Introduction: The Power of AI Meeting Coordination
Ask Synkly represents a revolutionary approach to meeting coordination. Instead of manually checking calendars and comparing availability, you can simply tell Synkly what you need in natural language, and the AI meeting coordinator finds the optimal time slot. This guide will teach you how to master Ask Synkly and transform your meeting scheduling workflow.
Ask Synkly combines your team's real-time Google Calendar availability with intelligent pattern recognition to suggest the best meeting times. The more you use it, the better it understands your team's scheduling preferences and habits.
What is Ask Synkly?
Ask Synkly is Synkly's AI-powered meeting coordinator that understands natural language requests and finds optimal meeting times. Instead of navigating complex calendar interfaces, you can ask questions like:
- "Find a 30-minute slot for the design team next week"
- "When can the marketing team meet this month?"
- "Schedule a one-hour meeting with Sarah and John, preferably in the morning"
The AI analyzes your team's calendar patterns, preferred meeting times, and availability to suggest the three best options. You review, select, and the meeting is automatically booked to everyone's Google Calendar.
Getting Started with Ask Synkly
Prerequisites
Before using Ask Synkly, ensure:
- Your Google Calendar is connected to Synkly (see our Google Calendar sync guide)
- You've created groups or scheduling spaces for your teams
- Team members have connected their calendars
Ask Synkly works best when it has complete visibility into team availability through Google Calendar sync.
Accessing Ask Synkly
Ask Synkly is accessible through:
- The main dashboard interface
- A dedicated "Ask Synkly" section
- Within group scheduling spaces
Look for a chat-like interface or text input where you can type your scheduling requests.
Basic Usage: Natural Language Scheduling
Simple Meeting Requests
Start with straightforward requests:
Example 1: Basic Team Meeting
"Find a time for the design team to meet next week"
Ask Synkly will:
- Identify the design team group
- Check everyone's availability for next week
- Suggest the top 3 optimal time slots
- Account for time zones automatically
Example 2: Specific Duration
"Schedule a 45-minute meeting with the engineering team"
Ask Synkly understands duration requirements and finds slots that accommodate the specified length.
Example 3: Time Preferences
"When can we meet this afternoon? Preferably after 2 PM"
The AI respects time preferences and prioritizes suggestions that match your requirements.
Understanding Ask Synkly's Responses
Ask Synkly typically responds with:
- Three suggested time slots: Ranked by optimality based on team availability and patterns
- Participant availability: Shows who can attend each suggested time
- Meeting details summary: Confirms the group, duration, and other parameters
You can then select your preferred option or ask for alternatives.
Advanced Features and Techniques
Specifying Multiple Constraints
Ask Synkly can handle complex requests with multiple requirements:
"Find a 1-hour slot for the product team next week, preferably Tuesday or Wednesday morning, and make sure it doesn't conflict with our client calls"
The AI considers all constraints simultaneously to find the best match.
Recurring Meeting Patterns
Ask Synkly can identify and work with recurring meeting patterns:
"When should we schedule our weekly standup? The team usually meets on Mondays"
The AI recognizes existing patterns and suggests times that align with your team's habits.
Cross-Time Zone Coordination
For distributed teams, Ask Synkly automatically handles time zones:
"Find a time that works for both the London and New York teams"
The AI converts times appropriately for each team member and finds slots that work across time zones.
Best Practices for Using Ask Synkly
1. Be Specific but Natural
Ask Synkly understands natural language, so you don't need to use rigid commands. However, being specific helps:
- Good: "Find a 30-minute slot for the design team next Tuesday morning"
- Also Good: "When can the design team meet next week?"
- Avoid: Overly vague requests like "meeting" without context
2. Reference Groups by Name
If you've created named groups or scheduling spaces, reference them directly:
- "Schedule a meeting with the Product Launch team"
- "Find time for the Client Services group"
This helps Ask Synkly identify the correct participants quickly.
3. Specify Duration When Important
While Ask Synkly can infer duration, specifying it explicitly ensures accuracy:
- "Schedule a 15-minute check-in"
- "Find a 2-hour block for planning"
4. Use Time Preferences Strategically
Time preferences help Ask Synkly prioritize suggestions:
- "Preferably in the morning"
- "After lunch, around 2 PM"
- "Early in the week"
These preferences guide the AI without being rigid requirements.
5. Review Suggestions Before Booking
Always review Ask Synkly's suggestions before confirming:
- Check that all required participants can attend
- Verify the time works for your schedule
- Confirm the duration is appropriate
You can ask for alternatives if the initial suggestions don't work.
