How to Sync Asana Tasks and Google Calendar Events Automatically

Published in Apps on , last updated .

This walkthrough will show you how to sync Asana tasks with Google Calendar events through Unito’s automated 2-way integration, although similar steps apply to many other Unito integrations. Syncing your Asana tasks (or milestones) with Google Calendar will save you from having to copy-paste details of your event-related tasks into a shared calendar. It’s also a handy way of staying on top of key dates such as product launches, conferences, corporate events, or really any kind of important presentation or meeting. Automating your project management tool with Google Calendar is essentially seen as the next step for any professional who’s ready to elevate their workflow automation game.

In short, this Unito flow is designed to automatically:

  • Create events in Google Calendar based on specific Asana tasks including specific details (fields in Unito) chosen by the user.
  • Keep events and tasks in a real-time two-way sync so that changes made to the task or calendar event are instantly reflected in the other.

NOTE: Unito identifies contacts and calendar guests by their email address. In order to sync guests to your shared calendar, each email address must be associated with your contacts in Asana and Google Calendar before building a flow.

Watch this Asana + Google Calendar flow in action

Why sync Asana tasks with Google Calendar events?

This workflow has a number of use cases for any team that works in Asana but wants to extend visibility on key due dates through a Shared Google Calendar without copy-pasting every detail from one app to the other. It could be used by a marketing or product team to build a more visible go-to-market roadmap. We could imagine they’ve established dates for new features & launches across several initiatives. If they sync Asana and Google Calendar with Unito, then any changes made to a page or a related event will automatically update in real-time.

Asana and Google Calendar synced with Unito's two-way integration
Asana and Google Calendar synced with Unito’s two-way integration

Before we sync Asana and Google Calendar to Unito:

  • Ensure you have an account in both Asana and Google Calendar with the right permissions to access and modify information in each tool.
  • (Optional): Read about Unito’s Asana and Google Calendar integrations to better understand the capabilities and limitations of each.

Step 1.  Add Asana and Google Calendar to Unito

  1. Navigate to the Unito App and select +Create Flow.
  2. Select Start Here to add Asana and Google Calendar to Unito.
  3. Choose the accounts you want synced with Unito.
  4. When you integrate Google Calendar for the first time, you’ll have to go through the authentication process. Be sure to select every checkbox in order for your flow to function properly.
You must select every checkbox at this stage in order for your flow to sync properly.

You’ll need to specify which account, list, and Calendar you wish to sync through Unito.

Connect Asana and Google Calendar to Unito
Here’s an example of our connected Asana project and Google Calendar

When you’re ready, click Confirm.

Step 2. Set a flow direction from Asana to Google Calendar

Your data can sync from one tool to the other, or bidirectionally. This is where you can decide if new events added to Google Calendar will create tasks in Asana, vice versa, or both simultaneously. Since our goal is to maintain visibility in Google Calendar, we’ll set a 1-way flow from Asana to Google Calendar. 

Set your flow direction from Asana to Google Calendar

Click Confirm when you’ve chosen a flow direction. 

Step 3. Set rules to sync specific Asana tasks with Google Calendar

Your rules will determine how events will be created automatically in Google Calendar. This is our chance to filter out unrelated tasks from our flow and prevent them from adding irrelevant information to our shared calendar. The first step here is to set our task type to Task (as opposed to Milestone).

Select Add a new trigger to set additional conditions that further specify the information you want included in the flow. We recommend using single-select fields in Asana to filter specific tasks.

Set rules to sync specific Asana tasks with Google Calendar
In this example, we’ve chosen to only sync events with the label “events” that are considered “local” or “out-of-town.” Both of these fields are single-select in Asana.

In the above example, new tasks assigned to our “Events” department at locations that are considered “local” or “out-of-town” will create matching events in Google Calendar since we only want to include these specific initiatives that require action and benefit from enhanced visibility. 

Find out more about setting rules.

Step 4. Choose fields to keep in sync between Asana tasks and Google Calendar events

Field mappings determine which details of our synced tasks are then shared between tools and kept up-to-date. You can either set up your fields from scratch or let Unito do so automatically. If you go with auto-map, you can still make changes after the field mappings are pre-populated. If you’d rather DIY and know exactly how you want your fields mapped, start from scratch.

What are Field Mappings?

Your fields will be automatically mapped for two-way updates. That means any changes in one project will be applied to the other. You can adjust any or all fields to sync one-way in either direction if you prefer. That would mean only the source field will change information in the destination field.

With a 2-way sync, changes in Asana or Google Calendar will be reflected in the other. A 1-way sync would only allow changes in the source tool to appear in the other, but not vice versa.

Choose + Add mapping to sync additional fields, then Select a field for each tool and find the field you wish to map. 

Tip: In order to create an optimal sync with Google Calendar, map your Asana Start Date to Google Calendar’s Start Date and Time.

Choose fields to keep in sync between Asana tasks and Google Calendar events

In the above example, we’ve paired our “Locations” in Asana with Colors in Google Calendar. This way, each “local” or “out-of-town” event will be easily recognizable in the shared calendar. 

By selecting the gear icon we can further customize this field mapping to give each type of location its own color.

Click Confirm when you’re satisfied with your field mappings to proceed.

Find out more about setting field mappings.

Step 5. Save, close and launch your Asana to Google Calendar flow

And that’s it! You’ve just completed the first flow between Asana and Google Calendar. Congratulations!

If you’ve followed the steps above, your flow will now: 

  • Create an event in Google Calendar for every Asana task you’ve included in the rule set.
  • Sync dates, times, guests, event titles and descriptions between your tools and keep them up to date in real-time.

Here are a few screenshots of our synced Asana project and Google Calendar:

Asana tasks synced with Google Calendar events

A single Google Calendar event synced to a single Asana milestone with Unito

What’s next?

How’s you like to sync Milestones as well as tasks? Since Unito can only map Google Calendar due dates to one field per flow, we’ll need to build another flow for milestones. Both, however, will follow nearly identical steps except for our specific rules and field mappings.

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