Create a read-only team calendar and sync to Google/Apple/Outlook (guide + invitation template)

Why a read-only team calendar helps

Shift-led workplaces often juggle last-minute swaps, holiday requests and new published rotas. A read-only calendar subscription gives everyone a single source of truth that follows owner updates without giving members permission to edit the master schedule.

Use-cases: owners who publish the rota, planners who assign shifts, and staff who need shifts in their personal calendar to avoid double-booking. It’s also useful when you want to preserve members’ ability to keep personal calendars private while ensuring they see team shifts.

What PayCheck AI’s private calendar subscription does (and doesn’t)

PayCheck AI can create a private read-only calendar subscription for Google Calendar, Apple Calendar or Outlook. When you publish this subscription as a team owner, members can add it to their personal calendars so the team schedule appears alongside their other appointments.

Important constraints: the subscription is one-way: updates in PayCheck AI flow to members’ calendars, but members cannot edit the team calendar from their own apps. Personal pay settings, private shift notes and medical details are not shared in the team calendar. The owner’s personal shifts will also sync into team members’ personal main calendars as read-only copies and will follow later owner updates.

PayCheck AI does not edit external calendars, automatically assign workers, or import directly into payroll software. Treat shared calendar items as schedule visibility only—not payroll or legal proof by itself.

Step-by-step: publish a private read-only team calendar

1) Prepare the rota in PayCheck AI: create shifts using individual entries, preset rotations or custom day-based rotations. Make sure the shifts and assignments reflect the version you want team members to see.

2) Create the private subscription: from the team or planner view, select the option to publish a private read-only calendar subscription for team members. The app will generate a subscription link suitable for Google Calendar, Apple Calendar or Outlook.

3) Choose who gets access: share the private subscription link only with team members. You can distribute it by email, chat, QR code or an invite link.

4) Confirm and test: before sharing broadly, paste the subscription link into your own secondary calendar or send it to a trusted colleague to confirm the feed appears as expected. Remember this is a one-way feed — edits must be made in PayCheck AI.

How subscriptions refresh and what to expect

Calendar apps periodically check subscribed feeds and update events. The timing is controlled by each app (Google Calendar, Apple Calendar, Outlook) and the device, not by PayCheck AI. In practice, updates may appear quickly or take several hours depending on the subscriber’s calendar provider and settings.

Because this is a subscription feed, members cannot change the team events in their calendar apps. If an owner changes shift times, roles, or cancels a shift in PayCheck AI, those changes will appear in subscribers’ calendars the next time their app refreshes the subscription.

What information appears in the team calendar

Visible information: shift times, location (if included when creating the shift), assigned team member names and basic role labels as published in the team rota. These details let staff see when they’re scheduled and who is assigned.

Hidden information: personal pay settings, private shift notes and medical details remain private and are not part of the calendar subscription. If you record absences, approved vacation days and recorded leave show as calendar items if you publish them in the team calendar, but personal private notes attached to an employee remain hidden.

Invitation message and QR template (copy-paste)

Use the text below to invite your team. Replace [TEAM NAME], [OWNER NAME], and [SUBSCRIPTION LINK] with your details. For a QR code, encode the same [SUBSCRIPTION LINK] as the destination.

Invitation email / message template:

Subject: [TEAM NAME] — Add our read-only shift calendar to your device Hi team, I’ve published a private, read-only version of our team rota so you can see up-to-date shifts in your personal calendar app (Google, Apple, or Outlook). This will update when I publish changes from our rota in PayCheck AI. Add the calendar using this link: [SUBSCRIPTION LINK] How it works: - It’s read-only. You can view shifts but not edit them. - Your personal private notes and pay settings are not shared. - Updates from the owner will appear when your calendar app refreshes subscribed calendars. If you prefer a QR code, scan the code below or tap the link on your phone. Thanks, [OWNER NAME] QR code text (plain copy for QR generator): Add our team calendar: [SUBSCRIPTION LINK] (Scan this URL with your phone camera or QR scanner to subscribe)

Verification checklist for team owners before sharing

Use this quick checklist to confirm the feed is ready to share:

- Rota reviewed: All shifts and assignments are correct in PayCheck AI.

- Sensitive info checked: No private pay settings, private notes or medical details are published.

- Test subscription: Open the subscription link in a test calendar to confirm events appear as expected (read-only). If possible, test on both a desktop calendar app and a phone app for Google/Apple/Outlook behavior replication. - Communication ready: Invitation copy and QR code prepared and double-checked for the correct link. - Explain refresh expectations: Tell members that updates depend on their calendar app's refresh schedule, so changes might not appear instantly.

Practical checklist

• Review and finalise shifts in PayCheck AI before publishing
• Confirm no private pay or medical details are included
• Generate the private subscription link from PayCheck AI
• Test the link in a secondary calendar (and on phone if possible)
• Prepare invitation message and QR code with the subscription link
• Tell members the calendar is read-only and explain refresh timing

Frequently asked questions

Can members edit shifts from their own calendars?

No. The calendar subscription is read-only. Any edits must be made by the team owner or planner in PayCheck AI and will flow to subscribers on the next refresh.

Will personal private notes or pay settings appear in the team calendar?

No. Personal pay settings, private shift notes and medical details are not shared in the team calendar subscription.

How often will changes appear for subscribers?

Refresh timing depends on the subscriber’s calendar provider and device. PayCheck AI publishes the feed; the calendar apps (Google Calendar, Apple Calendar, Outlook) decide how frequently they check for updates. Expect some delay in propagation.

What if someone no longer needs the calendar?

They can remove the subscribed calendar from their calendar app. Removing it on their device does not change the master schedule in PayCheck AI.

Can a planner publish and assign shifts so they appear in the subscription?

Yes. Planners can publish and assign team shifts in PayCheck AI; those published shifts will be included in the private read-only subscription fed to members’ calendars.