Joint online calendar??

[clifffaith]

Does anyone use a program that gives a common online calendar for the whole family? For 30 years I managed a paper calendar book for our client appts and all our vacations and dr. appts. Now that we are retired, once this last paper book gets to the end of the year I'd like to get us into one online program. Not a my calendar and a his calendar, but one place we'd access online with a password that would get us into a joint calendar. I'd like to be able to stand at the counter at the Dr. office, access the calendar with my phone, put my next appt in, and have it update Cliff's phone and both desktop computers. And usual caveat applies, we are both computer idiots so it needs to be simple, and most often we will be accessing it from the desktops.

 

[bluehende]

We use cozi. You can set up reminders which is what we use all the time not to forget about events we may want to attend. In addition to these it sends an email every sunday with the whole weeks schedule.

 

[Luanne]

I use Google calendar. I can only see my calendar, but I add dh to all of my appointments and he adds me to his. That way I can see if either of us has anything on the calendar that might conflict.

 

[Makai Guy]

This is precisely why we use Google calendar. It's just the two of us, but we've actually established three Google accounts: one for me, one for her, and one for the both of us together. Each account gives the other two permission to view its calendar. So we each can pull up our own calendar from any of our computers or devices, and turn the display of the other two on or off at will. We've set each of the accounts' displays in a different color so it's easy to tell them apart when viewing more than one at a time.

 

["Roger"]

I am like Luanne and use the Google calendar. The calendar is actually under my wife's email address and anyone can put it on their tablet or phone and have access to it. (You don't have to type the email every time.)

I thought that the cozi feature mentioned by bluehead of an email every week sounded like a good feature.

There are two features that you should check on before choosing any calendar. Most (probably all) calendars allow you to set up a reoccurring event so that it shows up every week, every month, every three months, etc. What drives me nuts about many of these calendars (and rather disappointingly, this used to be true of the Apple calendar and may still be) is that if you set up a monthly occurrence it will appear on the same date every month. (On April 17, May 17, etc.) That is the default choice for the Google calendar too, but you also have the option of having an event appear on, for example, the third Monday of every month. I have a number of regular meeting scheduled that way.

Secondly, if I choose to delete a monthly listing, the first option is to delete it for only that month as opposed to all subsequent listings. I use this for listing when I should pay a credit card bill. By deleting just the one listing, it serves as a reminder to me a week later, "Oh yes, I did pay this month - its not listed there anymore."

Bottom line: I am not saying the Google calendar is necessarily the best choice, but I have listed two features that you might look for.

 

[SmithOp]

Another vote for Google calendar, just add spouse etc as invitees to events you want to share.

I do use a paid appointment online calendar for my tax clients but its $16/ month. SAAS, software as a service, I just pay for Jan thru April then shut it off. Clients can make their own appointments and get email reminders. I can assign admins to make appointments for phone callers.

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[clifffaith]

Is the google calendar free? I got into something that said "try free for 30 days" so backed out. Looks like I need to sign up for a gmail account.

 

[clifffaith]

We use cozi. You can set up reminders which is what we use all the time not to forget about events we may want to attend. In addition to these it sends an email every sunday with the whole weeks schedule.

Cozi was very easy to get into. For my first appt, I couldn't seem to make it for Cliff, but as soon as it was on the calendar I could edit it to be just for him, rather than "all". Assume I will get used to it. Buzzed Cliff upstairs, and he's in and can see tomorrow's pre-op appt. Gave him the chore of putting his operation next week (skin cancer on his hand requiring a skin graft). He just buzzed me to look, and I can see that he got the appt into the calendar. I think we'll stick to this for now, and it looks like there is an app, we'll each try that out after a few days of using the desk tops. Thanks!

 

[bnoble]

Add me to the shared google calendar crowd.

 

[isisdave]

Google Calendar. I don't think you need gmail, but you do need a Google ID to use one.

