Two-way Calendar Sync (Calendar Export Sync)

At long last, TimeFinder’s all-new support for Two-Way Calendar Sync is now available for beta testing, and we’d love to hear what you think!

If you’re interested in trying the new feature, please reply here, and I’ll send you information on how to access the beta version of the app.

Thanks for your feedback and support!
-Luke

Luke,

I applaud your response, both in content and perspective.

TLDR - I’ll be the first to use and promote TimeFinder to several communities when the 2-way Data-Sync our “Zoom-the-Time” Views (also 2 ways - see below) functionalities are brought forward.

LONG VERSION -

2-way Data Sync: Importing AND EXPORTING both Tasks/Todos and Events with at least 1 (preferably all) of the 3 popular multi-device API cloud platforms: Google, Apple, MS). Consider initially providing users easy/fast “functionality-adds” through your favorite feature-automations platform (eg: IFTTT, Zapier, Apple Shortcuts, etc) until you can work real no-user-touch integration with Google/Apple/MS into your own back-end.

Zoom the Time-View functionality - both HOURS(vertically) AND DAYS(horizontally):

The mobile calendar apps from Google, Apple and most others have had vertical “pinch-to-zoom” to expand/collapse the number of hours seen within their Day, Multi-Day/Week and Month views for years - so I wouldn’t consider my “shortcut” (as you called it) …”brilliant”. You and I both know that decisions and actions around the execution of any one Task &/or Event (importance, urgency, duration, dependency, location, etc) MUST be made within visual context perspective of the other relevant “Whats” AND “Whens” on the same screen. Web/Desktop-based “Planner” apps are (finally) blending/marrying their previously separated Task/Pjt Mgt with their Calendaring functionalities on same-screen, but they have not yet made their associated MOBILE apps capable of the same. Your app’s “Split-View > Drag-n-Drop” makes it a mobile “unicorn”, especially for us adult ADHDers, but it reminds me of trying to run a maze (or practically: drive, play sport, or even watch big TV across room …wearing amazing reading glasses. Limiting 85% of feature’s potential use-case scope to a very few hours seems tragic. I contend that applying your magic across DAYS is as/even more important. Your app helps one decide which among a few “trees” one might start “chopping” 1st in the few 4-5 hours, but it’s the definition of being “unable to see the forest for (those) trees”.

Your only option to resolve the Hours perspective requires steps and swapping screens away from focus to get into Settings, making adjustments (blindly) affecting the whole calendar’s readability, then more steps to return to where you started - hoping your adjustment worked for what one needed to see for that moment’s question/decision.

POSSIBLE EXAMPLE to MODEL: One additional functionality I’ve found absolutely invaluable in this regard is the use of a bottom slider (available on all screens) to vertically squeeze together varying number of days in real-time at the slide of a thumb/mouse-drag. This functionality is huge from the PHONE, and would, of course, be ridiculous without it on TABLET and WEB-VIEW/DESKTOP versions. Since your iPad and Mac versions are simply “mirroring” the iOS version - the very purpose of using this feature on larger screens is completely defeated until one can see more than one day across from your “Split-View”.

The app that has served as my “anchor-app” for years is Appgenix-Software’s Business Calendar 2 (aka “BC2”) because of it’s deep and comprehensive integration and reliable 2-way Syncing with:

• Google: Calendar, Tasks, Drive (files and media attachments), Contacts, and Maps.

• MS: Outlook(w/Cal,Contacts), ToDo, OneDrive (though I’m less fluent here)

I’m watching/hoping your app (and a few others) to potentially evolve past Business Calendar’s three limitations (one of which I don’t expect any development):

1. No iOS. Android and Web/Browser-view for desktop platforms (including ChromeOS which can be unreliable and glitchy). “Kudos” to you, btw, for including Android, though I wish I had not had to pay a 2nd Premium Subscription for a Beta/Invite app. You do need iWatch and WearOS apps for at least notifications.

2. Tasks: Their feature-functionality is shallow (by Google Tasks’ simplicity) compared to better task-manager apps (though they are improving).

3. Despite BC2’s Tasks+Cal viewing on same screen is limited to 1 View (their “DayPro” view is like your “SplitView”), Converting a Task » CalEvent (or the reverse), however, is extremely clunky. No ‘Drag-n-Drop’ as is YOUR SPECIALTY and the reason I’m considering moving to TimeFinder despite it’s lacking Event and Task feature-depth/maturity.

As far as refunding my subscriptions - that won’t be necessary. You do need to clean-up the Sync limitation descriptions pre-purchase, and consider your requiring payment from those willing to be Beta user by invitation (Android Premier version).

I really think you’ve got something here if you can leverage/expand it before the Desktop-first “planner” apps (eg: Motion, AkiFlow, Sunsama, etc) &/or “Project Mgt/Task Mgt” apps (Asana, Todoist, Click-Up, TickTick, etc) can take this functionality into their mobile versions.

Good luck Luke - am rooting for you!

~ Ben Gipson

This feature is crucial for me to switch to Timefinder. I currently use TickTick for planning and Sectograph for display on my phone and watch. TickTick's calendar is terrible, but Timefinder’s UI is much more intuitive. Sectograph works well because it integrates with Google Calendar. If Timefinder could sync with Google Calendar and populate Sectograph, it would be an easy switch.

It would be handy to have the option to add or not to add time blocks to my work calendar while using this app. That way I don’t need to reflect the same plan in two places. Currently update both sometimes - silly

I love the core functionality: single-screen ToDo Lists left to drag onto Schedule on right) and (except for one other UX issue) would use this all/every day *IF*…

…It could actually* EXPORT Adds/Edits/Deletes BACK to Google Calendar (&/or AppleCal, Outlook).

Your IMPORT-only functionality IS NOT “SYNC”. No bi-directional API functionality with anything else (eg: Google/Apple/MS ecosystems) not only denies necessity-level features not (yet) here:

- Event/Task Note formatting

(ironic to this)

- Attaching/Linking:

· contacts

· pics/vids

· files

· address/map

- etc

. . . it simply leaves all input into a work-flow/process dead-end.

*BTW: I’m NOT happy with your suggesting external “Calendar SYNC” - and making me pay for it before I can discover that your “Calendars SYNC” is only external Calendars IMPORT and data syncing between multiple devices within their own TimeFinder apps (subscription req’d for each).

I completely understand needing revenue for your programming/support efforts with 3-4 platforms (iOS, Android, Mac, Win(?). Very admirable considering many similar top apps remain in a singular ecosystem. That said - an “All-in” subscription option is needed for those of us cross-platform multiple-device users.

My UX issue is the inability to pinch-zoom the day’s/week’s view precluding user to see 5am…10pm (no matter what base time setting = 1hr, 15min, etc).

I see here (now after I’ve payed) that Calendars Exporting (for actual 2-way Sync) is “Planned”, but I've learned to stop paying for promised features until/unless they become functional ones.

I’ll be reluctantly discontinuing my subscriptions (iOS, Android, Mac) until this happens.

Respectfully,

Ben Gipson

i’m a little confused. I thought there was an update that said there was two waysyncing. It appears that stuff I put to timefinder does not go into my regular calendar. Am I missing something?