Setting Up Two-Way Syncing with Google Calendar
By default, syncing Google Calendar with The Customer Factor is a one-way process where appoitments on the calendars in The Customer Factor transfer to your Google Calendar. However, some users prefer a two-way sync enabling them to schedule appointments directly in Google Calendar and have that info sync over to The Customer Factor.
If you submit a request to us requesting two way google calendar syncing we'll get it done for you right away. (click the "contact" link at the top right). Please ensure to include your username in the request.
Once two way google calendar syncing is set up, there are some things to keep in mind if you're scheduling appts in google. Data must be entered into Google in a specific manner; otherwise, it may sync incorrectly with CF. Google employs different fields than CF, and CF needs to comprehend the nature of the data to determine its proper placement. For some of you reading this, it may not matter because you may just be wanting to edit appts in google but for those who want to schedule new appts in google the info in this article is important to review.
So let's go through different things to do when scheduling an appt.
When adding a commercial customer in Google Calendar, insert "(C)" after the company name in the title field (e.g., "Your Company Name (C)"). This designation distinguishes commercial from residential customers. Therefore, any appt syncing to CF that is marked with "(C)" designates commercial, while those without "(C)" are classified as residential.
- In the location field, make sure to add spaces between the symbol "-" (Dash, Hyphen, or Minus sign) after the street number/name. This ensures proper placement of information into the "Address" field in The Customer Factor.
- As demonstrated above, input the job type in the description field, followed by the symbol "-", and include the price (with $ if known). Optionally, include "Assigned to" information if applicable. For example: "Gutter Cleaning - $500 - Assigned to Jim Smith". Please be aware that the "Assigned to" text on the field must be precise. It cannot be "Assign" or "Assigned"; it must specifically be "Assigned to".
- Include phone information beneath the description. Use "(Home)" for home phone numbers and "(Cell)" for cell phone numbers. Ensure the "(Cell)" descriptor is added to the right of the cell phone number as shown below.
Select the Proper Calendar
Choose the appropriate calendar when scheduling an appointment in Google Calendar. The Customer Factor recognizes four calendars: Customers, Prospects, Personal, and Tasks (C). So If you schedule an appointment while the calendar is configured to your default Google Calendar, it will not sync with The Customer Factor because CF does not recognize your default Google Calendar.
- Click "Save" after entering the appointment details. The appointment will then sync from your Google Calendar into The Customer Factor within 10 minutes.
After familiarizing yourself with the steps outlined above and then practicing you'll no longer need to refer to this article. It will become instinctive for you if you regularly schedule appointments in Google. Catch you in the next article!
