Connect your Google Calendar to let 24CallDesk book appointments, check availability, and sync events automatically.

What It Does

With Google Calendar connected:

AI checks your availability during calls
Appointments sync instantly to your calendar
Existing events block time so no double-booking
Changes sync both ways - update either place

Setup

Connect Your Account

Go to Inbound > Configure > Book Appointments
Click Connect Google Calendar
Sign in with your Google account
Grant calendar permissions when prompted

We only request the minimum permissions needed: read/write calendar events and read calendar list.

Select Calendars

Choose which calendars to use:

Primary calendar: Where appointments are created
Check for conflicts: Additional calendars to check availability against

Example: Create appointments on "Work" but also check "Personal" for conflicts.

Configure Availability

Set when you're available for bookings:

Business hours per day
Buffer time between appointments
Minimum notice required
How far in advance to allow

Test It

Make a test call and ask to book:

You: "I'd like to schedule an appointment"
AI: "I'd be happy to help! Let me check availability...
     I have openings tomorrow at 10am, 2pm, or Thursday
     at 11am. Which works for you?"

Check your Google Calendar - the event should appear instantly.

Features

Real-Time Availability

The AI checks your calendar live:

AI: "Let me check our schedule... I see you're free
     tomorrow afternoon. Would 2pm or 4pm work better?"

No stale data - always current availability.

Conflict Prevention

If your calendar changes while someone is booking:

AI: "Oh, I apologize - that slot just got taken. The next
     available time is 3pm. Would that work instead?"

Two-Way Sync

Direction	What Syncs
24CallDesk → Google	New appointments, updates, cancellations
Google → 24CallDesk	Blocks availability, event changes

Event Details

Appointments include:

Customer name and phone
Type of appointment
Notes from the conversation
Link back to 24CallDesk conversation

Multiple Calendars

For teams:

Check availability across team members
Book onto specific person's calendar
Round-robin assignment

Advanced Configuration

Appointment Types

Create different appointment types with different durations:

Consultation: 30 minutes
Service Call: 2 hours
Follow-up: 15 minutes

Each can have its own buffer time and availability rules.

Buffer Time

Add padding around appointments:

Before: Prep time
After: Wrap-up or travel

Example: 15-minute buffer after each appointment

Time Zone Handling

Automatic detection:

AI asks for caller's time zone (or detects from area code)
Presents times in their time zone
Creates event in your time zone
Calendar shows both

Recurring Appointments

Book ongoing services:

AI: "Would you like this same time every week?"
Customer: "Yes, every Tuesday at 2pm"
AI: "Perfect, I've set up a recurring appointment for
     every Tuesday at 2pm for the next 4 weeks."

Troubleshooting

Calendar Not Syncing

Check:

Is the Google account still connected? (Inbound > Configure > Book Appointments)
Are permissions still granted? (Check Google security settings)
Is the correct calendar selected?

Wrong Availability Showing

Verify:

Business hours are set correctly
All conflict calendars are selected
Buffer times aren't too large
Lead time isn't blocking slots

Double Bookings

This can happen if:

Multiple calendars not selected for conflict checking
Events marked "free" instead of "busy"
Sync delay (rare, usually under 10 seconds)

Always select all relevant calendars to check for conflicts, including personal calendars if you block time there.

Privacy & Security

We take calendar access seriously:

Minimal permissions - Only what's needed
No data selling - Ever
Encrypted - In transit and at rest
Revocable - Disconnect anytime

To disconnect: Inbound > Configure > Book Appointments > Disconnect