In this article you’ll learn everything you need on how to make online booking available to your clients, and how to adjust and customize it to your needs so you can go back and make changes whenever needed.

Enable online booking

Make online booking available to clients with one first, easy step:

Go to Settings > Online Booking Options and be sure to check I offer online scheduling (see below).

Tip: If you are interested in enabling online booking to your clients, but would like to skip the settings and customizable options for now, all you have to do is mark the checkbox below. Your online booking will default to the existing account settings, and you’ll be all set to accept online bookings.

Set your online booking options

When you use online booking, clients can schedule with you directly from your website, your client portal, emails, or social media pages.

In this section you’ll learn how to set online booking settings, including scheduling options, booking policies, text displayed on the booking page, and more.

To get started, open the Settings menu and click Online Booking Options.

Important: This section shows you how to set general options that affect all your services. In addition, you can set special booking options for a specific service, from the Settings page for that service.

Selecting booking options and limits

These settings help you maintain order in your calendar by providing options to avoid last-minute bookings, and give you control over how you accept appointments.

Online Scheduling: To enable clients to successfully book online, make sure that this box is checked.
Accept appointments: If you choose one of the Manual options, you will need to manually accept the appointment in your account’s calendar. Once accepted, a confirmation email is sent to the client.
When you select the Automatic option, appointments booked online for an available time slot are entered in your calendar and confirmed automatically.
Advance notification: Lets you set the period of time that must elapse between time of booking and time of the appointment. Options range from 15 minutes to 6 weeks.
Limit future bookings: Lets you control how far ahead of time clients may book an appointment. Options range from one day in advance to one year in advance.

Note: When Not set is selected, there is no limit on how far ahead clients may book.

Setting booking policies

These options allow you to set rules and policies for rescheduling and cancelling appointments.

Cancellations and Reschedules: Lets you set the period of time that must elapse between rescheduling or cancelling an appointment and the time of the original appointment. Options range from Always (no limit) to 4 weeks. After the set time limit is reached, clients will not be able to reschedule or cancel the appointment online.
Booking Policy Text: Here you can describe your policy for cancellations, reschedules, arriving late and so on. You may also use this space for instructions, terms or other notes for your clients.

Note: The text you type here will be displayed to clients right before they submit their appointment request, and also on the Appointment screen of the client portal.

Terms of service: If you want clients to accept your own Terms of Service before they book an appointment, check the box. You will be prompted to enter the URL pointing to your Terms of Service.

Choosing display options

These settings let you customize how your Service Menu is displayed to clients who book online.

Categories display: Choose whether the categories in the Services Menu are automatically expanded (so clients can see all services immediately), or whether clients expand the categories manually. See the figure below for an example.
Display or promote packages: If you have created package deals and made them available for online purchase, you can use these options to decide how you would like to promote your packages on the online scheduler. You can hide packages, or use a link or banner to promote them.
Scheduling order: Choose whether clients first select a service and then the preferred staff member, or vice versa. (This option is not relevant if you are the only staff member who provides the service.)
Add title to service menu: Enter a line of text to be displayed above your Services Menu. See the image below for an example.

For your convenience, and in order to reduce no-shows, your clients will automatically receive an email reminder before their upcoming appointment when they book with your business online.

You can add and customize notifications and reminders from your Settings > Auto Client Messages page, under the Booking tab.

Learn more: To learn more about how to set additional booking reminders & notifications, including SMS notifications, visit the Set your Booking Reminders & Intake Form article.