Troubleshoot Google Calendar sync failures

This article explains how to troubleshoot Google Calendar sync failures in both Legacy Calendar Manager and New Calendars module, including common reasons sync fails, how to verify sync status, and step-by-step fixes.

In this article

• Sync timing by module
• Troubleshooting decision tree
• Error messages and solutions
• How to verify sync is working
• Common checks before contacting support

Sync timing by module

Understanding how frequently each module syncs will help you know how long to wait before checking results.

Troubleshooting decision tree

Follow this decision tree to identify and resolve your sync issue. Start by selecting your module, then your symptom.

Step 1: Which module are you using?

Here is a visual side-by-side comparison in case you are wondering which module you have! 

Legacy Calendar Manager sync issues

Select the symptom that matches your situation:

Events not appearing at all

• Check 1: Is the Google Calendar set to public?
  • Go to Google Calendar > Settings > Access permissions for events > Make available to public.
  • Ensure "See all event details" is selected.
  • If not public, make it public and wait for sync (see sync times above).
• Check 2: Was the correct .ics URL pasted?
  • In Calendar Manager, click the calendar to edit it.
  • Verify the URL in the "Live URL" field ends in .ics (not .xml or other format).
  • If the URL is wrong, copy the correct .ics URL from Google Calendar > Settings > Integrate calendar > Public address in iCal format.
  • Paste the correct URL and save. Wait for next sync cycle.
• Check 3: Is the Google Calendar file size within limits?
  • Google Calendar file size limit is 3MB. If exceeded, sync will fail.
  • Reduce file size by deleting old events or creating a new calendar with only current events.
  • After reducing size, re-integrate the calendar using the new .ics URL.
• Check 4: Have you waited for the sync cycle?
  • Sync times for Legacy Calendar Manager depend on file size (see Sync timing by module table above).
    • 0-500 kilobytes: syncs hourly
    • 500 kilobytes-1.5 megabytes: syncs nightly
  • Wait at least one full sync cycle before troubleshooting further.

Sync worked initially but then stopped

• Check 1: Did permissions change?
  • Verify the Google Calendar is still set to public.
  • If permissions were changed, update them back to public and wait for next sync cycle.
• Check 2: Did the calendar file size exceed 3MB?
  • Calendar grew larger than 3MB when new events were added.
  • Delete old events or archive them to a separate calendar.
  • Sync should resume after next cycle.
• Check 3: Was the .ics URL modified or broken?
  • In Calendar Manager, verify the URL in the "Live URL" field is still correct and ends in .ics.
  • If the URL appears corrupted or broken, get a fresh .ics URL from Google Calendar Settings and re-paste it.

New Calendars module sync issues

Select the symptom that matches your situation:

Events not appearing at all

This also covers: new events not appearing after they are added, event updates not reflecting in the calendar, or the calendar appearing completely blank.

• Check 1: Is the Google Calendar set to public?
  • Go to Google Calendar > Settings > Access permissions for events > Make available to public.
  • Ensure "See all event details" is selected.
  • If not public, make it public and proceed to Check 4 to manually refresh.
• Check 2: Was the correct .ics URL pasted?
  • In New Calendars module, go to your Live calendar > Settings > General tab.
  • Verify the URL in the "Live iCal URL" field ends in .ics.
  • If the URL is wrong, copy the correct .ics URL from Google Calendar > Settings > Integrate calendar > Public address in iCal format.
  • Paste the correct URL and save. Proceed to Check 4 to manually refresh.
• Check 3: Is the Google Calendar file size within limits?
  • Google Calendar file size limit is 3MB. If exceeded, sync will fail.
  • Reduce file size by deleting old events or creating a new calendar with only current events.
  • After reducing size, re-integrate using the new .ics URL and manually refresh.
• Check 4: Trigger a manual refresh
  • In New Calendars module, go to your Live calendar > Settings.
  • Click Refresh Calendar to manually sync immediately.
  • Events should appear within seconds to minutes.
  • If still no events, review Checks 1-3 above.

