Google Calendar for Slack

Connecting Google Calendar to Slack helps you and your team stay organized and up to date with notifications, event reminders, and more. 


Add the Google Calendar app to Slack

To use the Google Calendar app in Slack, one person needs to install the app. Once the app is installed, members can connect their calendars to Slack.

Install the Google Calendar app

  1. Visit the Google Calendar page in the Slack App Directory. 
  2. Click Add to Slack
  3. Click Allow to grant Google Calendar access to Slack. 
  4. When prompted, click Open Slack to return to your workspace.  

 

Connect your account and calendars

Connect your Google account

Once the Google Calendar app is installed, follow the steps below to connect your account: 

Desktop

Mobile

  1. Hover over   More, then click  Automations.
    An image of a cursor over the More icon in the Slack desktop app.
  2. Select   Apps in the sidebar.
  3. Search for and select Google Calendar to open the app.  
  4. From the app's Home tab, click Connect an account and follow the prompts. 
  5. Click Open Slack to return to your workspace. 
  1. From the  Home tab, tap Jump to at the top of the screen and search for Google Calendar. 
  2. Tap Google Calendar to open the app. 
  3. From the app's Home tab, tap Connect an account and follow the prompts. 
  4. Tap Done


Connect your calendars

You can add as many calendars as you’d like from your connected Google account.

Desktop

Mobile

  1. Hover over   More, then click  Automations.
    An image of a cursor over the More icon in the Slack desktop app.
  2. Select   Apps in the sidebar.
  3. Search for and select Google Calendar to open the app.  
  4. From the app's Home tab, click Connect Calendar. If you have previously set up a calendar, click Settings.
  5. Under Accounts, choose a calendar from the drop-down menu. To add additional calendars, reopen the menu and select another calendar.
  6. Click Done.
  1. From the  Home tab, tap Jump to at the top of the screen and search for Google Calendar. 
  2. Tap Google Calendar to open the app. 
  3. From the app's Home tab, tap Settings and follow the prompts. 
  4. Under Accounts, choose a calendar from the drop-down menu. To add additional calendars, reopen the menu and select another calendar.
  5. Tap Done.

Note: You can only turn on status syncing for your primary calendar.


Use Google Calendar in Slack

Configure personal notification settings

Google Calendar will send you notifications for all-day events, invitations, updates, and cancellations. You can adjust what you’re notified for, and the timing of your event reminders.

Desktop

Mobile

  1. Hover over   More, then click  Automations.
    An image of a cursor over the More icon in the Slack desktop app.
  2. Select   Apps in the sidebar.
  3. Search for and select Google Calendar to open the app.  
  4. From the app's Home tab, click Settings.
  5. Below your calendar, click Notification Preferences.
  6. Set your notification preferences and click Update.
  7. Click Done.
  1. From the  Home tab, tap Jump to at the top of the screen and search for Google Calendar. 
  2. Tap Google Calendar to open the app. 
  3. From the app's Home tab, tap Settings.
  4. Below your calendar, tap Notification Preferences.
  5. Set your notification preferences and tap Update.


Configure channel notification settings

If you use a shared calendar or would like an entire channel to be notified about calendar events, you can configure channel notifications.

Desktop

Mobile

Step 1: Configure channel notifications

  1. Hover over   More, then click  Automations.
    An image of a cursor over the More icon in the Slack desktop app.
  2. Select   Apps in the sidebar.
  3. Search for and select Google Calendar to open the app.  
  4. From the app's Home tab, click Settings.
  5. Below your calendar, click Channel Notifications.
  6. Search for and select the channel you’d like to send notifications to, then set your notification preferences and click Update.
  7. Click Done.


Step 2: Add the Google Calendar app to the channel

  1. Hover over   More, then click  Automations.
    An image of a cursor over the More icon in the Slack desktop app.
  2. Select   Apps in the sidebar.
  3. Search for and select Google Calendar to open the app.  
  4. Click Google Calendar  at the top of the app homepage to open the app settings
  5. Select   Add this app to a channel.
  6. From the drop-down menu, search for and select the channel you configured notifications for.
  7. Click Add.

