Ever book a meeting, then spend more time than you’d like chasing confirmations or sending reminders? Or worse, show up to a call and the other person forgot? If your calendar feels more like a to-do list of “nags,” it might be time to automate. This guide is for anyone who’s using scheduling tools, but tired of the manual work that comes after someone picks a time.
Let’s dig into using Calendly workflows—what’s actually worth automating, where to skip the bells and whistles, and how to get rock-solid confirmations and follow-ups without turning into a robot yourself.
Why Bother Automating Follow-Ups and Confirmations?
Here’s the honest truth: most meeting no-shows happen because people forget, not because they’re rude. Sending a quick confirmation or reminder email can cut your no-shows in half, and a decent follow-up can save both sides a lot of back-and-forth.
But doing this by hand? It gets old fast. That’s what workflows are for: handling the repeatable stuff so you’re not stuck in your inbox.
Who’s this for? - Anyone who books meetings with clients, candidates, prospects, or teammates. - Solo founders, consultants, sales reps, recruiters, or anyone who wants to stop babysitting their calendar.
What Are Calendly Workflows, Really?
Calendly workflows are a way to set up automatic actions—like sending emails or texts—before or after a meeting. Think of them like little robots for your calendar. You set the rules, they do the grunt work.
What can you automate? - Confirmation emails (right after someone books) - Reminder messages (days or hours before) - Follow-up notes (after the meeting) - Text (SMS) reminders (if you want them) - Sending basic meeting prep instructions
What can’t you do? - Hyper-personalized messages (these are templates, not magic) - Pull in detailed CRM data without integrations - Replace actual human follow-up when nuance matters
Don’t expect workflows to manage your relationships. They’re for the routine stuff, not the relationship-building.
Step 1: Get Clear on What Needs Automating
Before you start clicking around, decide what you actually want to automate. Here’s what tends to work best:
Worth Automating
- Confirmation emails: Simple, transactional, and expected.
- Reminders 24 hours and 1 hour before: These help people actually show up.
- Basic follow-ups: “Thanks for meeting!” or a feedback request.
Usually Not Worth It
- Super-detailed prep instructions: If you need to customize for every meeting, don’t automate it.
- Aggressive sales follow-ups: Automated “just checking in” emails get ignored (or worse, annoy people).
Pro tip: Start with reminders and confirmations. Get fancy later.
Step 2: Build a Simple Calendly Workflow
Setting up a Calendly workflow is pretty straightforward. Here’s how to do it without wasting time.
1. Log in and Head to Workflows
- In Calendly, go to the "Workflows" section from your dashboard.
- You’ll see some starter templates (like “Send a reminder 1 hour before”). These are fine—don’t reinvent the wheel.
2. Pick Your Trigger
Triggers are the “when” of your workflow. The most useful for follow-ups and confirmations: - When an event is scheduled - X hours/days before an event - X minutes/hours after an event
Example: “Send a confirmation email when an event is scheduled.”
3. Choose Your Action
Usually, you’ll want to send an email or SMS. Email is less intrusive and free. SMS can be handy for last-minute reminders, but don’t overuse it.
- Email: Best for confirmations, reminders, and follow-ups.
- SMS: Only for urgent reminders, and only if you know your audience actually wants them.
4. Set Up the Message
Calendly will prompt you for your message. Keep it short and clear. Use variables (like {invitee_name} or {event_date})—Calendly fills these in for you.
Confirmation Example:
Subject: Your meeting with {your_name} is confirmed
Hi {invitee_name},
Thanks for booking a time with me. Here are the details: Date: {event_date} Time: {event_time} Location: {location}
If you need to reschedule, use this link: {reschedule_link} See you soon!
Reminder Example:
Subject: Reminder: Our meeting is coming up
Hi {invitee_name},
This is a quick reminder about our meeting on {event_date} at {event_time}. Looking forward to it!
Follow-Up Example:
Subject: Thanks for meeting today
Hi {invitee_name},
Thanks for your time earlier. If you have any follow-up questions, just reply to this email. Have a great day!
5. Choose Which Event Types to Apply It To
You can apply workflows to all event types, or just some. If you run different kinds of meetings, keep your reminders relevant. Don’t send a “Thanks for interviewing!” note to a sales prospect.
6. Activate and Test
- Turn on the workflow.
- Do a test booking using a different email to make sure everything works.
- Check for typos or weird formatting—nothing kills trust like a broken email.
What to Watch Out For (and When to Stop Automating)
Calendly workflows are powerful, but they’re not perfect. Here’s where people trip up:
- Over-automation: If every message sounds generic, people tune out. Don’t send five reminders for a 15-minute call.
- Unclear instructions: If your reminders are too vague (“See you soon!”), you’ll get more “Wait, where is this?” emails.
- Ignoring replies: Calendly can’t handle two-way communication. If someone replies to a confirmation or follow-up, you’ll need to respond like a human.
Skip: - “Just checking in” automated follow-ups. These are spammy. - Automated attachments. Calendly won’t send files—use a link or follow up personally if you need to share docs.
Works well: - Simple, factual reminders. - Links to reschedule. - Directions or Zoom links (pulled from event info).
Pro Tips for Better Automated Follow-Ups
- Personalize just a little: Use the person’s name, your name, and the meeting details. It’s minimal, but makes a difference.
- Include reschedule/cancel links: Saves everyone headaches.
- Don’t over-message: One confirmation, one reminder, one follow-up—done.
- Test with yourself first: Book a few dummy meetings and see what actually lands in your inbox. Fix anything that looks off.
- Review your no-show rate: If you’re still getting lots of no-shows, tweak your timing or message. Sometimes a reminder 2 hours before works better than 24.
Integrations and When They’re Worth It
Calendly has a pile of integrations—Zapier, Slack, CRM tools, etc. Here’s the honest take: - Use integrations if: You need to log meetings in your CRM, send custom follow-ups, or trigger more complex workflows. - Skip integrations if: You just want reliable reminders and confirmations. Calendly does that out of the box.
If you’re not already using Zapier or a CRM, don’t complicate things. Start simple. You can always add more tech later.
Keep It Simple: Start Small and Iterate
Automating your calendar follow-ups and confirmations shouldn’t be a science project. Start with one or two basic workflows—a confirmation and a reminder. See how it feels. If you start getting “Wow, thanks for the reminder!” instead of “Sorry, I forgot,” you’re on the right track.
Don’t worry about perfection. You can always add more polish later. The real win is getting out of your inbox and back to work that actually matters.