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My Inspections: iCal Sharable Link

Purpose Statement

This feature allows fire inspectors to create a sharable calendar link (iCal) that automatically syncs their inspection schedule with external calendar applications such as Outlook, Google Calendar, Apple Calendar, and others. By generating a single sharable link, inspectors can keep their inspection appointments synchronized across multiple platforms, reducing scheduling conflicts and improving time management. The calendar feed updates automatically when inspection schedules change, eliminating the need for manual calendar updates.
 

Background Information

Fire inspectors often manage complex schedules with multiple inspections, re-inspections, and follow-ups scheduled across different dates and times. Maintaining an accurate, up-to-date calendar across multiple platforms can be time-consuming and error-prone when done manually.
The iCal Sharable Link feature extends the existing calendar integration functionality from the My Shifts module to fire prevention inspections. This integration allows inspectors to:
  • Automatically sync all scheduled inspections to their preferred calendar application
  • Maintain updated schedules as inspections are added, modified, or cancelled
  • View inspection details including business names, addresses, inspection types, and notes directly in their calendar
  • Distinguish between initial inspections and re-inspections with clear labeling
  • Access their schedule offline through their calendar application
Common Use Cases:
  • Coordinating inspection schedules with personal appointments
  • Planning travel routes between multiple inspection sites
  • Sharing availability with team members through shared calendars
  • Receiving reminders and notifications from calendar applications
  • Accessing inspection schedules on mobile devices
Prerequisites:
  • Active user account with fire inspection access
  • Access to at least one external calendar application (Outlook, Google Calendar, Apple Calendar, etc.)
  • Basic understanding of how to add calendar subscriptions to your preferred calendar application
     

Required Permissions

To access and use the sharable calendar link feature, users must have:

  • Fire Inspector role or equivalent inspection-related permissions
  • View My Inspections permission to access the My Inspections page
  • Calendar Integration permission (if separately configured)

Note: The feature only displays inspections assigned to the logged-in user, providing inherent data security without requiring additional permission layers.

Video


 

Step-by-Step Guide 

Step 1: Navigate to the My Inspections Page or Inspections List
 
 

Step 2: Locate the Share to iCal Link
 
  1. On the My Inspections page and Inspections List page
  2. Hover your mouse over the iCal icon to see the tooltip "Create link for external calendars"

 
 
Step 3: Generate Your Sharable Calendar Link
 
  1. Click the link
  2. A modal window will open displaying your unique iCal sharable link
  3. The modal includes two action buttons: Copy and Revoke Link
  4. Your sharable link will look similar to: https://yourfirstdueurl.com/fire-inspection-ical-export/view/[unique-token]
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Warning:

Security Notice: The modal displays this message: "Anyone with this link can view your schedule. Please keep it private to maintain your privacy. You can revoke access at any time using the button below."



 
Step 4: Copy the Calendar Link to Your Clipboard
 
  1. In the modal window, click the Copy button
  2. A confirmation message will appear: "Link copied to clipboard"
  3. The link is now ready to paste into your calendar application
  4. You can close the modal by clicking outside of it or on the close button
 
Step 5: Add the Calendar Link to Your Calendar Application
 
For Desktop Calendar Applications (Outlook Desktop, Apple Calendar, Mozilla Thunderbird):
  1. Open your calendar application
  2. Look for an option like "Add Calendar," "Subscribe to Calendar," or "Add Calendar from URL"
  3. Paste the copied iCal link when prompted
  4. Give the calendar a recognizable name (e.g., "My Fire Inspections")
  5. Save or confirm the subscription
  6. Your inspections will begin syncing automatically
For Web-Based Calendars (Google Calendar, Yahoo Calendar, Outlook.com):
  1. Open your web-based calendar
  2. Navigate to settings or calendar management
  3. Look for "Add by URL" or "Subscribe to Calendar"
  4. Paste the copied iCal link
  5. Confirm the subscription
  6. Your inspections will appear in your calendar
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Important Note:

Desktop calendar applications (Outlook Desktop, Apple Calendar, Thunderbird) can update and delete events automatically. Web-based calendars (Google Calendar, Yahoo, Outlook.com) will create new events but may not update existing ones if changes occur.

 
 
Step 6: Verify Your Inspections Are Syncing
  1. Check your calendar application for newly imported inspections
  2. Verify that inspection details are displaying correctly
  3. Confirm that both initial inspections and re-inspections are visible
  4. Check that all inspection statuses are included (Scheduled, Completed, Cancelled, In Progress, etc.)
What You Should See in Your Calendar:
  • Event Titles formatted as: [Status]: [Inspection Type] - [Business Name]
    • Example: "Scheduled: Fire & Life Safety Inspection - ABC Restaurant"
  • Re-inspection Titles formatted as: [Status]: Re-inspection: [Original Inspection Type] - [Business Name]
    • Example: "Scheduled: Re-inspection: Fire & Life Safety Inspection - ABC Restaurant"
  • Event Times: Inspections with scheduled times appear at the specified time; inspections without times appear as All Day events
  • Event Details: Business name, address, inspection type, assigned inspector, fire station, and notes (when populated)
     
Step 7: Revoke Your Calendar Link (Optional)
 
If you need to invalidate your calendar link for security reasons:
  1. Return to Inspections > My Inspections
  2. Click the calendar icon
  3. In the modal window, click the Revoke Link button
  4. A confirmation message will appear: "Calendar link has been revoked"
  5. The existing link will immediately become invalid
  6. External calendar applications will no longer be able to sync using the revoked link
When to Revoke:
  • You suspect your link has been shared unintentionally
  • You no longer need calendar synchronization
  • You want to generate a new link for security purposes
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Info:

After Revoking: You can generate a new sharable link at any time by clicking the calendar icon again and copying the newly generated URL.

