Timely

Product Introduction

1. Definition: Timely is a desktop productivity application (specifically, a calendar utility) that runs locally on macOS and Windows. It functions as a system-level service that connects directly to Outlook and Google Calendar APIs to fetch and process free/busy data.
2. Core Value Proposition: It exists to eliminate the manual, time-consuming process of checking calendars and typing out availability. Its core value is delivering timezone-correct, paste-ready availability in seconds via a global keyboard shortcut, without ever needing to open a calendar app or perform mental timezone calculations.

Main Features

1. Global Hotkey Availability Generation: The core functionality is triggered by a user-defined global system shortcut (default: Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + A). This launches a Spotlight-style popup that fetches real-time free/busy data from all connected calendars. The user selects a recipient timezone and date range via keyboard navigation. The application then formats the available slots into clean, grouped text and automatically copies it to the system clipboard, ready to paste into any email, chat, or scheduling tool.
2. Multi-Calendar & Group Availability Management: Timely can connect to multiple Outlook/Microsoft 365 and Google accounts simultaneously. It auto-discovers calendars shared with or delegated to those accounts. Users can select a single calendar or, using the spacebar, multi-select several calendars to instantly calculate overlapping free slots for group scheduling. This feature performs cross-calendar intersection logic locally on the device.
3. Privacy-First Architecture & Calendar Quick-View: A key technical differentiator is its local-first, privacy-by-design model. The application has no central server for calendar data. It stores encrypted credentials in the system keychain and only requests free/busy status from calendar APIs, never accessing meeting titles, details, or attendees. A secondary hotkey (Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + C) opens a full-screen "quick-view" that renders a visual day grid of events, processed and displayed entirely locally on the user's machine.

Problems Solved

1. Pain Point: The inefficient workflow of manually switching between email/chat and calendar apps, visually scanning for open slots, mentally converting times for recipients in different time zones, and then typing out a formatted list. This process is error-prone and repetitive.
2. Target Audience: Executive Assistants managing multiple executives' calendars; Remote Workers and Consultants coordinating across global time zones; Sales Professionals and Recruiters who frequently propose meeting times; Managers and Team Leads scheduling cross-team syncs.
3. Use Cases: Replying to a "When are you free?" email; proposing times for an interview across continents; finding a common slot for a 3-person internal sync across different departments; quickly glancing at your day's layout without leaving your current focused work window.

Unique Advantages

1. Differentiation: Unlike scheduling links (Calendly, SavvyCal) which outsource control to the recipient, Timely keeps the scheduling conversation within the existing communication flow (email/chat). Unlike opening Google/Outlook Calendar, it requires no context switching or app switching. It is purely a productivity enhancer, not a booking platform.
2. Key Innovation: The combination of system-level global hotkey integration with local-only data processing. This creates a near-instantaneous, private utility that feels like a native OS feature rather than a separate SaaS application. The "group availability" feature that computes overlapping free times locally is a significant technical advantage for multi-calendar users.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Is Timely secure? Where is my calendar data stored? Timely uses a privacy-first architecture. Your calendar credentials are encrypted and stored only in your system's secure keychain. The application runs locally on your computer and only communicates directly with Outlook and Google's APIs. It only fetches free/busy statuses; meeting titles, details, and attendee lists are never transmitted to or stored on any server besides Microsoft's or Google's.
2. Can Timely handle multiple time zones for scheduling? Yes, timezone-aware scheduling is a core feature. When generating availability, you select the recipient's local time zone. Timely automatically converts your free slots into that time zone, includes a clear time zone banner in the pasted text, and applies configurable "safety limits" (e.g., 8 AM - 8 PM local recipient time) to avoid suggesting unreasonable hours.
3. How does Timely work with shared or delegated calendars? Timely automatically discovers all calendars visible to your connected Outlook or Google accounts, including calendars shared with you or where you have delegate access. You can rename these calendars within the app for clarity and include them in either single-calendar or multi-calendar (group availability) selections.
4. What is the difference between Timely and a tool like Calendly? Calendly is a scheduling platform where you publish a booking page for others to select slots. Timely is a productivity utility that helps you communicate your availability faster. You use Timely to quickly generate and paste your free times into an email or message, keeping the conversation and scheduling control within your existing communication tools.
5. Does Timely work offline? Timely requires an internet connection to fetch the latest free/busy data from Google and Outlook's cloud APIs. However, all data processing, timezone calculation, formatting, and the calendar quick-view rendering are performed locally on your device once the data is retrieved.