Invite from your calendar (iCal bot)

Create a Kenai visitor invite without leaving your calendar: add the Kenai iCal bot as an attendee on a calendar event and Kenai creates the visitor invite for you. It works from your calendar (Outlook, Google Calendar, or any iCal system), so there is no separate dashboard step.

There are two bot addresses:

• [e-mail] (CCBOT - Invite) creates invites once your defaults are saved.

• [e-mail] (CCBOT - Invite Setup) walks you through setup the first time and whenever you want to change your options.

Note: Kenai accepts events only from email addresses on the host directory for that site. If you are not loaded as a host, the bot replies with an error instead of creating an invite (see Troubleshooting).

Set up your invites the first time

The first time you invite visitors, use [e-mail] to confirm your options and save them as your defaults.

1

Add the setup bot to an event

In your calendar, open or create an event and add [e-mail] (CCBOT - Invite Setup) as an attendee, along with at least one external guest. Send or save the event.

2

Open the setup email

Kenai replies with a Setup visitor invites in Kenai email. Click the green Set up Visitor Invites button to open the setup page.

3

Verify and confirm

Verify with the one-time PIN (OTP) you are sent, then confirm your invite details on the Visitor Invites page: event, Arrival Date and Time, Location, Visitor Type, who to send to, Host, and an optional Second host.

4

Save your defaults and create

Tick Save settings as default for future invitations? so the standard [e-mail] bot can reuse them, then click Create Invites. If you leave the box unticked, you return to this setup page for every invite until you save.

Walkthrough: confirming your invite details and saving them as defaults.

Tip: the detailed confirmation email Kenai sends back is your proof that the invite is created and the visitor experience is automated.

Create an invite from a calendar event

Once your defaults are saved, add [e-mail] to any event and Kenai creates the invite automatically.

1

Create the meeting

In your calendar, create a meeting as normal. Add a title and set the date and time.

2

Add the iCal bot

Add [e-mail] (CCBOT - Invite) as an attendee. This triggers Kenai to create and manage the invite from this event.

3

Add your visitors

Add your visitor or visitors as attendees on the same event.

4

Send the event

Once all your details are confirmed, send or save the meeting. Kenai creates the invites, emails each visitor a pre-registration invite, and sends you a confirmation email with the meeting details and a shareable invite link.

Walkthrough: creating an invite by adding the iCal bot to a calendar event.

Update an invite

To change an existing invite, edit the event that already has the bot attached, then make any small change to the meeting title to re-trigger Kenai.

1

Open the event

Open your existing invite in your calendar.

2

Make your changes

Change the date, time, or attendees as needed. Add any extra participants to the attendee list as normal.

3

Change the title to re-trigger

Make any small change to the meeting title. This is what tells the iCal bot to pick up the edit.

4

Send or save

Send or save the meeting. Kenai re-issues the invite email with the updated details.

Walkthrough: updating an existing invite from your calendar.

Cancel an invite

1

Open the event

Open your existing invite in your calendar.

2

Select Cancel

In the event, select Cancel.

3

Add a note and send

Choose Cancel event and notify attendees, add an optional note, and click Send.

The visitor's invite is cancelled: if they click Check In on their email, they see This has been cancelled by the organizer. instead of pre-registration. They also receive the standard cancellation email with your note, so their calendar stays in sync.

Walkthrough: cancelling an invite from your calendar.

Troubleshooting

If something is wrong with the event, Kenai replies with an error email instead of creating the invite. There are three errors to know.

• Request Denied: you are not on any host list. You must be a host to invite visitors. Please contact your Kenai admin to add you as a host. You need to be added to the host list for each site you invite to (see Manage hosts).

• No External Guests: Kenai did not see any external attendees on the event. Fix it one of three ways: delete the event and start over with your guests added; manually copy and share the Share Invite Link from the email; or edit the event to add the missing guests. To invite internal guests, add [e-mail] to the event.

• More than one CC bot: you included both bots on the event. Please include only one of [e-mail] or [e-mail]. Edit the event, remove the extra bot, change the title slightly, and send again.

Walkthrough: the three iCal bot error emails and how to fix the event.