Executive Summary
PyjamaHR’s integrated calendar and interview scheduling features are designed to streamline interview coordination, prevent double-booking, and ensure all stakeholders receive accurate invites. However, users sometimes encounter issues such as duplicate events, missing calendar invites, or mismatches between scheduled times and actual calendar entries—especially when using integrations like Google or Outlook. This article provides a comprehensive guide to identifying, resolving, and preventing these issues, based on real customer scenarios and the latest platform updates.
Detailed Overview
What Are Duplicate or Missing Calendar Events?
Duplicate events occur when the same interview or meeting appears more than once in your calendar or PyjamaHR’s interview schedule.
Missing events refer to scheduled interviews that do not appear in your connected calendar (Google or Outlook), or are not received by the intended participants.
Why Do These Issues Matter?
Missed interviews can damage candidate experience and employer brand.
Double-booking wastes interviewer time and creates confusion.
Accurate scheduling is critical for high-volume hiring and distributed teams.
How PyjamaHR Calendar Integration Works
Calendar Sync: PyjamaHR integrates with Google Calendar and Outlook to automatically create, update, and remove events as interviews are scheduled or changed.
Event Types: Both virtual and in-person interviews can be scheduled; virtual events prompt calendar integration, while in-person events may require manual calendar sync.
Self-Scheduling: Candidates can be invited to pick their own time slots within recruiter-defined availability windows.
Team Visibility: Events and templates can be shared at the team or organization level.
Step-by-Step Guide: Preventing and Resolving Duplicate or Missing Calendar Events
Prerequisites
Ensure your Google or Outlook calendar is connected to PyjamaHR.
Confirm you have the necessary permissions to schedule interviews and manage events.
1. Connect Your Calendar
Go to Settings > Integrations.
Select Google Calendar or Outlook Calendar.
Follow the prompts to authenticate and grant permissions.
Screenshot: Show the Integrations page with connected status.
2. Schedule an Interview
Navigate to the candidate’s profile.
Click Schedule Interview.
Choose Let candidates pick a time (if self-scheduling).
Define available days and time slots.
Confirm the correct time zone is set.
Screenshot: Show the scheduling modal with time zone dropdown.
3. Verify Event Creation
After scheduling, check the Interviews section in PyjamaHR for the event.
Open your connected calendar (Google/Outlook) and confirm the event appears at the correct time.
Ensure all participants (candidate, interviewer) have received the invite.
4. Rescheduling or Editing Events
Use the Reschedule option in the interview details.
Double-check that the new time is reflected in both PyjamaHR and your calendar.
Note: Always use PyjamaHR to reschedule, not your external calendar, to avoid sync issues.
5. Handling Expired or Stale Events
If you see a message about an expired event (e.g., “last one expired in Jan 2025”), create a new event from the candidate profile.
Remove any outdated or duplicate events from your calendar.
Advanced Usage & Best Practices
Power User Tips
Set Working Hours Carefully: Ensure your working hours and time zone are set correctly in PyjamaHR to prevent candidates from booking outside your availability.
Test Self-Scheduling Links: Before sending to candidates, use the link yourself to verify available slots match your intended schedule.
Team-Level Templates: Use organization-level templates for consistency and to avoid confusion about event ownership.
Optimization Strategies
Regularly Audit Calendar Integrations: Especially after changes to permissions or email addresses.
Centralize Scheduling: Always schedule and reschedule interviews through PyjamaHR, not directly in your calendar app.
Do’s and Don’ts
Do:
- Double-check time zones when scheduling or rescheduling.
- Use the “Schedule Interview” button for all interview creation.
- Contact support if you notice persistent sync issues.
Don’t:
- Edit or delete events directly in Google/Outlook; always use PyjamaHR.
- Assume in-person interviews will sync automatically—manual steps may be needed.
- Ignore expired event warnings; create new events as needed.
Troubleshooting & Common Issues
1. Event Not Appearing in Calendar
Check Integration: Ensure your calendar is connected (Settings > Integrations).
Organizer Permissions: The event organizer must have an active calendar integration.
Event Type: In-person interviews may not sync automatically; virtual interviews prompt integration.
Action: Reconnect your calendar, then reschedule the event via PyjamaHR.
2. Duplicate Events
Possible Cause: Duplicate API calls or repeated scheduling attempts.
Action: Delete extra events from your calendar, and report the issue to support with event details and candidate links.
Example: “This interview is showing up twice. Is it a bug? I can see only one event on the calendar.”
3. Candidate Able to Book Outside Working Hours
Possible Cause: Time zone mismatch or incorrect working hours setup.
Action: Verify your working hours and time zone in PyjamaHR. Test the scheduling link as a candidate.
Example: “Interviewee was able to choose a slot at 6:30AM, but my working hours start at 8:30AM.”
4. Outlook Calendar Not Blocking Busy Times
Possible Cause: Outlook integration may not be syncing busy times correctly.
Action: Contact support; this is a known issue under active investigation.
5. Schedule and Notify Button Not Working
Possible Cause: UI bug or incomplete form.
Action: Refresh the page, ensure all required fields are filled, and try again. If the issue persists, contact support.
6. No Invite Received by Candidate or Interviewer
Possible Cause: Calendar not connected, or invite sent from an unintegrated organizer account.
Action: Ensure the organizer’s calendar is integrated, and resend the invite via PyjamaHR.
Comprehensive FAQ
Q1: Why isn’t my scheduled interview appearing in my Google/Outlook calendar?
A: Check that your calendar is connected in PyjamaHR and that you are the event organizer. For in-person interviews, manual sync may be required.
Q2: Why do I see duplicate events for the same interview?
A: This can happen due to duplicate API calls or repeated scheduling. Delete the extra event and report the issue to support.
Q3: The candidate was able to book outside my working hours. How do I fix this?
A: Double-check your working hours and time zone settings in PyjamaHR. Test the scheduling link before sending.
Q4: My Outlook calendar shows me as available when I’m actually busy.
A: This is a known issue with Outlook integration. Contact support for updates.
Q5: I can’t click the “Schedule and Notify” button. What should I do?
A: Ensure all required fields are filled. Try refreshing the page or using a different browser.
Q6: Why are in-person interviews not showing up in my calendar?
A: In-person events may not sync automatically. Ensure your calendar is connected and reschedule if needed.
Q7: Can I merge duplicate jobs or events?
A: Currently, merging closed jobs or events is not supported.
Q8: Why do some users not receive calendar invites?
A: The event organizer must have an active calendar integration. Check user permissions and integration status.
Q9: How do I remove expired or outdated events?
A: Delete them from your calendar and create a new event via PyjamaHR.
Q10: What should I do if I see a placeholder or incorrect event link in my invite?
A: Report the issue to support with screenshots and event details.
Related Features & Next Steps
Calendar Integrations: Learn more about connecting Google or Outlook calendars in [this article].
Interview Scheduling: See our [Comprehensive Guide to Interview Scheduling in PyjamaHR].
Email Templates: For sharing and managing templates, see [Managing Email Templates in PyjamaHR].
Troubleshooting Integrations: Visit [Troubleshooting Calendar and Email Integrations].
Next Steps:
- Regularly review your calendar integration status.
- Audit scheduled events for accuracy.
- Report persistent issues to PyjamaHR support with detailed examples and screenshots.
By following these best practices and troubleshooting steps, you can ensure seamless interview scheduling and avoid the most common pitfalls with calendar events in PyjamaHR.