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Connecting Google Calendar and Google Meet with Vinyl

Learn how to connect Vinyl with your Google Calendar and Google Meet accounts for seamless meeting recording and summarisation.

Clarenz Miralles avatar
Written by Clarenz Miralles
Updated over a month ago


Integrating Vinyl with Google Services

This guide will walk you through the process of connecting Vinyl to your Google Calendar and Google Meet accounts, allowing for automatic meeting recording and transcription.
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Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have:

  • An active Vinyl account

  • A Google Workspace (formerly G Suite) or personal Google account with access to Google Calendar and Google Meet

  • Admin permissions for your Google account (or approval from your IT administrator if using a managed Google Workspace account)

Step 1: Connect Your Google Calendar

  1. Log in to your Vinyl dashboard at usevinyl.com

  2. Navigate to Settings > Integrations > Calendar Connections

  3. Click the "Connect" button next to Google Calendar

  4. Sign in to your Google account when prompted

  5. Review the permissions Vinyl is requesting:

    • View your calendars and events

    • Add/modify calendar events (to add Vinyl as a participant)

    • Send emails on your behalf (for meeting notifications)

  6. Click "Allow" to grant permission

  7. You'll be redirected back to Vinyl with a confirmation message that your Google Calendar is now connected

Important: If you're using a managed Google Workspace account, your administrator may need to whitelist Vinyl in your organisation's security settings.
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Step 2: Configure Google Meet Recording Settings

  1. In the Vinyl dashboard, go to Settings > Meeting Preferences > Google Meet

  2. Configure your preferred settings:
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    a. Recording Preferences

    • Automatic recording (Vinyl joins all Google Meet meetings)

    • Selective recording (manually select which meetings to record)

    • Keyword-based recording (record meetings with specific words in the title)
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    b. Participant Notification

    • Default message to send to meeting participants

    • When to send notifications (24 hours before, 1 hour before, at meeting start)
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    c. Meeting Join Behaviour

    • Join timing (e.g., 2 minutes before scheduled start)

    • Camera and microphone settings (always off recommended)

    • Display name for Vinyl in meetings
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  3. Click "Save Preferences" to apply your settings

Step 4: Schedule Your First Google Meet Recording

Option A: New Meeting

  1. In Google Calendar, create a new event as usual

  2. Add guests and other details

  3. Under "Add conferencing", select Google Meet

  4. In the Vinyl dashboard, navigate to the Calendar tab

  5. Find your newly created meeting and toggle the recording switch to "ON"

  6. Optionally, click the meeting to adjust specific recording settings

Option B: Existing Meeting

  1. In the Vinyl dashboard, go to the Calendar tab

  2. Find the Google Meet meeting you want to record

  3. Toggle the recording switch to "ON"

  4. Vinyl will automatically join this meeting when it starts

Option C: Ad-hoc Meeting

  1. Start an impromptu Google Meet meeting

  2. Copy the meeting link and go to the Vinyl dashboard:

    • Click "Start Capturing"

    • Paste the Google Meet link

    • Click "Start Recording"

Step 5: During the Meeting

  1. When your meeting starts, Vinyl will join as a participant named "Vinyl Recording Assistant" (or your custom name)

  2. At the beginning of the meeting, it's best practice to:

    • Inform all participants that the meeting is being recorded

    • Explain that the recording will be transcribed by AI

    • Give participants an opportunity to opt-out if uncomfortable

  3. Conduct your meeting as usual

  4. For optimal transcription quality:

    • Encourage clear speech

    • Minimise background noise

    • Have one person speak at a time

    • Consider using headsets for better audio

Understanding Google Meet Permissions

When connecting Vinyl to Google Meet, you're granting these specific permissions:

Permission

Why It's Needed

Data Usage

View calendars

To find scheduled meetings

Meeting titles, times, participants

Join meetings

To record audio for transcription

Audio recordings are processed and stored securely

Send emails

To notify participants of recording

Email addresses for meeting participants

Modify events

To add Vinyl as a participant

Only adds Vinyl to your meetings

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Vinyl Not Joining Meetings

Possible causes and solutions:

  1. Calendar connection issue

    • Disconnect and reconnect your Google Calendar in Vinyl settings

    • Check that you're using the same Google account for Calendar and Meet
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  2. Meeting not toggled for recording

    • Verify the meeting shows "Recording ON" in your Vinyl calendar

    • Check that the meeting has Google Meet conferencing enabled
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  3. Permission revoked

    • Check Google security settings at myaccount.google.com/permissions

    • Ensure Vinyl is still authorised to access your Google account

Poor Transcription Quality

  1. Audio issues

    • Ensure all participants are speaking clearly

    • Use headsets for better audio quality

    • Ask participants to mute when not speaking
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  2. Multiple speakers talking simultaneously

    • Encourage one person to speak at a time

    • Consider using a meeting facilitator
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  3. Google Meet network quality

    • Check your internet connection stability

    • Close bandwidth-heavy applications

Privacy Concerns

  1. Participant consent

    • Use Vinyl's participant notification feature

    • Verbally announce recording at meeting start

    • Share Vinyl's privacy policy with concerned participants
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  2. Sensitive content

    • Consider pausing recording for sensitive discussions

    • Edit transcripts after the meeting to remove sensitive information

Best Practices for Google Meet Recordings

  1. Consistent naming conventions

    • Use descriptive meeting titles in Google Calendar

    • Include project names or meeting types for easy searching

  2. Recording preparation

    • Schedule Vinyl recordings at least 5 minutes before meeting time

    • Test your audio before important meetings

  3. Participant management

    • Share recording policies with regular meeting participants

    • Consider adding a recording notice to recurring meeting descriptions

  4. Follow-up workflow

    • Review transcripts promptly after meetings

    • Share summaries with participants for alignment

    • Assign action items within 24 hours

Google Workspace Administrator Information

If you're using Google Workspace (formerly G Suite), your administrator may need to:

  1. Whitelist Vinyl in the Google Workspace Admin Console

  2. Approve OAuth scopes for calendar and Meet access

  3. Enable API access for third-party integrations

We provide detailed administrator documentation that your IT team can reference.
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FAQ for Google Meet Integration

Q: Can I record meetings where I'm not the organiser?
A: Yes, as long as you're a participant and have set up Vinyl to record that specific meeting.
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Q: Will Google Meet's built-in recording conflict with Vinyl?
A: No, they can work simultaneously, but it's usually unnecessary to use both.
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Q: Can I use Vinyl with Google Meet's breakout rooms?
A: Currently, Vinyl can only record the main meeting room, not individual breakout rooms.
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Q: How do I stop recording during a sensitive part of the meeting?
A: You can temporarily remove Vinyl from the meeting by removing them as a participant, then re-add them when ready to resume recording.
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Q: Does Vinyl work with Google Meet's live captions?
A: Yes, but Vinyl's transcription is generally more accurate and includes speaker identification.
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Need More Help?

If you encounter issues with your Google Meet integration, please contact our support team:

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