INTRODUCTION
Feature Summary: This feature allows system users to block members from cancelling reservations within a predetermined time frame prior to the reservation's start time. Additionally, system users can set up optional penalty tracking.
Use Cases:
Late Cancellation Control – Block online cancellations within 24 hours so members must call the front desk, giving staff more control over schedules.
Penalty Tracking – Add penalty tracking for cancellations; once members hit the limit, booking is suspended until an admin resets it.
Membership-Based Policies – Apply different cancellation windows by membership tier (e.g., Premium: 2 hours, Basic: 24 hours).
Require a Reason – Collect a short note from members when canceling to better understand trends.
Custom Messaging – Show members a message when they try to cancel outside the window, directing them to the front desk.
SETUP REQUIREMENTS
The first step is to open the General page.
Click SETTINGS on the side menu.
Go to the BOOKING SETTINGS heading and click General.
Scroll down the page to find the Prevent Member from Cancelling a Reservation within X Hours permission (see below).
Click Save Changes.
Penalties in CourtReserve
In CourtReserve booking settings, a penalty is a tracking metric used to monitor member cancellations. It is not a fee or charge. Clubs can use penalties to limit booking privileges when members repeatedly cancel outside of the allowed cancellation window.
To view a member’s penalties, navigate to their Profile → Details tab and look at the Penalty Cancellations field. If a member can no longer book because they’ve reached the penalty limit, an admin can manually reduce the penalty count.
Note: both settings related to penalties are optional.
Settings Related to Penalties
Hours Before Reservation Can Be Canceled Without Penalty
This field defines how far in advance a member can cancel without receiving a penalty attached to their member profile.
Example: If set to 1 hour, cancellations made more than 1 hour before the reservation start time will not count as a penalty. Any cancellation inside that 1-hour window will add a penalty to the member’s account.
Remove Ability to Book After X Penalty Cancellations
This field sets the maximum number of penalties a member can accumulate before their booking privileges are suspended.
Example: If set to 12, once a member has accumulated 12 penalty cancellations, they will be blocked from making new bookings.
Admins can manually reset or adjust this number in the member’s profile if needed.
To learn how to charge a manual cancellation fee, see this article.
Settings Related to Cancellations
Prevent Member from Cancelling a Reservation within X Hours
If the field is populated with a number of hours, this setting defines how many hours before the start time a member loses the ability to cancel a reservation online and get a refund.
Once inside this window, CourtReserve shows the Cancel button in the member portal and mobile app but when clicked, users will get a message and not be allowed to cancel. See example below.
If cancelled, the reservation still counts toward the member’s allowed courts or reservations per week (if applicable).
Example (12 hours):
If this setting is 12, a player with a reservation at 6:00 PM must cancel before 6:00 AM the same day. After 6:00 AM, the online cancel option is disabled and the reservation remains active.
Require Reason On Reservation Cancellation - When enabled, members must enter a text reason before canceling their reservation.
Message To Show Member If Outside Cancellation - This field lets system users set the message shown when a member tries to cancel inside the restricted timeframe. The message should explain the cancellation policy and direct the member on how to proceed (e.g., contact the front desk to cancel).
Note: These settings must be configured for all membership types on this screen. This allows you to apply different penalty and cancellation policies for each membership type if needed.
Different Cancellation Policies by Court Type
If an organization has different cancellation policies for different court types, this can be under the Restrictions tab.
Click SETTINGS on the side menu.
Go to the BOOKING SETTINGS heading and click Restrictions.
To access the Cancellation Policies on the court type level, you must press the Yellow Expander icon for the table to appear under By Court Count.
Click Save Changes.
Here, system users can set cancellations prevention parameters for each court type at their organization.
Adding Cancellation Policies to Reservation Disclosures
To ensure confirm that your players have viewed your cancellation policy upon booking a court, event/program or lesson, you can create your policies as a disclosure.
Click SETTINGS on the side menu.
Go to the RESERVATION SETTINGS heading and click Disclosures.
Click Create Disclosures.
Name your policy.
Type in your policy verbiage.
Make sure Is Active is checked.
Click Save Changes.
After a disclosure has been created and saved, go to Settings > Portal Settings > Setup, and locate the Required Disclosures on Court Reservations field to select your disclosure. A different disclosure can be seen on lesson reservations, if needed.
Example of a required disclosure shown here:
Options to Share Reservation and Cancellation Policies
To ensure members are fully informed, consider adding your reservation and cancellation policies in multiple places throughout CourtReserve and your club’s communication channels, such as:
Court Reservation Disclosure – Include both reservation and cancellation policies.
Reservation Confirmation Emails – Add cancellation policy reminder details.
Reservation Reminders – Reinforce cancellation rules.
Sign-Up Form Disclosures – Present policies during initial registration.
Membership Agreements – Capture acknowledgment at the start of membership.
Member Portal or Club Website – Provide easy, ongoing access to your policies.
USER PERSPECTIVE
In the example below, the player tries to cancel a reservation inside the restricted window. The system blocks the cancellation and displays the configured message.
