Calendar sync helps you effectively manage scheduling by connecting your external calendars with SimplePractice. We offer two types of sync options: basic calendar sync and advanced calendar sync.
Basic calendar sync is available for Apple Calendar, Google Calendar, and Microsoft 365 Outlook Calendar. With basic calendar sync, you can view your SimplePractice appointments and events on your external calendar.
With advanced Google Calendar sync, you can connect multiple personal calendars associated with your Google Account to SimplePractice. Additionally, you can manage changes to SimplePractice appointments and events through Google Calendar, giving you greater flexibility with scheduling.
Note: Advanced calendar sync is currently being released in phases. If you'd like this feature enabled early for your account, please submit an email request.
In this guide, we’ll cover:
- Understanding the differences between basic and advanced calendar sync
- Setting up calendar sync
- FAQs
Note: At this time, calendar sync is only available on the Plus plan.
Understanding the differences between basic and advanced calendar sync
Understanding the differences between basic and advanced sync can help you choose the best option for your scheduling needs.
Basic calendar sync
With basic calendar sync, you can view your SimplePractice appointments and events in your Apple Calendar, Google Calendar, or Microsoft 365 Outlook Calendar. You can also create and modify SimplePractice events from Google Calendar and Outlook Calendar.
Basic sync with Apple Calendar is 1-way only: from SimplePractice to your external calendar. You won’t be able to create or modify SimplePractice appointments from Apple Calendar, or view Apple Calendar events in SimplePractice.
To learn more about the differences between each sync, scroll down to the Comparing features of basic and advanced calendar sync section.
Advanced calendar sync
In addition to creating and modifying SimplePractice events from Google Calendar, advanced calendar sync allows you to view your personal Google Calendar events in SimplePractice. If you’re in a group practice, your Google Calendar event details will only be visible to you.
Selecting View in Google Calendar from the event flyout in SimplePractice will take you to Google Calendar, where you’ll be able to make changes.
Note: Google Calendar events marked as Free won’t have an effect on your SimplePractice availability, but Busy events will block off your availability for online appointment requests.
To learn more about the differences between each sync, see Comparing features of basic and advanced calendar sync.
Comparing features of basic and advanced calendar sync
Below, you can learn more about the features each sync offers:
Basic Apple Calendar sync | Basic Microsoft 365 sync | Basic Google Calendar sync | Advanced Google Calendar sync | |
View appointments/events in external calendar | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
View external events in SimplePractice | No | Only events added to the SimplePractice calendar within Outlook Calendar | Only events added to the SimplePractice calendar within Google Calendar | Yes |
Create SimplePractice events in external calendar | No | Only events added to the SimplePractice calendar within Outlook Calendar | Only events added to the SimplePractice calendar within Google Calendar | Yes |
Create SimplePractice appointments in external calendar | No | No | No | No |
Edit appointments/events in external calendar | No | Yes, you can delete and update the date, start time, or duration of unlocked appointments and events | Yes, you can delete and update the date, start time, or duration of unlocked appointments and events | Yes, you can delete and update the date, start time, or duration of unlocked appointments and events |
View multiple personal calendars in SimplePractice | No | No | No | Yes |
Note: Out of office blocks added in SimplePractice won’t appear in any external calendars.
To learn more about calendar sync, see the following guides:
Setting up calendar sync
To get started with syncing SimplePractice with an external calendar:
- Navigate to Settings > Scheduling and inquiries > Calendar
- From the Name display format dropdown menu, choose how client names should display on your external calendar
- Click Save changes
Next, you can connect your calendars:
- To sync with Google Calendar, click Connect then follow the steps in Syncing your SimplePractice calendar with Google Calendar
- To sync with Microsoft 365, click Connect then follow the steps in Syncing your SimplePractice calendar with Microsoft 365
- To sync with Apple Calendar, select Copy link and follow the steps in Syncing your SimplePractice calendar with Apple Calendar
Important: By enabling syncing between your SimplePractice calendar and an external calendar, you acknowledge and agree to follow HIPAA compliance requirements and protect the calendar information, including the secure Telehealth video link.
FAQs
- Can I create a recurring series from my external calendar?
- Why can’t I see events created via my external calendar in SimplePractice?
- What external event information will team members see in the Account Activity?
- Is advanced calendar sync available for Apple Calendar or Outlook Calendar?
- Can I view my personal Google Calendar events in the mobile app?
Can I create a recurring series from my external calendar?
Recurring appointment series must be created in SimplePractice. If you create a recurring series in Google Calendar or Outlook Calendar, it’ll be automatically deleted and won’t appear in SimplePractice.
Recurring series created in SimplePractice appear as individual appointments in Google Calendar and Outlook Calendar. You can update these individual appointments on either calendar, but any changes affecting the entire series must be made in SimplePractice.
Why can’t I see events created via my external calendar in SimplePractice?
If you don't see events created from Google Calendar or Outlook Calendar in SimplePractice, make sure to adjust your calendar's office location filters. Events added via an external calendar are categorized under the Unassigned location, meaning they won’t show up if you're filtering your SimplePractice calendar by a specific location.
To view events from your synced calendars, select both your office location and Unassigned from the location dropdown menu or filter by All locations.
Note: To learn more, see Using filters to view your calendar.
What external event information will team members see in the Account Activity?
The details shown in the Account Activity log depend on the type of calendar sync you’re using:
-
Basic Outlook Calendar sync
- Events created on the SimplePractice calendar within Outlook Calendar will be logged as follows: “The event [event name] on [date] was created by the Office 365 Calendar [Outlook email]”
- This information will appear to the calendar owner, Account Owner, and clinicians with entire practice access in the Account Activity
-
Basic Google Calendar sync
- Events created on the SimplePractice calendar within Google Calendar will be logged as follows: “The event [event name] on [date] was created by the Google Calendar [Google email]”
- This information will appear to the calendar owner, Account Owner, and clinicians with entire practice access in the Account Activity
-
Advanced Google Calendar sync
- Events created on a personal Google Calendar will be logged as follows: “Google Calendar updated for/created a synced event for [clinician] on [date] at [time]”
- This generic event information will appear to the calendar owner, Account Owner, and clinicians with entire practice access in the Account Activity
Note: To learn more about team member roles and permissions, see Team member roles and access levels.
Is advanced calendar sync available for Apple Calendar or Outlook Calendar?
Advanced calendar sync is currently available for Google Calendar only. You can use basic calendar sync to connect SimplePractice with your Apple Calendar or Outlook Calendar. For more information, see:
Can I view my personal Google Calendar events in the mobile app?
While you can’t view your personal Google Calendar events on the SimplePractice mobile app at this time, our team is actively working on this. To learn more about the mobile app, see Getting started with the SimplePractice mobile app.