Google is introducing an innovative meeting scheduling feature to Workspace and Gmail that will streamline the process of organising availability.
Gmail users can offer their availability within the message draft with a distinct Calendar icon at the bottom right of the toolbar.
This icon allows users two actions, the first being "Offer times that you're free". The Google Workspace update described this action as follows:
This option opens up your calendar on the right. You can select and insert proposed meeting times directly from your calendar into the email without leaving Gmail. The recipient of the email can then review the proposed times and select one directly from the email to automatically get an email with a calendar invite."
Time suggestions can only be made for a user's primary calendar currently and would only work for 1:1 meetings. If multiple people are added to the recipient list, only the first person to book the appointment will be automatically added to the event.
The second function of the Calendar icon allows users to "Create an event". This speeds up the process of scheduling a meeting and shares the event information in the email.
"Starting the flow opens up a calendar event creation on the right with the recipients and title pre-filled from the email," Google's blog described it. An event summary will automatically be added to the email body for users to share easily. If a user creates events from Gmail, they can create them on any of the primary or secondary calendars they manage access to.
The update intends to help users confirm 1:1 meeting times much faster. It reduces the inefficient back-and-forth email admin of negotiating time availabilities.
This could be particularly useful when planning meetings with customers, clients or people inside the user's organisation whose Google Calendars are not visible.
To suggest proposed meeting times in an email draft, begin composing or replying to an email, click "Set up a time to meet" and then "Offer times you're free". To create a new event, likewise, begin composing or replying to an email, and then click "Set up a time to meet" and then "Create an event".
This feature will be a gradual rollout beginning on July 31, and it will be available for all Google Workspace customers and users with personal Google Accounts.
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