# Setting up linked calendars and conflict calendars

> Learn how to sync your external calendars with Futuria CRM to avoid double bookings and manage your availability properly.

Author: Futuria Support Team · Published: June 18, 2026 · Reading time: 7 min read

Source: https://futuriamarketing.com/en/supporto/configurazione-calendari-collegati-conflitto/

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## When to use connected, linked and conflict calendars

Futuria CRM lets you sync external calendars (Google, Office 365, Outlook.com) to keep your availability up to date and avoid double bookings. Use **Connected calendars** to authorise access for Futuria CRM, **Linked calendars** to import events and show your real availability, and **Conflict calendars** to block Futuria CRM slots automatically when you have other commitments.

- **Connected calendars**: Give Futuria CRM permission to read (and optionally write) events from an external calendar account.
- **Linked calendars**: Import events and availability into Futuria CRM so that your real busy times are shown.
- **Conflict calendars**: Mark certain connected calendars as blocking, automatically making overlapping booking slots **unavailable** in Futuria CRM.

## Prerequisites

- **User role**: Administrator or Manager access in the account.
- **External calendar account**: Active sign-in credentials for Google Calendar, Office 365 or Outlook.com for each user.

## Setting up the linked calendar

### Step 1: Open the Connections tab

In the sidebar of your Futuria CRM account, go to **Settings → Calendars**, then click the **Connections** tab at the top to open **Calendars** and **Connected calendars**.

![Navigating the calendar settings in Futuria CRM to open the connections.](https://assets.cdn.filesafe.space/jOFcdS1QIxGsOiKRyQti/media/65ef8172-1607-4467-bdd9-30da96f397fa.gif)

### Step 2: Add a calendar

1. In **Connected calendars**, click **+ Add new**.
2. Select your provider: **Google**, **[Outlook](https://outlook.com/), iCloud or Calendly**.
3. Sign in and give Futuria CRM permission to **read** events (and to **write**, if you also plan to sync outbound bookings).
4. Once complete, you will see your email address listed with the provider icon.

![Adding a new external calendar such as Google or Outlook in Futuria CRM.](https://assets.cdn.filesafe.space/jOFcdS1QIxGsOiKRyQti/media/c524fdf5-f1c7-402e-b872-ace6d81817d1.gif)

> **Warning: Reconnect broken integrations**  
> If you see a red banner such as “Reconnect your integration” or the calendar panel has a red border, your OAuth token may have expired or been revoked. Click Reconnect and authorise Futuria CRM again to restore access.
>
> If the third-party calendar has been deleted at the provider, the banner may also show the "Fix" option. Click "Fix" to review all the instances of deleted calendars and use "Remove deleted calendars" to clean up the broken connections.
>
> **Automatic re-sync after reconnecting or making changes:** When you reconnect a previously disconnected calendar, Futuria CRM automatically sends all unsynced future appointments to your external calendar. If you connect a new calendar or switch to a different calendar within the same integration, Futuria CRM automatically re-syncs future appointments with the newly selected calendar.

### Step 3: Configure your linked calendar

1. In the **Calendar configuration** section, under **Linked calendar**, click **Add**.
2. Choose one of your **Connected calendars** to import events into Futuria CRM.
3. Click **Save**.

![Selecting a connected calendar to set as the linked calendar.](https://assets.cdn.filesafe.space/jOFcdS1QIxGsOiKRyQti/media/6ad479b6-6017-47bd-aab2-f85c44e5e246.gif)

> IMPORTANT:1. To select a calendar as linked, the user must have write permissions.2.
>
> The linked calendar is also added as a conflict calendar by default. This means that any event created on the third-party linked calendar will be imported into the system, and any event created in the system will be sent to the third-party linked calendar.3.
>
> You can set your sync preferences in the Advanced settings.

## Sync preferences (Advanced settings)

### 1. Default sync (one-way)

- Events created in the system will be synced to the Linked calendar (e.g. Google).
- Events created on the Linked calendar (e.g. Google) will be synced to the system.

  1. These events are synced as blocked time slots.
  2. No contact is created for the guests present in the events of the Linked calendar (e.g. Google).
  3. No automations or workflows are triggered.

