When you set up Doodle Time OS, connecting your external calendar (Google, Microsoft/Outlook, or Apple iCloud) is the most important step. It's what unlocks the rest of the tools available to you, like seeing when you're busy, blocking focus time, and making sure meeting suggestions only show up when you're actually free.
Why it's required
Doodle Time OS needs to cross reference your real time availability to prevent double bookings. Without a connected calendar, Doodle has no way to know when you're actually busy, so it can't stop participants from booking a time slot you don't actually have.
In short: your calendar connection is what makes your availability accurate. Skip it, and the scheduling tools have nothing to check against.
How we keep it secure
Connecting your calendar doesn't mean giving up control of it:
Only you, the account holder, have access to your private calendar and event details.
Your calendar details are never shared with the people booking time with you-they only see whether a slot is free or busy.
What you can connect
Doodle Time OS supports Google Calendar, Outlook, and Apple iCloud. You'll need at least one connected to get started.
For step-by-step instructions on connecting and managing your calendars, see How to connect and manage your calendar connections.
Frequently asked questions
Will people I schedule with see my calendar events? No. They'll only ever see whether a time slot is available or busy, never the event details, titles, or attendees.
Do I have to connect more than one calendar? No, one is enough to get started. If you use more than one calendar (like a personal and a work account), connecting all of them means Doodle checks against your full availability, not just part of it.
What if my organization doesn't allow me to connect my calendar? You can always create a free Google, Outlook, or iCloud calendar just for use with Doodle and connect that instead. It won't have your organization's events on it, but it lets you use Doodle Time OS's scheduling tools without needing IT approval for your main work calendar. You can also copy over events from your organizational calendar so you can still benefit from Doodle reading and organizing around your schedule.