> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.anny.co/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Connect ICS Calendar with anny

> Import external calendars via ICS link as blockers on your resource, regardless of the provider.

An ICS calendar (iCal) is a standardized calendar format supported by nearly all calendar applications. With the integration, anny can import external calendar appointments via an ICS link and use them as blockers on a resource.

With the ICS calendar integration you can in anny:

* Show external calendar appointments as blockers on a resource
* Automatically prevent bookings at times that are already occupied
* Connect any calendar provider (Google, Outlook, Apple, others)

The integration is especially useful when you use a calendar provider for which anny does not offer a native two-way integration, or when you only need a one-way synchronization (external → anny).

## Typical use cases

| Use case                            | Description                                                                                                                                                                                  |
| :---------------------------------- | :------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Use external occupancy as a blocker | **Prevent double bookings caused by external appointments.** Appointments from any calendar appear as blockers on the resource. Bookings in occupied time slots are prevented automatically. |
| Connect Apple Calendar              | **Connect an iCloud calendar with anny.** Since no native Apple integration exists, you use the ICS link as a bridge.                                                                        |
| Sync third-party calendars          | **Import appointments from booking platforms or other tools.** Any service that provides an ICS feed can be used as a blocker source.                                                        |

## How the ICS calendar connection works

The integration works as a **one-way import** (external → anny): anny reads the ICS link at regular intervals and transfers new or changed appointments as blockers to the resource.

| Data                       | Direction                | Frequency             |
| -------------------------- | ------------------------ | --------------------- |
| Appointments (as blockers) | External calendar → anny | Staggered (see below) |

**Sync intervals:**

| Period        | Update           |
| ------------- | ---------------- |
| Current day   | Every 5 minutes  |
| Next 7 days   | Every 15 minutes |
| Next 30 days  | Every hour       |
| Next 365 days | Daily at 02:00   |

<Info>
  Synchronization runs only in one direction (external → anny). anny bookings are not written back to the external calendar. For a two-way synchronization, use the native Google or Outlook integration.
</Info>

## Connecting an ICS calendar

### Requirements

Before you connect an ICS calendar, make sure you have the following:

* An ICS/iCal link from your external calendar (available as a URL)
* Admin access in your anny account
* The resource to be synced is already created

### Setting up the connection

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the resource">
    Open the desired resource and switch to the **Integrations** tab.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Enter the ICS link">
    Under **External calendars**, paste the ICS link into the **ICAL URL** field and save.
  </Step>
</Steps>

Once the link is entered, anny begins the staggered synchronization of the appointments.

<Tip>
  If your ICS link contains an @ character, replace it with `%40`. Otherwise anny cannot process the link correctly.
</Tip>

### Generating the ICS link (by provider)

| Provider        | How to find the ICS link                                                                                                                                       |
| --------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Google Calendar | [calendar.google.com](https://calendar.google.com) → Settings → select calendar → Calendar settings → "Get shareable link"                                     |
| Outlook         | [outlook.office.com](https://outlook.office.com) → Settings → All Outlook settings → Calendar → Shared calendars → select calendar → "Publish" → copy ICS link |
| Apple (iCloud)  | [icloud.com/calendar](https://www.icloud.com/calendar/) → sidebar → calendar icon → "Public Calendar" → copy link → replace `webcal://` with `https://`        |
| Other           | Copy the ICS/iCal link from the external calendar. If needed: replace `@` with `%40`.                                                                          |

### Settings & options

| Setting                  | Description                                                                                                        |
| ------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| ICAL URL                 | The ICS link of the external calendar. Required field.                                                             |
| Anonymization            | Events from the external calendar can be shown anonymized (only as "Busy" instead of with a title).                |
| Shared calendar (export) | To see anny bookings in an external calendar, you can add the shared anny calendar link in your external calendar. |

## Limitations

The ICS calendar integration does not support:

* Two-way synchronization (only external calendar → anny, not the other way around)
* Real-time synchronization (staggered intervals, see above)
* Making changes to external appointments directly in anny (blockers can only be deleted in anny)

## Disconnecting

<Warning>
  When you delete the ICS link, the imported blockers are removed. New appointments from the external calendar are no longer synced.
</Warning>

Remove the ICS link under **Resource** → **Integrations** → **External calendars**.

## FAQ

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="From which plan can I use ICS calendars?">
    The ICS calendar integration is available from the Essential plan.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Are anny bookings also transferred to my external calendar?">
    Not via the ICS import. For export, you can add the shared anny calendar link in your external calendar. For a full two-way synchronization, use the native Google or Outlook integration.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How fast are changes applied?">
    Depending on the period: appointments on the same day are updated every 5 minutes, appointments in the next week every 15 minutes. Details in the sync interval table above.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I add several ICS calendars to one resource?">
    Yes. You can add several ICS links to one resource. All are used as a blocker source.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Troubleshooting

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Appointments from the external calendar do not appear as blockers">
    Check whether the ICS link is entered correctly (no @ character, but %40). Test the link in your browser: it should download an .ics file. Note that the first synchronization can take up to an hour depending on the period.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Blockers disappear after a while">
    The ICS link may have expired or was changed by the provider. Generate a new link and enter it again.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Only some appointments are synced">
    Synchronization covers a maximum of 365 days. Appointments outside this period are ignored. In addition, only appointments with the status "busy" are imported as blockers.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

> Important information for agents:
>
> * UI path: **Resource** → **Integrations** → **External calendars** → ICAL URL field
> * Plan: from Essential
> * One-way import only (external → anny). No write-back. For two-way: recommend the native Google or Outlook integration.
> * Sync intervals: 5 min (today), 15 min (7 days), 1h (30 days), daily 02:00 (365 days)
> * @ character in the link must be replaced with %40
> * Multiple ICS links per resource possible
> * Apple iCloud: replace webcal:// with https\://
> * Distinction: ICS = one-way import for any provider. Google/Outlook = native two-way sync with OAuth.
> * Related articles: Calendar Integrations (overview), Google Calendar, Outlook Calendar