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5 ways to automate your calendar and stay on top of your schedule

By Elena Alston · February 6, 2024
connect-everything-calendar primary img

My calendar basically dictates how I spend each and every moment of my work day. It helps me prioritize my tasks, prepare for meetings, and lets me know when I have downtime to get specific things done. 

But none of that is possible—or as streamlined—without the help of automation. From cross-posting events to my different calendars (I have several) to blocking out time in my calendar for specific projects, Zapier helps me stay on top of my schedule. 

With Zaps—our word for Zapier's automated workflows—you can automatically connect your calendar tool to your other apps (think spreadsheets or project management tools). Here are some of the best ways to do that. 

New to Zapier? It's workflow automation software that lets you focus on what matters. Combine user interfaces, data tables, and logic with thousands of apps to build and automate anything you can imagine. Sign up for free to use this app, and thousands more, with Zapier.

Table of contents:

  • Cross-post events across multiple calendars

  • Create events in bulk from spreadsheets

  • Use AI to help prioritize your day

  • Block out time for your projects and tasks

  • Streamline your customer appointments

To get started with a Zap template—what we call our pre-made workflows—just click on the button. It only takes a few minutes to set up. You can read more about setting up Zaps here.

Cross-post events across multiple calendars

Are you a Google Calendar user forced to use Outlook at work? Or does your company use multiple calendars for different types of events?  

If you need a way to keep your meetings on the same page (literally), you can use these Zaps to cross-post new events automatically

With automation, you can display your appointments, meetings, and events across your calendars of choice. No more juggling multiple schedules or letting a meeting slip through the cracks. 

Copy new Google Calendar events to a different Google Calendar

Copy new Google Calendar events to a different Google Calendar
  • Google Calendar logo
  • Google Calendar logo
Google Calendar

Add Microsoft Outlook events to Google Calendar

Add Microsoft Outlook events to Google Calendar
  • Microsoft Outlook logo
  • Google Calendar logo
Microsoft Outlook + Google Calendar

Add Microsoft Outlook events from new Google Calendar events

Add Microsoft Outlook events from new Google Calendar events
  • Google Calendar logo
  • Microsoft Outlook logo
Google Calendar + Microsoft Outlook

Read more:

  • Automatically copy events from one Microsoft Outlook calendar to another

  • How to automatically copy events from one Google Calendar to another

Create events in bulk from spreadsheets

If you regularly create events in bulk (for events planning or for managing customer appointments), you know what a hassle it is to do manually—especially if you're copy-pasting event info from a database tool like Google Sheets or Airtable. 

These Zaps will automatically create calendar events every time a new row is added to Google Sheets or Airtable. That way, you can save yourself the time and potential for human error. 

Generate Google Calendar events from new Google Sheets rows

Generate Google Calendar events from new Google Sheets rows
  • Google Sheets logo
  • Google Calendar logo
Google Sheets + Google Calendar

Create detailed events in Google Calendar from new Airtable records in views

Create detailed events in Google Calendar from new Airtable records in views
  • Airtable logo
  • Google Calendar logo
Airtable + Google Calendar

Create Microsoft Outlook events for new or updated Google Sheets rows

Create Microsoft Outlook events for new or updated Google Sheets rows
  • Google Sheets logo
  • Microsoft Outlook logo
Google Sheets + Microsoft Outlook

Read more:

  • How to create Google Calendar events from a Google Sheets spreadsheet

  • How to create Microsoft Outlook calendar events from a Google Sheet

Use AI to help prioritize your day

Keeping track of important events throughout the day while your meeting requests pile up can easily lead to you being unprepared. Whether you need help prioritizing your tasks or you'd like to receive detailed event reminders, AI tools can help you stay on top of your day. 

These Zaps will pull new calendar events, analyze them, and then send you AI-generated reminders with extra context to help you prepare and prioritize your workload.  

