How To Sync Staff Rosters With Shared Calendars For Childcare Centres

Summary

This guide helps you troubleshoot and resolve: How To Sync Staff Rosters With Shared Calendars For Childcare Centres. Follow the steps below to fix the issue.

Common Causes

This guide explains how to set up shared calendars in Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace so childcare centre staff rosters are visible to room leaders and administrators. Syncing rosters with shared calendars helps teams coordinate shifts, track room coverage, and manage staff availability across your centre.

Quick Fix Steps

1. Create a shared calendar in Microsoft 365 Outlook or Google Calendar.
2. Add staff members and assign appropriate access permissions.
3. Share the calendar link or invite users via email.
4. Verify the roster appears on all staff devices.

Detailed Instructions

Microsoft 365 Outlook

1. Open Outlook and navigate to the Calendar view.
2. Right-click My Calendars in the left navigation pane and select Add Calendar > Create blank calendar.
3. Enter a name such as Staff Roster and select Save.
4. Right-click the new calendar and choose Sharing permissions.
5. Select Add and enter the email addresses of room leaders and administrators.
6. Set the permission level for each user:
• Can view when I'm busy — suitable for general staff who only need to see availability.
• Can view titles and locations — suitable for room leaders managing shift details.
• Can edit — suitable for administrators responsible for updating the roster.
7. Select Share to send invitations.
8. Ask recipients to open the invitation and select Accept to add the shared calendar to their Outlook view.

Google Workspace

1. Open Google Calendar in a web browser.
2. In the left sidebar under My calendars, click Create new calendar.
3. Enter a name such as Staff Roster and select Create calendar.
4. Hover over the new calendar, select Options (three dots), and choose Settings and sharing.
5. Under Share with specific people or groups, select Add people.
6. Enter the email addresses of room leaders and administrators.
7. Choose an access permission from the dropdown:
• See only free/busy — hides shift details.
• See all event details — shows roster information.
• Make changes to events — allows administrators to update shifts.
• Make changes and manage sharing — full administrative control.
8. Select Send to notify users.
9. Staff should check their email and select Add to my calendar in the invitation.

Tip: Use a consistent naming convention such as Roster - [Room Name] if your centre operates multiple rooms, for example Roster - Toddlers or Roster - Kindergarten.

Troubleshooting Sync Issues

Calendar not appearing on mobile devices

1. Ensure the staff member has accepted the sharing invitation.
2. In the Outlook or Google Calendar mobile app, confirm the shared calendar is toggled on under Calendars to display.
3. Restart the application and check for updates via the App Store or Google Play Store.

Roster changes not syncing

1. Verify the person making changes has Can edit or Make changes to events permissions.
2. Check that changes are being made to the shared calendar, not a personal calendar.
3. Force a sync by pulling down on the calendar list in the mobile app or pressing F9 in Outlook desktop.
4. If using third-party rostering software, confirm the integration with Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace is active and authorised, and that roster data is exported/imported correctly.

Permission errors

1. Ask the calendar owner to review Sharing permissions in Outlook or Settings and sharing in Google Calendar.
2. Ensure the user's email address is entered exactly as registered in your Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace tenant.
3. Remove and re-add the user if their access appears stuck or outdated.

Caution: Do not share rosters containing sensitive personal details with users who do not require access. Limit Can edit permissions to authorised administrators only.

If you continue to experience issues with shared calendar setup or roster synchronisation, Open a Ticket and our support team will assist you.

You may also find these related articles helpful:

• Microsoft 365 calendar sharing
• Google Workspace calendar permissions
• Calendar sync on mobile devices

Still Having Issues?