Google has introduced new features for Gmail which are related to scheduling and also integrate with Google Calendar.
With these new features, Google is providing a convenient alternative for scheduling one-on-one meetings and sharing availability.
According to reports, these features include the ability to quickly create events and easily share availability.
How it works
In a document seen by Nairametrics, in the conversation view of Gmail, there will now be a calendar icon at the bottom, offering two options: “Create an event” and “Offer times you’re free.”
The “Create an event” button simplifies the process of generating a Google Calendar event.
It uses the email subject as the event name and includes the email recipients as participants.
Additionally, it generates a meeting summary in the email body, allowing for quick sharing of the meeting details.
Previously, this feature was available in Gmail, but it was located under the three-dot menu.
The new availability-sharing feature opens the calendar in the sidebar, allowing users to drag time slots across different days and share them with recipients.
While it is possible to share availability with multiple people in an email, only the first person to accept a slot will be automatically added to the invite.
New features
The scheduling landscape has witnessed the emergence of various tools like Calendly, open-source Cal.com, Amie backed by Spark Capital, and Vimcal backed by Y-Combinator.
Like the other tools, Google has been actively introducing new features for scheduling and meetings including support for paid meetings and improved sharing of work location information.
Here are two of these recent features and how they work:
This feature enables freelancers and professionals to accept paid appointments and is particularly beneficial for individuals such as therapists or teachers who offer services based on time.
To utilize this functionality, users will need to integrate their Stripe account with Google Calendar to accept payments.
Users, whether they are individual users or administrators of a workspace account, will have the flexibility to establish their own cancellation and refund policies, with Google playing no role in that aspect of the process.
Second feature
This other feature by Google, allows hybrid workers to indicate their work location throughout the day, whether it’s home, the office, or any other location.
As part of this update, Google Calendar now offers the option to set working locations for specific periods.
By indicating your physical location, you can more accurately reflect your availability based on where you are during different parts of the day.
This feature is particularly useful for individuals who have flexible work arrangements and may change their work location throughout the day.
