Sync your Stratus schedule with your Google Calendar using the Google Sync feature in Stratus. Most mobile devices can sync with Google Calendar, making it easy for you to access your Stratus schedule from your mobile device. Watch the video and read the instructions below to set up Stratus to sync with your Google Calendar.

Setting Up Google Syncing

Follow these steps to set up Google syncing in Stratus:

1. Open the user you want to set up Google syncing for by going to Maintenance > General > Users. Double-click the user and open their Google tab. Alternatively, you can access this menu by going to Maintenance > Preferences > User Preferences > Google tab. This will pull up the information for the logged in user.
   
   

2. Check the box that says Enable Google Sync. This will "turn on" the Google Synchronizer for this user.

3. Choose your additional settings for the Google sync.

   • Authenticate My Google Account- Enter your Google user name (should be in this format: "example@gmail.com") and password. Note: This option is required! You will be re-directed to a sign-in window for Google and must enable access for myStratus to continue.

   • Populate Google with all StudioPlus Stratus records during the next sync - This is designed to be a one-time setting that will populate Google with all your Stratus appointments and sessions during the next sync. The box will automatically be unchecked after the sync.

   • Populate StudioPlus Stratus with all the Google records during the next sync - This is also a one-time setting that will populate Stratus with all your Google appointments during the next sync. The box will automatically be unchecked after the sync.

   • Send new, modified, and deleted Google appointments into StudioPlus Stratus - If this box is checked, Stratus will be updated with your new or modified Google appointments during each sync. 

   • Download tentative, non-confirmed appointments - This option will permit Stratus to also download tentative, non-confirmed Google appointments into your Stratus schedule.

   • Send new and modified Google contacts into StudioPlus Stratus - This will sync a Stratus client group with your Google contacts. In the combo box, choose the client group you would like to sync. Please read the Syncing Google Contacts and Stratus Clients section of this topic for more information on syncing clients.

   • Email warnings and errors to me - Check this option to receive emails containing warnings and information about any errors that occur during syncing. Make sure to enter the email address where these emails should be sent. We recommend you check this option so you will be alerted to scheduling conflicts and other errors that may occur. Finally you can have detailed sync logs emailed as well. We recommend only using this setting when trouble shooting a problem.

4. Click OK to save your settings.

Syncing Google Contacts and Stratus Clients

Follow these steps to set up a client group for syncing:

1. In Stratus, go to Maintenance > Clients > Client Groups.

2. Add a new group called something like "Jenny's Sync Group."

3. Then add clients to the group. Note: For faster syncs, as well as for security reasons, it is best to keep the group small.

Best Practices for Syncing with Google

1. We will make sure Stratus syncs with Google, but you are in charge of making sure Google syncs properly with your mobile device.

2. If you delete a client from Google or your mobile device, you will need to manually delete the client in Stratus. Deleting a client from Google or your mobile device does not delete the client in Stratus. It merely removes the client from that client group.

3. Although Gmail contacts can be merged on the Google website, Stratus will still try to sync both records. It is best to manage your client records in Stratus.

4. When you add an address in Google, you may want to double check it in Stratus. Address information in Google is stored in one big field, but Stratus uses individual fields for each part of the address (e.g., line 1, line 2, city, state, and zip). Google usually handles the city, state, and zip fields properly, but addresses with multiple lines may create an issue in Stratus. 

5. There may be scheduling conflicts if something was entered before the sync. For example: You book an appointment on your phone and, at the same time, someone books an appointment in Stratus. After the next sync, there will be a scheduling conflict. Make sure you have email warnings set up so you are notified when a scheduling conflict occurs.
   

6. You can only sync user schedules with a Google calendar. You cannot sync resource schedules.
   

7. Stratus will not synchronize with Google if your time zone in Stratus is different than your time zone in Google.
   

8. VERY IMPORTANT! You can only have ONE Stratus user syncing to ONE Google account (@gmail.com). Or, in other words, one Stratus schedule to one Google calendar. Syncing multiple Stratus schedules to one Google Calendar WILL cause problems!