Calendar Sync: Connecting Your External Calendars

Why calendar sync matters

Double bookings usually happen when Ordafy and your private diary disagree. Calendar sync links a service’s availability to Google Calendar or an iCal URL so external holds can block Shop slots, and confirmed Ordafy bookings can appear on your staff calendar when export is enabled.

Before you connect

• Prefer a dedicated calendar for bookable work—not every personal reminder mixed in.
• Set organisation working hours and timezone under Availability (/settings/availability) first.
• Confirm the service listing already has clear variants and pricing so accepted bookings make sense once slots clear.
• Decide whether you mainly import external busy times, export Ordafy bookings outward, or sync both ways.

Step 1: Open service calendar settings

1. In Business, go to Services (/services) and open the service.
2. Open the service Calendar (or calendar / sync settings for that service).
3. Set booking approval / availability mode to calendar sync when the connection should drive blocked times (you can still add manual blocks).

Organisation-wide diary views also live under Calendar (/calendar) so staff can see appointments across services.

Step 2: Connect Google Calendar

1. Choose Connect Google Calendar.
2. Authorise Ordafy to access the Google account that owns the work diary.
3. Select which calendar to sync.
4. Choose sync direction:
   • Import only: Busy events on Google block availability on Ordafy.
   • Export only: Confirmed Ordafy bookings create events on Google.
   • Bidirectional: Keep both sides aligned when you actively use both tools.
5. Enable sync and save.

Step 3: Add an iCal URL (Apple, Outlook, and others)

If your provider exposes an iCal feed (Apple Calendar, Outlook.com, and many others):

1. Copy the public or shared iCal URL from your calendar provider.
2. In the service calendar sync settings, choose Add iCal URL.
3. Paste the URL, enable sync, and save.

Use a feed that only includes work-relevant busy times so random personal events do not block Shop slots by accident.

Step 4: Verify the first sync

1. Create a short test event on the external calendar (or carefully confirm a test booking path).
2. Wait for sync to run, or trigger a manual sync if available in the dashboard.
3. Confirm matching times show as blocked or booked on Ordafy availability and on /calendar.
4. Remove the test hold and confirm the slot frees correctly on Shop.

Ongoing habits

• Put holidays, travel, and private clients on the synced calendar as soon as they are firm.
• Keep timezone consistent between Availability settings and Google / Apple calendars.
• Before peak seasons, review blocked dates against reality.
• If you disconnect a provider, switch back to manual mode and block known busy dates immediately under Availability or the service calendar.

Troubleshooting

• Re-check Google permissions or regenerate the iCal URL if sync stops.
• Confirm you selected the correct calendar, not an empty secondary calendar.
• Ensure the iCal URL is reachable without interactive login where required.
• Review sync status on the service; reconnect tokens if authorisation expired.
• Contact Ordafy support if status stays failed after a reconnect.

Frequently asked questions

Which providers does Ordafy support?

Service calendar sync supports Google Calendar and iCal-style feeds (including Apple and Outlook-style URLs). Pick the provider that already holds your work diary.

Should I use import, export, or bidirectional?

Use import if Shop should respect external busy times. Use export if Ordafy bookings should appear on staff calendars. Use bidirectional when you manage both systems daily.

Does sync replace reviewing bookings?

No. Sync keeps availability accurate; you still review pending bookings in /services/bookings unless you intentionally enable auto-accept with clear rules.

Keep your diary accurate

Connect sync, test one hold, then manage day-to-day requests with the booking management guide. Still setting up? Start with listing your service. Customers book via finding and booking services. Overview: list bookable services. Browse Shop and review Pricing.