How to Set Up TidyCal in 10 Minutes

If you offer calls, consultations, or coaching, you don’t need complicated booking software. TidyCal gets you a professional booking page, avoids double‑books, and looks tidy — fast. This guide walks your customer through a 10‑minute setup and gives you ready‑to‑use sales copy, social posts, and package ideas so you can sell TidyCal setup as a service.

Why TidyCal?

• Fast to set up — literally minutes to go live.

• Simple booking pages clients understand instantly.

• Helps avoid double bookings by syncing with calendars.

• Perfect for coaches, consultants, creators, and small teams.

What you need before you begin

1. An email address (to sign up).

2. Access to the calendar they want to sync (Google, Outlook, or other calendar service).

3. (Optional) Zoom/Google Meet/phone details if they want automated meeting links.

4. A short bio and a profile image for the booking page.

10‑Minute Quick Checklist (time estimates)

• Minute 0–1: Sign up / log in. TidyCal

• Minute 1–3: Connect calendar (Google/Outlook).

• Minute 3–6: Create 1 meeting type (title, duration, location).

• Minute 6–8: Set availability & buffer times.

• Minute 8–9: Customize page (photo, headline, description).

• Minute 9–10: Share link & run a test booking.

Step‑by‑Step Setup (detailed)

1) Create your account — 1 minute

• Go to TidyCal and sign up with your email (or sign in if you already have an account).

• Confirm your email if prompted.

2) Connect your calendar(s) — 2 minutes

• Click Connect Calendar (or Integrations).

• Choose the calendar you use most (Google, Outlook, etc.) and grant the permission so TidyCal can check for conflicts.

• Important: Allow read/write events if you want TidyCal to create events on your calendar automatically.

3) Create your first meeting type — 3 minutes

• Click New Event / Meeting Type.

• Fill in the basics:

  • Name: e.g., "30‑minute Clarity Call" or "New Client Onboarding — 45 min".

  • Duration: choose 15, 30, 45, 60 minutes etc.

  • Location: Zoom / Google Meet / Phone / In‑person / Manual link. (If using Zoom, connect your Zoom account or paste meeting link.)

  • Description: 1–2 sentences on what the client should expect.

• Save the meeting type.

4) Set availability & rules — 2 minutes

• Open the meeting type settings and add your available days/times.

• Add buffer time (e.g., 15 min) if you need transition time between meetings.

• Set a daily limit (max meetings per day) if desired.

• Check timezone is correct — TidyCal usually auto‑detects this for visitors.

5) Customize your booking page — 1 minute

• Upload a profile image and a short headline.

• Pick a color or style (if available) so the page matches your brand.

• Add short FAQs or directions in the description to reduce no‑shows.

6) Configure notifications & reminders — 30 seconds

• Turn on email confirmations and reminders (if the tool provides them).

• Edit the default confirmation text: add what to prepare or where to show up.

7) Add payments (optional) — 30 seconds to 1 minute

• If you plan to charge for calls, check if your plan supports payment links (or use Stripe/PayPal integration). If not available, add a short payment instruction in the confirmation email (e.g., “Pay via this link before the call”).

8) Test the flow — 1 minute

• Open your public booking link in an incognito window (or send to a friend).

• Book a test appointment using a secondary email.

• Verify the event appears in your calendar, the confirmation email is correct, and the meeting link works.

9) Share & embed — 30 seconds

• Copy the booking page link and add to your website, bio, emails, and social profiles.

• Use an embed code to place it directly on a sales page or homepage.

10) Optimize for conversions (optional, 1–5 extra minutes)

• Add a friendly headline: “Grab 30 minutes to clarify your strategy — pick a time below.”

• Add social proof (a short testimonial) above the booking widget.

• Add a short pre‑call intake form (name + 1 question) if you need context before the call.

Common Pitfalls & Quick Fixes

• Double bookings: Make sure the calendar permission is set correctly and the calendar you use for daily events is the one connected to TidyCal.

• Wrong timezone: Confirm your timezone in both your calendar and TidyCal settings.

• No meeting link: If using Zoom/Meet, ensure that integration is connected OR paste a default meeting link in the event template.

• No‑shows: Use reminder emails and ask for a calendar invitation in confirmation.

Service packaging & pricing

Starter TidyCal Setup — $26

• Create account & connect 1 calendar

• Create up to 2 meeting types

• Basic page customization & test booking

• One follow‑up email with how to edit

Premium TidyCal + Automation — $71

• For Teams

To sign up for your own TidyCal account please consider using our affiliate link if you found this information helpful, click here.

FAQs

Q: How long does setup take? A: The basic setup takes under 10 minutes. Testing and integration with other tools may add a few minutes.

Q: Can you connect multiple calendars? A: Yes — connect the calendars you use to avoid conflicts. If a calendar isn’t syncing, double‑check permissions.

Q: Do you collect payment through TidyCal? A: Some plans/tools support payment integrations. If not available, we add a payment link to the confirmation email or invoice separately.