Question

Can you delete an event in Google Calendar without a search step?

  • 29 March 2021
  • 6 replies
  • 555 views

Userlevel 1

I am trying to use Zaps to automate copying and deleting events from one calendar to another. I can get the events to copy when created just fine. However, I am getting 404 errors in my “Delete when cancelled” Zap. 

I am using “event summary” as the targeted field, and I can confirm the information is in my calendar (As I can see it), but for some reason Zap cannot.

The theoretical workflow:
If (EVENT A) is CANCELLED on CAL A
Delete (EVENT A) on CAL B

Zapier is pulling EVENT A, but cannot seem to correlated it on CAL B. I have tried Start and End times as well with no success, and have confirmed the calendars are correctly targeted.

I have got this to work with a search step to find the matching event before then deleting it. However, I dont have a paid account and I dont understand why it wont work as is, without the search step when the titles and start/end dates are there and match.


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6 replies

Userlevel 7
Badge +14

Hi @nzjoel 

Yes, you can delete a GCal Event w/o a search step if you already know the GCal Event ID.

Can you provide screenshots of how your Zap steps are configured?

Userlevel 1

Hi @Troy Tessalone, I assume when my first zap copies from CAL A to CAL B it creates a new event ID on CAL B so I cant match the ID between the original event and the new event? 

Here are my steps:

 

Userlevel 7
Badge +14

@nzjoel 

Correct, each GCal Event has a unique ID.

You’d have to add another step to update the original GCal Event with the ID of the new GCal Event, to then be referenced when deleting the original GCal Event, so that the corresponding GCal Event ID can be deleted as well.

Otherwise you’d have to use a GCal Find Event Step to get the corresponding Event ID to then use in a GCal Delete Event step.

 

FYI: GCal expects an Event ID for this field, which will be a cryptic alphanumeric value.

 

Userlevel 1

That’s handy to know thanks @Troy Tessalone. I can’t find a way to update the event ID using the update event step. Do you mind telling me how to update an event ID please. 

Userlevel 7
Badge +14

@nzjoel 

You can’t update an GCal Event’s ID as that’s generated by GCal, but you can use the GCal Event ID to update a GCal Event like such:

 

Userlevel 7
Badge +10

@nzjoel 
Just checking in to see if you still need help with this?