Step 1: Configure channel notifications

  1. From the  Home tab, tap Jump to at the top of the screen and search for Google Calendar.
  2. Tap Google Calendar to open the app. 
  3. From the app's Home tab, tap Settings.
  4. Below your calendar, tap Channel Notifications.
  5. Set your notification preferences and tap Update.


Step 2: Add the Google Calendar app to the channel

  1. Open the channel you’ve configured Google Calendar notifications for.
  2. Type /invite @google calendar, then tap the   paper plane icon to send the message and allow the app to send notifications to the channel.


Create an event

Desktop

Mobile

  1. Hover over   More, then click  Automations.
    An image of a cursor over the More icon in the Slack desktop app.
  2. Select   Apps in the sidebar.
  3. Search for and select Google Calendar to open the app.  
  4. From the app's Home tab, click Create event.
  5. Enter a title for your event, then search for and select people to invite.
  6. Select which calendar the invite should be sent from. Open the drop-down menu below Select a Calendar.
  7. Choose a date and duration. Open the drop-down menu below Available times to select a time when all invitees are available, or select Pick a custom time.
  8. If you'd like, add event details in the Description field.  
  9. To post your event invitation in a channel or direct message (DM), make sure the box next to Share this meeting with is checked. Then, select a conversation from the drop-down menu.
  10. Click Create.  
  1. From the  Home tab, tap Jump to at the top of the screen and search for Google Calendar.
  2. Tap Create event
  3. Fill out your event details, then tap Create to add the meeting to your calendar.  

Anyone you’ve invited will receive a notification in Slack from the Google Calendar app. Invitees can respond to your event from that message or from their calendars.


View your schedule and respond to events

Desktop

Mobile

  • From the app's Home tab, click TodayTomorrow, or  Select a date to see all events for a particular date. 
  • To view details about an upcoming event, like the location, guest list, and description, click the  three dots icon to the right and select View event details.
  • Open the app's Messages tab to respond to events or update responses.  
  • From the Google Calendar app's Home tab at the top of the screen, tap TodayTomorrow, or Select a date to see all events for a particular date.
  • To view details about an upcoming event, like the location, guest list, and description, tap More to the right, then View event details
  • Open the app's Messages tab to respond to events or update event responses. 

Tip: On paid plans, you can receive a daily schedule notification from Google Calendar. Open the app's Home tab, then click Settings to enable or disable your daily schedule, or to change the delivery time.


Automatically update your Slack status

Using your calendar, the Google Calendar app will automatically set your Slack status to In a meeting or Out of Office, to help your coworkers know when to expect a reply from you.

A Slack status that reads, In a meeting - Google Calendar app

  • Your status will update to Out of Office when the title of your event contains OOO or PTO, and to In a meeting when the event has other invitees.
  • Your status will not include the name of the meeting you're attending. 
  • You can remove or update your status at any time — the Google Calendar app won't override any status you've set yourself. 
  • Only the events you accept, or that mark your availability as Busy, will trigger a status update in Slack. 
  • If there are overlapping events on your calendar, the Google Calendar app will not update your status.

Note: To manage status syncing, open the app's Home tab, then select Settings to turn Status Sync on or off.


Disconnect a calendar  

Desktop

Mobile

  1. Hover over   More, then click  Automations.
    An image of a cursor over the More icon in the Slack desktop app.
  2. Select   Apps in the sidebar.
  3. Search for and select Google Calendar to open the app.
  4. From the app's Home tab, click Settings.
  5. Below the calendar you want to disconnect, click Disconnect Calendar.
  6. Click Yes to confirm.
  1. From the  Home tab, tap Jump to at the top of the screen and search for Google Calendar.
  2. Tap Google Calendar
  3. From the app's Home tab, tap Settings.
  4. Below your calendar, tap Disconnect Calendar
  5. Tap Yes to confirm. 

Note: If your organization uses domain-wide authentication, you can disconnect your calendars but you won't be able to disconnect your Google account from Slack.


Fix calendar syncing issues

If events are missing or out of date in the Google Calendar app, following the steps below may resolve the problem:

  1. Visit the Google Calendar page in the Slack App Directory.
  2. Click the Configuration tab.
  3. Below Your Authorization, click Revoke.
  4. After the page reloads, click Add to Slack to reconnect your calendar.