Export your shift calendar to Google, Apple or Outlook (example & template)

Why use a read-only calendar subscription for shifts

A calendar subscription (an internet calendar using the standard ICS format) lets your shift schedule update automatically in your primary calendar app without giving edit access. That makes it ideal for shift workers who want visibility — not a copy they must update manually every month.

PayCheck AI can create a private read-only calendar subscription for Google Calendar, Apple Calendar and Outlook. The subscription is one-way: PayCheck AI publishes updates and your calendar app refreshes them. You cannot edit shifts from the external calendar and those edits won’t be pushed back to PayCheck AI.

Step 1 — Create a private read-only calendar subscription in PayCheck AI

Open the PayCheck AI app and go to the calendar or schedule area where you manage your shifts. (If you use Teams, you can also create team-managed copies — see the team section below.)

Look for the export or share options and choose the calendar subscription (ICS) option. Follow on-screen prompts to create a private read-only subscription. The app will generate a URL you can use in Google Calendar, Apple Calendar or Outlook. Keep this URL private — anyone with it can view your shifts.

Tip: If you’re on a free Pro trial or paid Pro subscription, you’ll still be able to use this calendar subscription feature. The subscription reflects whatever shifts and visibility rules PayCheck AI applies (personal pay settings and private notes remain private).

Step 2 — Add the subscription to Google Calendar

1) On a computer, open Google Calendar in your web browser and sign in.

2) On the left side, next to “Other calendars,” click the plus (+) and choose “From URL.”

3) Paste the private calendar subscription URL generated by PayCheck AI and click “Add calendar.”

4) The subscription appears under Other calendars. Google Calendar will periodically fetch updates from the subscription — usually every few hours but timing is controlled by Google, not PayCheck AI. You’ll see shifts as read-only events in that calendar view.

Step 3 — Add the subscription to Apple Calendar (macOS & iOS)

On macOS:

1) Open Apple Calendar, then choose File > New Calendar Subscription.

2) Paste the PayCheck AI subscription URL and click Subscribe.

3) Choose a name and set the Auto-refresh frequency. macOS allows more frequent refresh settings than iCloud; select a sensible interval (for example, every hour) or leave to the default if you don’t need immediate updates. Click OK to finish and the calendar shows read-only events in Apple Calendar locally and (if using the same Apple ID) on your other Apple devices via iCloud sync (refresh frequency may differ).

Step 4 — Add the subscription to Outlook (Windows, Mac or Outlook.com)

Outlook desktop apps and Outlook.com support subscribing to internet calendars. Exact menu names differ by version, but the general steps are:

1) In Outlook, look for an option like Add Calendar or Open Calendar > From Internet.

2) Paste the PayCheck AI subscription URL and confirm. The ICS calendar will appear in your calendar list as read-only.

3) On Outlook.com, use Add calendar > Subscribe from web, paste the URL, give it a name, and save. Outlook controls how often it refreshes the subscription; it may not be immediate. If you need rapid updates, check a different client with a faster refresh or manually re-add the subscription.

Refresh behavior and what to expect

Calendar subscriptions are pulled by your calendar provider — Google, Apple or Microsoft — not pushed from PayCheck AI. That means:

- Updates you make in PayCheck AI will appear in subscribed calendars, but only after the provider’s next refresh. Refresh intervals vary: some providers check every few hours, some less often.

- Subscribed calendars are read-only in the external app. If you edit a shift in Google/Apple/Outlook, the change won’t propagate back to PayCheck AI and may be overwritten on the next refresh.

- If you remove the subscription in your calendar app you’ll stop receiving updates. Re-adding the same URL reconnects it.

Worked example (hypothetical) — publishing a monthly rota

Suppose you have a monthly rota in PayCheck AI for June with repeating day shifts and night shifts. You create a private read-only subscription URL in PayCheck AI and add it to Google Calendar using the From URL flow.

Two days later you swap a night shift for a colleague in PayCheck AI. PayCheck AI updates the subscription feed immediately, but Google Calendar may not show the swap until its next automatic refresh (commonly within a few hours but not guaranteed). If you need the change visible immediately, open PayCheck AI and share a manual export (CSV or ICS file) to the colleague or ask them to refresh their calendar client if it supports manual refresh.

Practical checklist

• Create the private read-only calendar subscription in PayCheck AI and copy the generated URL.
• Keep the URL private — treat it like a view-only link to your work schedule.
• Add the URL in Google Calendar (From URL), Apple Calendar (New Calendar Subscription) or Outlook (From Internet / Subscribe from web).
• Confirm the new calendar appears as read-only in your calendar app.
• Note provider refresh behavior — expect updates to appear after the provider’s next fetch.
• If you use Team-managed copies: publish from the team owner or planner and confirm team members have the read-only copy visible in their personal calendars.
• If an urgent change must be visible immediately, share a manual ICS/CSV export from PayCheck AI or ask recipients to force a refresh where supported.
• If you stop sharing, revoke or delete the subscription URL from PayCheck AI (or remove it from your external calendars) to stop visibility.

Frequently asked questions

Can I edit shifts from Google, Apple or Outlook after subscribing?

No. Subscribed calendars from PayCheck AI are read-only in external calendar apps. Any edits must be done in PayCheck AI; updates will appear in the subscribed calendars when the provider next refreshes the feed.

How often will my subscribed calendar update?

Refresh frequency is controlled by the calendar provider (Google, Apple, Microsoft). It often ranges from every few hours to once daily. Apple Calendar on macOS lets you set an auto-refresh interval locally; other services use internal schedules you can’t change.

Are team calendars visible to everyone?

Team calendars can be published by a team owner or planner. Team members receive read-only, team-managed copies in their personal calendars when published. Personal pay settings and private notes are not shared. Shift assignment names and recorded absences that the planner can see may be visible depending on team settings.

Is the subscription secure? Can anyone see my shifts?

Treat the subscription URL as private — anyone with the URL can view the calendar. If you need to stop sharing, remove the subscription or revoke it in PayCheck AI and advise recipients to delete the calendar from their apps.

What if my calendar app shows old or missing shifts?

First, verify the subscription URL is correct in PayCheck AI. Then check the subscription in your calendar app and allow time for the provider to refresh. If updates still don’t appear, try removing and re-adding the subscription or open the ICS export from PayCheck AI as a one-time import for immediate visibility (note: a one-time import won’t auto-update).