You can create a calendar to show WWOOFers when you have free places and when you are booked up. This helps potential WWOOFers see what is available and is useful if you are receiving many requests for placements.
You will need to create a Google calendar and place a link to it in the special field in your host page. This is not difficult but does require a little time to set up initially. Once done, the calendar is easy to manage and can be used to keep track of all your WWOOFer placements.
If you don't want to have a calendar, or don't feel able to set it up, just leave the field blank and nothing will show on your page. You can always return to the form and do it later if you want to.
A printer-friendly version is available via the icon at the top of the page. It is suggested that you work from a print-out. If you want to add to, query or discuss these instructions or the calendar in general, please leave a comment.
Step by step guidelines (don't panic - it's not too difficult!)
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You must have a Google account. If you don't have one go to www.google.ie and follow the instructions to create a new account
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Log in to your Google account
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In the menu at the top of the page click More>>Calendar
- In the side menu under 'My calendars' click 'Create'
- Complete the details in the form...
- Calendar name will appear at the top of your calendar on WWOOF Ireland
- Make this calendar public must be ticked. Without this it will not display
- Share only my free/busy information (Hide details) must not be ticked
- Share with specific people needs no settings
- Click 'Create calendar' to save the settings - answer Yes to the message
- The new calendar should now be under 'My calendars' in the side menu - select it and set up some dates
- The 'Month' view is easiest to manage
- Just drag over a set of dates to set up a booking (Google calls it an 'Event') and place some short text as a description
- The calendar will display up to three lines of 'events' so overlapping bookings can be shown
- When you have set up the calendar, select it under 'My calendars' and click 'Settings' at the bottom of the 'My calendars' box
- Select the calendar again in the page that opens
- Select the 'Share this calendar' tab
- Settings should be: 'Make this calendar public' and 'See all event details' under 'Permission settings'
- Go to the 'Calendar details' tab
- In the 'Calendar address' line click the 'HTML' button
- You need to copy the link provided (in Windows drag over it and do Ctrl+C, or Right click>>Copy link location) This is the link that you will place into your Host information form that will enable the calendar to be displayed.
- Log out of your Google account
- Go to WWOOF Ireland, log in and click 'My Host information' in the Host menu.
- Scroll down to the 'calendar' field and paste the link you copied into the box. (Windows: Ctrl+V or Right click>>Paste)
- Save the form
- You should now have a 'Calendar: View availability' link in your page. Click it to check that the calendar appears (It should appear in a box superimposed over your page). If you get an 'Access denied' message, you probably forgot to set the calendar as publicly viewable. Note that it is important to check the link while you are NOT logged in to Google.
- You can return to your Google account to edit the calendar at any time. Once it has been set up this is quick and easy. It is recommended that you don't have more than one calendar enabled as they may both be displayed on WWOOF Ireland - unless you make some more settings yourself.
Useful tips
- Keep calendar title and 'event' descriptions short
- Don't have more than three concurrent events - they won't display properly
- Don't worry about setting colours - Google only lets you have blue lines on your calendar when it's displayed on another site.