Google Calendar is a sophisticated tool that can handle a lot more than what most of us probably use it for. This cloud-based software comes with a robust collection of essential features that are simple to understand right out of the box, making it perfect for a wide range of users. However, hidden away deep into its settings are even more complex features that both casual and expert users would benefit from. Here are eight Google Calendar features that every user should make use of.

Create new calendar events fast

When it comes to scheduling a meeting, there are instances where you need to act fast, and a nifty little trick is to use the calendar shortcut to get started quickly. Simply type cal.new in your search bar to create a calendar event instantly. This eliminates manually opening the calendar, which may take unnecessary time. This also works with google apps as well.

Shortcut	App
cal.new	Google calendar
doc.new	Google document
slides.new	Google slides
sheet.new	Google sheet

The Schedule view

A schedule view allows you to check on your colleague’s calendar side by side so you can see exactly what they have lined up for the day. This can help you both plan your meeting with them or just see what they are up to. To enable this feature add your colleague’s calendars from the left sidebar, then select the day view from the menu in the top left of Google Calendar.

Now, if you click the checkmark next to a coworker’s calendar, you’ll be able to see their schedule alongside your own for that day. Do you want to view anything on a different day? Select a different day using the mini-calendar in the left sidebar, or use the arrows at the top to navigate through events day by day.

Display multiple time zones

Working with a team from a different time zone can quickly become a headache to keep track of their availability. A useful feature that Google calendar has is showing multiple time zones to help you keep track of your coworker’s time quickly.

Open Google Calendar and go to Settings > Time zone to activate this feature. Select Display secondary time zone and select your primary and secondary time zones from the dropdown menu.

Customized default time

By default, google calendar will notify you 30 mins before an event. But buried deep into the setting is a feature to customize this time, so it best suits your needs. Personally, I find being notified 30 mins before a meeting a bit distracting and have set it to 5 mins giving me enough time to prepare for a meeting but not get distracted with a notification which I generally do forget before the meeting starts.

Advanced search features

Google calendar has some advanced search features that many are unaware of, enabling you to do some pretty amazing things. You can search meetings by keywords, location, date range, and more. The below screenshot illustrates all the search features that you can use.

Show World clock

Google Calendar’s ability to display a world clock is another essential tool for users who interact across time zones. You may select as many cities as you like, and Google Calendar will display the time in each one on the home page.

Go to Google Calendar settings and pick the time zone from the left pane to get started. Then choose Show global clock and begin entering the cities you’d want to monitor. Return to the Google Calendar homepage to see the clock in the left pane.

Make good use of the add ons

One of the most powerful yet underused features of google calendar is its support with third-party add-ons. This allows you to add different functionality to the already feature-rich calendar app to help you with your productivity. Don’t like google meet? Use zoom or Microsoft team instead, use miro to collaborate with your team or add a CRM to get advanced analytics. You can fund all the advance add ons here, install the app, and it will be automatically connected to your Google Calendar account.

Enable working hours

Not everyone works from 9 to 5 or does not have time to attend meetings all day. This is why Google introduced a working hours feature which you can set a time on when you can receive meeting invitations. If you are sent an invite outside this time, the organizer will be notified that it is outside your working hours, saving you the hassle of declining the meeting and then sending up a follow-up email explaining your case.

To enable specified working hours on your Google Calendar, open your settings by clicking the gear symbol from your calendar view. Go to the “Working Hours” area. You’ll be able to set your work hours for each day of the week here.