What is possible and what is not
There are three things: importing busy times from an external calendar, importing a one-off ICS file as confirmed bookings, and exporting each provider’s diary. There is no sync with Google Calendar or Outlook and no connection by signing in with an account. “External calendar” is simply the name the panel gives to a connection through an ICS link. If you edit or delete an event in the external calendar, the bookings in 4appointments are not changed, so keep personal commitments in your usual app and use 4appointments for the booking diary.
- Busy events from a subscribed calendar block the matching times in availability.
- A one-off ICS file can be imported as confirmed bookings, with the limits below.
- Each provider’s diary can be exported through an ICS link you can subscribe to.
- No two-way sync, no sign-in with a Google or Microsoft account, and no CalDAV connection.
Importing busy times and bookings through an ICS link
In the “External calendar” section, a team member can subscribe to the calendar they already use. The link must start with https, each member can subscribe to up to three calendars, and the calendar is read again roughly every 15 minutes, so updates are not instant. Events marked as free are ignored. A one-off ICS import works differently: only events starting within the next 60 days are brought in, the file cannot exceed 2 MB, and past or overlapping events are ignored. The event title becomes the client name, and no email addresses or phone numbers are imported. The import is one-off, so events added later to the old calendar do not come across. Check the result before you give up the old diary.
Taking the bookings onto your phone
Each provider has their own ICS link for export. If you subscribe to it from your phone’s calendar, the bookings appear alongside your personal commitments. How often the calendar refreshes is decided by your calendar app, not by 4appointments.
- The client’s free note may appear in the event description.
- Each team member’s link shows only their own bookings.
- Anyone with the address can subscribe to it, so keep it confidential.
- Clients never see your personal calendar; they see only free slots.
Common questions
Does 4appointments sync with Google Calendar or Outlook?
No. What exists is subscribing to an ICS link, which imports busy times, and the ICS export of each provider’s diary. A change in Google or Outlook does not change the bookings.
Can I import more than one calendar, such as personal and work?
Yes. Each team member can subscribe to up to three calendars by ICS link, for example a personal and a work calendar. A busy event in any of them blocks the slot.
Will a change in Google Calendar change my bookings?
No. Imported events only block times in availability and never change or delete a booking. External calendars are read again roughly every 15 minutes.
Does it work with iCloud Calendar or Microsoft 365?
Only through an ICS link, like any other calendar. There is no native connection, no CalDAV and no sign-in with an Apple or Microsoft account.
Want to avoid bookings on top of your own commitments?
Connect your calendar via ICS. The first 12 months are free, no card needed; plans run from 1 € to 8 € a month after that.
See pricing →