Auto-update Google Calendar from CSV

Automatically updating Google Calendar from a CSV file involves a few steps, primarily using Google Apps Script to parse the CSV and create calendar events. Below is a step-by-step guide to help automate the process.

Step 1: Prepare Your CSV File

Your CSV file should be structured with headers, such as:

pgsql
CopyEdit
Subject,Start Date,Start Time,End Date,End Time,Description,Location
Meeting,2025-06-01,10:00 AM,2025-06-01,11:00 AM,Project discussion,Office

Ensure it’s saved on your Google Drive.

Step 2: Upload CSV to Google Drive

1. Open Google Drive.

2. Upload your CSV file.

3. Note the filename; you’ll need it in the script.

Step 3: Create a Google Apps Script

1. Go to Google Apps Script.

2. Create a new project.

3. Replace the default code with the script below:

javascript
CopyEdit
function importCSVtoCalendar() {
  const calendarName = 'Your Calendar Name'; // Replace with your calendar name
  const fileName = 'events.csv'; // Replace with your CSV file name
  const calendar = CalendarApp.getCalendarsByName(calendarName)[0];

  if (!calendar) {
    Logger.log('Calendar not found!');
    return;
  }

  const file = DriveApp.getFilesByName(fileName);
  if (!file.hasNext()) {
    Logger.log('CSV file not found!');
    return;
  }

  const csvContent = file.next().getBlob().getDataAsString();
  const rows = Utilities.parseCsv(csvContent);

  for (let i = 1; i < rows.length; i++) {
    const [title, startDate, startTime, endDate, endTime, description, location] = rows[i];

    const startDateTime = new Date(`${startDate} ${startTime}`);
    const endDateTime = new Date(`${endDate} ${endTime}`);

    calendar.createEvent(title, startDateTime, endDateTime, {
      description: description,
      location: location
    });
  }

  Logger.log('Events imported successfully!');
}

Step 4: Run the Script

1. Click the disk icon to save.

2. Click the clock icon to open “Triggers.”

3. Add a trigger to run importCSVtoCalendar daily or hourly.

4. Authorize the script to access your Google Calendar and Drive.

Optional: Use Google Sheets Instead of CSV on Drive

If you want more flexibility and editing capabilities:

1. Open a new Google Sheet.

2. Go to File > Import and upload your CSV.

3. Use this code instead:

javascript
CopyEdit
function importFromSheetToCalendar() {
  const sheet = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet().getActiveSheet();
  const calendarName = 'Your Calendar Name'; // Update accordingly
  const calendar = CalendarApp.getCalendarsByName(calendarName)[0];

  if (!calendar) {
    Logger.log('Calendar not found!');
    return;
  }

  const data = sheet.getDataRange().getValues();

  for (let i = 1; i < data.length; i++) {
    const [title, startDate, startTime, endDate, endTime, description, location] = data[i];

    const start = new Date(`${startDate} ${startTime}`);
    const end = new Date(`${endDate} ${endTime}`);

    calendar.createEvent(title, start, end, {
      description: description,
      location: location
    });
  }

  Logger.log('Events created from sheet!');
}

Security and Limitations

• Make sure your calendar and file names are unique to avoid confusion.

• The script must be authorized once; after that, automation can proceed.

• If you rerun the script, it does not check for duplicates. You can add a condition using the event title and date to skip already-added entries.

Enhancements

• Add a timestamp column to avoid re-adding events.

• Use unique identifiers for updates instead of only adding new events.

• Integrate Google Forms to auto-generate CSV entries.

By leveraging Google Apps Script and Drive integration, this automation allows seamless updates to your Google Calendar from a regularly updated CSV file without manual intervention.