How to Bulk Import Events into Google Calendar from CSV

I was helping a sports club manager last month who needed to add an entire season of volleyball games to their Google Calendar. "There are 24 games, each with different times and locations," they said, pulling up a spreadsheet. "Please don't tell me I have to create these one by one."

After spending 30 minutes building a simple CSV import process, we had all 24 events in their calendar with zero manual typing. The key was understanding Google Calendar's specific CSV requirements and having a backup plan with .ics generation for more complex scenarios.

This guide shows you the complete process I used, from CSV formatting to import execution, plus a Python script for creating universal .ics files. By the end, you'll be able to bulk import any number of events in minutes instead of hours.

The Manual Entry Problem

Most people discover bulk import the hard way - after manually creating dozens of calendar events. Whether you're scheduling classes, managing sports leagues, planning conference sessions, or organizing recurring meetings, individual event creation becomes painfully inefficient at scale.

The math is sobering. Creating a single calendar event takes roughly 2-3 minutes when you factor in opening the form, entering details, setting times, adding locations, and saving. For 50 events, that's over 2 hours of repetitive data entry. For 200 events, you're looking at an entire workday.

Google Calendar's CSV import feature eliminates this tedium entirely. More importantly, it reduces human error - no more typos in event names, wrong time zones, or forgotten location details. Everything comes from your source data, ensuring consistency across all events.

CSV Structure and Formatting

Google Calendar requires specific column names and data formats for successful imports. The essential columns are straightforward, but the formatting details matter significantly.

Your CSV must include these core columns:

• Subject - The event title (required)
• Start Date - Format: YYYY-MM-DD (required)
• Start Time - Format: HH:MM in 24-hour time (required)
• End Date - Format: YYYY-MM-DD (required)
• End Time - Format: HH:MM in 24-hour time (required)

Optional columns that enhance your events:

• Description - Detailed event information
• Location - Physical or virtual meeting location

Here's a properly formatted example for a volleyball league:

Subject,Start Date,Start Time,End Date,End Time,Description,Location
Odbojka na mivki — Sežana,2025-06-25,20:00,2025-06-25,22:00,Weekly beach volleyball,Sežana
Odbojka na mivki — Sežana,2025-07-02,20:00,2025-07-02,22:00,Weekly beach volleyball,Sežana
Odbojka na mivki — Sežana,2025-07-09,20:00,2025-07-09,22:00,Weekly beach volleyball,Sežana

The formatting requirements are strict. Dates must use YYYY-MM-DD format - not MM/DD/YYYY or DD-MM-YYYY. Times must be 24-hour format without AM/PM indicators. Any deviation from these formats will cause import failures or incorrect event times.

For events with special characters or commas in the content, wrap the entire field in double quotes. Excel and Google Sheets handle this automatically, but manual CSV editing requires attention to these details.

Google Calendar Import Process

The actual import process is straightforward once your CSV is properly formatted. Google Calendar provides a dedicated import interface that handles the file processing and validation.

Open Google Calendar in a desktop browser and navigate to Settings via the gear icon in the top right. The mobile app doesn't support CSV import, so desktop access is required for this step.

In the left sidebar, select "Import & Export" - this section handles both importing events and exporting existing calendar data. Under the Import section, click "Select file from your computer" and choose your CSV file.

The calendar selection dropdown is crucial here. Choose which specific calendar should receive these events. If you manage multiple calendars (personal, work, sports, etc.), importing to the correct one prevents organizational confusion later.

Click Import and Google Calendar processes your file. For small files (under 100 events), this happens almost instantly. Larger imports may take several minutes, and Google Calendar will show a progress indicator.

Success confirmation appears as a notification showing how many events were imported. Navigate to your calendar view to verify the events appear with correct times and details.

Common import failures stem from formatting issues. If events don't appear, double-check your CSV structure against the requirements above. Time zone mismatches can also cause events to appear at unexpected hours - ensure your Google Calendar timezone setting matches your event data.

Python Script for ICS Generation

For more flexibility and universal compatibility, converting CSV to .ics format provides advantages. ICS files work with Google Calendar, Outlook, Apple Calendar, and virtually any calendar application.

The Python approach also allows customization of the conversion process. You can add recurring event support, multiple attendees, custom reminders, or specialized formatting that CSV import doesn't support.

