Tips for working with Google Calendar on Zapier

Personalize event colors

If you want to create events using specific colors depending on event types, you can map the color IDs to your Google Calendar step, using a lookup table. This will then allow you dynamically update the color of calendar events each time the Zap runs.

To do so:

• Create a lookup table step prior to your Google Calendar step. 
• The key should be set as a value to determine which color the calendar event will be.
• The values should be set as the desired color IDs. 
• In the Google Calendar step, in the Color field, click three dot icon.
• In the dropdown menu, select Custom.
• In the Color field, map the lookup table’s output. This should be the color ID.

The color you set for a calendar event is only visible in your personal calendar view.

Example

This is an example of how event titles determine the calendar event color via a lookup table.

Key	Value
1:1	1
Team meeting	3
Lunch	5

 

Google Calendar color event table

Create long delays for Zaps

If you need to delay an action beyond Zapier’s Delay app’s one-month limit, you can use Google Calendar as a workaround. This requires two Zaps:

• The first Zap receives the data and creates an event.
• The second Zap triggers when the event starts and sends the data from the first Zap to another app.

Zap 1:

• Trigger: Set the trigger app where the data originates.
• Action: Google Calendar - Create Detailed Event action.

Zap 2:

• Trigger: Google Calendar - New Event Start trigger
• Action: Set the action app where you want the data to be sent.

Example

You have a form where a person can ask for a specific appointment date, which can be up to three months in the future. If you want to send a reminder email to that person one day before the appointment, your first Zap will capture the date entered in the form and save it to Google Calendar as an event. The second Zap then triggers one day before the event starts and sends the event reminder to the person by email.

Filter events by status in Zaps

To filter events based on their status (free or busy), use the Transparency field with a filter step.

• Free events: An event is considered free when the Transparency field contains data.
  • To filter on free events, create a filter condition that continues if the Transparency field exists.
• Busy events: An event is considered busy when the Transparency field does not contain data.
  • To filter on busy events, create a filter condition that continues if the Transparency field does not exist.