Syncing with Google Calendar... URL won't add!

[lukejhall]

When I try and paste the URL for my base calendar to Google calenda nothing happens and the calendar won't add.

I recorded a video to explain. Any ideas on what to do?

https://www.loom.com/share/c6497492aa644119b05c1bb4411215aa

So far I can delete and create the view again but the calendar only works for a few days and then stops working again. However the URL does work when I paste by subscribing on Apple Calendar app.

Thanks

[ScottWorld]

@lukejhall 

You aren’t adding your calendar correctly. You either need to:

(1) choose “subscribe to calendar” on that main screen in your video, or

(2) the even better way to add it is from the settings screen, where it says “Add Calendar”.

However, once you successfully add it to Google Calendar, you’re going to encounter a Google problem (not an Airtable problem):

The Google Calendar client only refreshes calendar subscriptions every 12-24 hours. This is not an Airtable problem, but a Google problem.

So you will need to use a different calendar client to see more frequent subscription updates.

If you’re on a Mac, my personal opinion is that the #1 best calendar client for the Mac is BusyCal, which refreshes subscriptions every 5 minutes (or immediately upon choosing the refresh command). BusyCal also has hundreds of advanced features that no other calendar client for the Mac has.

Another calendar client is Outlook, which also refreshes subscriptions more frequently.

Alternatively, if you want to stay in the Google Calendar client, you can always just setup automations to automatically send your Airtable events to a pre-existing Google calendar by using scripting or by using Make’s Google Calendar tools (which doesn’t require any knowledge of scripting at all). There can be a bit of a learning curve with Make, which is why I created this basic navigation video for Make, along with providing the link to Make’s free training courses.

Alternatively, if you have a budget for your project and you’d like to hire an expert Airtable consultant to help you with any of this, please feel free to contact me through my website: Airtable consulting — ScottWorld

[lukejhall]

Hi Scott,

Really appreciate your response. Thank you.

For reference, 'Subscribe to calendar' doesn't work in Google calendar. This option only accepts email addresses as an input to subscribe to a calendar. Pasting the URL from Airtable generates the error:

"https://airtable.com/shrUEXaQeU9LezS11/iCal?timeZone=Europe%2FLondon&userLocale=en-gb" is not a valid email address.

It wouldn't be a problem if the calendar refreshes every 12/24 hours but it just won't add.

I may try following your MAKE video. Will the free version of MAKE be enough. many thanks for taking the time to reply.

Luke