Calendar management, appointment booking, and time optimization.
Key Functions
| Function | Description | AI Opportunity |
|---|
| Booking Pages | Self-service scheduling | Availability optimization |
| Calendar Sync | Multi-calendar integration | Conflict resolution |
| Availability | Time slots, buffers, limits | Smart suggestions |
| Reminders | Email, SMS notifications | Optimal timing |
| Team Scheduling | Round-robin, collective | Load balancing |
| Meeting Types | Different durations, purposes | Recommendations |
| Payments | Collect payment on booking | — |
| Integrations | Video conferencing, CRM | — |
| Time Zone | Automatic detection, display | — |
| Analytics | Booking metrics, no-shows | Prediction |
Core Entities
| Entity | Fields | Volume | Sensitivity |
|---|
| Bookings | time, attendees, type, status | High | Medium |
| Availability | schedules, exceptions | Low | Low |
| Meeting Types | duration, settings, questions | Low | Low |
| Attendees | name, email, responses | High | Medium |
| Calendars | connected accounts, sync | Low | Medium |
| Reminders | templates, schedules | Low | Low |
| Pages | booking page configurations | Low | Low |
| Payments | transactions, receipts | Medium | High |
Integration Points
| System | Data Flow | Direction |
|---|
| Google Calendar | Events, availability | Bi-directional |
| Outlook | Events, availability | Bi-directional |
| Zoom/Meet | Meeting links | Outbound |
| CRM | Contacts, activities | Bi-directional |
| Payment | Stripe, PayPal | Bi-directional |
| Email | Confirmations, reminders | Outbound |
Data Retention
| Data Type | Typical Retention | Compliance Driver |
|---|
| Booking history | 1-3 years | Business records |
| Attendee data | Until deletion | Privacy laws |
| Payment records | 7 years | Financial compliance |
| Analytics | 1-2 years | Optimization |
Evaluation Criteria
| Criteria | Weight | Notes |
|---|
| Calendar integration | High | Your calendar system |
| Booking experience | High | Attendee friction |
| Video integration | High | Meeting links |
| Team features | Medium | If needed |
| Customization | Medium | Branding |
| Pricing | Medium | Per-user or booking |
| Payment support | Low | If needed |
Market Leaders
| Product | Strength | Best For |
|---|
| Calendly | Market leader, simplicity | General scheduling |
| Cal.com | Open source, customizable | Developers |
| Reclaim | AI scheduling, habits | Calendar optimization |
| Clockwise | Team calendar optimization | Teams |
| SavvyCal | Personalization | Relationship-focused |
| Acuity | Service businesses | Appointments + payments |
AI Disruption Potential
| Function | Current State | 2027 Projection |
|---|
| Availability | Rules-based | AI-optimized |
| Meeting scheduling | Manual selection | Auto-scheduling |
| No-show prediction | Basic | Predictive |
| Time blocking | Manual | AI-assisted |
| Optimal meeting times | Basic suggestions | Personalized |
| Calendar cleanup | Manual | Auto-optimization |
Build vs Buy: Buy. Scheduling infrastructure is commodity. Cal.com for self-hosted, Calendly for simplicity, Reclaim for AI.