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Hi, I have problem with creating Google calendar event from google sheets data. I’m using the Create Detailed Event step and it changes the event start date to one day before.

 

Data in:

start__dateTime: 2024-10-23T00:00:00+02:00

end__dateTime: 2024-10-24T00:00:00+02:00

 

Data out:

start:

date: 2024-10-22

date_pretty: Oct 22, 2024

dateTime_pretty: Oct 22, 2024 12:00AM

dateTime: 2024-10-22

time:

 

end:

date: 2024-10-23

date_pretty: Oct 23, 2024

dateTime_pretty: Oct 23, 2024 12:00AM

dateTime: 2024-10-23

time:

Hi @bogi 

You may need to use a Formatter step to get the Timestamp into the correct format for GCal.

Zap action: Formatter > Date & Time > Format

Click field labels to see tooltips for more info about the field.

For us to have true context, post screenshots showing how your Zap steps are outlined and configured in EDIT mode.

Help links for using GCal in Zaps: https://zapier.com/apps/google-calendar/help


 


Thank you for your answer Troy, but the formatter step didn’t help. I put a few screenshots for you here.

It has been happening ever since the Create Detailed Event step asked me for an update a few days ago.

 

 


@bogi

In The GCal Zap step, you would need to map the variables output from the Formatter step.

Also, post screenshots showing how your Formatter step is configured in EDIT mode.

 


Yes, I missed this step, thank you. I corrected now, but no change. Here is the screenshots:

 

Formatter:

 

GCal:

 

Google sheets data:

 


@bogi 

You need to adjust the TO/FROM Timezones to be different to convert time zones from one time zone to another time zone.

Also, the FROM Format needs to match the format of the variable value.

 


I don’t want to change the time zone, but I changed the from format to what you see on the image below. No change. No matter what I do, data out is always one day before data in. 

 

 


@bogi

We would need to see updated screenshots with how your Formatter Zap step is now configured to have current info.

 

Did you try changing from UTC time zone to Europe/Budapest time zone?


OK, see the creenshot below. Time zone is set to Europe/Budapest both in Formatter step and Zap detailes.

 


@bogi 

Did you try changing from UTC time zone to Europe/Budapest time zone?

 

Try these Formatter field settings…

From Timezone: UTC

 


Same thing happens unfortunately...


@bogi 

For us to have updated info, post screenshots showing how your Zap steps are outlined and configured in EDIT mode so we can see the field mappings.


please see below

 

 

 

 

 

 


@bogi 

The recent screenshots do not show how the Formatter step is configured.

Also, the mapped variable from Zap step 3 has a value of: No data

Make sure to retest each Zap step.

 


I’m sorry, I inserted much more images in the editor, I don’t know why only these three were sent. Anyway, I put it here again. As far as test data, the reason why there is no data, because Zapier picks up an empty row at the bottom of the Google Sheet. How can I pick a row for test data that is not empty?

 

 


Troy, I sent you a private message with a video link...


@bogi 

Review all the info below…

 

Your original post indicated the GCal DATA IN was in this format.

 

Video shows GSheet dates in this format: YYYY-MM-DD

 

Based on that you do NOT need the Formatter step to adjust the time zones, but you may need the Formatter to adjust the Format, as specified below.

 

Help link about values for Date/Time field types in Zapier: https://help.zapier.com/hc/en-us/articles/8496259603341-Different-field-types-in-Zaps#h_01H96NFYDF89ZP38NBT00NF8RQ

 

The GCal fields Starte Date & Time, expects a Date and a Time, meaning a full timestamp.

 

Date/time fields

A date/time field is a field where you can only input a date and/or time. It displays a calendar icon.

Using timezones in date/time fields

If you have trouble using date/time, try including a timezone in the field.

Supported date/time formats

Zapier tries to interpret any date or time you provide. For example, Zapier supports the following date formats:

  • tomorrow at noon
  • next Friday at 7PM (Friday of the next week, not the current week)
  • 2/13/2020 8PM EST
  • 2020-10-26T16:56 (standard ISO format)
  • 1393462573 (a UNIX timestamp)
miscEye icon Note

By default, Zapier uses the ISO 8601 standard for formatting dates. Some apps may use different date and time defaults. If needed, you can adjust date/time values in Zaps by adding or subtracting time from the value within the field.

 

GCal help links: https://zapier.com/apps/google-calendar/help

My events are being created for the wrong date and/or time

There are a few reasons why events might be created for the wrong time or date by a Zap.

Are you creating an all-day event?

All-day events in Google Calendar end at midnight on the last day, so they're exclusive of the end date.
For example, an event created via Zapier for August 10 - August 15 will appear to span August 10 - August 14 in Google Calendar, because the event will end at 12:00:00 on August 15.

To fix this:

  • Update your trigger data so that it lasts for an extra day.
  • Or, modify the end date in your Zap directly by adjusting the date/time to include +1d.
    • This will cause the event to last for an extra day.

Are your timezone settings correct?

Check the timezone setting of both the trigger and action apps, and in Zapier. When the timezones don't match between apps, this can cause the event not to be created on the expected date and time.
To fix this:

  • Change your timezone in your Zap settings
  • Check your Google Calendar timezone settings.
  • Refer to the help documentation of any other app in your Zap, to check the timezone on that app. You may also want to check that app's help pages on Zapier to see if there are any known limitations or restrictions for date/time fields.

Is the event created on the wrong date, specifically with the month and day switched?

Regardless of the settings in your Google Calendar, data sent through their API (as Zapier does) must be in MM/DD/YYYY format.
So, if you try to send an event for April 7, 2021 as 07/04/2021, Google Calendar will interpret that as July 4, 2021.
The dates need to be in MM/DD/YYYY format to ensure Google Calendar adds the event to the correct date(s).
If your trigger is sending the data in DD/MM format, you can use a Formatter step to reformat the date.


 I got this date format from the ZAP history. That is the reason I gave it to you in the original post. I deleted the formatter step now, no change :(

 


Hi @bogi 👋

It sounds like the issue is that the start date is being set to the day before by Google Calendar, correct?

If so you might just need to add the +1d date modifier into the Start Date & Time field as well:

2f1a4eb074a9e0c7f716006bfa588d67.png
 

That should push the start of the event forward by a day. Assuming it’s an all day event then the end date likely won’t be correct after making that change, if that’s the case then you’d want to update the date modifier in the End Date & Time field to be +2d instead.

Can you give that a try and let us know how you get on?


This method works of course, thank you. I just didn’t want to do that before we figure out why this whole thing is happening. But I think I don’t have any other choice, because it seem, no matter what I do the dates is pushed back one day by Google Calendar. Strange… Thank you anyway Sam.


Yay! Thanks for confirming that did the trick @bogi! 🎉 

As Google Calendar expects to receive dates in MM/DD/YYYY format and the date format in neither the ERKEZES column field (Google Sheets action), nor the To Format field (Formatter action) matched that, this likely is what led to it misinterpret the dates. 

And with all-day events for Google Calendar these end at midnight on the last day (exclusive of the selected end date itself) - bit of a weird quirk for all-day events that means that you need to adjust whatever is in the End Date & Time field to be a day later to get the correct end date for the event set.

Hope that helps to clarify things. Do let me know if there’s anything else we can assist with, happy to help further! 🙂


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