Introduction

This article serves as a tip and tricks guide to help you build out your Specialist Schedule efficiently and gain a deeper understanding on the inner workings of specialist scheduling. For more details on how to set up specialist schedules, please see our Specialist Scheduling article. 

Duration vs. Interval 

The Duration is the amount of time the service will be scheduled for by default, while the Interval dictates the available booking times within a scheduled time range. This example shows a schedule set up between 8 am and 5 pm with an Interval of 30 minutes. You will also see a red box highlighting a booked service that has a 90-minute (about 1 and a half hours) Duration:

Our recommended best practice for Intervals and Durations is to have them match. This will prevent overbooking, or booking appointments that will span later than your desired end time. 

Slot-Based vs. Time-Based 

Time-based Specialists have appointments set at specific times for specific durations. 
Slot-Based Specialists have appointments based on their general workload capacity for any given date. Slot-based appointments are made for specific dates, not at specific times. 

Slot-Based Scheduling

Slot-based scheduling is set-up based on time units (referred to as ‘slots’), such as 15 minutes, where services require a varying number of slots:

Slots are a flexible way of setting a groomer’s capacity and booking grooming appointments according to how much work they require. This setup is created for specific dates but does not have to be set at a specific time on the specialist’s calendar. For example, a nail trim might need 1 (15 minute) slot, while a full groom for a large dog might need 10 slots.

At your business, you will determine how much time 1 slot is equal to, and how many slots are required for any service for a particular animal. Commonly, 15-minute increments are used, such that 1 slot = 15 minutes, 2 = 30 minutes, 3 = 45 minutes, and so on. Your business may determine that a slot equals 5 minutes, an hour, or even a few hours should you choose - it is totally up to you!

You will set how many slots are required for each pet for the service that’s booked when you make the appointment. You will also set the drop-off and pick-up time when creating this appointment. If the pet has not done the service before, the system will default to 1 slot. If the pet has done the service before then the system will automatically populate the number of slots that the pet was assigned the last time they booked the service.

Notice:  You may consider creating a reference sheet for your receptionist to refer to when making and accepting appointments. This may include a chart based on breeds, weights, coat type, and/or service type that specifies the number of slots required for any given combination of factors.

Time-Based Scheduling: 
Time-based scheduling is set-up on specific appointment times with set start and end times. This setup has a clear structure and timing, and it is easy for clients to book exact spots. Example: A grooming session scheduled from 9:00 AM to 10:30 AM

Time spots on the calendar will be determined by the interval set for the service (this is set by going to the Left-Hand Navigation: Admin » Reservation Types and Services Configuration) and the specialist's availability and will be influenced by the capacity set for that time slot. It is important to understand that many settings affect how the specialist’s schedule behaves.

Lastly, any given specialist can have a mix of time-based and slot-based appointments for different services. It is possible, for example, to book time-based haircuts while ‘a la carte’ is slot-based. It is also possible for one specialist to have a given service type as time-based while a different specialist has that same service slot-based. A single specialist can't have a particular service be both slot and time-based on their schedule.

Switching Slots for Time and Vice Versa

If you switch a service from slot-based to time-based and vice versa, previously scheduled appointments will be unaffected. A new schedule will have to be created for the updated schedule type and existing appointments will need to be rescheduled to be accurately accommodated in a specialist's availability. 

Copying Shifts to Other Days Of The Week

Once the day is saved, you can click the + again to bring up the edit window. Once the window displays, you will see a double blue box icon to the right of the schedule.

You will see a pop-up window with the option to choose the days of the week to copy the schedule to:

Delete Schedules

Deleting a Schedule only affects future bookings! If you delete a schedule after appointments have been booked, those appointments will be unaffected. They will remain at their scheduled time unless you manually reschedule, cancel, or delete them.

Adjust Commission Rates

Remember that Commission is calculated at the time of booking, not when the service is completed. If you change a commission rate for a specialist after a service has been booked, the old rate will be used. This can be adjusted within the Commission Report after the service is checked out by clicking the Pencil Icon to the left of the specialist:

Related Resources

• Add a User to the Manage Schedules Page How-To
• Set Up Time-Based Specialists How-To
• Set Up Slot-Based Specialists How-To
• Set Commission and Customer Portal Settings How-To
• Assign a Specialist to Multiple Services How-To
• Deactivate a User How-To
• Time-Based Appointments Aren’t Showing as Available Troubleshooting
• Specialist Shows a $0.00 Commission When Commission Rate is Set Troubleshooting