Control when customers can book appointments by setting availability windows, buffer times, and booking limits. This prevents double-bookings and ensures you only take appointments when you're actually available.
Understanding Availability Windows
Availability windows define:
- When: Days and times you accept appointments
- How far ahead: Maximum booking window (e.g., 60 days)
- Minimum notice: How soon customers can book (e.g., 2 hours)
- Buffer time: Gaps between appointments
Defining Available Time Slots
Access Availability Settings
Go to Settings → Bookings → Availability
Set Your Weekly Schedule
For each day of the week, define your available hours:
- Monday-Friday: 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
- Saturday: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
- Sunday: Closed
Add Split Shifts
If you close for lunch or have split availability:
- Click Add Time Block for that day
- Set first block: 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM
- Set second block: 2:00 PM - 6:00 PM
The AI won't offer appointments during the 1-2 PM gap.
Build in lunch breaks! Don't make yourself available 9-6 straight. Add a 30-60 minute break to avoid burnout.
Buffer Time Between Appointments
Set Buffer Periods
Add time before and after appointments for prep and cleanup:
- Before appointment: 5-10 minutes (setup time)
- After appointment: 5-15 minutes (cleanup, notes)
Example: Salon Appointment
Haircut (45 minutes)
- 10 min before: Prepare station, review notes
- 45 min: Actual service
- 5 min after: Clean up, update notes
- Total blocked time: 60 minutes
Minimum Advance Notice
Set Booking Lead Time
Require customers to book at least X hours in advance:
- 2 hours: Standard for most services
- 4 hours: Services requiring prep
- 24 hours: Complex services or limited staff
- Same-day: Walk-ins welcome (set to 0 hours)
Too short notice can stress your team. Too long and you lose impulse bookings. 2-4 hours is the sweet spot for most businesses.
Maximum Booking Window
Set How Far Ahead Customers Can Book
Limit how far in advance bookings are accepted:
- 30 days: Standard for most services
- 60 days: Popular services that book up
- 90 days: Seasonal businesses
- Unlimited: Accept bookings any time in future
Don't go unlimited unless necessary. Your schedule, pricing, and availability may change. 60 days is usually plenty.
Service-Specific Availability
Different services may have different availability:
Set Per-Service Availability
Go to Settings → Services → Select a service
Click Custom Availability
Example: Salon Services
- Quick Trim (15 min): Available all operating hours
- Full Color (2 hours): Only morning slots (requires time)
- Bridal Package (4 hours): Saturdays only, 60-day advance booking
Multiple Staff Calendars
Set Individual Staff Availability
If you have multiple service providers:
- Go to Settings → Team
- Click on a staff member
- Set their unique availability
- Assign services they can perform
Configure Booking Distribution
Choose how appointments are assigned:
- Round-robin: Distribute evenly across staff
- Customer preference: Let customers choose their provider
- Availability-based: First available staff member
- Skill-based: Match service to qualified staff
Blackout Dates
Block Specific Dates
Prevent bookings on certain dates:
- Holidays: Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc.
- Vacation: Your time off
- Events: Staff training, renovations
- Private bookings: Already reserved for special events
Set up holiday blackouts for the entire year in January. The AI will automatically block those dates.
Capacity Limits
For group services or classes:
Set Maximum Capacity
Limit how many customers can book the same time slot:
- Fitness class: Max 20 people per session
- Workshop: Max 10 participants
- Tour: Max 15 guests
Once capacity is reached, that slot becomes unavailable.
Best Practices
- Be realistic: Don't overbook yourself. Build in breaks
- Account for travel: If you go to clients, add travel buffer time
- Update seasonally: Extend hours during busy season
- Test it: Try booking as a customer to verify availability looks right
- Review weekly: Adjust based on actual demand patterns
- Communicate clearly: If availability is limited, explain why
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I have different availability each week?
Yes! Set your default weekly schedule, then override specific dates as needed. Perfect for irregular schedules.
What if I want to accept walk-ins?
Set minimum advance notice to 0 hours. Customers can book appointments starting immediately.
Can customers book outside my availability?
No. The AI only offers time slots within your defined availability. Manual bookings by your team can override this.
How do I handle emergency appointments?
Your team can manually book appointments anytime, even outside normal availability. The AI respects manual bookings.
Troubleshooting
AI offering unavailable times
Solution: Check for conflicting availability settings. Verify calendar is synced. Clear any override rules that might conflict.
No available slots showing
Solution: Verify availability is set for that day/time. Check that maximum booking window isn't too restrictive. Ensure calendar isn't fully booked.
Buffer time not working
Solution: Buffer time only applies to AI bookings. Manual bookings can override. Check that buffer is enabled in settings.
Customers booking too far ahead
Solution: Reduce maximum booking window in settings. Existing bookings beyond the new limit will remain valid.