Shared Google Calendars on iPad - sync problems

[Network_Boy]

I've been noticing some problems with the default iOS calendar app on our staff iPads not syncing properly with the shared whole school Google calendar.

 

We have a main Admin whole school google calendar, which is then shared with staff via a generic email address that they all use to add the calendar to their iPads - the staff all just having viewing rights so they can't add events themselves.

 

On some devices, the iOS calendar stops syncing some of the individual calendars within the whole school google calendar, so not all of the events are showing. This isn't remedied by doing a forced sync. The only way I've been able to fix it is to remove the email account that contains the whole school calendar from the iPad, and re-add it. It then managed to pull down all of the calendars and events.

 

This doesn't seem specific to a particular iOS version. Has anyone else experienced this issue?

 

Does anyone use a different app on iOS for syncing their google calendar that has been reliable? I see that there is an official google calendar app for iPhone that they could use. Looks a bit naff as it's upscaled for the iPad screen, but if it's reliable then it would be preferable.

[RLR]

We have a similar setup but don't have any issues. We usually have to go to https://www.google.com/calendar/syncselect and select the calendar.

[Network_Boy]

We have a similar setup but don't have any issues. We usually have to go to https://www.google.com/calendar/syncselect and select the calendar.

 

Thanks for your reply. Are you going to that URL to force sync the google calendar once it has already been added to Apple's iOS calendar, or to set it up from fresh?

[RLR]

Staff have to add the staff calendar to their own calendar. This is done from the calendar Web interface (calendar.Google.Com). Once added they can chose to sync from that url

[Network_Boy]

Staff have to add the staff calendar to their own calendar. This is done from the calendar Web interface (calendar.Google.Com). Once added they can chose to sync from that url

 

Can I just ask why you are adding it in that way, rather than just adding it in the regular way (ie. Settings > Mail, Contacts, Calendars > Accounts > Add Account)? Is there a benefit of doing it your way? Apologies if I'm being dim.

[RLR]

Hmm. Are you adding the staff calendar account to the Ipad as well as their own calendar? I don't think there is any benefit either way. Both ways should work fine. I guess if you're adding the staff calendar as a separate account you have to provide the user with the account credentials which can't be good.

[Network_Boy]

They are staff iPads, so most staff only have the staff calendar on there. Staff are issued with the account credentials as they all use the same account, and all they can do is view the calendar. If they want to add events, they have to get the office to do it for them - so no issue with credentials.

 

Most of the time it works fine, but on a few occasions for various staff members, after a while it just stops syncing certain calendars (within the shared whole school calendar) and events - leading to much confusion and anger. It's pretty weird. I've got one of the staff to test out the official Google calendar app for a while to see if it's any better.

[RLR]

Ah Okay. Not sure what it could be then.

 

Have you checked the Fetch New Data settings to see if any of those are turned off?

 

Under settings > Mail, Contacts, Calendar > Fetch New Data

[Network_Boy]

Ah - good thinking! I will check that. On my iPad the shared calendar is set to "Fetch", but the setting for Fetch is set to "Manually". I'll change it to 15 mins and see if that makes any difference.