Deadlines Calendar Creator

What is this?

This is a Python script that generates an .ics calendar file from an Excel spreadsheet containing assignment due dates. The .ics file can then be imported into calendar applications.

Why did I make this?

I absolutely love using Excel and Calendar apps to stay on top of my deadlines and events.

At the beginnning of every semester of university, I put together a spreadsheet containing all my course-related deadlines and dates for major events. I then end up spending a really long time creating calendar events for each deadline.

I created this simple script to automate the manual process of adding assignment due dates to my calendar, saving me some time each semester!

What does this do?

When executed, this script performs the following steps:

1. Reads an Excel spreadsheet containing due dates, assignment titles, and course names.
2. Creates an .ics file containing calendar events based on the information from the spreadsheet.
3. Adds reminders for each event at the following intervals:
   • On the day of the event (9:00 AM).
   • 1 day before (9:00 AM).
   • 2 days before (9:00 AM).
   • 4 days before (9:00 AM).
   • 6 days before (9:00 AM).
4. Sets the events as all-day events with private visibility.
5. Logs any rows with missing due dates to the console and skips them.

Assumptions

1. Excel File Format

The script assumes the Excel spreadsheet has the following structure, with 3-columns:

Column Name (case-sensitive)	Description
Due Date	The due date of the assignment (e.g., Thursday, January 16, 2025).
Assignment	The title or name of the assignment.
Course	The course name or identifier.

• Dates must follow the format: "[Day of the Week], [Month] [Day], [Year]" (e.g., Thursday, January 16, 2025).
• The column names must match exactly (Due Date, Assignment, Course).

2. Missing Data

• If the Due Date is missing for a row, the script will:
  • Skip creating an event for that row.
  • Print a message to the console indicating the skipped event

3. Event Settings

• All events are created as all-day events.
• Events are marked as private, meaning they won’t be shared with others viewing your calendar.
• Events do not repeat—they are standalone deadlines.

4. Reminders

Each event includes the following reminders:

• On the day of the event at 9:00 AM.
• 1, 2, 4, and 6 days before the event, all at 9:00 AM.

How to Use

1. Install Dependencies

Make sure you have Python installed, and install the required dependencies:

pip install pandas openpyxl icalendar python-dotenv

2. Setup .env file

Copy the provided example.env file to .env in the project directory:

   cp example.env .env

3. Run the Script

4. Verify the Output

• Make sure that important events are not skipped over, and that there are no error messages in the console output

5. Import the .ics File

• The .ics file should now be ready for you to import into your calendar app(s)!