iCalendar

Generate iCalendar (.ics) event files from JSON data

Overview

The iCalendar tool generates .ics calendar event files from structured JSON input. It takes event details (title, start/end dates, attendees, location, organizer, recurrence rules, etc.) and produces a valid RFC 5545 iCalendar file as binary output. The generated file can be attached to emails, uploaded to calendar services, or downloaded by users. No external API calls are made — this is a pure local data transformation.

Category: Core Nodes
Tool Name: icalendar
Version: 1

Appearance: Icon: lucide-CalendarDays | Color: #408000

Node Type

Action (Binary) — handles file/binary data operations

Input / Output

Direction	Port(s)
Input	Input
Output	Output, Error

Credentials

This tool does not require any credentials.

Operations

Operation	Value	Description
Create Event File	createEventFile	Generate a .ics calendar event file

Parameters

This node has a single operation, so every parameter below always applies.

Parameter	Type	Required	Default	Description
Event Title	string	No	—	The title/summary of the calendar event. Supports expressions like {{ $json.subject }}.
Start	string	Yes	—	Date and time at which the event begins (ISO 8601 format). For all-day events, the time will be ignored.
End	string	Yes	—	Date and time at which the event ends (ISO 8601 format). For all-day events, the time will be ignored. If not set, defaults to the start date.
All Day	boolean	No	false	Whether the event lasts all day or not. When true, time portions of start/end are ignored.
Put Output File in Field	string	Yes	data	The binary property name that the generated .ics file will be stored under in the output item. Names are case-sensitive — see the upstream node’s Binary Data panel for the exact names to use.
Options	collection	No	{}	Optional calendar properties written into the event.
— Attendees	fixedCollection	No	{}	People invited to the event. Add one entry per attendee.
— — Name	string	Yes	—	Attendee display name.
— — Email	string	Yes	—	Attendee email address.
— — RSVP	boolean	No	false	Whether the attendee has to confirm attendance or not.
— Busy Status	options	No	—	Used to specify busy status for Microsoft applications, like Outlook (X-MICROSOFT-CDO-BUSYSTATUS).
				Options: BUSY, TENTATIVE
— Calendar Name	string	No	—	Specifies the calendar (not event) name. Used by Apple iCal and Microsoft Outlook (X-WR-CALNAME).
— Description	string	No	—	Detailed description of the event (DESCRIPTION property).
— File Name	string	No	—	The name of the file to be generated. Default is event.ics.
— Geolocation	fixedCollection	No	{}	Coordinates for the event location. One entry only.
— — Latitude	string	No	—	Latitude coordinate.
— — Longitude	string	No	—	Longitude coordinate.
— Location	string	No	—	The intended venue/location for the event (LOCATION property).
— Recurrence Rule	string	No	—	A rule to define the repeat pattern of the event (RRULE). Use an RRULE generator tool to build the string.
— Organizer	fixedCollection	No	{}	Who is hosting the event. One entry only.
— — Name	string	Yes	—	Organizer display name.
— — Email	string	Yes	—	Organizer email address.
— Sequence	number	No	0	Revision sequence number (SEQUENCE property). Increment when sending event updates with the same UID.
— Status	options	No	CONFIRMED	Event status (STATUS property).
				Options: CONFIRMED, CANCELLED, TENTATIVE
— UID	string	No	—	Universally unique ID for the event (UID property). Auto-generated if not specified. Should be globally unique.
— URL	string	No	—	URL associated with the event (URL property).
Max Concurrency	number	No	10	Maximum number of items to process concurrently.

Output Data

One output item per input item. The generated .ics file is written as text/calendar binary data on the property named by Put Output File in Field, alongside any binary the item already carried.

The item JSON is replaced with a summary of the event that was written — the input item’s own fields do not pass through, so read anything you still need before this node:

{
  "title": "Project Kickoff Meeting",
  "start": "2024-01-15T14:00:00Z",
  "end": "2024-01-15T16:00:00Z",
  "allDay": false,
  "fileName": "project_kickoff.ics",
  "fileSize": 486
}

• start and end echo the values you supplied. When End was left empty, end repeats start.
• fileName is File Name, or event.ics when you did not set one.
• fileSize is the size of the generated file in bytes.

For an all-day event the file’s end date is advanced by one day, because iCalendar treats the all-day end date as exclusive. That is what makes a one-day event show correctly in Google Calendar, Outlook and Apple Calendar; the end value reported in the JSON is still the date you entered.

An event is written even when optional details are missing — only Start must be a parsable ISO 8601 value, and an unparsable Start or End fails the item.

