FAQ: Connecting your External Calendars

Life works better when all the calendars are connected to Jam. It's a cinch to get things up and running, but we have our FAQ below for any questions you may have!

What is the difference between syncing a calendar and importing a calendar?

There are two different ways to connect existing calendars to Jam:

1) A one-time IMPORT that takes all your events and puts them into Jam's format, OR

2) A continuous SYNC that remains read-only in Jam.

• IMPORT: Recommended for personal and family calendars. With a calendar IMPORT, you can load all your existing personal events and activities straight into your Jam calendar.
  • Imported calendars are editable within Jam so you can use Jam features like assigning which family members the events are for and assigning drivers.
  • Edit events within Jam.
  • It is a one-time import.
  • Future changes to the external calendar will not reflect in Jam. 
• SYNC: Recommended for work calendars and ongoing calendars that you or others will continue to use and add to moving forward. 
  • Synced Calendars will appear within your Jam Calendar as Read-Only.
  • Changes and edits must be made in the source calendar. 
  • Calendars are continuously synced.
• PUBLIC CALENDARS can only be synced.

Which calendars can I connect to Jam?

We currently integrate with:

• iCloud (iCal/Apple) calendars — How to Connect with Apple Calendars
• Google Calendars — How to Connect with Google Calendars
• Outlook Calendars — How to Connect with Outlook Calendars
• ALL public calendars (any calendar with a shareable URL/link such as TeamSnap, GameChanger, school public calendar links, etc.) — How to Connect with Public Calendars

Can I connect multiple external calendars?

Yes! You can connect as many calendars as you’d like to Jam. (They must be added one at a time). 

To add additional calendars for yourself:

1. Go to Manage Account → My Account
2. Click Connect Calendars and follow the on-screen prompts to connect additional calendars to Jam. 

You can also connect calendars to be assigned to other family members. Instructions for that are here.

Can I export Jam to my Apple/Google/external calendars?

Yes! Here's our step-by-step instructions on how to export your Jam calendar.

Will new events or changes from my synced Google, iCloud or other calendars show up right away on Jam?

They will show up, but not always instantaneously. (Jam syncs to external calendars hourly).

You can also always do an INSTANT REFRESH of your synced calendars to see the most up-to-date version, you can always do so. First, click the FILTERS menu:

Then click REFRESH MY CALENDARS:

If you are not seeing an event, please send us feedback on this!

How can I assign a synced calendar to a family member?

To sync or add a public calendar for a different family member (such as a school calendar for a specific child), follow these steps:

1. Go to → Manage Account → Manage my family
2. Select the family member you would like to bring in a calendar for
3. Select Calendars → +Add External Calendar
4. Follow the steps depending on the type of calendar

I connected my calendar and all the events are assigned to me. Can I reassign them?

Yes!

When you connect calendars, the events automatically come in to Jam assigned to you, however this is easy to adjust and fix.

For synced or public calendars, disconnect the calendar and then reconnect it to the right family member:

1. Go to → Manage Account → Manage my family
2. Select the family member you would like to bring in a calendar for
3. Select Calendars → +Add External Calendar
4. Follow the steps depending on the type of calendar

For imported calendars, it's easy to re-assign the events to the family member(s) you want. Simply click on the event and tag the appropriate family member(s). If it is a recurring event, you can make the change for all the events moving forward.

Or, you can disconnect the calendar and reconnect it to the right family member:

1. Go to → Manage Account → Manage my family
2. Select the family member you would like to bring in a calendar for
3. Select Calendars → +Add External Calendar
4. Follow the steps depending on the type of calendar

Do I have to see all the calendars for all family members?

No! Every adult user in the family can filter their calendar views to their preferences, including the option to NOT see certain calendars or to ONLY see your own calendars. Once the filters have been set, they will remain that way until changed again. 

Why is my Sync or Import not working?

There are a few steps you can take if you don’t see your external calendar events syncing or importing into Jam:

1. Give it at least 15 minutes, it sometimes takes a bit more time, especially if there are a lot of events in the calendar. 
2. Double check that you imported/synced the correct calendar from Google or Apple (sometimes there are multiple calendars with the same name). 
3. If you received a notification that the sync or import was complete but do not see the events: Report an issue to us at support@jamfamilycalendar.com and we will work to get you up and running ASAP.

Why don’t I see my calendar as a choice to sync or import?

Go back to your source calendar (Google or iCloud) and double check the name of the calendar and that you have access to it. It may be helpful to click on an event in that calendar — under the Event Details you will be able to see the name of the calendar it is assigned to.

Also, make sure you have selected the proper calendar platform. For example, if you have a Google Cal, even if you only look at it on your phone/in iCal, it is still a Google calendar, not an iCloud calendar!