How to set up Appointment Slots in Google Calendar
Google Calendar is slick, sharable, and packed with features, but until recently, there has been no easy way to set up blocks of time for appointments. Now you can.
Rob Lightner
Rob Lightner is a tech and gaming writer based in Seattle. He has reviewed games, gadgets, and technical manuals, written copy for space travel gear, and composed horoscopes for cats.
Many of us have blocks of time we make available to others people, such as professionals, academics, coaches, tennis buddies--the list is endless. Google Calendar just added a new feature that makes setting aside and scheduling appointment times incredibly easy. Here's how to get started:
- Log on to your Google account and open up your calendar.
- Click and drag an open space in your calendar and select "Appointment slots" from the bubble (Note: this will not work in the Month view.)
Step 2: Create appointment slot. - Give the block a title and select which calendar it lives in, then select the type (whether the block is one slot or is broken up into multiples). If you want to make the slot repeat, add additional info, or share it, click "Edit Details."
- To let people book time, just share the URL for the appointment page. They need to be signed into their own Google accounts, and they should see their calendars overlaid with your appointment blocks, making scheduling even easier.
Steps 3-4: Edit Details and share URL.
That's how it works. It's pretty simple and should make the life of Google Calendar users a little simpler, too. Knowing Google, we can expect more features to come rolling along in the near future.