Introduction to Calendar Migrator
The Calendar Migrator is your all-in-one solution for importing appointment entries into Filevine's Project Calendar. It allows you to create multiple calendar entries efficiently, ensuring your project timelines are up-to-date and comprehensive.
Understanding Filevine's Project Calendar
Before diving into the Calendar Migrator, it's crucial to understand how Filevine's Project Calendar works:
Project-Specific: Each project in Filevine has its own calendar, displaying events and deadlines associated with that project.
Multiple Views: The calendar can be viewed in month, week, day, or list format.
Event Types: The calendar displays manually created events, deadlines, deadline chains, and events from shared calendars (like Google or Outlook).
User Visibility: Project events are visible to all users with access to the project, while attendees see events on their user calendars as well.
Understanding these features will help you leverage the Calendar Migrator more effectively to populate your Project Calendars.
Getting Started with Calendar Migrator
To use the Calendar Migrator, you'll need to prepare your data and understand the key requirements:
Project ID: Each calendar entry must be associated with a specific project.
Appointment Name: A title or description for each calendar entry.
Attendees: At least one Filevine user must be assigned as an attendee.
Creating Calendar Entries
Follow these steps to create calendar entries using the Calendar Migrator:
Download the provided CSV template.
Fill in the required fields: Project ID, Appointment Name, and Attendees.
Specify whether each entry is an all-day event or not.
For non-all-day events, provide start and end times.
Upload your completed CSV file.
Review the entries and create the migration job.
Pro Tips:
Use the Date/Time splitter tool for easier formatting of your import CSV.
Leverage the timezone normalizer to ensure consistent timing across entries.
Currently, the Calendar Migrator only supports creating new entries, not updating or deleting existing ones.
Handling All-Day Events
All-day events require special attention in the Calendar Migrator:
In the "All Day" column, specify "Yes" for all-day events and "No" for timed events.
For all-day events, set the start date and end date to the same date.
For timed events, you must provide both start and end times in addition to the date.
Managing Attendees
Properly assigning attendees is crucial for effective calendar management:
Download the "User List" template provided in the Calendar Migrator tool.
Cross-reference your calendar data attendees with the User IDs from this list.
In the Attendees column of your import CSV, use the User IDs (not names) of the attendees.
For multiple attendees, separate User IDs with commas.
Pro Tip:
Create a lookup table in your spreadsheet to easily convert attendee names to their corresponding User IDs.
Leveraging Additional Tools
The Calendar Migrator provides additional tools to streamline your import process:
Date/Time Splitter: Use this tool to easily format date and time information in your CSV.
Timezone Normalizer: Ensure all your entries are in the correct timezone for your Filevine organization.
Common Use Cases
The Calendar Migrator can be particularly useful in several scenarios:
Bulk Import of Court Dates
Scenario: You've received a list of court dates for multiple cases and need to add them to the respective project calendars.
Solution:
Prepare a CSV with the court dates, associated Project IDs, and attending attorneys' User IDs.
Use the Calendar Migrator to import all dates at once, saving time on manual entry.
Migrating from Another System
Scenario: You're transitioning to Filevine from another case management system and need to transfer all scheduled appointments.
Solution:
Export your existing calendar data and reformat it to match the Calendar Migrator template.
Use the Date/Time Splitter and Timezone Normalizer tools to ensure data consistency.
Import your reformatted data using the Calendar Migrator.
Recurring Event Setup
Scenario: Your firm has weekly team meetings for each active project.
Solution:
Create a CSV with recurring meeting entries for each project.
Use the Calendar Migrator to import these recurring events in bulk.
Best Practices for Success
Prepare Your Data: Ensure your CSV is clean and formatted correctly before import.
Use Unique Identifiers: Always use accurate Project IDs and User IDs to prevent misassignment.
Test in Batches: Start with a small batch of entries before large-scale imports.
Verify Imports: After migration, check your Project Calendars to ensure all entries appeared correctly.
Maintain Consistency: Use consistent naming conventions for appointment titles to aid in future searches.
Consider Time Zones: If your firm operates across multiple time zones, pay extra attention to event timing.
Troubleshooting and Support
Missing Entries: Ensure all required fields (Project ID, Appointment Name, Attendees) are filled for each entry.
Attendee Issues: Verify that all Attendee User IDs are correct and exist in your Filevine organization.
Time Discrepancies: Double-check your use of the All Day field and ensure start/end times are formatted correctly.
Project Association Problems: Confirm that all Project IDs in your CSV are valid and accessible.
Remember, we're here to help! If you encounter any issues or have questions about using the Calendar Migrator or navigating Filevine's Project Calendar feature, don't hesitate to reach out to our support team at support@vinetegrate.com. Together, we'll ensure your calendar migration to Filevine is smooth and efficient, setting you up for success with Filevine's robust project management capabilities.