If the organizer hasn’t connected their calendar, when participants book an interview, all attendees as well as the participant will receive an email invite with an ICS file that they can add to their calendar.
What’s an ICS file?
ICS is a standard calendar file format used for storing and sharing scheduling information.
It allows users to exchange calendar data across different applications and platforms. It’s compatible with all major calendar providers, such as Outlook Calendar, Google Calendar, and Apple Calendar.
ICS files from Maze contain essential information about interview study sessions. This includes:
- Event title
- Event description. This includes instructions to reschedule or cancel the session.
- Location. If you select Maze conferencing in the recruitment settings. Otherwise, it’ll be empty.
- Start and end time, including timezone
When should I manually import ICS files vs. sync my calendar?
| Advantages | Drawbacks | |
|---|---|---|
| Calendar integration | - Allows Maze to seamlessly sync your availability and your interview sessions. This eliminates manual work and errors associated with it. | - Some companies may not allow giving access to calendars |
| ICS files (manual process) | - No need to give access to your calendar, making it a better option for those who want to avoid integrations. |
- You must manually manage calendar availability - Doesn’t support third-party conferencing links |
How can I use ICS files in interview studies?
Maze supports calendar integration through Cronofy, allowing team members to sync their calendars for automatic participant scheduling. Learn more about the calendar integration
If you prefer not to link your calendar, you can manage your interview scheduling manually using ICS files. ICS files allow you to schedule and manage interview sessions without requiring third-party calendar integration.
Here’s how you manage sessions without a calendar connected:
- Set up a recruitment link for your study.
- Since Maze doesn’t have access to your calendar, be sure to specify your available times in the Availability settings. Don’t forget to update them if your schedule changes.
- Whenever a participant books an interview, all attendees and the participant receive an email with an ICS file attached. This ICS file contains all the essential information about the interview session.
- Import the ICS file into your preferred calendar application. ICS files are compatible with all major calendar providers, including Google Calendar, Outlook Calendar, and Apple Calendar.
Importing ICS files
In most cases, your calendar provider will automatically add the event to your calendar. However, depending on your provider, you may need to manually import the ICS file.
If that is the case, follow these official guides to import events to your preferred calendar provider:
Managing changes in events
Rescheduling
If the date or time of the interview changes, all attendees will receive an email notification with an updated ICS file.
In most cases, your calendar provider will automatically update the event in your calendar. However, depending on your provider, you may need to manually accept or re-import the updated ICS file if the changes aren’t automatically reflected.
Cancellation
Similarly, if the event is canceled, all attendees will receive an email notification.
Usually, the event will be automatically removed from your calendar. Otherwise, you may need to manually delete it.