Decide Between Outlook and Your Other Digital Calendar Options

On the afternoon of the first Tuesday in March 2018 — you were alive. You had a day full of thoughts, emotions, and experiences, and yet, do you remember any of them? Unless that Tuesday was unusually significant for you, you likely remember as much about it as what you ate for breakfast two weeks ago.

The vast majority of the days of your life slip by without much notice, but some are different. Some are special. Some days change the fundamental direction of your life, their memory etched into your psyche. Because on days like those, you finally ask the burning questions that have haunted your thoughts and dreams for years. On a rare, monumental day like today, you ultimately decide what digital calendar to use.

The Players

As you might imagine, there are many excellent digital calendar options to choose from. Each offers unique strengths offset by its weaknesses. Which one you choose depends on which addresses your needs as an individual. With this in mind, here’s a brief overview of some of the best players in the game.

Outlook, developed by Microsoft, is a widely used digital calendar with a strong presence in professional settings. Google Calendar is a cloud-based platform offered by Google built to incentivize collaboration. Calendar.com aims to simplify scheduling and appointments and help its users improve their productivity. Finally, at least discussed in this article, Trello is a project management calendar that enables users to take a Kanban-style visual approach to planning.

Outlook

Pros:

• Seamless Integration: Outlook integrates seamlessly with other Microsoft Office Suite products. This allows for more efficient management of emails, tasks, and contacts alongside your calendar. It’s easy to source information from one Suite program and transfer it to another.
• Robust Features: Outlook offers numerous support features like conditional formatting, customizable views, and advanced categorization. It also supports complex scheduling, resource management, and meeting invitations. These robust support features are ideal for large businesses.
• Offline Accessibility: Unlike most other options on this list, Office is still useful when you’re offline. You can still access your calendar and make changes to it without an internet connection. Your updates will sync the next time you have a signal. This makes Office an appealing option for frequent travelers.

Cons:

• Limited Cross-Platform Support: While Outlook is technically available on multiple platforms, its integration and functionality work best on Windows. The Outlook experience on Mac or other operating systems may not be as seamless or efficient.
• Steep Learning Curve: Outlook’s extensive customizable features and options can make learning overwhelming. New or less tech-savvy users may experience difficulty with its learning curve. Increased tech support may be necessary during the initial phases of integration.

Outlook’s emphasis on professional usefulness informs much of its design. It’s a great option to consider for business-minded, tech-savvy individuals and teams. It’s effortless to recommend if you’re already using other programs in the Microsoft Suite.

Google Calendar

Pros:

• Collaboration and Sharing: Google Calendar excels at collaboration. You can easily share dates, events, and entire calendars with others. You can invite attendees to events and customize permissions. This makes recommending for individuals, friends, families, and teams easy.
• Easy Synchronization: Gcal syncs seamlessly across multiple devices, platforms, and operating systems. You can switch between desktop and mobile, web browsers and apps, and your information is preserved. This accessibility ensures you can access and manage your calendar anywhere with an internet connection.
• Third-Party Integrations: Like Outlook, Google Calendar seamlessly integrates with other Google services, such as Gmail, Meet, and Tasks. This creates a cohesive productivity ecosystem that can scale.

Cons:

• Limited Customization Options: Google Calendar’s basic customization options will be sufficient for the average user. But those seeking extensive customization options may want to look elsewhere. Advanced features are few and far between.
• Dependency on Google: By design, you’re encouraged to adopt other Google services to maximize the benefits of its Calendar. Those invested in other productivity and workflow ecosystems may find Gcal’s options lacking.

Likely the most ubiquitous option in this article, Google Calendar’s main strength is its scalability. It’s great for people from many walks of life and can adapt as you and your business change. Just keep in mind that Gcal is best used in tandem with other Google products.

Calendar.com

Pros:

• Intuitive Interface: Calendar.com provides one of the cleanest user-friendly interfaces on the market. It’s easy to navigate and manage different events with its intuitive display. This focus on simplicity and ease makes it appealing to those…