Question
- How do I set up my default scheduling policy in MS Bookings?
Environment
- Oregon State University
- OSU Employees
- MS Bookings
Explanation
You can set top-level policies that are automatically applied to all the services you offer unless you choose to modify them on a per-service basis. For example, let's say that for most services, such as initial consultations, one-day notice for cancellations is acceptable. But for those services that require facility reservations or fees, such as golf lessons, you might require three days' notice. You can set this service-level policy on the Services page within each individual service by un-checking the "Use default scheduling policy" option.
Types of scheduling policies
This table explains the various scheduling policies available on the Booking page. Sourced from this Microsoft Support Webpage.
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Policy
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Explanation
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Time increments
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Determines the intervals between appointments. You can set your time increments from 5 minutes to 4 hours. You can also set your own customized time increments. An interval of 15 minutes, for example, means a customer could schedule a 60-minute appointment at 8:00, 8:15, 8:30, and so on. Conversely, a 60-minute interval means that appointments are only available on the hour. (To set service durations, see Define your service offerings.)
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Lead time in hours
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You build your staffing plan based on the appointments that are scheduled so it's important to know in advance how many customers are coming in for service on any particular day. The lead time policy enables you to specify the number of hours in advance that customers should book or cancel an appointment.
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Maximum days in advance
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If you want to limit how far in advance customers can book appointments, then this is the setting for you! You can set the maximum for 365 days or more.
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Notify when a booking is created or changed
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Select this option when you want to receive an email any time a customer books an appointment or changes an existing one. The email will go to the mailbox specified on the Business information page. See Enter your business information for details.
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Resolution
Set your policies:
- From the MS Bookings webpage, select the "Booking page" tab
- Select your policies under the "Scheduling policy" section
- Select "Save and publish"
For assistance, contact the Service Desk.