How to Send Google Calendar SMS Reminders with Zapier
Published on November 15, 2023

Is your Google Calendar full of meetings and events? Do you wish you had a meaningful warning announcing your next meeting? Good news – ensure you never miss a Google Calendar event with SMS notifications!

Google discontinued text message notifications for Google Calendar back in 2019. But with a little help from Vonage and Zapier, you can create a simple, no-code application that automatically sends a text message for upcoming Google Calendar events.

In this tutorial, you will learn how to send SMS reminders for Google Calendar events with Zapier, the workflow automation platform, combined with the Vonage SMS API. You’ll build a Google Calendar SMS reminder app in a matter of minutes—no coding required!

Prerequisites

To get started, you will need the following:

  1. A Vonage API account

  2. A Zapier account

Vonage API Account

To complete this tutorial, you will need a Vonage API account. If you don’t have one already, you can sign up today and start building with free credit. Once you have an account, you can find your API Key and API Secret at the top of the Vonage API Dashboard.

Zapier Account

Zapier streamlines workflows for developers, connecting apps to automate tasks. Essential for our upcoming tutorial, sign up for a Zapier account now.

How to Send Text Reminders for Google Calendar

In this tutorial, you’ll create an app for sending text message reminders for Google Calendar events. By integrating Zapier with the Vonage SMS API, you can create this app in minutes without a single line of code.

To start sending Google Calendar SMS reminders, simply follow the steps below:

  1. Create a Zap in Zapier

  2. Create a Google Calendar Trigger

  3. Configure an SMS Action in the Vonage API

  4. Test Your Google Calendar SMS Integration

Step 1: Create a Zap

Log in to your Zapier account and click the Create Zap button on the sidebar. Zapier workflows are called Zaps, so you'll see that term used often.

Step 2: Create a Google Calendar Trigger

You will now be taken to Zapier’s Visual editor. You can name your Zap by replacing the placeholder text in the header.

Select Trigger

Under Change Trigger, search for and select Google Calendar.

Search for Google Calendar in ZapierSearch for Google Calendar in Zapier

Select Event

Next, open up the Trigger side panel, and under the list of **Event **options select Event Start. This ensures our action (the SMS) will happen prior to the event.

Create a Google Calendar triggerCreate a Google Calendar trigger

Choose Account

Now, select your Google account. If multiple options are presented, make sure that you choose the account containing the calendar you want to use in your Zap.

Note: The calendar you plan to use must contain events. If it doesn't, go ahead and schedule an event for today's date, so we may use it later to test the configuration.

Customize Trigger

You will then be prompted to choose the calendar, enter how far in advance you'd like to receive SMS reminders, and a search term (optional). If you're interested in receiving reminders of only certain events, enter a term that may be used to find them. In the example below, SMS reminders will be sent only for the events with "Meeting" in them.

Enter Zap Event Settings Under TriggerEnter Zap Event Settings Under Trigger

Note: For starter and free plans, Time Before should be 16 minutes or more. For higher plans, 6 minutes or more.

Test

Next, Zapier will attempt to find some sample data from Google Calendar to help set up and test the Zap.

Verify returned data in Zap Test

Select an event and click Continue with selected record to proceed to the next step. If Zapier has trouble finding data for the trigger, add a new event in Google Calendar and try pulling in more samples.

Step 3: Configure an SMS Action in the Vonage API

Choose App & Event

With Google Calendar configured, we're now ready to add the SMS action to the workflow! To start, search for Vonage SMS API. Make sure to select the latest version of the API.

Search for Vonage SMS API in Zapier Workflow BuilderSearch for Vonage SMS API in Zapier Workflow Builder

Then, proceed with the default Send SMS action event.

Select Send SMS in the App ConfigurationSelect Send SMS in the App Configuration

Choose Account

Before we can move any further, we need to allow Zapier access to your Vonage account.

Enter the API key and API secret found at the top of your Vonage dashboard when prompted.

Provide Zapier with your Vonage API Key InformationProvide Zapier with your Vonage API Key Information

Once added, your account will appear as an option on the dropdown.

Customize Action

With that, we are ready to customize the SMS!

As your Vonage account is connected, Zapier will pull in any SMS enabled numbers on your account and use them to prepopulate the From dropdown with options to select. If you haven't already purchased a number, use your complimentary credit to do so on the dashboard.

Next, add the phone number you would like the SMS reminders to be sent to, including the area code. Then, construct the SMS template with as many details as you please. Zapier will pull in all sorts of data from Google Calendar that may be included in the message. Integrate the data directly within the Text field like so:

Customize text field using dynamic Zapier variableCustomize text field using dynamic Zapier variable

Step 4: Test the Integration

Test

Let's try **Test Step **and ensure it's functioning correctly.

Verify data from your Zap testVerify data from your Zap test

If the test is successful, you will receive an SMS reminder along with a success message.

Alert message for a successful test SMS was sentAlert message for a successful test SMS was sent

Lastly, click Publish to make it live.

When satisfied with test results, click on publish

That’s it! You're all set to start receiving SMS reminders for Google Calendar events.

Next Steps

Through this tutorial, you’ve learned how easy it is to send Google Calendar text message reminders by using Zapier and the Vonage SMS API.

Now that you’ve created your integration, why not upgrade it with new features?

If you often have phone meetings scheduled, you can enhance this workflow even further. With the Vonage Voice API integration, you can receive an SMS reminder and then be connected in a conference call between 2-50 participants.

Automating workflows like this removes unnecessary manual work and enables you to focus your time and energy on what's most important.

If you would like to learn about more ways to automate tasks using a Zapier workflow, give us a shout! Join the conversation on our Vonage Community Slack or send us a message on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Additional Resources

Build an Appointment Scheduler Using Node, Firebase, and Vonage

How to Send SMS Confirmations for New Stripe Charges with Zapier

Text When You Get Home Safely with Zapier

Introducing the Vonage Voice API on Zapier

Benjamin AronovDeveloper Advocate

Benjamin Aronov is a developer advocate at Vonage. He is a proven community builder with a background in Ruby on Rails. Benjamin enjoys the beaches of Tel Aviv which he calls home. His Tel Aviv base allows him to meet and learn from some of the world's best startup founders. Outside of tech, Benjamin loves traveling the world in search of the perfect pain au chocolat.

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