![Diagram illustrating one-way sync between Futuria CRM and an external calendar.](https://assets.cdn.filesafe.space/jOFcdS1QIxGsOiKRyQti/media/16862c21-85ae-4b25-a9b9-79090bd3ccde.png)

### 2. Two-way sync

- Events created in the system will be synced to the Linked calendar (e.g. Google).
- Events created on the Linked calendar (e.g. Google) will be synced to the system.

  1. These events are synced as appointments.
  2. A contact is created for the guests found in the events of the Linked calendar (e.g. Google).
  3. Automations/workflows can be triggered just as for any other appointment created in the system.

> **Example:** Mario created an event on Google Calendar from 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm called 'Medical appointment with Dr Rossi' and added Dr Rossi as a guest in his Google calendar.
>
> **Default sync (one-way):** Only a time block from 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm will be added in the system, so that nobody can book in that time slot.
>
> Two-way sync: An appointment from 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm is created in the system, blocking the availability. A new contact is created for Dr.
>
> Rossi. If any workflows have been created, they will be triggered for Dr.
>
> Rossi.

## Conflict calendars

Events from third-party calendars added as conflict calendars are synced into the system, blocking your availability for the duration of the event. As the name suggests, we read all the events from the selected calendar and block the times when the user is not available.

Availability is blocked only if the event is marked as 'BUSY' in the third-party calendar. For events marked as 'FREE', the events are imported into the system but the availability stays open.

![Setting up conflict calendars to block availability in Futuria CRM.](https://assets.cdn.filesafe.space/jOFcdS1QIxGsOiKRyQti/media/87908d6c-510e-4405-95b0-91959719fe9a.gif)

This guarantees accurate availability and avoids double bookings. You can add several calendars to be checked to prevent multiple bookings. In the Conflict calendars section we do not create appointments, we simply block the time for any event already scheduled in your external calendar.

## How these calendars work

1. **Booking requests**

  - When a customer requests an appointment, Futuria CRM checks both your **linked** and your **conflict** calendars. Any overlapping event makes those slots **unavailable**.
2. **Two-way sync**

  - If you enable outbound appointment sync, Futuria CRM will write new bookings into your external calendar.
  - Cancellations or reschedules in Futuria CRM also update your external calendar.
  - **Status-only updates:** Marking an appointment as "Showed" or "No-show" does not send an update to the external calendar. This prevents "event updated" emails from third parties and keeps status tracking inside Futuria CRM.
  - **Reliability after changes:** If your integration is reconnected, updated or switched to a different calendar, Futuria CRM automatically syncs future appointments so that your external calendar stays accurate with no manual changes.
3. **Calendar view**

  - In the **Calendar** tab, external events are shown as shaded blocks, Futuria CRM bookings as coloured events, and blocked slots with the label **Unavailable**.

## Best practices and things to consider

- **Limit outbound sync**: Enable outbound sync only on your main work calendar to avoid duplicate entries.
- **Block personal events**: Link personal calendars as **Conflict calendars** so that family or personal commitments automatically block booking slots.
- **Align time zones**: Make sure the time zone of your external calendar matches your Futuria CRM profile to prevent discrepancies.
- **Periodic re-authorisation**: If you change the password or the security settings of your external account, authorise Futuria CRM again to prevent the integration from breaking.

## Troubleshooting common problems

| Problem | Cause | Resolution |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **The integration shows as broken (red banner)** | OAuth token expired or revoked | In **Settings → Calendars → Connections**, click **Reconnect** and authorise again. |
| **Events do not appear in Futuria CRM** | No linked calendar selected or sync disabled | In **Calendar configuration → Linked calendar**, click **Edit** and make sure **Sync events** is enabled. |
| **Slots are still bookable during external events** | The conflict calendar is not enabled | In **Conflict calendars**, click **Edit**, turn on the **Use as conflict calendar** option, then **Save**. |
| **Futuria CRM appointments are not synced outbound** | The outbound sync option is switched off | Edit the settings of your linked calendar to enable **outbound appointment sync**, then **save**. |
| **Duplicate external events** | Outbound sync is enabled on several calendars | Disable outbound sync on the secondary calendars or disconnect the ones you do not need. |