Today, there are countless event tracking apps for casual users, professionals, and businesses. Google Calendar, Fantastical, and Apple and Outlook Calendar are just a few examples of such programs. However, while most calendar apps offer the necessary event-tracking features, these tools fall short in customizability and level of detail. Users are limited to plain text descriptions, basic events view (can’t be personalized), and poor to no support for media files in view.
Thankfully, it’s possible to get around these nuisances with Google Docs–one can manage events and schedules in a document freely. There are two ways to do this: Start from scratch or use a template, with the latter being the ideal option. Nevertheless, this article will explain how to use a calendar template in Docs, so please read on.
How to Find Free Calendar Templates in Google Docs?
It’s easy to find free calendar templates for Google Docs. One can do a quick Google search to discover websites that offer free templates.
Aside from that, it’s ideal to go directly to a template provider website (e.g., template.net, calendarlabs.com) and download a template from there:
1. Visit a template provider website, “calendarlabs.com,” for instance.
2. In CalendarLabs, go to the “CALENDAR” section and choose and click something under the “PRINTABLE TEMPLATES” table.
3. Choose a template and click the “Download” button to get the file.
How to Use a Calendar Template in Google Docs?
1. Import a template
In order to use a downloaded calendar template, one must import it first to Google Docs:
1. Visit “docs.google.com” and click the files picker icon.
2. Go to the “Upload” section, press the “Select a file from your device” button, and pick the downloaded template.
2. Edit the template
After uploading the template to Google Docs, it should automatically open in a new browser tab. After that, one can edit the calendar for personalization or minor improvements:
1. Change the month/year, day, or date font(s).
2. Select a day or date box and change its background color.
3. Change the border width and border color of the month/year, day, or date boxes.
4. Resize the month/year, day, or date boxes.
Google Docs automatically saves new changes, so there’s no need to refresh the browser tab after every edit. When the user opens the calendar document in Docs the next time, all appearance changes will be synced.
3. Add event entries
After uploading and editing a calendar template in Google Docs, one can then start using the calendar as intended:
1. Add an event: Type an event into a date box.
2. Change the font or font-size: Resize or pick another font to fit the event description in the box.
3. Place an image in a date box: Select a date and follow the path: click “Insert > Image > Upload from the computer,” and then select a photo.
4. Add a description to an event: Select an event, click the “Add comment” button, and write the event description.
Daily/Monthly Calendar Templates Google Docs
Indeed, there are countless free and paid calendar templates for Google Docs today. Most of these are for general use, but some are specifically created for professionals, businesses, and use cases like budgeting. All this to say that it can be challenging to choose as there are thousands of templates out there.
Luckily, there are websites that make it easy to decide whether a template is enough or suitable for a user before downloading or trying. Aside from screenshots, there are descriptions of what a calendar includes (e.g., holidays, previous/next month preview, notes section) and the target user(s) of the template. Regardless, below are some of the best sources for monthly and daily calendar template in Google Docs:
Simple daily and one-month calendar template
If one only wants to do basic event and hour management, these simple daily and one-month calendar templates should suffice. As such, the one-month calendar has small but readable enough date texts, so it’s easy to type event descriptions. Likewise, the daily calendar provides clear markers for all hours and 30-minute intervals and ample space to write schedules.
Template.net
While simple calendars work for most people, others need more input fields and love appealing designs. In this case, such individuals would like the offerings from “Templates.net.” On the website, anyone can buy premium or get free templates that range from school calendars to full-year calendars. It’s also easy to find and download templates, and users can get started by just signing up.
CalendarLabs
CalendarLabs is another excellent source of free calendar templates for Google Docs. It offers templates for the previous, current, and following year (2021, 2022, and 2023), so one can create documents in advance. Aside from plain monthly, quarterly, and yearly calendars, there are calendars with astrology symbols and others meant for specific use cases (accounting, school, etc.) Also, it’s easy to know if a template is suitable for one’s needs-the website shows a screenshot and a clear description of a template’s purpose and target user(s).
Thegoodocs.com
Thegoodocs.com has many free calendar templates for Google Workspace office tools, including Google Docs. Unlike other places, most of the templates on the site look modern with lovely typography, colors, images, and illustrations. It also doesn’t require adding a credit card or signing up for an account to get files.
After choosing a template, the site will redirect the browser to a new Google Docs tab with the template already added. Users can edit or work on a calendar right away, as there is no need to download, select, and import templates manually. Lastly, one can download its Chrome extension to find and use calendar templates in just a few clicks and without leaving Google Docs.
Benefits of Using Calendar Templates
With enough patience, a little creativity, and help from online guides/tutorials, anyone can create a calendar in Google Docs from scratch. However, despite this, it’s still ideal to use templates for many significant reasons, like the following:
Save time
One of the most important reasons to use a calendar template is to save time. In Google Docs, one has to create a table(s), design columns/rows, and add date texts. It’s also necessary to resize the elements to fit each page and adjust boxes to accommodate event descriptions. While others can do these things easily, most people will have to sit for hours and often make mistakes in the process. Thankfully, with a template, one will just have to import a file or copy a premade calendar and get started right away.
Have beautifully-designed calendars
Although there’s no problem with a basic-looking calendar in Docs, it’s still great to track schedules in a beautiful way. By importing a template, it’s easy to have a calendar that’s appealing and inviting to use. Many websites offer templates in different styles (e.g., aesthetic, minimalist, vintage), so anyone can have a beautiful calendar in seconds. Aside from that, it’s possible to adjust elements and fine-tune templates to achieve a specific look.
Add holidays without manual typing
Apart from personal schedules, it’s essential to consider placing holidays on date boxes. However, for many people, this can be a tiresome and time-consuming task-not mentioning that it’s easy to make mistakes with spelling and date placements. Regardless, with a template, one can forget about typing holidays, as these things are already preloaded and positioned nicely in date boxes.
Avoid date mistakes
A month can have as many as 31 days, and each date (28, 29, 30, etc.) has a corresponding week placement and day (e.g., Monday, Tuesday). Accordingly, it can be hard to avoid mistakes when manually typing each day, especially as there are also empty boxes on months for a full-year calendar. It’s important as incorrect dates can incur unfavorable outcomes and affect planned schedules. Again, this will no longer be a problem if one uses a calendar template in Google Docs.
Final Words
If a person wants to manage events/schedules on Google Docs, the calendar should fit that user’s preferences and provide all necessary input fields and views. While it’s possible to create a calendar from scratch, the ideal move is to use a template. Aside from saving precious time, doing so will also help one avoid date mistakes, add holidays, and have beautifully-designed calendars.
A calendar in a Google Docs file can indeed provide benefits and advantages over a dedicated calendar app. However, regarding reliability, ease of use, reminders, notifications, and advanced features, event tracking apps are still superior. As an example, users can set recurring events and add location data to entries on Google Calendar.
Besides that, the Boxysuite app can push desktop notifications for Google Calendar events, which can help one avoid missing appointments. However, at the end of the day, it will still depend on the user’s needs and preferences. Although, it’s wise to consider whether a Docs calendar is enough for long-term use or if it’s better to transfer early to a dedicated event tracking tool. We hope you were able to use a calendar template in Google docs.
