What is possible and what is not
There are three things: importing busy times from an external calendar through its ICS link, importing a one-off ICS file as confirmed bookings, and exporting each provider's diary. There is no two-way sync with Google Calendar or Outlook, and you cannot sign in with a Google or Microsoft account. "External calendar" is simply the name the panel gives to a connection made through an ICS link. If you edit or delete an event in the external calendar, the bookings in 4appointments stay as they are, so keep personal commitments in your usual calendar app and use 4appointments for the booking diary.
- Import busy times: events in the external calendar block those times in availability
- Import a one-off ICS file as confirmed bookings
- Export each provider's diary as an ICS link you can subscribe to
- No two-way sync, no Google or Microsoft sign-in, and no iCloud or CalDAV connection
Importing busy times and one-off files
In the "External calendar" section, a team member can subscribe to the calendar they already use, and its events then block those times in availability, so nobody books over them. Use an https link, and each member can subscribe to up to three calendars. Calendars are read again roughly every 15 minutes, so updates are not instant, and events marked as free are ignored. You can also import an ICS file once as confirmed bookings. Only events starting within the next 60 days come across, the file cannot exceed 2 MB, past and overlapping events are ignored, and the event title becomes the customer's name. No email addresses or phone numbers are imported, and no live link remains afterwards, so check the result before you give up the old diary.
Taking the bookings onto your phone
The link also lets you check the diary on a computer without opening the panel. Each provider's link shows only that provider's bookings.
- Each provider has their own ICS export link; subscribe to it from your phone's calendar
- The bookings then appear alongside your personal commitments, and the customer's free note may show in the event description
- How often the calendar refreshes is decided by your calendar app, not by 4appointments
- Treat the link as confidential: anyone who has the address can subscribe to it
Common questions
Does 4appointments sync with Google Calendar?
No. You can subscribe to an ICS link, which imports busy times, and export each provider's diary as an ICS link. A change in Google Calendar does not change the bookings.
Does it work with Outlook or Microsoft 365?
Only through an ICS link, like any other calendar. There is no native connection and no sign-in with a Microsoft account.
How long does a change take to show up?
External calendars are read again roughly every 15 minutes. For the phone export, the interval depends on the calendar app you use.
Can my customers see my personal calendar?
No. Imported events only block times in availability; customers see only the free slots.
Want to avoid bookings on top of your own commitments?
Try 4appointments and import your calendar with an ICS link. The first 12 months are free, with no card needed (see the pricing page).
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