How to Import Events from an Existing Event Calendar

Available for the Build, Grow & Coordinate plans on the Locable Marketing Platform

You can take advantage of Locable's distribution network and integrations with our Event Import functionality to distribute events you've already posted to your existing website calendar.

This allows your events to reach more locals and visitors through your Local Connections™, and they can be shared through our Google Business Profile integration and when sending Express Email Newsletters.

By adding your calendar, we can automatically pull events from your website calendar (not all platforms supported) and sync those events into your Locable account, then automatically check them daily for updates.

NOTE: Event imports work best when the data includes a title, description, start date, start time, and event location at a minimum. We also support additional fields like images, etc.

Setting Up Your Import

Locable supports a growing number of 3rd party calendar platforms.

To ensure proper setup, our Support Team will configure your account. Please contact us to confirm what calendar platform you use, and the URL we can find it on your website.
In most cases, we will also need a link to the public event data feed (different from the link to your calendar page). That can typically be found in your calendar account.

We'll handle the feed configuration for you to make sure events are imported as expected.

Imports can be added to any Locable account, and may include a one-time integration fee and/or a paid plan may be required.

Importing a Google Calendar

To import a Google Calendar, you will need the calendar’s ICS feed URL. This is different from the embed code and must be publicly accessible for the import to work.

How to Get your Google Calendar ICS feed

Open Google Calendar.
Click the gear icon in the top right and choose Settings.
In the left sidebar, under Settings for my calendars, select the calendar you want to import.
Scroll to the Integrate calendar section.
Copy the Public address in iCal format. This is the URL used for imports.

NOTE: The iframe embed code is not the ICS feed. Only the iCal or ICS link will work for imports.

Set Up Sharing Correctly

The ICS feed will include all upcoming events only when the calendar is shared in a way that allows exporting. Your calendar must meet one of the following:

It is set to Make available to the public with permission set to See all event details, or
You use the Secret address in iCal format in the Integrate calendar section.

Without one of these settings, the ICS feed may appear empty or show only older events.

Troubleshooting

My Google Calendar embed works, but the import does not

If your calendar displays correctly when embedded on your site but the import shows no events or only past events, the calendar is shared for viewing but not for exporting. The embed can show events even when the ICS feed cannot.

Update the sharing settings or use the Secret address in iCal format so the ICS feed includes all event details.

My ICS feed only shows old events or nothing at all

Check the following:

The calendar is shared publicly for exporting, or you are using the Secret address in iCal format.
You copied the ICS link and not the embed code.

Adjusting these settings resolves most issues.

Other Calendars - Finding your Feed URL

Chamber Master or Chamber Organizer

The correct feed URL for this type of calendar will include "rss" and link to an XML document.

When in doubt, try yoururl.com/Feed/rss/Events.rss or yoursubdomain.chambermaster.com/Feed/rss/Events.rss

Timely

To import a Timely calendar:

Find the "Subscribe" menu
Hover over the "Export to XML" option
Right-click and choose "Copy Link Address." This is the URL we need in order to import the calendar.

LocalHop

To import a LocalHop calendar:

Log in to your LocalHop account - https://dashboard.getlocalhop.com (or the login page your org uses).
Select your organization - If you manage multiple orgs, choose the one whose events you want to feed out.
Go to the “Calendars” area - In the left navigation menu, click Calendars or Calendar Snippets. Choose the calendar you want (Full Calendar, Mini Calendar, or Community Calendar - whichever holds the events you want in your feed).
Look for a “Data Feed / iCal Feed” option - LocalHop usually shows a tab or button such as “Data Feed”, “Export / iCal Feed”, or “Subscribe”. It’s often near where you can preview the calendar.

Copy the feed URL - The link will typically end in .ics or look something like:

https://api.getlocalhop.com/calendar?instance=XXXXXX&series=false

Imported Events

Once your import is set up and active in your Locable, if 'required data' is missing in the imported events, the event will be marked as 'Pending' and won't publish to your account until you edit and add the missing data manually.

You will receive an email notification if you have 'pending' events in your Locable account.

After you click to resolve the pending events, you will see a list of these events and what data is missing:

You can see what Data is missing, and click Edit to modify the event detail and include the missing data.

In this example, you would add the Event Venue/Location and then click Publish Post. Once published, the event will appear in your Locable Calendar.

NOTE: You'll be notified via email when an event is imported and any data is missing.