First of all, look at Google Families. This is how you can share accounts, Amazon Prime stuff, reading lists, children's reading, music, YouTube streaming, etc. It's not mandatory, but if you like it, set it up first.

Now go to calendar.google.com. At the left side of the calendar, you'll see "My Calendars" -- and if you've set up Google Family, there will already be a Family Calendar there. Click the "..." next to the calendar you want to share, or make a new one, select "share with specific people" and fill that in. You do need an email address, but not a gmail one. You decide if the shared person can just see it, or also modify it. This makes it useful for poker groups, soccer teams, etc.

One nice thing is that each user can set their own colors, and, I think, other defaults. So my "private" events are purple, and shared ones are yellow, but DW uses shades of green and blue. Touch W M or Y for week, month, or year views.

Google Calendars has notification capability, so it can send you an email or a text at any time before the event. (I think this is up to each person ... you setting a reminder shouldn't cause a reminder for whoever you share an event with.) The calendar shows up on my Android phone, and somehow Alexa knows about it too. She can answer "Alexa, when is my appointment with Dr Smith?" When certain sites like hotels send you a confirmation, you can have that automatically entered on your calendar. (Truth be told, I don't remember setting this up -- but I like it anyway.)

You can use it to schedule events and invite others to them.

Accidentally-deleted things can be recovered. You can search for events in the past and future, so it's possible to use it for a billing record (I do that).

 

[JohnPaul]

I phone calendar works great but it’s only Apple based. I schedule travel or medical appointments and it’s on our Macs and our phones.

Several people can view but not change our travel calendar.

 

[Bucky]

I phone calendar works great but it’s only Apple based. I schedule travel or medical appointments and it’s on our Macs and our phones.

Several people can view but not change our travel calendar.

It’s only my wife and I but we share calendars on our iPhones also. Whenever one of us makes changes or adds/deletes an item it shows up on our iPads and iPhones.

 

[taterhed]

Google is free and easy.
---------------stop reading here.

For the rest of you with cross-platform/business-private issues, look below.




www.icalx.com

is another tool that will allow you to publish calendar events to the ical server and then allow people to import them into their own calendars (regardless of platform....if ics compatible). These can be password protected.

It's also free and is a great way to set up an automated event list for others to download as needed.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

We use Outlook. My DH and I can keep our personal/business appointments separate and when we need to put a family or shared appt on the calendar we share the calendar entry with the other via the email address. The email then downloads and updates his calendar. Works great and keeps business items separate so we don't bother each other with extraneous appointments while enabling each of us to have a personalized master calendar of our time which includes both family and business appts.

The problem with Google is that you are sharing all entries with each other = unnecessary detail so it's hard to see just your schedule or could get confusing.

 

[Makai Guy]

The problem with Google is that you are sharing all entries with each other = unnecessary detail so it's hard to see just your schedule.

To me, that is its strength. Before I schedule US into something, I can see if SHE already has something scheduled then, and vice versa.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

To me, that is its strength. Before I schedule US into something, I can see if SHE already has something scheduled then, and vice versa.

Good point. There have been times when I have had to check with him on availability. My DH is an executive who works for a corporation and they have their IT standards. I doubt they would allow his Google Calendar to be exposed outside the firewall. We have been doing this technique for at least 10 years when it got too crazy to manage our kids sports and school schedules. There may be improved technologies.

 

[clifffaith]

Cozi was very easy to get into. For my first appt, I couldn't seem to make it for Cliff, but as soon as it was on the calendar I could edit it to be just for him, rather than "all". Assume I will get used to it. Buzzed Cliff upstairs, and he's in and can see tomorrow's pre-op appt. Gave him the chore of putting his operation next week (skin cancer on his hand requiring a skin graft). He just buzzed me to look, and I can see that he got the appt into the calendar. I think we'll stick to this for now, and it looks like there is an app, we'll each try that out after a few days of using the desk tops. Thanks!

