Master Your Schedule with Tools You Already Use—Plus a Few You’ll Wish You Found Sooner
Calendar management platforms are digital tools that provide an organized system to create, edit, and view everything you need to do during the day, the next couple of days, weeks, or months. They typically sync across all your devices, so you’re always up to date no matter where you are.
Here’s a look at three of the most popular platforms, along with some expert tips to help you use them even better.
Google Calendar
Google Calendar is one of the most popular calendar platforms out there. It integrates smoothly with Google services like Gmail, Meet, and Drive, as well as thousands of third-party apps like Zoom, Trello, and Slack. You can create multiple calendars within one account, share your calendar with others, and even let others book time with you using appointment slots.
The interface is super easy to navigate. You can choose customized views for day, week, month, or year, depending on how you prefer to look at your schedule.
Google Calendar is free as long as you have a Google account. If you need more advanced features for business use, you can upgrade to Google Workspace Business Starter, which starts at around $7 per user per month.
Useful Tips for Using Google Calendar:
Use color coding to organize your calendar better.
Google Calendar allows you to color-code events. Color coding based on priority makes sense. You can use red for high-priority meetings, orange for medium-priority tasks, and green for internal meetings or staff check-ins.
Set up email or pop-up reminders so you never miss a meeting.
Life gets busy, and it’s easy to forget an appointment. Google Calendar lets you set reminders that either pop up on your screen or send you an email. You can choose how far in advance you want the reminder, like 10 minutes before or even a day before.
Use the “Find a Time” feature to schedule meetings with others.
If you’re trying to set up a meeting with coworkers or anyone else who shares their Google Calendar with you, the “Find a Time” tool shows everyone’s availability side by side. It makes it much easier to pick a meeting time that works for everyone without needing to send a dozen emails back and forth.
Set your working hours to avoid meetings outside of your preferred times.
You can define the hours you are available for meetings in your settings. If someone tries to schedule a meeting outside of those hours, they’ll get a notification letting them know you might not be available.
Apple Calendar
Apple Calendar, also called iCal, is the built-in calendar app for iPhone, iPad, and Mac users. It automatically syncs events across all your Apple devices through iCloud. So, for instance, if you add an event on your iPhone, you’ll instantly see it on your Mac, iPad, or even your Apple Watch.
The app has useful features like multiple calendar support, natural language event creation, and iCloud sharing for team collaboration. You can also sync it with Google Calendar, Yahoo, Microsoft Exchange, or any other service that supports CalDAV.
Useful Tips for Using Apple Calendar:
Use natural language input to add events faster.
Natural language input means you can create events by typing the way you would normally speak or write. For instance, you can just type something like “Call with Alex next Tuesday at 3 PM,” and Apple Calendar will create the event for you automatically. It saves time and makes scheduling a lot quicker.
Enable “Time to Leave” alerts so you know when to start traveling.
If you add a location to your event, Apple Calendar can send you a notification telling you when to leave based on current traffic conditions. You’re less likely to be late for meetings or appointments.
Use Siri to quickly schedule events.
Similar to natural language input, this is also a fast way to add events. But instead of opening the app and typing, you’re just telling Siri what to do.
Microsoft Outlook Calendar
Outlook Calendar is the calendar service built into Microsoft Outlook. It’s a favorite among businesses and professionals for good reason. It works seamlessly with Microsoft 365 apps like Teams, Word, and Excel. It allows you to send meeting invitations, set up recurring meetings, and check other people’s availability if you’re in the same organization.
Useful Tips for Using Microsoft Outlook:
Use Scheduling Assistant to make meeting planning easier.
When trying to set up a meeting with multiple people, it can be frustrating to guess when everyone is free. Outlook’s Scheduling Assistant shows you everyone’s calendars side-by-side, so you can quickly pick a time that works for everyone.
Set up recurring meetings to save time.
If you have recurring meetings, like a team catch-up every Monday, you don’t need to create a new event every week. You can set it to recur automatically. You can choose daily, weekly, monthly, or custom patterns based on what you need.
Turn on automatic replies when you’re on vacation.
Before taking time off, you can set up automatic replies through Outlook. It will send an automatic message to anyone who emails you, letting them know you’re unavailable and when you’ll be back.
Want to Make Calendar Management Even Easier and Better?
While Google Calendar, Apple Calendar, and Outlook Calendar are strong tools on their own, managing multiple calendars, meetings, and bookings can still get overwhelming, especially if you’re someone who has a packed schedule every single day or you work with an EA.
Calendar management apps are designed specifically to make scheduling easier. They take a lot of the manual work and stress out of calendar management.
Here are some of the best calendar management apps you should know about:
VAST
VAST is designed specifically for executive assistants. It works seamlessly with both Google Calendar and Outlook. One of its best features is that it allows you to store detailed information for each event, so when it’s time for the meeting, you’ll have all the data you need right at your fingertips. You can also customize the templates to fit your exact scheduling needs.
Calendly
Calendly is one of the most popular scheduling apps. It allows you to create a personalized booking page where others can see your availability and schedule meetings accordingly. It integrates with Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, and many CRM platforms.
Motion
Motion is a newer app that uses artificial intelligence to manage your schedule for you. It automatically adjusts tasks and meetings based on your changing priorities. It’s a great option if you tend to do a lot of last-minute changes and don’t like manually fixing your schedule.
The Right Tools Help You Show Up Prepared Every Time
Google Calendar, Apple Calendar, and Outlook Calendar have all been around since the early 2000s, and they’re still some of the best tools out there. They’re easy to use and work well in most professional settings.
But if you’re an executive or an EA, keeping up with everything can still get overwhelming. These calendars are good, but they’re not perfect and could definitely be better. Calendar management business software solutions like VAST make it a lot easier to keep up with a busy schedule. It integrates seamlessly with both Google and Outlook. Try it out today.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is business software used for?
Business software helps companies run more efficiently by automating tasks like scheduling, billing, communication, and data tracking. It improves productivity, reduces manual errors, and supports team collaboration. Whether you’re managing finances or meetings, business software streamlines daily operations so teams can focus on high-impact work.
What are examples of business software?
Business software comes in many forms. Popular examples include Microsoft Office for productivity, QuickBooks for accounting, Salesforce for CRM, Slack for communication, and VAST for executive calendar management. Each tool is designed to support specific business functions, helping teams save time and work more effectively.
How does business software improve productivity?
Business software improves productivity by automating routine tasks, centralizing important data, and enabling real-time collaboration. It helps reduce back-and-forth emails, minimizes scheduling conflicts, and ensures everyone has the information they need—when they need it. The result is faster decision-making and a more organized workflow.
What is the best business software for managing executive calendars?
For managing executive calendars, VAST is a top choice. It syncs with Google and Outlook and was designed by a veteran executive assistant. VAST centralizes contacts, event details, and travel logistics—giving EAs and executives the power to manage complex schedules without dropping important details.
