# Calendar invitations

> See which calendar Dover books interviews on for Google and Microsoft, and help candidates add the invitation.

## Overview

When an interview is booked, Dover sends a calendar invitation to the candidate and the interviewers. Which calendar the event is booked on depends on each interviewer's settings. This article explains the two options for Google and Microsoft calendars, and how to help candidates add the invitation to their own calendar.

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## Where interviews are booked

Each interviewer chooses how much access Dover has to their calendar when they connect it, with **Connect Google** or **Connect Microsoft**. That choice decides where their interviews are booked.

| | Minimal permissions | Full permissions |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **What you see in Dover** | Events as free or busy | Event details |
| **Where events are booked** | The Dover hiring calendar | Your calendar (Outlook or Google) |
| **Meeting links** | Set by your meeting location | Microsoft Teams or Google Meet |
| **Best for** | Privacy | Transparency |

With **Minimal permissions**, Dover books the interview on the hiring calendar and invites you and the candidate, so it still appears on your calendar. With **Full permissions**, Dover books the interview directly on your calendar.

Because each interviewer sets this for themselves, two interviews for the same job can be booked on different calendars. To check or change yours, go to **Account settings → Interviews & Notetaker**, click **Change** next to your connected calendar, and reconnect with the other option. See [Setting up your interview preferences](https://docs.dover.com/scheduling-interviewing/setting-up-your-interview-preferences/).

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## What candidates receive

- **The invitation:** a calendar invitation from the calendar the interview is booked on.
- **Reminders:** If you use a Dover scheduling link, candidates get a reminder email from notification@findatime.io before the interview. It includes the interview details and a link to reschedule.

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## Help candidates add the invitation

Tell candidates in your emails to look for the invitation and accept it, even if it comes from a sender they don't recognize.

:::note
Google Calendar doesn't automatically add a first invitation from a sender it doesn't know. A candidate who uses Google Calendar has to confirm the first invitation from Dover before the event appears on their calendar. See [Why aren't my candidates getting calendar invitations automatically?](#why-arent-my-candidates-getting-calendar-invitations-automatically)
:::

You can share these steps with candidates who use Google Calendar.

**Add invitations to the calendar automatically:**

1. On your computer, [open Google Calendar](https://calendar.google.com/calendar/u/0/r).
2. At the top right, click **Settings**.
3. On the left, under General, click **Event settings** and then **Add invitations to my calendar**.
4. Select **From everyone** so all invitations are added automatically.

**Or add the sender as a contact:**

1. On your computer, go to [Google Contacts](https://contacts.google.com/).
2. At the top left, click **Create contact**.
3. Enter the sender's information.
4. Click **Save**.

For Google's full instructions, see [their help article](https://support.google.com/calendar/answer/13159188).

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## Frequently asked questions

### Why aren't my candidates getting calendar invitations automatically?

Since May 2023, Google Calendar doesn't automatically add invitations from senders it doesn't know. This affects every scheduling service, including Dover. When a candidate with Google Calendar gets their first interview invitation from Dover, the event isn't added to their calendar until they confirm it.

Instead, the candidate gets an email with a link, and they click it to add the event. This applies to all Google Calendar users unless they changed their default Google settings. After a candidate accepts one invite from Dover, later invites appear on their calendar as usual.

### Which calendar is my interview booked on?

It depends on the interviewer's calendar settings. With **Minimal permissions**, interviews are booked on the Dover hiring calendar. With **Full permissions**, they're booked on the interviewer's own calendar. Each interviewer can check this in **Account settings → Interviews & Notetaker**.

### How will candidates know about their interviews if they don't accept the invitation?

With a Dover scheduling link, Dover sends reminder emails from notification@findatime.io before the interview. They include the interview details and a way to reschedule.

### What's the best way to make sure candidates add interviews to their calendars?

Ask them to accept the invitation even if the sender is unfamiliar, or share the Google Calendar steps above so invitations are added automatically.

### Can I change where my interviews are booked?

Yes. Open **Account settings → Interviews & Notetaker**, click **Change** next to your connected calendar, choose the other permission option, and reconnect.