Data residency is the threshold question
If it’s not on Australian infrastructure, the evaluation ends here.
Australian Privacy Principle 8 restricts the cross-border transfer of personal information. DTA guidance makes clear that offshore data hosting for Government systems requires specific justification and safeguards. For most Government use cases, the simpler path is onshore hosting.
Most global scheduling platforms, Calendly, Microsoft Bookings, Doodle, host data on US or European infrastructure by default. Some offer Australian region options, but this typically requires enterprise agreements and specific configuration, not default settings.
Before evaluating features, confirm data residency. Ask the vendor: where is data processed, where is it stored, and under what circumstances might it leave Australia? Require written answers.