Painless
- Audit your calendars: Too many connected calendars = chaos. Less is more.
- Avoid connecting both Google and Outlook unless you have to. Pick your main work calendar and stick with it.
- Set clear working hours in Appoint. Even synced calendars can’t help if you’re set as available 24/7.
- Regularly test the sync. Don’t assume it’ll work forever—especially after software updates.
- If Appoint’s built-in sync is unreliable, try Zapier or another automation tool. It’s another moving part, but sometimes it’s more reliable than native sync.
What’s Not Worth Your Time
- Manual CSV imports: Clunky, error-prone, and never truly “synced.”
- Multiple sync layers: Connecting Appoint to Google, then Google to Outlook, then Outlook back to Appoint. This creates loops and duplicate events.
- Third-party “calendar consolidator” apps: Most just add complexity without solving core sync problems.
Stick to direct, native integrations whenever possible.
Wrapping Up: Keep It Simple, Check It Often
Getting Appoint to sync with Google Calendar or Outlook isn’t rocket science—but it’s not always plug-and-play, either. The key is to set up two-way sync, keep things simple, and check your calendars once in a while to make sure nothing’s broken.
Don’t overthink it. Start with the basics, test your setup, and tweak as you go. If something’s not working, it’s usually a missed setting or a permissions hiccup—not a reason to throw your laptop out the window.
Happy scheduling—and may your double-bookings be a thing of the past.