Google Calendar sync
How PracticeRunner's one-way Google Calendar sync works, what it sends to Google Calendar, and how it differs from a calendar feed.
PracticeRunner offers a direct Google Calendar connection for clinicians who want PracticeRunner appointments to appear in Google Calendar.
Google Calendar sync is one-way. PracticeRunner sends supported appointment information to Google Calendar. Changes made in Google Calendar do not update the appointment in PracticeRunner.
Continue to create, reschedule, cancel, and manage PracticeRunner appointments inside PracticeRunner.
What one-way sync means
When Google Calendar sync is connected, PracticeRunner can send supported PracticeRunner appointment updates to the connected Google calendar.
The connection does not:
- create or change PracticeRunner appointments when you edit Google Calendar
- import Google Calendar events into PracticeRunner as appointments
- manage PracticeRunner scheduling from Google Calendar
- turn an event created directly in Google Calendar into a client appointment
If an appointment needs to change, make the change in PracticeRunner and allow the connected calendar to receive the supported update.
Connect Google Calendar
- In PracticeRunner, open Settings.
- Open Calendar.
- Find the Google Calendar connection and follow the prompts to connect your Google account.
- Choose the Google calendar to use if PracticeRunner asks you to select one.
- Create a test appointment in PracticeRunner and confirm that it appears in the selected Google calendar.
Google may ask you to sign in and approve the permissions needed for the connection. Use the Google account that owns or can update the calendar you want PracticeRunner to use.
Make appointment changes in PracticeRunner
After connecting Google Calendar, use PracticeRunner when you need to:
- create an appointment
- change its date or time
- update its status
- cancel or remove it
Do not rely on editing the Google event to make the same change in PracticeRunner. The sync does not run from Google Calendar back to PracticeRunner.
Google Calendar sync and calendar feeds are different
Google Calendar sync is a direct connection between an authorized Google account and PracticeRunner.
A calendar feed is a private, read-only subscription URL. Calendar feeds work with Apple Calendar, Google Calendar, Outlook, and other compatible calendar apps. The calendar app decides when to refresh a subscribed feed, so updates may be delayed.
Both options are one-way, but they work differently:
| Google Calendar sync | Calendar feed |
|---|---|
| Connects an authorized Google account | Uses a private subscription URL |
| Works specifically with Google Calendar | Works with several compatible calendar apps |
| Sends supported PracticeRunner appointment updates to Google | Lets Google periodically read the current feed |
| Does not send Google edits back to PracticeRunner | Does not allow calendar-app edits to change PracticeRunner |
For calendar subscription instructions, see Client calendar feeds and appointment reminders or Subscribe to Your Appointment Calendar.
If an appointment does not appear
Check the following:
- Confirm that the Google Calendar connection is still active in Settings > Calendar.
- Confirm that you are viewing the Google calendar selected during setup.
- Create a test appointment in PracticeRunner rather than directly in Google Calendar.
- Reconnect the Google account if PracticeRunner reports that authorization has expired or needs attention.
If the connection still does not work, contact PracticeRunner support with the appointment date and the name of the selected Google calendar. Do not send clinical notes or other unnecessary client information.
Privacy
Only use a Google account and calendar that are appropriate for your practice. Review the event information shown in Google Calendar before relying on the connection in daily use.
Google Calendar is a separate service with its own account, privacy, retention, and sharing settings. Check who can view the connected calendar, especially if the calendar is shared with staff or other people.