Scheduling meetings via email can often be a complex and time-consuming process, involving the use of third-party tools or exchanging multiple messages to find a suitable time. However, Google aims to simplify this experience and alleviate the associated headaches by introducing a convenient feature directly within Gmail.
To streamline the scheduling process, Google has added a calendar icon to the outgoing message toolbar at the bottom of your draft. Clicking on this icon presents two options: “Offer times you’re free” and “Create an event.” The first option, a brand-new feature, enables you to select and share specific available times for a meeting. Upon selecting this option, your calendar will open on the right-hand side of the screen, without closing your draft. From there, you can easily highlight the desired dates and times that work for you, and include them directly in your email. The recipient can conveniently choose a suitable time from the email, and both parties will receive a calendar invite.
The second option, “Create an event,” brings a minor but potentially significant change to the organization of the toolbar. Previously located in the three-dot menu at the top right, the prompt to generate an event has now been moved directly to the main toolbar. When composing an email, selecting this option will automatically populate the recipient’s information and provide a summary within the email body.
Google plans to roll out these calendar updates in stages. Rapid Release domains will receive the update over the next two weeks, while Scheduled Release domains can expect the update in the first half of August. Initially, the “Offer times you’re free” feature will be available only for your primary calendar. If you send blocks of available time to multiple individuals, Google will add the event only to the calendar of the first respondent.
