Google Calendar is one of the most popular online calendar applications currently available. It has a robust set of features that allow users to manage their time and schedule effectively. In this blog post, we will explore some useful tips and tricks for Google Calendar that can help you get the most out of the application.
And while other calendar apps do exist, like Motion and Sunsama, there is no denying that Google has been dominating the calendar space for a long time.
Another app being used a lot is Notion. Notion is a collaborative workspace that enables personal users or teams to quickly create and share notes, tasks, and documents. It’s an ideal tool for users who need to keep track of multiple projects while collaboratively communicating with team members. With a simple interface and powerful features.
Notion is quickly becoming the go-to workspace for professionals who want to get things done due to the large number of templates on the market, and the versatility of the app.
And while the app is very powerful, one area it lacks in is the integration aspects, and Google Calendar has been wanted as an official integration by the userbase for a long time.
How to Integrate Notion With Google Calendar
The easiest way to build the integration is by using an app integrator like Zapier, Automate.io, or IFTTT. IFTTT is the easiest app, but the least versatile. I’d suggest testing the integration with IFTTT, and moving to automate.io later when you understand the process. We’ll showcase both in this article.
Integrate Notion With Google Calendar Using IFTTT
Note: This only works with this template, If you want to use another custom notion board, go ahead and skip to the Automate.io section.
Step 1
Download the IFTTT (if this then that) app from the app store, or play store, sign up for a Free Account, and connect your Notion and Google Calendar Accounts.
Step 2
Create a new automation, which IFTTT calls applets, and set the trigger to be an “event added” within your calendar of choice
Step 3
The action should be “add item to a To-Do list” and select the template you downloaded from above, you’ll now add some information like task priority, status, assignee, and the title of the task (you can use the title of the calendar task). now you can finish creating the applet.
Now you can go ahead and test the applet by adding a google calendar event, and seeing if it shows up within your notion view.
IFTTT Method Cons
while the IFTTT Method is perfectly functional, it still lacks some bells and whistles, like being able to work with any notion board, not just the provided template. I’d also like if it was able to work the other way around, not just a one-way integration.
Integrate Notion With Google Calendar Using Automate.io
Automate.io is more complicated than IFTTT but has many more possibilities for automation you can create, and you can use it for more automations later on with Notion.
Step 1
Signup for a free automate.io account from the website, and connect your Notion, and Google Calendar accounts.
Step 2
press the “Create a Bot” button in the header to start creating your new automation, select Google Calendar as the Trigger App, and set the trigger event to be “Event Added”
Now You’ll have to Select your calendar of choice, You can also see a new menu has appeared called Output Fields.
Output Fields are kind of like Variables or ingredients you can use within the action, like the Event Summary.
Step 3
Set Notion as the Action App, and select Add Database Item, You’ll now need to select your Task board of choice (Here are some template ideas)
You’ll now start filling in the data you want to be imported from the calendar, like the event summary, location, and start time.
When you are done, save the automation, then turn on the bot at the endscreen, you can also test it, by creating an event within Google Calendar.
Conclusion
No integration is perfect, you will always run into some problems when using a mass integrator like IFTTT, Zapier, or Automate.io, The only way to make a perfect integration would probably be someone coding a dedicated app for Notion and google calendar.
However you should’nt limit yourself to notion as a calendar or task manager, as there other options, like Sunsama or Motion.
