A Service Calendar is a specialized calendar format designed to streamline the booking process for businesses that offer various services. This calendar allows the integration of different services, categorizing them into groups and showcasing them all under one cohesive scheduling link, known as the Service Menu.
These calendars integrate seamlessly with staff availability. You can assign services to specific team members, set service durations, and even process payments during the booking process.
How to Set Up a Service Calendar
Step 1: Initiate Calendar Configuration
Log in to your account, navigate to the Calendars section, and select Calendar Settings.
Within this tab, select "Create Calendar" and opt for "Service Calendar."
Key Details to Include:
Calendar Name: Choose a name that represents your service.
Calendar Description: Provide a concise overview of what the calendar entails.
Staff Assignment and Location: Staff Assignment and Location: Select the staff members who will be assigned to the service you're creating the calendar for. Once staff members are selected for a service calendar, you can configure their preferred meeting location from the advanced settings.
Available Meeting Locations:
Phone: The default value populated will be the subaccount's phone number, but you can edit it to any phone number of your choice.
Address: The default value populated will be the subaccount's business address, but you can edit it to any address if needed.
Custom: Use this to enter any custom value, such as your store address, a message for clients, or a static Zoom link.
Zoom: Dynamic, unique Zoom links will be generated if Zoom is successfully integrated. Ensure Zoom is integrated in 'My Profile' > Calendar Settings > Video Conferencing.
Google Meet: Dynamic, unique Google Meet links will be generated if Google is successfully integrated and Google Calendar is selected as the linked calendar in the 'My Profile > Calendar Settings' section.
Service Duration: Clearly state how long each service will take.
URL / Slug: Define a calendar slug or URL that will determine the link to your calendar.
You can customize your service calendar further with Advanced Options. Simply click on the Advanced Settings Button
Step 2: Enhance Service Details
Add a logo to your service. This will be displayed on the appointment booking widget for this service calendar.
Note: The service logo differs from the Service Cover Image used for Service Menus or Groups.
If you plan to include this calendar in a Service Menu, assign it to a relevant group (in group integration) for better organization. Think of a group as a way to categorize similar services together. For example, you could create a group named "HAIR" and assign service calendars like "Hair Cut," "Hair Spa," and "Hair Coloring" to it.
Note: Service Calendars can be used in a Service Menu as well as in a Group
You can also customize your Appointment Invite Title. This is the title for the Calendar event that shows in Google Calendar, Outlook, Apple Calendar, etc
Event Color - Choose the event color you want to assign to this calendar. Remember, colors get synced to events in Google Calendars.
Step 3: Availability
Weekly Working Hours: Set your regular, weekly working hours. This is useful for setting up your default schedule that repeats week after week.
Date-Specific Hours: Set date-specific hours to customize your availability or unavailability for specific dates. You can add specific dates and define hours applicable only to those dates.
Booking Widget to Open First Available Date: Bookers can see and select the earliest available slot immediately, eliminating the need for manual searching. This benefits businesses looking to accept early bookings for future events, such as special holidays or seasonal offers.
To use this feature, configure Date-Specific Hours without setting Weekly Working Hours. For this feature to function correctly, ensure no recurring weekly hours are configured.
Look Busy
The "Look Busy" feature is designed to create urgency by hiding a percentage of your available booking slots, making you appear more in demand. The hidden slots are randomized across different days of the week, making your availability appear more realistic and varied.
By limiting visible time slots, potential clients may feel a greater need to book quickly, which can lead to increased bookings.
This feature applies to:
Event calendars
Round-robin calendars
Collective calendars
Service calendars
Please Note: The "Look Busy" feature is not applicable for class bookings and service menus.
Service Duration: Set the length of each appointment. The maximum duration for a service calendar is 12 hours, aligning with other calendar types.
Service Interval: Specify your service interval. Users can set any interval or duration they need, such as 20 minutes, 99 minutes, or 12 hours, rather than being limited to multiples of 15 minutes.
Post Buffer time: Add extra time after appointments for preparation or transition.
Minimum Scheduling Notice: Set the required advance notice for appointment bookings, specifying how many hours or days before an appointment should the booking be closed.
Date Range: Define how many days into the future appointments can be booked.
Step 4: Forms and Payments
In the Forms Configuration field, choose between default or custom forms for client information collection.
Note: Custom forms apply only to direct bookings on a Service Calendar. Default forms are used for bookings through the Service Menu.
In the Confirmation Page Customization field, select between a thank you message or a redirection URL post-booking.
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Activate the Auto-confirm New Appointments feature to instantly confirm new appointments on available calendar slots, ensuring users receive immediate booking confirmations.
If accepting payments, link your payment gateway under Settings > Integrations.
Step 5: Notifications and Customizations
Notifications: You can select who should receive appointment notifications, and whether to allow google to send invitation or update emails to attendees. You can also determine whether contacts should be assigned to their respective staff member each time an appointment is booked.
Cancellation & Reschedule Policy: Enabling this setting means businesses can set specific time frames after which the cancellation or reschedule links are disabled, requiring bookers to contact the business directly for any changes. (Note: Keeping the value blank means the link will never expire, and the booker can access it anytime.)
After the appointment has been rescheduled, a "Rescheduled" tag will appear in both the appointment list view and appointment modal. It will also display the previous date and time for easy reference. To use, simply review your appointment list or details to see any marked rescheduled appointments.
Additional Notes: Anything entered here will be included in the Google invitation. For this feature to work, please ensure that "Allow Google Calendar to Send Invitations" is enabled from the 'Notifications' settings.
Customizations - Service Cover Image: Upload an image that represents your service, appearing in menus and widgets.
Configure Staff Selection: Enable / Disable bookers to choose a staff member directly from the calendar widget during appointment booking.
Step 6: Rooms and Equipment Allocation
Associate your service calendar with specific rooms and equipment from your predefined list.
Upon completion, save your settings, and your Service Calendar is ready for use.
To learn more about Rooms and Equipment, please read the article “Overview of Rooms and Equipment in Calendars”
Key Features of the Service Calendar
1. Multi-Service Bookings: Allows bookings for various services for individuals or groups.
2. Fixed Slot Interval: Operates at a 15-minute interval, enhancing scheduling efficiency.
3. Staff Linked Availability: This only reflects the availability of assigned staff members.
4. Group and Service Menu Integration: To showcase different services under one link, first create groups, then assign service calendars to these groups, and finally configure your Service Menu.
To learn more about the Service Menu feature, please read the article” Overview of the Service Menu in Calendars.”
FAQ
Q1: Can I assign multiple staff members to a single service in the Service Calendar?
Yes, you can assign multiple staff members to a single service. The calendar will reflect the availability of the assigned staff members, allowing clients to book based on who is available.
Q2: Can I set different service durations for appointments within the same calendar?
No, each Service Calendar can only have a set service duration that applies to all appointments booked within that calendar. You need to create separate calendars for services requiring different durations.
Q3: Is it possible to allow clients to select a specific staff member when booking?
Yes, by enabling the staff selection option in the Service Calendar settings, clients can choose their preferred staff member directly from the booking widget.
Q4: Can I set different availability hours for specific dates in the Service Calendar?
Yes, you can set date-specific hours that override your regular weekly working hours for particular dates, allowing for more customized availability.