One-Way Calendar Sync
Sessions Health offers One-Way calendar sync with several external calendars, and Two-Way sync with Google calendar. One-Way sync will enable you to see your Sessions Health events on your external calendar.
Initial Setup
To setup calendar sync, click "..." in the upper right corner of your calendar view and select Sync Calendar.
From the following screen, click the box next to Allow your Sessions calendar to sync to an external calendaring application. You will then select how you would like your client names to be displayed in your external calendar.
- Use Internal ID - This will display the Sessions Health pre-assigned identifier, or the identifier you set up, in place of the client's name. When using this option, you'll want to make sure your account has Internal IDs enabled under the Account Settings > Clients page. When enabled, the internal IDs are displayed on your Clients page and at the top left-corner of each client's record. This will allow you to match the client ID with the client's name. Internal IDs are the most secure option, especially if you are unsure if your third party calendar provider is HIPAA secure.
- Use First Name - This option will display the client's first name in your external calendar.
- Use Full Name - This option displays your clients' full name in your external calendar. Due to the risk of exposing PHI, we do not recommend this option. Syncing your clients' full names with a non-compliant service would be a HIPAA violation.
- Use Initials - This option will display the client's initials in your external calendar.
You'll then select One-Way Sync Option under the question, "How would you like to sync your calendar?"
One-way sync URL:
Below are links from popular calendar providers detailing how to use this URL to add your Sessions Health calendar. If you use a different calendar provider, most offer an option to import an external calendar using a .ICS URL. For guidance, refer to your provider’s help documentation.
- Apple: https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/use-multiple-calendars-iph3d1110d4/ios
- Google: https://support.google.com/calendar/answer/37100
- Outlook: https://support.office.com/en-us/article/import-or-subscribe-to-a-calendar-in-outlook-on-the-web-503ffaf6-7b86-44fe-8dd6-8099d95f38df
One-way Sync Frequently Asked Questions:
Do you offer calendar sync?
Yes, we currently offer both two-way sync with Google and a one-way calendar sync that is compatible with any software that accepts .ICS calendar formats.
Do you sync with ical?
Yes. We export the calendar as a .ICS URL which integrates with most calendar apps.
How can I change how clients are displayed in my Google Calendar after the sync?
Changing the way client identifiers are displayed requires a triggering event from your Sessions Health calendar. We recommend removing the existing synced calendar from your Google calendar and re-sync it from your Sessions Health account.
To re-sync all events, first select how you want your clients displayed. Then, toggle your sync type back and forth. Re-syncing your calendar will display the updated client identifier you chose.
Your Google Calendar may have duplicate records (from both the older and newer sync instances). In that case, you can just remove/unsubscribe the older instance from your Google Calendar.
Note: These same steps may also apply to other Calendar apps that use one-way sync.
Why is my Calendar not syncing or taking a long time to sync?
For one-way sync calendar, Google calendar has a known limitation where they only sync "From URL" calendars about once per day. Other calendar apps like Apple on iPhone may allow you set a frequency including as often as every 15 minutes. One-way sync relies on consuming calendar app to get new events by checking the URL.
Why Aren’t My Updates Showing Up Right Away in My Google Calendar?
When using a simple 'From URL' or one-way sync, Google typically refreshes the data only once or twice a day. As a result, new or modified events may not appear immediately. Unfortunately, Google does not offer a built-in option to force more frequent updates in one-way 'From URL' feeds.
You may also have a stuck cache or old connection. If your Calendar still shows old appointments, try removing the Sessions Health calendar from your Google Calendar settings and then re-enabling sync in Sessions Health.
Tip: For the best results and fastest updates, we recommend using Two-Way Sync with Google Calendar, which ensures near real-time synchronization in both directions.
How do I remove old, archived, or canceled appointments from Google Calendar?
Google refreshes the feed only 1–2 times per day, meaning old or canceled events may remain visible until the next update. Since an immediate refresh cannot be forced in Google’s one-way feed, users may need to wait or manually remove outdated events from their Google Calendar.
Why do some of my Google events have an outdated title or time in Sessions Health?
Google changes won’t reflect in Sessions Health. It’s normal for the event in Sessions Health to stay at its old title or time.
Why am I not seeing all my future Sessions Health appointments?
We only include events up to 6 months in advance. Each time the calendar syncs, it will automatically update to include any new events scheduled within that 6-month window.
Why do some of my Google events have an outdated title or time in Sessions Health?
With One-Way feeds, changes made in Google will not reflect in Sessions Health. It’s normal for the event in Sessions Health to remain at its original title and time.
Need More Help?
- Visit our Support Center for additional articles and tutorials.
- Join our Sessions Health Community for additional support.
Or email support@sessionshealth.com, and we’ll be happy to assist you further.