Common Use Cases and Examples
Use Case 1: Quick Team Check-In
Request: "Find a 15-minute slot for the engineering team today"
Ask Synkly Response: Suggests 3 available slots today, accounting for everyone's current calendar commitments.
Action: Select the best option and confirm. The meeting is automatically added to everyone's Google Calendar.
Use Case 2: Planning Meeting
Request: "Schedule a 2-hour planning session with the product team next week, preferably on a day when everyone is available"
Ask Synkly Response: Analyzes the entire week, identifies days with full team availability, and suggests the top options.
Action: Review suggestions, considering team energy levels and other factors, then select.
Use Case 3: Client Meeting Coordination
Request: "Find time for a client call with the account management team, this week or next"
Ask Synkly Response: Checks availability across the specified timeframe, suggests optimal slots, and indicates which team members can attend.
Action: Select a time, and Ask Synkly can help coordinate with external participants.
Use Case 4: Recurring Meeting Setup
Request: "Set up our weekly team standup. We usually meet Mondays at 10 AM, but find the best recurring time"
Ask Synkly Response: Analyzes team patterns, suggests optimal recurring time, and can set up the series automatically.
Action: Confirm the recurring pattern, and Ask Synkly handles the series.
Understanding Ask Synkly's Intelligence
Pattern Recognition
Ask Synkly learns from your team's scheduling patterns:
- Preferred meeting times (morning vs. afternoon)
- Typical meeting durations
- Recurring meeting schedules
- Team member availability patterns
Over time, suggestions become increasingly accurate as the AI understands your team's habits.
Availability Analysis
The AI doesn't just find free time—it finds optimal time by considering:
- Full team availability (prioritizing times when everyone can attend)
- Buffer time between meetings (avoiding back-to-back scheduling)
- Working hours and time zone preferences
- Historical meeting success (times when meetings are less likely to be rescheduled)
Conflict Prevention
Ask Synkly proactively prevents scheduling conflicts by:
- Checking all connected Google Calendars in real-time
- Accounting for tentative events and blocked time
- Considering buffer times and working hours
- Flagging potential conflicts before suggesting times
Troubleshooting and Tips
If Ask Synkly Doesn't Understand Your Request
- Rephrase using more specific language
- Break complex requests into simpler parts
- Reference group names explicitly
- Specify duration and time preferences clearly
If No Suitable Times Are Found
- Expand the time range (e.g., "next two weeks" instead of "this week")
- Relax time preferences (remove "morning only" constraints)
- Check that all team members have connected their calendars
- Verify calendars are up-to-date with current commitments
Improving Suggestion Quality
- Keep Google Calendars updated with all commitments
- Use consistent group names and structures
- Provide feedback when suggestions don't work (helps the AI learn)
- Ensure all team members maintain active calendar sync
Integrating Ask Synkly into Your Workflow
Daily Scheduling
Use Ask Synkly for quick, ad-hoc meetings:
- Same-day check-ins
- Urgent coordination needs
- Last-minute scheduling changes
Weekly Planning
Use Ask Synkly for regular team coordination:
- Weekly team meetings
- Standups and check-ins
- Planning sessions
Project Coordination
Use Ask Synkly within project groups:
- Project team meetings
- Client coordination
- Cross-functional collaboration
Advanced Tips for Power Users
1. Combine with Availability Heatmaps
Use Ask Synkly to get suggestions, then verify using the visual availability heatmap. This gives you both AI recommendations and visual confirmation.
2. Use for Meeting Series
Ask Synkly can help set up recurring meetings by finding the optimal recurring time pattern based on team availability.
3. Leverage for External Coordination
While Ask Synkly works best with synced calendars, you can use it to find times for your team, then coordinate externally.
Conclusion: Mastering AI-Powered Meeting Coordination
Ask Synkly transforms meeting scheduling from a manual, time-consuming process into an intelligent, conversational experience. By learning to use natural language requests effectively, you can schedule meetings in seconds rather than minutes or hours.
The key to success is combining Ask Synkly's AI intelligence with proper Google Calendar sync and well-organized team groups. With these foundations in place, Ask Synkly becomes an indispensable tool for team coordination.
Start with simple requests and gradually explore more advanced features. The more you use Ask Synkly, the better it understands your team's patterns and preferences. Soon, you'll wonder how you ever scheduled meetings without an AI meeting coordinator.
Remember: Ask Synkly is designed to make scheduling effortless. Don't overthink your requests—speak naturally, and let the AI handle the complexity of finding optimal meeting times across your team's calendars.