iCal is not updated in Google Calendar

[Gonzalo_Mateos]

Hi everybody

I have tried the iCal connector to Google Calendar. It is a very useful feature and I was very happy when I saw it but, unfortunately, it looks like Google is not properly updating the information.

The first time you make the connection it works fine but afterwards, if you make changes in the database, these changes are not reflected in Google Calendar. If you try to connect it again you must introduce something new in the URL provided by Airtable so that Google Calendar understand it is a new Calendar and does not use the cache.

So, the calendar is out of sync as soon as you change any information in the database.

Althouhg I think this is a Google problem (there are some forum about it https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!topic/calendar/ixQnzHmWDSk), it would be fantastic if you could do something about it because this feature is something we have been looking for.

Thank you!

[Kumar_Indresh]

I have the same issue. DId anyone find a solution?

[Isidre_Torras]

I have the same issue too… any suggestion anyone?

[Gregoire_de_Tor]

Any update about this issue?

[R_Felciano_QIAG]

Any update on this? This appears to be the only way to view multiple AirTable calendars together.

[Gonzalo_Mateos]

Hi

I’ve checked it again and it works! I did not change anything. Magic. :slightly_smiling_face:

The automatic updates take about 24 hours so, once a change has been made, you have to wait to check if everything went fine.

[David_Roulin]

Wait, do you mean every time you add a record in Airtable, you need to wait 24 hours for it to show up in your other calendars?

That would be bad news.

I just started using the calendar synchronisation feature, and have the same problem: when I update something on Airtable, I was expecting to see it in my google calendar a few minutes later at most.

Tried both the private link and the iCal subscription link btw, same results: no sync.

[Gonzalo_Mateos · Accepted solution]

Yes. It is not always 24 hours. The problem is that it is Google who updates the calendars and there is no way to control it from Airtable.

If you need more control maybe you can try with Zapier.

[David_Roulin]

Oh I see… But it is weird that Google would not offer more flexibility on synchronization settings though.
Or maybe one needs to look into using a script (I am thinking, using Google APIs to force a sync whenever a calendar is seen or something).
I will investigate further when I have time.

[David_Roulin]

The normal delay for my google calendar to be updated is indeed a few hours, not 24. You are right @Gonzalo_Mateos (thanks for your input).

But even a few hours “only” is not satisfying: I would like to use Airtable + google calendar synchronization in a daily, remote collaborative work context.

I will probably end up using Zapier, but I don’t like the idea of adding a third, unnecessary component to the architecture. It makes the system easy to break, and boy I don’t have time to maintain such basic tools, and it kind of defeats the whole purpose of having an iCal url in Airtable in the first place.