Create memories in Personal.ai from new Google Calendar events

Create memories in Personal.ai from new Google Calendar events
  • Google Calendar logo
  • Personal AI logo
Google Calendar + Personal AI

Receive event reminders from ChatGPT in Slack

Receive event reminders from ChatGPT in Slack
  • Google Calendar logo
  • ChatGPT logo
Google Calendar + ChatGPT

Receive event reminders via SMS with information from ChatGPT

Receive event reminders via SMS with information from ChatGPT
  • Google Calendar logo
  • ChatGPT logo
  • SMS by Zapier logo
Google Calendar + ChatGPT + SMS by Zapier

Create Todoist tasks from Google Calendar events and get ChatGPT recommendations on priorities

Create Todoist tasks from Google Calendar events and get ChatGPT recommendations on priorities
  • Google Calendar logo
  • ChatGPT logo
  • Todoist logo
Google Calendar + ChatGPT + Todoist

Learn more: How to build your own calendar assistant GPT

Block out time for your projects and tasks

Your calendar isn't just for managing meetings with other people. You might want to block out time on your calendar so you can freely work on specific tasks or projects—without getting bombarded with messages from your teammates. 

Any time a new project or task gets added to your project management tool, you can set up a Zap that will automatically create an event in your calendar. Whether you need that time to focus or you just want it to show up on your schedule, these Zaps will do the heavy lifting for you. 

Generate detailed events in Google Calendar from new Notion database items

Generate detailed events in Google Calendar from new Notion database items
  • Notion logo
  • Google Calendar logo
Notion + Google Calendar

Create Microsoft Outlook events when new tags are added to Asana tasks

Create Microsoft Outlook events when new tags are added to Asana tasks
  • Asana logo
  • Microsoft Outlook logo
Asana + Microsoft Outlook

Create detailed Google Calendar events from new Microsoft To Do tasks

Create detailed Google Calendar events from new Microsoft To Do tasks
  • Microsoft To Do logo
  • Google Calendar logo
Microsoft To Do + Google Calendar

You can also flip this workflow on its head and create projects or tasks when a new event is added to your calendar. That can be handy if you need to create a document ahead of a meeting, for example, or if you need to catch up on some project-specific reading beforehand. 

Add new Google Calendar events to databases in Notion

Add new Google Calendar events to databases in Notion
  • Google Calendar logo
  • Notion logo
Google Calendar + Notion

Create tasks in Microsoft To-Do from new calendar events in Microsoft Outlook

Create tasks in Microsoft To-Do from new calendar events in Microsoft Outlook
  • Microsoft Outlook logo
  • Microsoft To Do logo
Microsoft Outlook + Microsoft To Do

Related reading: How to integrate Google Calendar with Notion

Streamline your customer appointments

If you work in customer service or have a role where you spend a lot of time speaking with leads, it's likely that you use a scheduling app like Calendly so folks can easily book time with you. Alternatively, your leads might request a meeting through a form app like Google Forms or Typeform. 

The problem, of course, is when your work calendar doesn't reflect the time you'll be busy. Using automation to add appointments directly to your work calendar means your whole team will know when you're unavailable—and double-booking will be a thing of the past.  

Create Google Calendar events from new scheduled Calendly events

Create Google Calendar events from new scheduled Calendly events
  • Calendly logo
  • Google Calendar logo
Calendly + Google Calendar

Create Microsoft Outlook events for new invitees created in Calendly

Create Microsoft Outlook events for new invitees created in Calendly
  • Calendly logo
  • Microsoft Outlook logo
Calendly + Microsoft Outlook

Create Google Calendar events from new Google Forms submissions

Create Google Calendar events from new Google Forms submissions
  • Google Forms logo
  • Google Calendar logo
Google Forms + Google Calendar

Add new Typeform entries as detailed events in Google Calendar

Add new Typeform entries as detailed events in Google Calendar
  • Typeform logo
  • Google Calendar logo
Typeform + Google Calendar

Supercharge the way you manage your time

These are just a few of the many ways Zapier users are connecting their calendars with other applications. You can automate almost any workflow you can imagine. Click here to get started building a Zap.

This article was originally published in November 2019, written by Justin Pot. It was most recently updated in February 2024 by Elena Alston.

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A Zap with the trigger 'When I get a new lead from Facebook,' and the action 'Notify my team in Slack'