Usage Examples

• Create a calendar event file for a meeting
• Generate .ics file with attendees and location
• Build an all-day event calendar invite
• Create a recurring weekly event .ics file
• Generate calendar file to attach to an email

Example Configuration

A one-hour meeting:

{
  "type": "icalendar",
  "parameters": {
    "operation": "createEventFile",
    "title": "Team Meeting",
    "start": "2024-01-15T14:00:00Z",
    "end": "2024-01-15T15:00:00Z",
    "allDay": false,
    "binaryPropertyName": "data"
  }
}

An all-day event written to a named binary field:

{
  "type": "icalendar",
  "parameters": {
    "operation": "createEventFile",
    "title": "Conference Day",
    "start": "2024-02-20T00:00:00Z",
    "end": "2024-02-20T23:59:59Z",
    "allDay": true,
    "binaryPropertyName": "calendar_file"
  }
}

A full invitation with organizer, attendees and coordinates:

{
  "type": "icalendar",
  "parameters": {
    "operation": "createEventFile",
    "title": "Project Kickoff Meeting",
    "start": "2024-01-15T14:00:00Z",
    "end": "2024-01-15T16:00:00Z",
    "allDay": false,
    "binaryPropertyName": "data",
    "additionalFields": {
      "description": "Initial project planning and team introductions",
      "location": "Conference Room A, 5th Floor",
      "busyStatus": "BUSY",
      "status": "CONFIRMED",
      "organizerUi": {
        "organizerValues": [
          {
            "name": "John Doe",
            "email": "john.doe@company.com"
          }
        ]
      },
      "attendeesUi": {
        "attendeeValues": [
          {
            "name": "Jane Smith",
            "email": "jane.smith@company.com",
            "rsvp": true
          },
          {
            "name": "Bob Johnson",
            "email": "bob.johnson@company.com",
            "rsvp": false
          }
        ]
      },
      "geolocationUi": {
        "geolocationValues": [
          {
            "lat": "40.7128",
            "lon": "-74.0060"
          }
        ]
      },
      "url": "https://company.com/meeting-details",
      "uid": "meeting-2024-001@company.com",
      "sequence": 0,
      "fileName": "project_kickoff.ics"
    }
  }
}

A recurring weekly standup:

{
  "type": "icalendar",
  "parameters": {
    "operation": "createEventFile",
    "title": "Weekly Standup",
    "start": "2024-01-15T09:00:00Z",
    "end": "2024-01-15T09:30:00Z",
    "allDay": false,
    "binaryPropertyName": "data",
    "additionalFields": {
      "description": "Weekly team standup meeting",
      "location": "Virtual - Zoom",
      "recurrenceRule": "FREQ=WEEKLY;BYDAY=MO;COUNT=12",
      "status": "CONFIRMED",
      "busyStatus": "BUSY"
    }
  }
}

An event built from fields on the incoming item:

{
  "type": "icalendar",
  "parameters": {
    "operation": "createEventFile",
    "title": "{{ $json.subject }}",
    "start": "{{ $json.startsAt }}",
    "end": "{{ $json.endsAt }}",
    "binaryPropertyName": "invite",
    "additionalFields": {
      "description": "{{ $json.agenda }}",
      "location": "{{ $json.venue }}",
      "status": "CONFIRMED"
    }
  }
}

Error Handling

Mode	Behavior
stop	Halts workflow on first error
continue	Skips failed items, passes successful ones through
errorPort	Routes failed items to Error output port

Tips

Generate .ics iCalendar event files from JSON event data — no external API calls, pure local transformation.

Key Points

1. Required fields — always provide Start, End and Put Output File in Field.
2. Date format — use ISO 8601 for all dates.
3. Sub-field structure — Attendees, Organizer and Geolocation each nest their values under their own group key (attendeeValues, organizerValues, geolocationValues).
4. Options is a flat object — the optional properties sit directly inside it, not in an array.
5. All-day events — set All Day and the time portions of Start and End are ignored.
6. File storage — the generated .ics file is stored on the binary property you name, so an email node can attach it directly.

Notes

• UID and Sequence work together for updates: send the revised event with the same UID and a higher Sequence, and calendar clients replace the original rather than adding a duplicate.
• Recurrence Rule takes a raw RRULE string such as FREQ=WEEKLY;BYDAY=MO;COUNT=12; it is passed through to the file as written.
• Calendar Name names the calendar, not the event — it is what Apple iCal and Outlook show when importing the file.