Sync worked initially but then stopped

• Check 1: Did permissions change?
  • Verify the Google Calendar is still set to public.
  • If permissions were changed, update them back to public.
  • Trigger a manual refresh (Settings > Refresh Calendar).
  • Why this causes issues: If the sharing permission on the source Google Calendar is changed (for example, the calendar is made private or restricted), Finalsite will no longer be able to fetch content from it, which stops sync.
• Check 2: Did the calendar file size exceed 3MB?
  • Calendar grew larger than 3MB when new events were added.
  • Delete old events or archive them to a new, separate calendar.
  • Trigger a manual refresh (Settings > Refresh Calendar).
• Check 3: Was the .ics URL modified or broken?
  • In New Calendars module Settings, verify the URL in "Live iCal URL" is correct and ends in .ics.
  • If the URL appears corrupted, get a fresh .ics URL from Google Calendar and re-paste it.
  • Trigger a manual refresh (Settings > Refresh Calendar).

Sync taking longer than expected

• Expected sync times:
  • Automatic sync: hourly
  • Manual refresh: immediate (seconds to minutes)
• If waiting longer than expected:
  • Trigger a manual refresh (Settings > Refresh Calendar).
  • If manual refresh doesn't work, review Checks 1-3 in "Events not appearing at all" section.
  • If events have been missing for more than 24 hours and a manual refresh does not resolve the issue, contact Finalsite support. In rare cases, a backend service interruption may require a restart that only support staff can perform.

Error messages and solutions

New Calendars module

Migrated live calendars

If your live calendar was migrated from Legacy Calendar Manager to the New Calendars module, you may see an error indicator directly in the calendar list when sync fails.

• What you see: An error icon and message appears next to the live calendar in your calendar list.
  • This only applies to live calendars that were migrated from Legacy Calendar Manager.
• What it means: The system was unable to fetch content from the source .ics URL.
• Steps to resolve:
  • Verify the Google Calendar is set to public (Settings > Access permissions for events > Make available to public).
  • Confirm the .ics URL in the calendar settings is correct and still valid.
  • The error icon will disappear automatically once content is successfully fetched — no manual dismissal is needed.

All other New Calendars sync issues

Legacy Calendar Manager

Legacy Calendar Manager does not display inline error messages for sync failures. If sync has stopped, follow the troubleshooting steps in the Legacy Calendar Manager sync issues section above. If the issue persists after following all steps, contact Finalsite support. 

How to verify sync is working

Use these steps to confirm your Google Calendar is syncing properly:

Legacy Calendar Manager

• Step 1: In Calendar Manager, open the calendar and view the calendar list.
• Step 2: Add a new test event to the Google Calendar (any event with a title and date).
• Step 3: Wait for the sync cycle (hourly for calendars under 500KB, nightly for larger).
• Step 4: Refresh Calendar Manager and check if the new test event appears.
• Result: If the test event appears, sync is working. If not, follow the troubleshooting steps above.

New Calendars module

• Step 1: In New Calendars module, open your Live calendar.
• Step 2: Add a new test event to the Google Calendar (any event with a title and date).
• Step 3: Go to calendar Settings > click Refresh Calendar.
• Step 4: Wait a few seconds and refresh your page to see if the new test event appears.
• Result: If the test event appears, sync is working. If not, follow the troubleshooting steps above.

Common checks before contacting support

Before reaching out to support, verify the following:

• Google Calendar is set to public: Settings > Access permissions for events > Make available to public is checked.
• "See all event details" is selected: In the same Access permissions section.
• Correct .ics URL is pasted: URL ends in .ics (not .xml or other format).
• Google Calendar file size is under 3MB: If larger, delete old events to reduce size.
• Sufficient time has passed for sync:
  • Legacy Calendar Manager: at least one hourly or nightly cycle
  • New Calendars module: triggered manual refresh or waited one hour
• Test event appears: Follow the verification steps above to test sync.

If all checks pass and sync still isn't working, contact Finalsite support with:

• Which module you're on (Legacy Calendar Manager or New Calendars)
• When you last saw events sync
• Approximate Google Calendar file size (in MB or number of events)
• Any error messages you received (exact text)