The question that came to my mind when I heard that Notion, the incredibly popular note-taking and project management service, was launching a standalone calendar service. Maybe I shouldn’t have been surprised, though, given that Notion acquired Cron, a rather smartly designed calendar app, in 2022.
Notion Calendar: A Standalone Service with a Deep Integration
At its core, Notion Calendar is a free next-gen version of Cron with a built-in, Calendly-like scheduling tool and a deep but optional Notion integration. It’s available for Mac, Windows, iOS, and on the web. An Android app is also in the works.
A Single Source of Truth
As Cron founder Raphael Schaad told me, he wanted to create a calendar that would allow users to combine their work and personal calendars, giving them a single source of truth for how they want to manage their day. While Notion has long had a calendar view for its workspaces, that was always disconnected from the likes of Google Calendar, which is also the first outside calendar that Notion Calendar is integrating with (with others to come later).
A Fully Standalone Service
It’s worth stressing that Notion Calendar is a fully standalone service, and you can easily ignore the Notion integration if you’re only looking for a smart calendaring service. However, the integration with Notion is deep, and it allows users to access their notes and projects directly from the calendar.
The Vision of Brining a Time Layer
As both Schaad and Notion co-founder Akshay Kothari told me, the overall vision here is to bring a time layer to every aspect of the service, no matter whether that’s notes or projects. What exactly that’s going to look like remains to be seen. For now, though, the team is starting with the basics of any good calendaring app and then plans to build on top of that.
The Company’s Investment
It’s worth remembering that this is Notion’s first standalone product outside of its flagship service, and the company is clearly looking at this as a major investment. The company hopes that the calendar may bring in new users to the overall Notion ecosystem, all while giving existing users more reasons to stay on the platform.
The Impact on Enterprise
One of the most interesting aspects of Notion Calendar is its potential impact on enterprise. As both Schaad and Kothari told me, the company is looking at this as a way to bring a time layer to every aspect of the service, no matter whether that’s notes or projects. This could have significant implications for enterprise users who are looking for ways to streamline their workflows and improve productivity.
The Future of Calendaring
As we look to the future of calendaring, it’s clear that Notion Calendar is going to be a major player in the space. With its deep integration with Notion and its focus on bringing a time layer to every aspect of the service, it has the potential to revolutionize the way we manage our time.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Notion Calendar is a significant development in the world of calendaring, and it’s clear that the company is committed to making it a major player in the space. With its deep integration with Notion and its focus on bringing a time layer to every aspect of the service, it has the potential to revolutionize the way we manage our time.
Topics
- Apps
- Calendar
- Enterprise
- Notion
- Task Management
