How to Make a Calendar in Google Docs (2024 Guide + Templates)

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When we talk about your Google Calendar, what’s the first thing that pops in your head?

Birthdays 🎂 and Holidays ✈️!

But sometimes, you need a calendar that does more. 

Like a marketing or editorial calendar, or maybe a business-related weekly calendar.

In these instances, Google Docs can be helpful.

And the fun part is, you can create a Google Docs calendar yourself. 

In this article, we’ll show you how to create a calendar in Google Docs and even highlight some template options. We’ll also discuss some Google Docs calendar limitations and suggest a project management software alternative.

Ready to make a Google Docs calendar? 

Here we go!

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How to Make a Calendar in Google Docs?

A Google Docs calendar is like any other calendar. 📅 

The only difference is you make it in a Google Docs file.

Here’s how to turn that blank, boring document into your very own calendar. 😎

Step 1: Open a new Google document

Just like accessing any other Google app, ensure that you’re logged in using your personal Google account or Google Workspace account to use Google Docs.

To begin, open a new Google Doc from the Google Docs home page.

Google Doc home page

We know you see a template gallery there, but unfortunately, the Google Docs app makers decided not to add a calendar template to it.

So don’t waste your time there, and select a blank doc to begin.

After the document opens, name it what you need it to be, or you’ll have a tough time finding it later. 🔍

For now, let’s call this Google Doc file ‘Monthly Calendar.’

Note: You can use the same steps to create a daily, weekly, or yearly calendar too.

Now enter the name of the month you want at the start of the document. 

Let’s stick to January.

monthly calendar Google Doc

Step 2: Insert a table

A calendar won’t look like itself without those squares, right?

Since you’re making a monthly calendar, let’s add 7 x 6 squares. Seven is the number of days in a week, and six was the number of weeks January 2021 was spread across.

Go to Insert > Table > then move your cursor to highlight 7 x 6, and then click to insert the table. This should fit in your weekends too.

inserting a table in Google Doc

Step 3: Add the dates and tasks

Before you add the dates, insert a 7 x 1 table above the table you just created. This will give you space to add the days of the week.

adding dates and tasks in Google Doc

Now that you have the days of the week, open your computer or mobile’s calendar for reference and start inserting the dates accordingly.

Here, we used January 2021 for reference.

creating a calendar in Google Doc

Starting to look a lot like a calendar, isn’t it?

Now add the tasks or events. 

Let’s say this is your content calendar.

You can add tasks like:

  • Social media posts: Facebook posts, Twitter updates, Instagram stories
  • Blog posts: add your publication dates
  • Content marketing meeting: add to the appropriate date to schedule
content calendar in Google Doc

Step 4: Personalize your calendar

This step is the most F-U-N!

Put on your creative hats and make the calendar beautiful.

Here are some ideas:

  • Throw in some colors to coordinate similar days, tasks, and events
  • Change fonts, font size, or add bold/italic formatting to highlight them
  • Resize your calendar squares (table cells) to add space wherever you need

These are simply some suggestions. 

You might just discover that you’re more creative than you give yourself credit for. 😎

After you’re done formatting your calendar, it may look something like this:

Calendar in Google Doc

And the good news is, you can always change your calendar formatting later if you need to.

Step 5: Flip your doc’s orientation to landscape

This step is not compulsory, but it’s supposed to make your calendar legible.

Additionally, landscape orientation gives you more space to add task details.

Go to File > Page setup, and a Page setup dialogue box will pop up. Select Landscape under Orientation and click OK.

Page setup in Google Doc

And that’s a wrap. 

Congratulations, you have created a calendar in Google Docs all by yourself! 🥳

All that’s left to do is, share your calendar and start working with your team. To do this, click on the Share button in the top right corner and add the email addresses of your team members. 

But hold up. Did you know you can totally cut out the entire manual process of creating a calendar from scratch?

You heard it. And the solution is templates!

If you’re looking for a calendar template Google Docs may not be helpful, but the internet never fails.

Whether it’s a lesson plan, content marketing, or editorial calendar template for Google Docs, you’ll find them all.

Related 👉 How to Make a Timeline in Google Docs

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3 Calendar Templates for Google Docs

Don’t go looking for a Google Doc calendar template because we’ve found three options for you. 

Use any of these yourself to save tons of time and effort.

1. Weekly schedule template

This weekly digital planner template is great to schedule any calendar event, such as meetings, to-dos, etc., by time.

You can also use the same template in a Google Sheet file too.

weekly schedule template in Google Doc

Download this weekly schedule Google Docs template.

2. Social media calendar template

If you need a social media editorial calendar for all platforms, including Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, etc., this template should do.

This is another template that works with both a Google Doc and Google spreadsheet.

social media calendar in Google Doc

Download this social media Google Docs and Google Sheets calendar template.

3. Weekly event calendar template

This template can help you keep track of every calendar event in a specific week.

weekly event calendar template

Download this weekly event Google Docs calendar template.