Cozi app loaded for me on my iPhone, but Cliff couldn't get it to load for free on his non-iPhone. That being said, he is quite challenged on using his smartphone, so someone else may be able to access Cozi for free.

 

[taterhed]

Good point. There have been times when I have had to check with him on availability. My DH is an executive who works for a corporation and they have their IT standards. I doubt they would allow his Google Calendar to be exposed outside the firewall. We have been doing this technique for at least 10 years when it got too crazy to manage our kids sports and school schedules. There may be improved technologies.

The icalx (above) is a great way to export calendar events...... It will probably work behind the firewall

 

[CalGalTraveler]

The icalx (above) is a great way to export calendar events...... It will probably work behind the firewall

Easier yet, Outlook has a drop down when you create the entry to email the entry to the other participant by adding their email address. When it is received in my outlook mailbox it automatically updates my outlook calendar. Fewer keystrokes.

 

[taterhed]

Easier yet, Outlook has a drop down when you create the entry to email the entry to the other participant by adding their email address. When it is received in my outlook mailbox it automatically updates my outlook calendar. Fewer keystrokes.

Of course. Some folks don't want to add their 'personal' events to all the work events. It makes it very awkward to include a working team or group on a meeting/travel/conference along with the emails for all of your family/friends......

 

[taterhed]

Cozi app loaded for me on my iPhone, but Cliff couldn't get it to load for free on his non-iPhone. That being said, he is quite challenged on using his smartphone, so someone else may be able to access Cozi for free.

Cozi is free for both platforms (app) and is ad-supported in the free edition. The 'Gold' edition has a subscription fee, but adds some features:

Cozi Pricing: Free; $29.99/year for Cozi Gold, which adds calendar search, multiple reminders, a birthday tracker, and removes advertisements.

 

[Ken555]

Any CalDAV calendar such as iCloud or Google Gmail can do this for free.


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[Passepartout]

Does anyone use a program that gives a common online calendar for the whole family?.........
And usual caveat applies, we are both computer idiots so it needs to be simple, and most often we will be accessing it from the desktops.

Thanks for posting this. We were away when this thread was active, and were looking for something to replace paper and pencils and more importantly, that we can share.

We (well, I) tried Google Calendar, and frankly, it may be powerful to the point of complexity and frustration, so then I put Cozi (free) on my travel computer and phone. Now DW has it on her computer and phone too. It's just the two of us and all we manage is doctor appointments, music rehearsals, timeshare outings and the like. We each have out own colors and share each others' calendars and get an email. So far, there's no need to upgrade- but I may tire of the ads.

Again, Thanks

Jim

 

[clifffaith]

I bought an $8 planner at CVS. Covers 2020 & 2021. I about had a cow at Office Depot -- they wanted $20 for a date book with big squares in it. Heck I've paid for the every day/every 15 minute appt books for 30 years, and they are $28 now, saw no reason I should pay $20 for an at-a-glance monthly planner, and since our next stop was the CVS in the same parking lot, I was glad to find what I really wanted. Cliff can't seem to get stuff into Cozi correctly, so his entries are always suspicious. And it won't load on his phone so it is no help to him at a Doctor's office anyway. I like the ease of grabbing the paper book off my desk, but will still load things into Cozi on the off chance he actually looks at it before booking appts on top on one another. Loading 2020 travel plans into my new planner today I was able to cancel two Worldmark trips that were too close to other trips (basically I'm a Pismo hoarder and always end up with more reservations there than we'll actually use).

 

[Makai Guy]

The problem with Google is that you are sharing all entries with each other = unnecessary detail so it's hard to see just your schedule or could get confusing.

Returning to this. I've established 3 Google calendars - mine, hers, and ours, each coded with a different color. At any time, each of us can display any or all of them. Most of the time I just view mine and ours but I can add hers when I need to know the Makai Gal's schedule. This also allows us to view all calendars from all our devices - desktop, phones, and tablets.