Our company, OvalEye Web Solutions makes use of Google Calendar as our scheduling platform. Being the family business we are, we create multiple calendars for each of our personal lives, business appointments, and marketing deadlines. It is fantastic; easy, free, and fun.
How to create a Google Calendar:
1. Sign up for a Google Account (if you don’t already have one! Google connects this account to so many other online applications, it’s crazy not to.)
2. Click on the SETTING tab on the top right, or to the left under CALENDAR.
3. Give your first calendar a name such as – ‘Company Name’ or ‘Personal.’ Click on your calendar- usually named after your email address. Change the title and add a description and location.
4. Click SHARE THIS CALENDAR to make your calendar public or share with team members. Click here for tips on how to use Google for your team.
5. While still in the CALENDAR tab in SETTINGS, add new calendars by clicking “Create new calendar” going through the same steps as above. Some other examples of calendar you and your team may need to collaborate on are: Company (General), Marketing, Networking– and depending on how close you are– Personal calendar for each team member and their families.
6. Make your life easier and “Browse interesting calendars” by clicking on the link towards the left. Subscribe to premade calendars for holidays and more.
7. After you have added your calendars and assigned them as public/private and share them with your team members, check out the LABS tab while you are still in SETTINGS. Labs has great applications you can add onto your calendar to improve it’s function. OvalEye uses: Dim future repeating events, Attach Google Docs, Background image (company logo), World Clock, Next Meeting, and Jump to Date.
8. You can sync the Google Calendar (a form of cloud computing- you can access it from anywhere) to your desktop or smart phone calendars. Check out this blog post on how to sync your iCal, iPhone, and Google Calendar. Are you a PC user? Find out how to sync Outlook and Google Calendar from Google.
The number one benefit for us in using Google Calendar is that I can create a new appointment date on the calendar, sitting at coffee with a client, and our team can see it instantly wherever they are that I now have a new appointment. It’s super easy, affordable, and makes life less stressful. It also works with our CRM system!
I am a SOHO Wife and write this blog for women working out of a small office or home office that are looking for inspiration in developing and sustaining a healthy SOHO lifestyle.
