FreeSlot User Guide
For the public version (https://freeslot-schedule.com/)
How to use FreeSlot for organizers and participants
What you can learn from this guide
- Basic operations from event creation to response collection
- How to connect Google / Microsoft 365 / iCloud
- How manual input works when you do not use integration
- Common issues and how to handle them
For detailed integration setup steps, please see the Calendar Integration Guide.
1. Introduction
FreeSlot is a scheduling tool that allows organizers to create candidate schedules, participants to submit their availability, and organizers to decide on a date while excluding the organizer’s calendar events from the candidates. In the public version, you can use it directly from your browser. You can use it without connecting Google / Microsoft 365 / iCloud, but integration helps reduce manual input.
2. Quick Start
| Role | What to do | Estimated time |
|---|---|---|
| Organizer | 1) Create an event 2) Set up calendar integration if needed 3) Share the participant link 4) Review the summary table and decide on a date |
3–5 minutes |
| Participant | 1) Open the participant link 2) Enter your name 3) Submit your availability manually or reflect it through calendar integration 4) Send your response |
1–3 minutes |
| Everyone | Check the “Everyone’s Status” screen as needed to review response progress | 1 minute |
3. How organizers use it
3-1. Open the event creation page
Access the public URL and enter the title, date range, daily start/end times, slot length, and meeting length. If needed, you can also set exclusions for lunch breaks or class periods.
3-2. Choose organizer calendar integration
Select one of Google Calendar, Microsoft 365, or iCloud. If you want to exclude the organizer’s schedule from the candidate slots, turn organizer schedule exclusion ON.
3-3. Create the event
After creation, the organizer link, participant link, and setup flow will be displayed. Do not share the organizer link with others.
3-4. Complete integration on the setup screen if needed
For Google / Microsoft 365, sign in through the browser and grant the required permissions. For iCloud, enter the required information on the dedicated screen and connect. For details, see the Calendar Integration Guide.
3-5. Share the participant link
Send only the participant link to participants. Do not share the organizer link or setup URLs.
3-6. Review candidates on the organizer page
On the organizer page, you can review the candidate list based on meeting length, participant responses, and the reflected organizer constraints. Reload the page if needed.
4. How participants use it
4-1. Open the participant link
Open the participant link sent by the organizer. If this is your first time using it, enter your name.
4-2. Choose how to answer
You can either answer manually or use Google / Microsoft 365 / iCloud integration to reflect your availability automatically.
4-3. Answer manually
For each time slot, choose ○ (available) / △ (possible with adjustment) / × (not available), then submit your response.
4-4. Answer using calendar integration
Sign in to the service you want to connect and grant the required permissions. Your existing events will then be reflected in the candidate slots. You can still make manual adjustments afterward.
4-5. Check the status after submitting
If needed, you can view the overall response status, including your own, on the “Everyone’s Status” screen.
5. How to use calendar integration
| Service | Flow | Best for | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Calendar | Sign in with your Google account → Grant permissions → Return to FreeSlot | People who mainly use a personal Google Calendar | If you have multiple accounts, sign in with the one you want to use. |
| Microsoft 365 | Sign in with your Microsoft account → Grant permissions → Return to FreeSlot | People who mainly use a company or school calendar | Depending on your organization’s policy, the permission screen and availability may differ. |
| iCloud | Enter the required information on the dedicated connection screen → Confirm the connection → Return to FreeSlot | People who mainly use Apple calendars | Depending on your Apple ID settings, an app-specific password may be required. |
Details are summarized in the Calendar Integration Guide.
6. Frequently asked questions and troubleshooting
Q. Can I use it without calendar integration?
A. Yes. You can submit your response manually by entering ○ / △ / × without using calendar integration.
Q. I got stuck on the authentication screen and cannot get back.
A. Check whether another tab has opened, then reload the original FreeSlot page. If that does not work, try private browsing or another browser.
Q. My schedule is not being reflected.
A. Check whether the connection succeeded and whether you signed in with the account you intended to use. If needed, reconnect once again.
Q. The organizer page is not showing updated results.
A. Reload the organizer page and confirm that you are using the participant link and organizer link for the same event.
Q. Which link is safe to share?
A. Only the participant link should be shared. Do not share the organizer link or setup URLs.
7. If you run into trouble
What to check first
- Whether you are using the public URL (https://freeslot-schedule.com)
- Whether you are using the participant link / organizer link for the same event
- Whether the same issue remains after reloading the browser
- Whether the account you want to connect is the correct one
Information that helps support respond faster
- Whether you are acting as organizer or participant
- Which service caused the issue: Google / Microsoft 365 / iCloud
- The message displayed on the screen
- The URL you used
8. Personal notes
| Item | Field |
|---|---|
| Event name | |
| Organizer name | |
| Participant link | |
| Response deadline | |
| Notes |