Quick Guide: Google Calendar
This is a quick guide for Google Calendar, an app included in the Google Suite.
Overview
Google Calendar is a time management and scheduling tool that's available through your PLU account. Many departments and teams use Calendar for scheduling meetings and promoting collaboration.
To access Calendar:
- Navigate to calendar.google.com
- Download the mobile app
- From Gmail, click the Google Apps button to the top-right, which looks like a grid of dots
Scheduling an Event
To schedule an event in Calendar:
- Navigate to calendar.google.com and ensure you’re logged in with your PLU account.
- Click the desired date/time in the calendar grid. A pop-up will appear.
- Enter the event details:
- Title
- Start/End Time
- Guests
- Location and web conferencing details. See [Link for document 98491 is unavailable at this time] for more details.
- Description
To access or edit meeting details after an event has been created, click the event and then click the pencil icon from the pop-up that appears.
More Options
To access additional event settings, such as recurring events, privacy, and notification settings, click "More options" when creating an event. Or, if the event is already created, click the pencil icon to edit it.
Recurring Events
For events that happen on a regular basis, such as weekly departmental meetings or bi-weekly committee check-ins, one event can be created and configured as “recurring,” This will automatically schedule the event for all future meetings.
To schedule a recurring meeting:
- Schedule an event as described above, and click “More options.”
- For a previously scheduled event, click the pencil icon to edit it.
- One of the most commonly used options, such as daily, weekly, monthly, annually, or every weekday.
- For a custom recurrence, select "Custom…" A settings pop-up will appear.
After saving the event, settings such as meeting duration, length, or details, can be applied to meetings individually or to all future meetings.
Privacy / Visibility
Calendar events can be publicly viewable, visible only to the creator, or follow default calendar settings.
To toggle visibility settings, click the drop-down menu labeled "Default Visibility" and select the desired option.
For more information about sharing calendars, see Google's Support Documentation.
Accessing Other Calendars
Other people's and group calendars can be added and viewed to see availability and set up meeting times. Calendars can be viewed ad hoc or added to a list for easy future access.
To view another calendar:
- Navigate to calendar.google.com.
- To the left side of the page, type in a name or email address of the intended calendar in the text box labeled "Meet with..." The selected calendar will display in the grid to the right.
To subscribe to someone else's calendar:
- Navigate to calendar.google.com.
- To the left side of the page, click Add other calendars > Subscribe to calendar.
- Start entering the person’s name or email address and select the person from the list.
- The selected calendar will appear in the list below. Toggle the checkbox to the left to view or hide the calendar from view
For more information about sharing and viewing calendars, refer to Google's Support Documentation.
Responding to an Event Invite
When calendar events are created and guests are added, the event will also appear on guests’ calendars and an email notification can be sent as well. Guests can respond to the invite, which will alert the event organizer and note their response to all guests on the event.
To respond to an event through Calendar:
- Navigate to calendar.google.com.
- Locate and click the event on the calendar. A pop-up will appear.
- In the pop up, click a response at the bottom of the pop-up.
- The "up arrow" button to the bottom right:
- Propose a new time: Opens Calendar to select a new time for a meeting.
- Add note: Opens Calendar to add a note to accompany a Yes, Maybe, or No Response.
Clicking the Pencil icon to the top of the pop-up opens additional meeting details. Yes, No, and Maybe options, as well as the ability to add a note and notification settings can be accessed here. The calendar event will be updated to reflect the selection.
To respond to an event through an email invitation, open the email and select one of the options described in Step 3 above. The calendar event will be updated to reflect the selection.
For more information about responding and managing events, refer to Google's Support Documentation.