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The question is, will people I need to use it, actually use it?<\/p>\nThe question is, will people I need to use it, actually use it?<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve been using an application called FantastiCal for many years. Generally speaking I try to use the applications supplied in on my iPhone, Computer, and iPad.\u00a0<\/p>\n
This application is different. When Apple. in their infinite wisdom de-coupled To-Dos from Calendar, I went looking for something different. Apple has since re-coupled To-Dos and Calendar.<\/p>\n
FantastiCal did the job and exceeded my needs then, as the years have progressed, they\u2019ve added features that are really slick.<\/p>\n
They\u2019ve always had \u201cNatural Language\u201d processing. In FantastiCal you can say something like \u201cDr. Appointment @ 3pm on July 25th\u201d and FantastiCal will add that to your calendar. Moving appointments is also drag & drop. Being able to duplicate appointments is really handy if you\u2019re having to do a follow-up visit.<\/p>\n
For about the past year or two, FantastiCal has provided a method to allow people to request appointments with you. I\u2019ve not used this ability until recently.<\/p>\n
In the near future, I\u2019m going to be working on a number of things that will require scheduling and I thought, \u201cWhy should I be entering appointments and details manually?”<\/p>\n
So a few weeks ago I enabled that part of the system. Now, instead of say, a job recruiter asking me what my availability is for an interview, I can send them a link in a cover letter, and they can pick a time themselves. Hopefully they\u2019ll use the link and help keep me on schedule.<\/p>\n
After I\u2019d set up the interview link, I thought why not use the same system for more general meetings?<\/p>\n
The cool thing is that the system looks at all my calendars, the private ones, and those that involve more public facing things like interviews, then automatically blocks out times when there is a conflict. It doesn\u2019t disclose what I\u2019m doing, it simply doesn\u2019t list time blocks that are otherwise allocated.<\/p>\n
No-one needs to know I\u2019m at the Doctor\u2019s office, they only need to know that I\u2019m not available.<\/p>\n
There are a range of ways I can see using this. For example: You have to arrange some kind of home maintenance and the provider asks you use their web site to make the request. So I\u2019m thinking, I\u2019ll include a link showing my availability and allow the provider to just pick a time that works for them, then it will pop up in my calendar. It\u2019s also possible to select times that you\u2019re generally unavailable in the template, so if you\u2019re habitual about walking the dog, or you\u2019re always at a community center on a particular day, you can eliminate that block of time entirely from selection.<\/p>\n
FantastiCal has matured this part of their system to the point that you can make a template that requires information when the other person is making the appointment request. \u201cDo you have to be there?\u201d, \u201cEstimated cost\u201d, \u201c Will the dog have to be inside or outside\u201d etc. Then you can approve the appointment or propose something different if need be.<\/p>\n
I\u2019m going to try this out & see where it goes.<\/p>\n
FantastiCal has a small learning curve. It took me a while to get things set up in a way that works for me.<\/p>\n
Another cool thing is that it can store the information in a way that Apple Reminders and Apple Calendar is also updated. So that information isn\u2019t lost in the event you lose your phone. It\u2019s still available via iCloud.<\/p>\n
Recently they\u2019ve introduced a Windows version of the FantastiCal application.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I haven\u2019t used it, but it might provide an elegant bridge between Windows and iPhone \/ iPad so that you\u2019re not having to look at multiple systems if you\u2019re making appointments.<\/p>\n
I like the FantastiCal method of displaying scheduling information better than the Apple Calendar & Reminders app too.<\/p>\n
That being said, I like Apple Reminders for shopping lists. FantastiCal doesn\u2019t do that quite as well.<\/p>\n
Hope your day is productive.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The question is, will people I need to use it, actually use it? I\u2019ve been using an application called FantastiCal for many years. Generally speaking I try to use the applications supplied in on my iPhone, Computer, and iPad.\u00a0 This application is different. When Apple. in their infinite wisdom de-coupled To-Dos from Calendar, I went … <\/p>\n