Any small business owner who works with other people knows there’s a problem syncing everything. This week, I figured out what works for me:
Ok, so my Outlook calendar syncs with my main Google.
I have another Google solely for my W-2 job. It shows the time I’ll be at that job so I can print it and hang it outside my office. It also shows the events from my main Google calendar as “Busy” events, just so they know when I’ll be late.
Yes, there’s a sign by the calendar noting that “times are approximate”.
The W-2 calendar is also copied to my Outlook (which yes, is then copied to my W-2 calendar, so I am working there and have a ‘busy’ event simultaneously).
Seems pretty complicated, right? It gets better.
Add to the mix an employee. Now she had a Google calendar before she started, then I gave her an Outlook account, The Outlook account is copied to her Google account I created just for my firm. I set it up so when I send an invite, it is automatically added to her firm Google calendar. She can then sync to that with her phone.
Her Outlook calendar is pretty much useless, since it’s on my computer that is always with me, as of right now.
Wouldn’t it get better if I contracted with an administrative assistant? Well, she has a firm email address. When she makes appointments, she can send a request to me and to my client.
Pretty cool.
Naturally, she can see my Google calendar. Her invites are automatically added to my calendar.
My intern is incredibly perfect for my firm and where it seems to be headed, and my admin is super delightful and polite, which I normally am too, but when I get busy, my emails are mostly just barking times and locations. She makes it sound so polished!
I’ve very happy where I’m at. Things are taking off. I’m excited!
(this post is spawned by the fact that I just finished setting up the last piece of my web of syncs)
