How best to manage staff schedules?

[Hoofy]

We send staff out to clients. We currently use Google Calendar and "invite" staff which then gives them the contents of the appointment description eg location. They can then accept or decline.

I've heard some people use Bookeo. Is there any other solution that such businesses use?

[rog007]

What is it about Calendar that's not fulfilling your requirements?

[Hoofy]

rog007 said:

What is it about Calendar that's not fulfilling your requirements?

A few things, for instance, when linking calendars and allowing others to view or add, you can't share someone else's appointment and invite others; adding multiple calendars in Apple's calendar app results in repeated entries in different colours. (Basically, user error but it's proving difficult to train people to do things in certain ways.)

I think it's fine FWIW.

[Hoofy]

I suppose bottom line is that we need something idiot proof.

[rog007]

Some might say, stop hiring 'idiots'!

[Hoofy]

rog007 said:

Some might say, stop hiring 'idiots'!

Don't talk about our MD like that!

[Hoofy]

If people don't want to use Google Calendar, what other options are there?

[ninja-lewis]

If you use Office 365, Microsoft Bookings is being rolled out soon.

https://blogs.office.com/2016/07/20/bring-in-busin...

[surveyor]

ninja-lewis said:

If you use Office 365, Microsoft Bookings is being rolled out soon.

https://blogs.office.com/2016/07/20/bring-in-busin...

That looks excellent but as usual seems to fall down on travel time. All of these types of products are based on someone in a office etc. As soon as you need to involve travel time, and a vaguely sensible order of appointments they are blown out of the water. Unfortunate really.

[Hoofy]

I've found everything is 80% decent. I've spent ages going through a handful of services and got bored trying to learn yet another bloody system to find it's a let down.