Google Calendar Booking on Your Digital Card: Setup
To connect Google Calendar to your digital card's booking system: open Booking, then Integrations in your ScaanMe dashboard, authorize Google Calendar, set your working hours, and test one booking. From then on the booking system and your personal calendar stay in two-way sync: clients only see slots when you are genuinely free, every booking lands in Google Calendar by itself, and a personal event added in Google blocks the slot on your card. No double bookings, no missed appointments, no manual entry.
Your clients already run their lives from their phones; with 5.56 billion people online according to DataReportal's Digital 2025 report, letting them book directly from your card removes the back-and-forth messages that lose appointments.
How it works end to end
- A client opens your digital card
- They see available time slots, synced live from your Google Calendar
- They pick a slot and book
- The appointment appears in your Google Calendar automatically
- The client receives an email confirmation with an add-to-calendar button
- You get a WhatsApp notification
Setup guide
Step 1: Connect Google Calendar
- In the ScaanMe dashboard go to Booking, then Integrations
- Click Connect Google Calendar
- Authorize ScaanMe to read and write your calendar; this uses Google's standard OAuth consent screen, and you can revoke it anytime from your Google account
- Select which calendar to sync: work, personal, or both
Step 2: Set your availability
- Define working days and hours for each day of the week
- Set buffer time between appointments; 15 minutes is a good default
- Block out lunch breaks, prayer times, and personal time
- Choose how far ahead clients can book: 1 week, 2 weeks, or a month
Step 3: Configure services
- Add each service you offer as a separate bookable item
- Set the duration per service, since a consultation and a follow-up rarely need the same slot
- Add short descriptions so clients pick the right one
Step 4: Test it like a client
- Open your digital card in a private browser window
- Book a real appointment end to end
- Verify it appears in your Google Calendar within a minute
- Check the confirmation email and then cancel the test booking
Two-way sync benefits
| Feature | Benefit |
|---|---|
| Busy time blocking | Personal events automatically block booking slots |
| Real-time updates | Cancel in Google Calendar and the slot reopens on your card |
| Multiple calendars | Availability is checked across every calendar you sync |
| Time zone handling | Automatic for international clients |
Google documents how events sync across devices and connected apps on its own side, so changes propagate whether you edit on phone, desktop, or through the booking system.
A booking link on your card turns "when are you free?" from a five-message conversation into one tap.
Once bookings flow, watch which links clients actually use with the card analytics guide. Booking features are part of ScaanMe plans: a free plan is available and paid plans start from $7.99/month; see the pricing page.
Common setup mistakes
- Syncing only the work calendar while personal events live in another one, which is exactly how double bookings sneak back in.
- Setting zero buffer time, leaving no room for meetings that run long or for traffic between locations.
- Offering one generic service instead of separate durations for a first consultation and a quick follow-up.
- Never testing the booking flow on a phone, even though that is where nearly every client will actually use it.
- Leaving the booking window unlimited, so clients book three months out and forget; two to four weeks keeps show-up rates healthy.
FAQ
Does Google Calendar sync both ways?
Yes. Bookings made on your card appear in Google Calendar, and events you create in Google Calendar block the matching slots on your card. Both directions update within about a minute.
What happens if I am busy in my personal calendar?
If you synced that calendar, the busy time is treated as unavailable and clients simply never see the slot. Mark personal events as free in Google Calendar if you still want bookings over them.
Can clients cancel or reschedule their booking?
Yes, from the link in their confirmation email. The slot reopens automatically on your card and your calendar updates, and you are notified either way.
Do my clients need a Google account to book?
No. They book directly on your card with their name and contact details. Only you need the Google account, and only if you want calendar sync at all; the booking system also works standalone.
