Cross-Workspace Panel: One Event, Three Calendars
When two AwardLettr workspaces coordinate a panel inspection, the second workspace adopts the host's calendar event instead of creating a duplicate. Here is how detection, linking, and the sync banner work.
You'll learn
- What a panel inspection is and why duplicate calendar events used to happen
- How AwardLettr detects an existing matching event across workspaces
- How the link prompt works and what "adopting" the host's event means
- How to read the sync banner (date_synced vs. event_missing) and what Refresh / Unlink do
Why this matters
You and the opposing appraiser are both AwardLettr customers. The umpire confirms a panel inspection date. You watch your calendar, and two events appear for the same inspection: the one your workspace just created, and the one the opposing workspace created an hour ago. Same property, same time, same panel. Two events. The umpire sees two invites. Your week view looks twice as busy as it actually is.
Without harmonization, every panel inspection between two AwardLettr appraisers creates twice the calendar noise. Worse, when one side reschedules, the other side's event quietly becomes wrong. The duplicate also hides real double-booking conflicts, because your calendar shows two entries where it should show one and any genuine collision blends into the noise.
This article is for any appraiser whose opposing party is also on AwardLettr. The footprint of two-AL-customers panels is growing fast, and as it does, this harmonization layer keeps your calendar honest.
A panel inspection is the one where the carrier appraiser, the insured appraiser, and the umpire all show up to the property at the same time. If you and the opposing appraiser are both AwardLettr customers, this used to produce two separate calendar events for the same real-world inspection (one on each appraiser's calendar). Confusing for you, confusing for the umpire, and a small landmine when something got rescheduled on one side but not the other.
Shipped May 22, 2026
Old way vs. AwardLettr
Old way
- Both workspaces create separate calendar events
- Appraisers wonder why their calendar shows 2 entries for the same inspection
- Reschedule on one side and the other side's event becomes wrong
- Umpire gets two invites for the same panel
- No way to detect that the other appraiser already booked it
AwardLettr
- Second-firing workspace adopts the host's event
- One calendar entry per real-world event
- Reschedule propagates because both calendars point at the same event id
- Umpire sees one invite, not two
- Detection prompt shows up automatically when a match is found
How detection works
When the second workspace tries to create a calendar event for a panel, AwardLettr first looks for an existing matching event using three signals (whichever calendar provider you are on). If any signal hits, you get a link prompt instead of a fresh event.
Second workspace fires
Booking approved on workspace B; about to push to calendar
Detect match
Check Google extendedProperties.private, MS Graph open extensions, and description-line fallback
Prompt to link
"Looks like opposing appraiser already has this on their calendar. Link to that event?"
Link adopted
Workspace B stores the host's event id; future updates target the same event
| Signal | Provider | What it stores |
|---|---|---|
| extendedProperties.private | Google Calendar | AwardLettr appraisal id + workspace + panel marker |
| Open extensions | Microsoft Graph / Outlook | Same payload, stored on the event as an open extension |
| Description-line fallback | Any provider | A signed marker line in the event description that AwardLettr can find even if extensions are stripped |
The sync banner on the appraisal detail page
Once linked, the appraisal detail page shows a sync banner with the current state. Two states matter day to day:
- date_synced: The linked event is healthy. Both calendars show the same time and place. Nothing to do.
- event_missing: AwardLettr expected to find the linked event and could not (host deleted it, or the calendar provider returned an unexpected response). The banner offers Refresh (re-check) and Unlink (drop the link and create a fresh local event).
5-minute throttle on detection
When you should Unlink
Unlink severs the connection between your appraisal and the host workspace's event. Use it when:
- The linked event was deleted on the host side and is not coming back
- The panel was canceled and you want your calendar to track only your own attendance
- The link was created against the wrong event by accident (rare but possible if multiple back-to-back panels exist)
Unlink is reversible only by re-detecting
What is NOT covered (yet)
A few scenarios still create separate events; these are documented v2 items:
- Opposing appraiser is not on AwardLettr. We cannot detect calendar events on platforms we do not control.
- You manually created a calendar event outside AwardLettr and expect AL to find it. AL only finds events it (or another AwardLettr workspace) created.
- Panels with more than 3 participants. Detection currently targets the 3-party panel pattern; larger groups fall back to per-workspace events.
Common pitfalls
- •Assuming sync works for non-AwardLettr opposing appraisers. It does not. They are invisible to us; we can only harmonize what we can see.
- •Manually creating a calendar event outside AwardLettr then expecting AL to find it. AL only matches events it (or another AwardLettr workspace) created with the proper extended-properties markers.
- •Dismissing the link prompt thinking "I will deal with it later." If you skip linking and let AL create a fresh event, you end up with two calendar entries again. Link at first prompt.
- •Expecting Refresh to fix a host-deleted event. If the host deleted it, Refresh will confirm event_missing. Use Unlink to clean up and let AL create your own local event.
- •Confusing the 5-minute detection throttle for a bug. If you just booked and want to see the prompt now, reload the detail page.
Next steps
Related Articles
Multi-Inspector Scheduling: Per-Inspector Calendars
Pick which inspector handles a given appraisal, give each inspector their own scheduling calendar with independent capacity, and let VAs manage the owner's calendar. Events booked by staff mirror to the owner so your calendar always reflects what is on your plate.
Approving and Declining Booking Requests
Review and respond to pending booking requests from opposing appraisers.
How Opposing Appraisers Book Inspections
The self-service booking flow from the opposing appraiser's perspective.