Summary

Google Calendar is the scheduling hub of Google Workspace. If you are used to Microsoft Outlook, the interface will look familiar, but some of the buttons are in different places. This guide covers how to schedule a basic meeting, add a video conferencing link, and peek at your coworkers' schedules so you don't double-book them.

Before You Start

• You must be signed into your company Google account.

Instructions

1. Creating a New Meeting

A meeting starts either from the + Create button or from clicking the time slot itself.

1. Open your web browser and go to calendar.google.com.
2. Click the large + Create button in the top-left corner, and select Event.
3. Alternative: click anywhere on the calendar grid at the time you want the meeting to start.
4. A small pop-up box will appear. Type the Title of the meeting (e.g., "Weekly Sync").
5. Adjust the date and time if necessary.

2. Inviting Guests and Checking Availability

Do not blindly guess if someone is free. Google Calendar will show you their schedule.

1. In the same event pop-up, click the Add guests box.
2. Type the name or email of the person you want to invite.
3. Click the Find a time tab (or click "More options" to see the full screen).
4. Google will display your calendar side-by-side with your guest's calendar.
5. If they have a solid colored block during the time you picked, they are busy. You can click and drag your meeting to a blank, white space on the grid where both of you are free.

3. Adding a Video Conference Link

Most meetings today require a video link. Google makes this a one-click process.

1. In the event details, click the blue button that says Add Google Meet video conferencing. This automatically generates a secure link and adds it to the invite.
2. Using Zoom instead? If your company uses Zoom, click the small dropdown arrow next to the video button, or click Add Zoom Meeting (if the IT department has installed the Zoom plugin).

4. Sending the Invitation

Saving the event and inviting the guests are two separate decisions, and the prompt for the second is quick to skip past.

1. Once your title, guests, time, and video link are set, click Save.
2. A pop-up will ask: "Would you like to send invitation emails to Google Calendar guests?"
3. Click Send. (If you click "Don't Send," the meeting will appear on their calendar, but they won't get an email notification about it, which means they might miss it).

5. Working Hours and Location

You can let coworkers know if you are working from home or in the office.

1. On the main calendar grid, look at the very top row (below the dates).
2. Click the empty space in that row.
3. Select Working Location.
4. Choose "Office," "Home," or "Somewhere else." This puts a tiny icon on your calendar so coworkers know where to find you.

Troubleshooting

Symptom / Error	Potential Cause	Solution
I can't see my coworker's calendar details	Privacy settings	By default, you can only see "Free" or "Busy." Only their manager or an assistant usually has permission to see the actual names of their meetings
I need to schedule a meeting for someone else	Delegation	Your coworker must go to their Settings > "Share with specific people" and grant you "Make changes to events" access
The Zoom add-on is missing	Browser Extension	IT may need to deploy the Zoom extension for Google Workspace to your account. Submit a ticket

Related Articles

• How to Use Google Docs: The Basics
• How to Use Google Drive: The Basics
• Understanding Google Workspace vs. Microsoft 365

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