Connecting your calendar to Gym Lead Machine (GLM) keeps your schedule in sync across platforms, so bookings made in GLM and in your personal calendar stay up to date, and you avoid double bookings. This article walks you through connecting a Google, Outlook, or iCloud calendar and configuring how each one syncs.
What You Can Do
Connect a Google, Outlook, or iCloud calendar to GLM
Sync GLM bookings to your calendar and pull your calendar events into GLM
Set a main calendar that GLM reads from and writes to
Add conflict calendars to block your availability and prevent double bookings
How Calendar Syncing Works
GLM uses two roles for every connected calendar. The labels differ slightly depending on which calendar you connect, but the purpose is the same:
Role | Also called | What it does |
|---|---|---|
Main calendar | Linked Calendar (Google), Primary Calendar (Outlook, iCloud) | The calendar GLM both reads from and writes new bookings to. Setting this up requires writer (read-and-write) access. |
Conflict calendar | Conflict Calendar (Google), Check for Conflicts (Outlook, iCloud) | One or more calendars GLM reads to block your availability and prevent double bookings. You can add several. |
Two-way synchronization means events created in either GLM or your connected calendar update in both places in real time. Your availability is blocked only when an event is marked Busy; events marked Free are still pulled into GLM but leave your availability open. You can add multiple conflict calendars to prevent overlapping bookings across different platforms.
Connect a Google Calendar
Connecting Google Calendar enables two-way syncing between GLM and your Google account.
Before you start, make sure you have access to the Gmail account tied to the calendar, and decide which access level you need:
Writer access: Required if you want GLM bookings added to your Google Calendar.
Read-only access: Enough if you only want to pull Google Calendar events into GLM without writing new ones.
Step 1: Connect your calendar
Go to Settings → Integrations in GLM.
Find Google Calendar and click Take me there.
In Calendar Connections, click + Add New.
Click Connect next to Google Calendar.
Follow the prompts to authorize Lead Connector to access your Google Calendar.
Step 2: Set your linked and conflict calendars
Go to Calendars → Connections → {select staff}.
Choose the Google calendar you want as your Linked Calendar (where GLM bookings are synced).
Add any Conflict Calendars you want GLM to check for availability.
Note: Writer access is required to set a calendar as your Linked Calendar. By default, your Linked Calendar is also added as a conflict calendar, so events created there appear in GLM and vice versa. You can adjust how it syncs from Advanced Settings in GLM.
Connect an Outlook Calendar
Connecting Outlook syncs your appointments and availability between GLM and your Outlook account.
Step 1: Connect your calendar
Go to Settings → My Profile in GLM.
In the Calendar Settings section, find the option to connect your Outlook account.
Approve the prompt to grant Lead Connector access to your Outlook Calendar.
Note: You must be logged in to the correct sub-account (your specific GLM workspace) to see the Profile option in Settings. If you do not see it, you are likely in the wrong sub-account.
Step 2: Configure your calendar
Go to Settings → Profile and scroll to Calendar Configuration in the bottom right.
Under Primary Calendar, click Edit, select your Outlook account, and choose the calendar GLM should read from and write to. (Primary Calendar reads all events and writes all appointments.)
Under Check for Conflicts, click Edit and select the Outlook calendars you want GLM to check for availability. (Check for Conflicts only reads events to prevent double bookings.)
If appointments stop syncing: Edit the Primary Calendar setting, choose Do not sync events to the primary calendar, and click Save. Then reselect the same calendar to re-enable syncing. This usually clears up syncing issues in either direction.
Connect an iCloud Calendar
Connecting iCloud requires an app-specific password from Apple, which is separate from your normal Apple ID password.
Step 1: Create an app-specific password from Apple
Sign in to your Apple ID account at https://appleid.apple.com/.
In the Security section, make sure Two-Factor Authentication is enabled. If it is not, follow the prompts to turn it on.
In the App-Specific Passwords section, click Generate Password.
Enter a label (for example, "GLM Calendar") and click Create.
Copy the generated password. You will use it to connect iCloud to GLM.
Step 2: Connect iCloud to GLM
Click Settings in the left navigation panel.
Select My Profile, then go to Integrations.
Find iCloud Calendar and click Connect.
Enter your iCloud email address and the app-specific password from Step 1.
Your iCloud Calendar is now connected.
Step 3: Configure your calendar
Go to My Profile → Calendar Configuration.
Under Primary Calendar, click Edit, select your connected iCloud account, and click Save. (Only accounts already integrated with GLM appear in the list.)
Under Check for Conflicts, click Edit, select the calendars you want checked for availability, and click Save.
Important for iCloud:
Events imported from iCloud are treated as Blocked Slots, not appointments, and they do not create contacts in GLM.
Blocked slots created in GLM do not sync back to your iCloud Calendar.
Google vs. Outlook vs. iCloud: What to Know
Outlook | iCloud | ||
|---|---|---|---|
Special requirement | Gmail account access | Be in the correct sub-account | App-specific password + two-factor authentication |
Main calendar label | Linked Calendar | Primary Calendar | Primary Calendar |
Conflict label | Conflict Calendar | Check for Conflicts | Check for Conflicts |
Two-way sync | Yes | Yes | Limited (events come in as blocked slots; GLM blocked slots do not sync back) |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a main calendar and a conflict calendar?
Your main calendar (called Linked or Primary depending on the integration) is where GLM writes new bookings and reads events from, while a conflict calendar only blocks your availability to prevent double bookings. You can set one main calendar and add several conflict calendars across different platforms.
Do I need writer access or read-only access?
Choose writer access if you want GLM bookings added to your calendar, and read-only if you only want to pull events into GLM. Writer access is required to set a calendar as your Linked or Primary calendar, since GLM needs to write to it.
Why do I need an app-specific password for iCloud?
Apple requires a separate app-specific password to connect third-party apps like GLM, and it only works with two-factor authentication enabled. Generate it from your Apple ID account, then enter it along with your iCloud email when connecting.
Why aren't my Outlook appointments syncing?
Reset the connection by editing your Primary Calendar, choosing "Do not sync events to the primary calendar," saving, then reselecting the same calendar. This re-enables syncing and resolves most cases where appointments stop syncing to or from Outlook.
Why don't my iCloud events show up as appointments in GLM?
iCloud events come into GLM as blocked slots rather than appointments, and they do not create contacts. They still block your availability, but they will not appear as bookings. Note that blocked slots created in GLM do not sync back to iCloud.
Why don't I see the Profile option in my Outlook settings?
You are likely logged in to the wrong sub-account. The Profile option only appears when you are in the correct GLM sub-account, so switch to the right one and check Settings again.
Can I connect more than one calendar to check for conflicts?
Yes, you can add multiple conflict calendars. This is useful when you keep events across different platforms and want GLM to consider all of them when checking your availability.
Helpful Tips
Decide whether you need writer or read-only access before connecting, since it determines whether GLM can add bookings to your calendar.
Mark events as Busy on your calendar so GLM blocks that time; Free events are pulled in but leave your availability open.
Generate your Apple app-specific password before starting the iCloud connection so you have it ready to paste.
If Outlook stops syncing, toggle the Primary Calendar off and back on to reset the connection.
Add a conflict calendar for every platform where you book time, so nothing slips through and causes a double booking.
When This Feature Is Most Helpful
Connecting a calendar is most useful when your staff keep their schedules in a personal Google, Outlook, or iCloud calendar, when you want GLM bookings to show up automatically on the calendars you already check, and when you need to prevent double bookings across more than one platform. Setting a main calendar plus conflict calendars keeps your availability accurate everywhere at once.
If you have questions about connecting Google, Outlook, or iCloud calendars in Gym Lead Machine, our Support team is happy to help. Reach us at hello@usekilo.com.