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3 Limitations of Creating a Calendar in Google Docs 

We want you to ask yourself a question:

Is it really smart to use a document creation tool for making a calendar?

It’s like using a spreadsheet to do tiny calculations. It doesn’t make sense when we already have a thing called a calculator, right?. 

Similarly, using Google Docs to create a calendar doesn’t make sense when there are several calendar tools available instead. 

Let’s show you why else it doesn’t work:

1. Not designed for calendar use

We’ll let the cat 🐈 out of the bag. Google Docs isn’t meant for calendars.

You can write a blog post, type out your thoughts…if you got words, Google Docs is your friend, just like Microsoft Word.

Bonus: Check out our guide on creating a calendar in Microsoft Word! 💜

But logging some dates? Nope.

Not even reminders. 

2. Offline access is not convenient

Google’s biggest advantage is that everything in the Google Workspace is online. 

But sometimes, this poses a problem.

To access your files without an internet connection, you have to plan way ahead. You’ll need to decide which files you want to use when the internet is down.

From what we gather, offline access is supposed to help in emergencies.

But Google is asking you to foretell the emergencies and decide what should be available offline.

It looks like you’ll first need help from a crystal-gazer or become one yourself. 🔮

3. No workflow capabilities

Google Docs is not a calendar; we’ve established that. 

But guess what? It’s not a project manager either.

A business or project calendar must have certain capabilities like scheduling, creating tasks, assigning them, managing resources, setting priorities, visualizing a workflow, etc.

A Google Doc calendar has none of that!

It means your manually-made calendar on Google Docs is as good as your wall calendar.

Fortunately, there’s a simple solution to all these drawbacks: ClickUp!

It’s one of the world’s highest-rated productivity tool, trusted by several teams in small, medium, and large organizations.

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Create Effortless Calendars With ClickUp

With ClickUp, you get a calendar that can do it all.

Really?

Yup, we’re talking about our Calendar view.

This view lets you:

Drag and drop tasks or events in Calendar view

In the Calendar view, you can decide the time span you wish to see.

You can zoom in to see tasks at the day level and zoom out for a bird’s eye view of the entire month.

Calendar view options in ClickUp's mobile app
Calendar view options in ClickUp

When it comes to scheduling and rescheduling tasks, all you need to do is drag and drop them on the calendar. 

Simple.

But we absolutely understand that you may want different ways to view your tasks. 

That’s why ClickUp has several other options for you: 

One of the coolest aspects about ClickUp is, you can easily sync your favorite calendar with our calendar, whether it’s your Outlook, Google, or Apple Calendar.

The best out of that lot is the Google Calendar sync.

Why?

Because it has 2-way sync, meaning changes in any Google Calendar event will reflect in ClickUp and vice-versa.

Adding Google Calendar to ClickUp for a 2-way calendar sync
Integrating Google Calendar with ClickUp for a 2-way calendar sync

You can even carry your calendar in your pockets and:

  • Track important dates
  • Create tasks
  • Create a Reminder
  • Access the Notepad
  • Color-code your tasks 
  • And more!

All thanks to our mobile app’s Calendar view.

In the mobile app, choose to filter your Calendar view by day, week, month, work week (Monday to Friday only), month, or schedule (multi-day continuous layout). 

Calendar view options in ClickUp's mobile app
Calendar view options in ClickUp’s mobile app

And for quick and easy reference, all of the tasks that appear on your Calendar view in the mobile app are colored based on the task’s status!

Color coding task in the Calendar view in ClickUp's mobile app
Color coding task in the Calendar view in ClickUp’s mobile app

Speaking of calendars, we’re not going to forget about Reminders. You can not only set reminders for yourself but also delegate them to others!

The bottom line is, ClickUp can be your calendar app and a lot of other things at the same time.

Here’s a glimpse at some of ClickUp’s features to give you an idea:

  • Receive and send emails right from your project management software with the Email ClickApp
  • Work without the internet connection with our offline mode
  • Create custom workflows with task statuses
  • Save a template for Docs, views, statuses, etc.
  • Create and collaborate in real-time on wikis and knowledge bases with Docs
  • Take your work with you with ClickUp mobile apps (iOS and Android)
  • Use team templates to start using a pre-built workflow and save time
  • Assign a single task to multiple people with multiple assignees 
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Count the Days to Success with ClickUp

A Google Docs calendar is just a regular calendar with no workflow functionalities.

Sounds like a lot of effort to create something you already have on your mobile phone!

Instead, look for a calendar that can do more than give you space to fill in task details or show the day and date. 

Like ClickUp, an online calendar and project management app.

Unlike Google Docs, it lets you set reminders, schedule tasks, manage resources, track time, plan projects, and so much more.

Now we have only one question: 

Are you ready to manage multiple projects and never your miss due dates? 

Then get ClickUp for free today!

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