# File: csv_to_ics.py
import csv
from datetime import datetime

csv_file = 'events.csv'      # Your input CSV file
ics_file = 'events.ics'      # Output ICS file

# ICS file header with required calendar metadata
ics_content = "BEGIN:VCALENDAR\nVERSION:2.0\nCALSCALE:GREGORIAN\nMETHOD:PUBLISH\n"

with open(csv_file, newline='', encoding='utf-8') as f:
    reader = csv.DictReader(f)
    for idx, row in enumerate(reader):
        # Parse start and end times from CSV data
        start_dt = datetime.strptime(f"{row['Start Date']} {row['Start Time']}", "%Y-%m-%d %H:%M")
        end_dt = datetime.strptime(f"{row['End Date']} {row['End Time']}", "%Y-%m-%d %H:%M")
        
        # Generate unique event with proper ICS formatting
        ics_content += f"""BEGIN:VEVENT
UID:event{idx}@example.com
DTSTAMP:{start_dt.strftime('%Y%m%dT%H%M%SZ')}
DTSTART:{start_dt.strftime('%Y%m%dT%H%M%SZ')}
DTEND:{end_dt.strftime('%Y%m%dT%H%M%SZ')}
SUMMARY:{row['Subject']}
DESCRIPTION:{row.get('Description', '')}
LOCATION:{row.get('Location', '')}
END:VEVENT
"""

# Close the calendar structure
ics_content += "END:VCALENDAR"

# Write the complete ICS file
with open(ics_file, 'w', encoding='utf-8') as f:
    f.write(ics_content)

print(f"ICS file created: {ics_file}")

This script reads your CSV and generates a standards-compliant .ics file. The datetime formatting converts your human-readable dates into the precise UTC timestamps that calendar applications expect.

The UID field provides unique identification for each event, preventing duplicates during import. The DTSTAMP indicates when the event was created, which calendar apps use for synchronization.

To use the script, save it as csv_to_ics.py in the same directory as your CSV file. Run python csv_to_ics.py to generate the .ics file, then import it through Google Calendar's import interface using the same process as CSV files.

The .ics approach becomes particularly valuable for recurring events, complex attendee management, or when you need to distribute calendar files to users of different calendar applications.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Time zone confusion causes the majority of import problems. Events appearing 3, 6, or 8 hours off typically indicate timezone mismatches between your CSV data, Google Calendar settings, and your local computer.

Verify your Google Calendar timezone in Settings → General → Time Zone. If your events are scheduled for a specific location, set the calendar timezone to match that location, not your current location.

Character encoding issues affect CSV files containing non-English characters or special symbols. Save your CSV as UTF-8 encoding to prevent corrupted text in event titles or descriptions. Most modern spreadsheet applications do this automatically, but manual CSV editing requires attention to encoding.

Date format inconsistencies cause complete import failures. Google Calendar strictly expects YYYY-MM-DD format for dates. Common mistakes include using MM/DD/YYYY (US format) or DD/MM/YYYY (European format). Double-check date formatting before import attempts.

Large file imports occasionally timeout or fail partially. If you have hundreds of events, consider splitting them into multiple CSV files of 50-100 events each. This approach also makes troubleshooting easier when specific events have formatting issues.

Testing and Validation

Before importing your actual event data, test the process with a small sample. Create a CSV with 3-5 events covering different scenarios: all-day events, multi-hour events, and events with special characters in descriptions.

Import this test file to a dedicated test calendar (create a new calendar specifically for testing). This prevents cluttering your main calendar with test data and allows you to verify timing, formatting, and display behavior.

Check that imported events display correctly across different views - day, week, month, and agenda views sometimes show different information. Verify that event details, locations, and descriptions appear as expected.

For .ics testing, try importing the generated file into a different calendar application if available. This validates that your .ics format follows standards correctly and works universally.

Production Best Practices

Create a dedicated calendar for bulk-imported events, especially if you're managing events for organizations or groups. This separation makes it easier to manage imported events without affecting personal calendar items.

Keep your source CSV files after successful imports. They serve as backups and make it easy to re-import events if needed. Store them with descriptive filenames that include dates or event categories.

For recurring imports, establish consistent naming conventions and file organization. If you regularly import monthly schedules or seasonal events, standardized processes reduce errors and save time.

Consider the audience when choosing between CSV and .ics approaches. If you're providing calendar files to others, .ics offers better compatibility. For personal use or Google-centric organizations, direct CSV import is simpler.

You now have a complete system for bulk calendar imports that scales from dozens to hundreds of events. Whether you use Google Calendar's native CSV import or the Python-generated .ics approach, you can eliminate manual event creation entirely and focus on more valuable work.

Let me know in the comments if you have questions about CSV formatting or the Python script, and subscribe for more practical productivity guides.

Thanks, Matija