How much time have you spent sending email after email back and forth among potential attendees of a meeting? Probably more time than the meeting took in the first place. Here's a way to make that process more efficient and almost enjoyable.
The Free/Busy function of Google's and Apple's calendar (they are built on the same engine) helps in the process of scheduling a large number of people without pulling out your hair.
Of course, you want to enter events when you are unavailable for meetings like teaching time. But how do you enter events that you want to remember, such as your kids' soccer game; but don't want those events to indicate you are unavailable for meetings?
School events, such as teaching time, coverages and the like should be entered on the school calendar, either through the web interface (calendar.google.com) or through Apple's Calendar application.
Events you want to create, however, that are of a personal nature (kids' soccer games) should be stored on a personal calendar. Here's how to create a personal calendar in Apple's Calendar application and on the Google/GMail web interface.
Of course, you want to enter events when you are unavailable for meetings like teaching time. But how do you enter events that you want to remember, such as your kids' soccer game; but don't want those events to indicate you are unavailable for meetings?
School events, such as teaching time, coverages and the like should be entered on the school calendar, either through the web interface (calendar.google.com) or through Apple's Calendar application.
Events you want to create, however, that are of a personal nature (kids' soccer games) should be stored on a personal calendar. Here's how to create a personal calendar in Apple's Calendar application and on the Google/GMail web interface.
Creating a personal calendar - Apple Calendar application
Well, you SHOULD be able to create a New Calendar in the Calendar app, but I don't seem to have that option. I don't know if that has something to do with Google and Apple not playing nice together or something with my computer. Perhaps you WILL have an option under the "fly-out" menu when you select "New Calendar". If not, then continue on.
Creating a personal calendar - Google's web interface
Quite honestly, I think this works better, as you will soon see.
Open your calendar at calendar.google.com and click the drop-down arrow next to "My Calendars". Select "Create New Calendar".
Open your calendar at calendar.google.com and click the drop-down arrow next to "My Calendars". Select "Create New Calendar".
You will come to this window. There are really only two important things to do here: enter the name of your calendar and make sure you DO NOT CHECK the box that says "Share this calendar with others".
Click "Create Calendar at the top and that's all there is to it. This calendar will be available to schedule events but those events will not show you as being "busy" during those times and, thus, available for invites.
Click "Create Calendar at the top and that's all there is to it. This calendar will be available to schedule events but those events will not show you as being "busy" during those times and, thus, available for invites.
Here's where it really gets cool.
In about two or three minutes, you'll see this new calendar show up in the Apple Calendar application.
Now you can use either the web interface, or the calendar app to record events to the personal calendar.
The nice thing about this calendar is that should your computer crash and require a rebuild, you won't lose all your personal events like you would if you COULD create a local calendar on your laptop. So, I don't see a problem with not being able to create a personal calendar with the Apple's application.
In about two or three minutes, you'll see this new calendar show up in the Apple Calendar application.
Now you can use either the web interface, or the calendar app to record events to the personal calendar.
The nice thing about this calendar is that should your computer crash and require a rebuild, you won't lose all your personal events like you would if you COULD create a local calendar on your laptop. So, I don't see a problem with not being able to create a personal calendar with the Apple's application.
If you have a GMail personal account
For those of you who have a GMail personal account, this process is not really necessary because you can share your personal calendar with your school calendar. That will allow both calendars to show up in either the web interface or the Calendar app. Events scheduled on your GMail personal calendar won't show up on the school calendar.