Integrating with Your Calendar

Connect your Google Calendar, Outlook, or Cal.com to enable automatic appointment booking. Your AI will check real-time availability and schedule appointments during calls, send confirmation messages, and handle rescheduling gracefully.

🎯 What You Will Learn

How to connect Google Calendar, Outlook 365, and Cal.com
Configuring availability rules and buffer times between appointments
Defining appointment types with different durations and requirements
Customizing confirmation and reminder messages sent to callers

⚠️ Prerequisites

Admin access to your calendar platform (Google, Outlook, or Cal.com)
A list of appointment types your business offers (consultation, follow-up, etc.)
Your preferred buffer time between appointments (e.g., 15 minutes)
FORAI account with an active phone number

🚀 Step-by-Step Guide

Navigate to Calendar Integration

Go to Integrations > Calendar from your dashboard. You'll see a list of supported platforms with 'Connect' buttons. Each platform uses OAuth for secure, password-free authentication.

Integrations - Calendar Connection Panel

Authenticate your calendar platform

Click 'Connect' next to your calendar provider and sign in with your credentials. Grant FORAI read/write access to your calendar. This allows the AI to check availability and create new events on your behalf.

Configure availability rules

Set your bookable hours (which may differ from business hours). For example, you might answer calls 8AM-6PM but only accept appointments 9AM-5PM. Add lunch breaks or blocked times as recurring unavailable periods.

Calendar - Availability Rules Editor

Set buffer times between appointments

Add buffer time before and after each appointment to prevent back-to-back scheduling. A 15-minute buffer is standard for most businesses. Medical and legal offices often use 30 minutes to account for overruns.

Define appointment types and durations

Create distinct appointment types: 'Initial Consultation (60 min)', 'Follow-Up (30 min)', 'Quick Check (15 min)'. Assign each type a duration, color code, and any required information the AI should collect before booking.

Appointment Types Configuration

Customize confirmation messages

Write the SMS/email confirmation template sent to callers after booking. Include dynamic variables: {{date}}, {{time}}, {{service_type}}, {{location}}, and {{cancellation_link}}. Set up reminder messages for 24 hours and 1 hour before the appointment.

Test the full booking flow

Make a test call and ask to book an appointment. Verify: the AI checks correct availability, offers appropriate time slots, creates the calendar event, and sends the confirmation message. Check that the event appears in your calendar.

Enable rescheduling and cancellation

Toggle on 'Allow rescheduling' and 'Allow cancellation' in the calendar settings. Set a minimum notice period (e.g., 24 hours before the appointment). The AI will handle these requests during calls and update your calendar automatically.

💡 Pro Tips

Sync multiple team members' calendars to offer broader availability. The AI will find the first available slot across all connected calendars.

Use the 'Smart Suggestions' feature to let the AI offer 2-3 time slots instead of asking 'When would you like to come in?' This reduces call duration by 30%.

Set a maximum advance booking window (e.g., 30 days out) to prevent callers from booking too far in advance when your schedule may change.

Enable the 'No-Show Tracking' feature to flag repeat no-show callers. The AI can require a deposit or confirmation callback for flagged contacts.

⚠️ Important Warning

Always test your configuration with the built-in simulator before deploying to live callers. Changes to voice settings, routing rules, and workflows take effect within 60 seconds. Monitor the first 5-10 live calls after any change and revert immediately if you notice issues.

⚙️ Troubleshooting