Meetings are the heartbeat of many businesses – essential for collaboration, decision-making, and closing deals. But if you’re an executive assistant, you know the dark side: scheduling those meetings can be a full-time job. Between juggling your executive’s packed calendar, coordinating with multiple attendees, and avoiding the dreaded double-booking, it’s a never-ending puzzle. Add your own schedule into the mix, and it’s a recipe for chaos.
But it doesn’t have to be that way. You can automate meeting scheduling, rescheduling, and reminders – saving time, reducing stress, and keeping everything running like clockwork for your executive (and yourself).
Why Automated Scheduling Is a Game-Changer
Let’s start with the “why.” Studies show professionals spend up to 20 hours a week in meetings (apparently they didn’t study my CEO 😅). As an executive assistant, you might spend even more time setting them up. The manual approach – endless email threads, time zone mishaps, and last-minute cancellations wastes hours and invites mistakes. Automation flips the script. It syncs calendars, suggests available times, and sends invites, all without you having to play coordinator-in-chief. The result? Fewer headaches and more time for the high-value, strategic work your executive cares about.
How to Automate Scheduling Like a Pro
Ready to ditch the back-and-forth? Here’s a simple, step-by-step guide to automating meeting scheduling:
- Pick the Right Tool
Start with a scheduling platform that fits your workflow. There are dozens of options, and I’ve tried several of them. Personally, I like YouCanBookMe by Capacity (YCBM) which integrates seamlessly with your calendars, whether you use Outlook, Google, or Apple. YCBM scans availability in real time, so you don’t have to guess who’s free when. - Set Your Rules
Customization is key. Does your executive prefer morning meetings? Need a buffer between calls to regroup? Want a different booking page for different meeting use cases? You got it. Set your preferences, and YCBM enforces them every time. - Share a Link and Let Them Choose
Forget the “Does this work?” emails. With a personalized booking link, attendees pick from your pre-set available slots. They book, the meeting lands on everyone’s calendar, automated reminders are sent when you set them to send, and you’re done. It’s that easy.
Tackling Group Meetings with Ease
Coordinating one-on-one meetings is one thing, but what about those big group meetings – like a board session with ten busy executives across three time zones? YCBM’s group scheduling features have you covered. You can either create a booking link for a group that analyzes overlapping availability, adjusts for time zone differences, and allows you, or another booker to confirm the perfect slot. No more email ping-pong or late-night math to figure out who’s in which time zone.
And when you don’t have access to everyone’s calendar (i.e. – external parties), you can quickly create a YCBM Meeting Poll. Set a few options, share the poll with the group, and watch the votes come in. Once a quorum has been reached, simply click to confirm the time and YCBM creates the invite – all without having to open your calendar.
Don’t Forget Yourself
As an executive assistant, you’re not just managing someone else’s time – you’ve got your own priorities too. Automating your schedule can be just as powerful. Create and share your own booking links so you can spend that time saved prepping for your executive’s next big presentation, or other strategic tasks.
The Bonus Features You’ll Love
The perks don’t stop at booking. YCBM’s scheduling tool sends automatic reminders to attendees (say no to no-shows), and even generates Zoom, Google Meet, or Teams links for virtual meetings. It’s like having your own automated assistant to handle the details, so you can focus on the bigger picture.
But one of my favorite features is YCBM’s two-way scheduling feature, which bookers love because it’s scheduling that works for their calendar, not just yours.
When someone visits your booking page, they can overlay their own calendar – without creating an account or handing over data – and instantly see the times when you’re both free. Whether they’re on desktop or mobile, they can pick the perfect slot in seconds, without the hassle of cross-checking calendars, and sending back-and-forth messages.
The Payoff: More Time, More Results, Less Chaos
Assistants who automate scheduling can save hours per week. Personally, I automate 85-90% of my CEO’s meetings, saving at least 5-10 hours per week. As a bonus, during seasons when we’re sprinting to book as many investor meetings as possible, calendar automation is like having a superpower. There’s no way I could have manually scheduled 143 investor calls in 8 weeks – while also fulfilling the rest of my responsibilities as a Senior EA. But with YCBM, it was more than possible.
Imagine what you could do with the extra time – whether it’s strategizing with your executive, tackling a backlogged project, or just enjoying a quiet coffee break. Your executives win too: fewer delays, fewer mix-ups, and meetings that actually start on time. It’s a win-win.
Get Started Today
Ready to take the plunge? Here’s your action plan:
- Sign up for YCBM by Capacity or another scheduling tool that syncs with your current setup.
- Connect your calendars (and your executive’s).
- Test it out with a low-stakes meeting to get the hang of it, customize your settings, and secure a quick win.
Once you see how effortless scheduling can be, you’ll wonder why you ever did it the old way.
The Bottom Line
Automating meeting scheduling isn’t just about saving time – it’s about reclaiming your day and elevating your role as an executive assistant. It’s about embracing automation as a critical tool in your arsenal.
Why I Prefer YouCanBookMe by Capacity to Other Automated Booking Tools
I’ve used several calendar automation tools over the years (I was a power user of Calendly for years, for example), but I wanted to share a few reasons why I am using Capacity’s YouCanBookMe tool now.
5 Reasons Why I Use YCBM by Capacity:
- I prefer the layout of YCBM’s settings and customizations interface to others. It’s much more intuitive, and customizable than most scheduling tools out there.
- YCBM has been around for 14+ years and they book around 1 million meetings per month. Meanwhile, other scheduling tools have only been in the space for a few years, have more outages and bugs, or simply lack key features.
- YCBM booking pages allow me to accept payments so it works great for when assistants or executives want to book a coaching call with me.
- YCBM is generally cheaper than Calendly, and much cheaper than other scheduling tools. For example, you can get all of the pro features for just $18/month per user (and cheaper if you sign up for an annual or 2 year plan).
- My company, Capacity (I’m Sr. EA to the CEO) acquired YCBM in early 2025, and since the acquisition, we’ve already built some specific features that make YCBM even more valuable to EAs (Polls for example), and we’re rolling out new updates to make YCBM great for enterprise teams too. Personally, I’m excited to be able to speak to product improvements directly from the “inside” which allows me to relay what other EAs are looking for.
Of course, if you like a different scheduling automation tool, that’s great! As long as you’re embracing automation so you can free yourself from the mundane, I’m happy. 😃
That said, I hope you’ll give YCBM by Capacity a shot (we do offer a free trial), and I’m happy to walk you through a demo to show you the ropes.
If you’re interested in a quick demo, you can overlay your calendar to quickly book time with me via my YCBM booking page here -> ea-demo.capacity.com
Happy Scheduling!
