Google Calendar integration

What it does

When a caller wants an appointment, your agent asks which appointment type they need, checks Google Calendar for open times, then books the time the caller picks. Callers can also call again to reschedule or cancel an appointment your agent booked.

• Open times follow your agent's business hours and your booking rules, and leave out times that are already busy in the calendars you choose.
• Each booking becomes an event in the calendar you choose, with the caller's name, phone number and answers to your questions in its description. If the caller gives an email address, Google sends them the invitation.
• Your dashboard shows each booking under Calendar, with the caller, the appointment type and how it was booked.

Connect Google Calendar

1. In your dashboard, open Calendar and choose Connect calendar. This opens Calendar settings.

2. Under Connection, choose Connect next to Google Calendar.

   

3. Sign in with Google and allow access. Leave every permission selected on the Google screen. Your agent needs them to see your calendars, check busy times and add bookings.

4. Back in your dashboard, Google Calendar shows as Connected with your Google account.

   

Choose calendars and booking rules

Under Calendars and booking rules you decide where your agent looks for open times and where it books. Open times follow your agent's business hours and these rules.

• Check availability from: the calendars your agent checks for busy times, such as your own and your team's. It always checks the calendar it adds bookings to as well.
• Add new bookings to: the calendar that gets new appointments.
• Slot length: the steps in which open times start, such as every 15 minutes.
• Book up to: how far ahead callers can book, from 7 days to a year.
• Minimum notice: how soon before an appointment callers can still book it.
• Reschedule or cancel notice: how soon before an appointment callers can still move or cancel it.

Choose Save to apply your changes.

Add appointment types

Your agent only books the appointment types you add, so add at least one. Under Appointment types, choose Add appointment type.

• Name and Duration (minutes): what callers book and how long it lasts. A price is optional.
• Buffer before (min) and Buffer after (min): time kept free around each appointment. For home and mobile services, Travel time blocks time for the trip.
• Questions to ask before booking: one per line, up to 10. Your agent asks each one on the call.
• Location: In person, at your location or the caller's, or Video meeting, where each appointment gets its own link.

Example

A plumbing business offers two appointment types, Heating service and Bathroom consultation. Its agent checks the owner's calendar and the service team's calendar and adds bookings to the owner's.

A caller would like a bathroom consultation on Wednesday morning. The agent offers the open times that fit, the caller takes 10:00 AM, and the appointment goes straight into Google Calendar.

Good to know

Google Calendar shows Needs reconnecting

Google no longer accepts the connection, for example because access was removed in your Google account. Choose Reconnect and sign in again. Until you reconnect, your agent doesn't book in Google Calendar.

Disconnecting Google Calendar

Disconnect stops your agent from checking and booking in Google Calendar and clears the calendars you chose. Appointments already booked stay in your calendar. Your appointment types and booking rules stay in Kesru, also when you connect another calendar.

Your calendar data

What Kesru stores and reads from your calendar is described in the Privacy Policy.