Syncing External Calendars Overview
Connecting your Sessions Health calendar to external apps like Google, Apple, or Outlook helps keep your schedule organized and prevents double-booking.
In this article:
- Video Tutorial
- Comparing Your Options: One-Way vs Two-Way Sync
- Step 1: Open Your Sync Settings
- Step 2: Client Privacy Options
- Step 3: Pick Your Setup Guide
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Related Resources
Video Tutorial
Learn how to set up one-way and two-way calendar sync between Sessions Health and external calendar apps.
Comparing Your Options: One-Way vs Two-Way Sync
Before setting up your sync, review how each option handles your appointments and personal events. This comparison will help you decide which setup fits your daily routine best.
| Feature | 1-Way Sync | 2-Way Sync |
|---|---|---|
| Supported Apps | Google, Apple, Outlook, and others | Google Calendar only |
| Sessions Health Appointments | Shows up on your external calendar (view only) | Sent to a new "Sessions Health" Google calendar |
| Personal Events | Stay separate (won't block work time) | Blocks off event times so clients can't book over them |
🗓️ Always create, edit, or cancel client appointments inside Sessions Health. Editing work events on external apps can break your sync or create duplicate appointments.
Step 1: Open Your Sync Settings
Getting started takes just a few simple steps. Follow these steps to open the main calendar sync menu and enable syncing.
- Select Calendar in the left menu.
- Select the Gear icon in the top-right corner and choose Sync Calendar.
- Check the box to allow calendar syncing.
Step 2: Client Privacy Options
Protecting client information is crucial when sending data to external apps. Choose how client names should display on your external calendar feed:
⚠️ Selecting First Name, Full Name, or Initials exports client information to your external calendar app. Only use these options if you have a signed Business Associate Agreement (BAA) with your calendar provider or operate under approved privacy conditions.
- Use Internal ID: (Safest option) Replaces client names with a hidden ID code to keep all personal data completely private and HIPAA-compliant. See Client Internal IDs for more information.
- Use First Name: Displays only the client's first name on your external calendar.
- Use Full Name: Displays the client's full first and last name on your external calendar.
- Use Initials: Displays only the client's initials on your external calendar.
💡 Changing your name display settings later won't fix past appointments already on your external calendar. To update them, delete the calendar from your external app and connect it again.
Step 3: Pick Your Setup Guide
Now that you set your privacy options, pick the sync method you want to connect. Choose either guide link below for detailed directions.
- One-Way Sync: Creates a secure web link to paste into Apple, Google, or Outlook.
- Read the full One-Way Calendar Sync guide for step-by-step instructions
- Two-Way Sync (Google): Connects directly to Google.
- Read the full Two-Way Calendar Sync guide for step-by-step instructions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I edit client appointments on my external calendar?
No, always edit or cancel appointments inside Sessions Health. Making changes on an external calendar can break the sync connection or create duplicate entries.
How fast do my appointments update on my external calendar?
Two-Way sync with Google updates quickly. One-Way sync updates depend on your calendar provider's schedule (for instance, Google Calendar can take up to 24 hours to pull updates).
Can I block off personal time so clients don't book over it?
Yes, if you use Two-Way Google Sync, you can choose personal Google calendars you own to automatically block off availability in Sessions Health.
What happens if I select "Reset" on a One-Way Sync link?
Selecting Reset makes the old web link invalid right away. Anyone or any app using the old link will lose access to your calendar feed until you paste the new link.
Related Resources
For more guidance, see the following resources: