Adding calendar links to your confirmation and reminder emails is a simple way to lift your show-up rate. AEvent can pass an Add to Google Calendar or Add to Apple/iCal Calendar link out to your CRM or ESP, where you use it just like any other personalization field. Here's how to set it up correctly.
Good to know: these calendar fields are not added to your CRM or ESP automatically. You map them yourself in your integration's custom-field settings, the same way you would map any other field. This guide walks through each step.
Step 1: Enable the Calendar integration
In your AEvent account, go to Integrations and make sure your Calendar integration is connected. Connect Google Calendar, and connect Apple/iCal Calendar too if you want to offer that option.
Step 2: Map the calendar link as a custom field
Open the settings for the CRM or ESP integration you send email from (for example ActiveCampaign, GoHighLevel, Keap, or Mailchimp). Add or select the field you want to hold the calendar link, then:
1. Set the field's value type to URL.
2. In the format dropdown that appears, choose Add to Google Calendar (or Add to Apple/iCal Calendar).
3. Save the integration settings.
This mapping is what pushes the calendar link out to your CRM or ESP. If you want a dedicated field for it, create that field in your CRM or ESP first so it shows up in the list here.
Step 3: Use the field in your CRM or ESP email
Now insert that field into your email template. The personalization tag is built from the field name you created in your CRM or ESP, not a fixed AEvent value. In the screenshot above the Google Calendar field is named Gcal_link and the Apple field is ical_link, so the tags use those names. Using Gcal_link as the example:
ActiveCampaign:
<a href="%Gcal_link%">Add to Google Calendar</a>
Keap (Infusionsoft):
<a href="~Contact.Gcal_link~">Add to Google Calendar</a>
GoHighLevel:
<a href="{{contact.gcal_link}}">Add to Google Calendar</a>Mailchimp:
<a href="*|GCAL_LINK|*">Add to Google Calendar</a>
Swap in your own field name if you named it differently, and note some platforms adjust the casing or format. The safest way is to open your email editor's personalization or merge-field picker and select the field you mapped in Step 2, so the exact tag is inserted for you. Do the same for your Apple/iCal field (ical_link in the screenshot).
Step 4: Send a test registration
Calendar fields stay empty until AEvent has a registrant's data to build the link from. Send a test registration through your funnel or form, then check that the calendar field populated in your CRM or ESP.
Troubleshooting
The calendar field is empty. You have not sent a test registration yet, or the contact synced before AEvent built the link. Send a fresh test registration, then check again.
I don't see a calendar option in the format dropdown. Set the field's value type to URL first. The Add to Google Calendar and Add to Apple/iCal Calendar options only appear under the URL type. Also confirm your Calendar integration is connected (Step 1).
Your email shows the raw tag instead of a clickable link. The tag in your email does not match a field that exists in your CRM or ESP. Open your personalization or merge-field picker and select the exact field you set up in Step 2.
Quick recap
Connect and enable the Calendar integration in AEvent.
In your CRM or ESP integration settings, add a field, set its value type to URL, and choose the calendar format.
Insert that field in your email using the personalization tag built from your field name.
Send a test registration to populate it.