 

 
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Tip:

Use filters before using the iCal link to bring over desired inspections to help keep your calendar organized.

 

Best Practices

 
Do's:
  • Keep your calendar link private - Treat it like a password; anyone with the link can view your inspection schedule
  • Test the integration first - Verify the calendar sync is working correctly before relying on it for critical scheduling
  • Name your calendar subscription clearly - Use a descriptive name like "First Due Inspections" to easily identify it among other calendars
  • Periodically verify sync accuracy - Check that your calendar is updating correctly, especially after making schedule changes
  • Use calendar app notifications - Enable reminders in your calendar application to receive alerts before inspections
  • Update First Due as the source of truth - Always make schedule changes in First Due, not in your external calendar
  • Revoke and regenerate links periodically - For enhanced security, consider refreshing your calendar link quarterly
Don'ts:
  • Don't share your calendar link publicly - This provides access to your inspection schedule and potentially sensitive business information
  • Don't rely solely on web-based calendars for updates - Remember that Google Calendar and similar services may not automatically update changed events
  • Don't edit events in your external calendar - Changes made in external calendars will not sync back to First Due
  • Don't assume immediate syncing - Allow time for your calendar application to refresh the feed (typically within an hour)
  • Don't forget to revoke old links - If you generate a new link, revoke the old one to maintain security
Tips for Optimal Use:
  • Mobile access: Most calendar apps on smartphones support iCal subscriptions, giving you inspection schedules on the go
  • Color coding: Many calendar apps allow you to assign colors to subscribed calendars, making inspections easy to distinguish
  • Multiple calendar integration: You can add the same iCal link to multiple calendar applications if you use different platforms
  • Offline access: Once synced, many calendar apps cache inspection data for offline viewing

Troubleshooting & FAQs

Common Issues and Solutions
Problem: I don't see the calendar icon on My Inspections page
  • Solution: Verify you have the readMyFireInspection permission. Contact your system administrator to confirm your account permissions are configured correctly.
Problem: The modal won't open when I click the calendar icon
  • Solution: Try refreshing the page and clicking again. If the issue persists, clear your browser cache and cookies, then log back in to First Due.
Problem: I get an error message "Unable to generate calendar link"
  • Solution: This indicates a system issue. Wait a few minutes and try again. If the problem continues, contact First Due support and provide the exact error message you received.
Problem: My calendar application won't accept the iCal link
  • Solution:
    • Verify you copied the entire URL without any extra spaces
    • Ensure your calendar application supports iCal/ICS subscriptions
    • Try pasting the link in a different calendar application to isolate the issue
    • Check that you're using the correct "Subscribe to Calendar" or "Add by URL" option (not "Import")
Problem: Inspections aren't appearing in my external calendar
  • Solution:
    • Allow 10-15 minutes for the initial sync to complete
    • Manually refresh your calendar application
    • Verify you have inspections scheduled in First Due on the My Inspections page
    • Check that the calendar subscription is still active in your calendar app settings
    • Confirm the calendar is visible (not hidden) in your calendar view
Problem: My inspections show as "All Day" events when they have specific times
  • Solution: This may indicate a data issue. Verify that times are properly entered in First Due. If times exist in First Due but don't appear in your calendar, contact support for assistance.
Problem: Inspections without times don't show up at all
  • Solution: Inspections without assigned times should appear as All Day events. If they're missing entirely, verify the inspections are assigned to you in First Due and have a valid date.
Problem: I'm seeing duplicate inspection events in my calendar
  • Solution:
    • This is a known limitation with some calendar applications
    • Delete existing inspection events from your calendar
    • Unsubscribe from the calendar feed
    • Re-subscribe to the feed to reimport clean data
    • Avoid manually importing the .ics file multiple times
Problem: Changed or cancelled inspections still show in my calendar
  • Solution:
    • Desktop apps: Should update automatically within an hour; try manually refreshing
    • Web-based calendars: You may need to manually delete outdated events due to platform limitations
    • Consider using a desktop calendar application for better synchronization
Problem: My revoked calendar link still works in my calendar app
  • Solution:
    • Revoked links are invalidated immediately in First Due
    • Your calendar app may be showing cached data
    • Unsubscribe from the calendar feed in your calendar application
    • Generate a new link if you still need calendar synchronization
Problem: I need to change which inspections appear in my calendar
  • Solution: The calendar includes ALL inspections assigned to you. To control what appears:
    • Have inspections reassigned in First Due if they shouldn't appear on your calendar
    • Use your calendar application's filtering or hide features to manage visibility
    • The system does not support filtering by inspection type or date range
Problem: Inspection details are missing from calendar events
  • Solution: The system only includes populated fields. If business name, address, or notes are empty in First Due, they won't appear in the calendar event. Update the inspection record in First Due to add missing information.