Quick Answer: FrontOrbit connects to Google Calendar via a secure OAuth 2.0 authorization flow. You do not share your Google password. We request only calendar.readonly (read availability) and calendar.events (create bookings) scopes. Our team sends you a one-click authorization link after onboarding. For Calendly or Acuity users, simply add your booking URL to Settings → Personalization → Booking Preferences.
The Architecture: How AI Booking Works
Calendar integration enables your AI to move beyond information delivery into active booking — arguably the highest-value action a customer can take.
When a customer tells your AI receptionist "I'd like to book a Botox consultation for Thursday afternoon," the AI needs to:
- Check real-time availability on your calendar (not cached data)
- Propose specific time slots
- Create a confirmed booking event
This requires a live API connection to your calendar provider. FrontOrbit supports three pathways:
| Method | Best For | Setup Required From You |
|---|---|---|
| Google Calendar API | Businesses using Google Workspace | One-click OAuth authorization |
| Calendly | Businesses already using Calendly | Paste your booking URL |
| Acuity Scheduling | Businesses using Acuity/Squarespace | Paste your booking URL |
| Other (Mindbody, Jane, etc.) | Specialized platforms | Contact support |
Option A: Google Calendar (Direct API Integration)
What OAuth 2.0 Authorization Means
Google's OAuth 2.0 framework (specified by RFC 6749) allows FrontOrbit to access your Google Calendar without ever seeing your password. You authorize a specific, limited set of actions ("scopes") and can revoke access at any time from your Google Account Security page.
FrontOrbit requests exactly two scopes:
| Scope | What It Allows | What It Does NOT Allow |
|---|---|---|
https://www.googleapis.com/auth/calendar.readonly | Read calendar events & check free/busy | Cannot create, edit, or delete events |
https://www.googleapis.com/auth/calendar.events | Create booking events on your behalf | Cannot access other Google services |
These scopes are defined in Google's Calendar API reference.
The Authorization Process
- Our team sends you a link — a Google OAuth URL scoped to the permissions above
- Click the link — you're taken to Google's authorization screen (no FrontOrbit server involved)
- Sign in with the Google account that owns the calendar you want to connect
- Review and approve the permissions (read-only + create events)
- Done — Google issues a secure token to FrontOrbit; you're redirected back
Multi-calendar setup: If you use multiple Google Calendars (e.g., separate calendars for different practitioners), tell our team which specific calendar to read and write to. We configure per-practitioner calendar routing during setup.
What Happens After Authorization
Once authorized:
- FrontOrbit checks your calendar in real time when a customer asks about availability
- The AI quotes accurate available slots (e.g., "I have Thursday at 2 PM or 4:30 PM available")
- When a customer confirms, the AI creates a Google Calendar event with:
- Customer name and contact details
- Service selected
- Duration based on your services catalogue
- A description including the conversation summary
Your existing Google Calendar shows the booking exactly like any other event. If you use Google Meet or Zoom links, we can configure those to be auto-appended.
Option B: Calendly
Calendly (calendly.com) is an appointment scheduling platform used by over 20 million users. FrontOrbit integrates with Calendly in a simpler, URL-based model:
What to Do
- Log into Calendly → select the Event Type you want your AI to route bookings to
- Copy the Scheduling Link (e.g.,
https://calendly.com/yourname/consultation-30min) - Paste it into Settings → Personalization → Booking Preferences → Booking URL
When a customer says they want to book, the AI provides this link with context:
"You can book your 30-minute consultation directly here: [link]. I'll also send this to your WhatsApp."
Calendly API Integration (Advanced)
For real-time availability checking (rather than link-based routing), FrontOrbit supports Calendly's API v2. Our team can configure this during setup if you provide:
- Your Calendly Personal Access Token (from Calendly Developer Settings)
- The specific Event Type UUID to use for bookings
Option C: Acuity Scheduling
Acuity Scheduling (owned by Squarespace) uses a similar URL-based model to Calendly:
- In Acuity → Client's Scheduling Page → copy your scheduling link
- Paste it into Settings → Personalization → Booking Preferences → Booking URL
For API integration, Acuity's API documentation shows how to generate API credentials — our team handles this configuration.
Setting Lead Time and Cancellation Policy
Regardless of which calendar system you use, configure these in Settings → Personalization → Booking Preferences:
| Setting | What It Does | Recommended Default |
|---|---|---|
| Lead Time (hours) | Minimum advance notice before booking | 24 hours |
| Cancellation Policy | Text the AI quotes when asked | "24-hour notice required" |
Your AI uses these policies verbatim when customers ask about booking constraints.
Revoking or Changing Calendar Access
To revoke Google Calendar access:
- Go to myaccount.google.com/permissions
- Find FrontOrbit in the list
- Click Remove Access
Contact [email protected] to reconnect or switch calendar providers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can FrontOrbit read my personal Google Calendar events? Can it see the event titles? By default, FrontOrbit only checks your free/busy status — it does not read event titles or descriptions. When creating new events, it writes only the FrontOrbit-generated booking details. Your existing events remain private.
Q: What if I use Google Workspace with a custom domain (e.g., @mycompany.com)? This works identically to standard Google accounts. Use your Google Workspace email when completing the OAuth flow. If your Workspace admin has restricted third-party app access, they'll need to allowlist FrontOrbit's Google OAuth app in the Google Workspace Admin Console.
Q: Can the AI book appointments across multiple staff members' calendars? Yes, with direct Google Calendar API integration. Tell our team during setup which staff calendars to query. The AI can route bookings to the first available practitioner or let customers choose.
Q: What happens to a booking if a customer cancels on WhatsApp? FrontOrbit detects cancellation intent (e.g., "I need to cancel my appointment") and, if connected to Google Calendar with write access, can cancel or delete the event. A cancellation notification is then sent to your registered business email.