How to set up services, staff availability and branch hours for appointments

Step 1: Open Appointments

From the Dashboard open Appointments and check the business and branch under Select Location. The tabs along the middle are where everything is set up.

Step 2: Add your services

Open Services and press Add Service. Each service is something a customer can book - a consultation, a haircut, a tasting.

Enter the Title, a description, the Duration in minutes and any Buffer After (break time before the next booking). Minimum Advance Notice stops last-minute bookings - for example 60 means at least an hour's notice. Choose the Location Type (in person, video and so on) and how staff are assigned: the customer chooses, round robin, the fastest available, or one fixed staff member.

Further down, the service uses your opening hours unless you switch on Custom Availability Hours. Switch on Requires Payment to charge for it. Set the Customer Reminders, keep Active and Visible on Public Booking Page on, and press Create.

Step 3: Set branch opening hours

Open Branch Hours, choose the branch, set the opening and closing time for each day (or switch a day to Closed), and press Save Custom Hours. Apply to All Branches copies them to every branch. Staff availability starts from these hours.

Step 4: Set each staff member's hours

Open Staff Availability and choose the staff member. Switch each day on or off and set their working hours, then press Save Schedule. Use Block Time for holidays or appointments of their own.

Good to know

• Customers can only book times when the service, the branch and the staff member are all available.
• Use Manage Staff on a service to choose which staff can do it.