Help Center

Calendar Invite vs Email Confirmation for Appointments

When your calendar is connected to Google Calendar or Microsoft Outlook, LeadCenter gives you two ways to notify contacts about appointments: Calendar Invite (recommended) or Email Confirmation. This setting is configured per calendar and controls how contacts are notified about confirmations, updates, reschedules, and cancellations.

Overview

1. Calendar Invite (Recommended)
   Google Calendar or Outlook sends the invitation directly, and the event is automatically added to the contact’s calendar.
2. Email Confirmation
   LeadCenter sends a custom email with an .ics attachment. The contact must open the attachment to add the event to their calendar.

Important: Only one method is active at a time. If Calendar Invite is selected, LeadCenter does not send its own confirmation email to the contact. If Email Confirmation is selected, Google/Outlook does not send an invite to the contact.

What Changes Between the Two Options

How Calendar Syncing Works

In both modes, the appointment can sync to Google Calendar, Microsoft Outlook, and Redtail (if connected). The difference is whether the contact is included as an attendee and who sends the notification.

• Calendar Invite: The event is pushed to the host calendar with the contact (and guests) listed as attendees, so Google/Outlook sends the invite.
• Email Confirmation: The event syncs to team members’ calendars without the contact as an attendee, so Google/Outlook does not notify the contact.

Note: If Redtail is connected, appointment sync to Redtail happens in both modes.

Save & Send vs Save Only

When creating, updating, or cancelling an appointment, you may see a modal with Save & Send and Save Only. What those options do depends on the selected communication method.

When Calendar Invite is selected

• Save & Send: Syncs the event to Google/Outlook and sends the calendar invite to the contact.

Save Only: Saves the appointment in LeadCenter but does not sync it to Google/Outlook.

Note: This applies to creating and updating appointments. For cancellations, the event is still deleted from Google or Outlook even if you choose Cancel Only. Google or Outlook may still send their own cancellation notice to attendees. Only LeadCenter’s own cancellation email is suppressed.

Key takeaway: In Calendar Invite mode, Save Only blocks the Google/Outlook sync entirely. The appointment will not appear on anyone’s external calendar.

When Email Confirmation is selected

• Save & Send: Sends the confirmation email to the contact (with an .ics attachment) and syncs the event to team calendars.
• Save Only: Does not send the email, but the event still syncs to team calendars (without the contact as an attendee).

Key takeaway: In Email Confirmation mode, Save Only only prevents the email — the appointment can still sync to team calendars.

Email Content Control

Calendar Invite

• You can control the event description (using your selected template).
• The invitation email layout and subject are controlled by Google/Outlook.
• File attachments are not supported on the invitation email.

Email Confirmation

• You control the email subject and body using your selected template.
• File attachments can be included on the email template (along with the .ics attachment).
• If no template is selected, LeadCenter sends a default confirmation email with the appointment details.

How to Configure

Step 1: Connect Google Calendar or Microsoft Outlook (optional)

Calendar Invite only appears when Google Calendar or Outlook is connected. If you are not connected, only Email Confirmation is available.

Step 2: Choose a communication method

Open your calendar settings, then in the confirmation section choose:

• Calendar invite (recommended)
• Email confirmation

Step 3: Select a template

• Calendar Invite: Select the Calendar invitation template (used as the event description).
• Email Confirmation: Select the Confirmation email template (used as the email subject and body).

Only email templates in the Appointments category appear in the template dropdown.

You can also override the template for a single appointment by selecting a different template when creating or editing the appointment.

Best Practices

• Use Calendar Invite when possible so the appointment is automatically added to the contact’s calendar.
• Use Email Confirmation when you need full control over the email content, branding, or attachments.
• In Calendar Invite mode, always click Save & Send if you want the event to appear on your external calendar.
• Reminders are sent by LeadCenter regardless of which method you choose — consider enabling text reminders to reduce no-shows.
• For in-person appointments, always select a meeting location so synced Microsoft Outlook events and appointment emails reflect the correct in-person meeting details.

Troubleshooting

• I can’t find Calendar Invite: Connect Google Calendar or Microsoft Outlook. Otherwise, only Email Confirmation is available.
• The event didn’t show on Google/Outlook: In Calendar Invite mode, you likely selected Save Only. Edit the appointment and choose Save & Send.
• Contacts are receiving .ics attachments: Your calendar may be disconnected from Google/Outlook, which can cause an automatic fallback to Email Confirmation.

Need help? Contact support@leadcenter.ai.