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Introduction

The Waitlist feature allows you to add clients who are waiting for specific services or time slots. When an appointment cancellation occurs or a time slot becomes available, you can quickly review the waitlist and reach out to waiting clients to fill the gap.

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Key Features

  • Client Waitlist Management: Track clients waiting for appointments
  • Preferred Time Windows: Clients can specify multiple preferred date/time ranges
  • Service Selection: Link waitlist entries to specific services or bundles
  • Quick Booking: Convert waitlist entries to appointments seamlessly

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Step-by-Step Usage Instructions

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Adding a Client to the Waitlist

  1. Navigate to the Scheduler section
  2. Click the Waitlist button in the scheduler header
  3. Click Add
  4. Fill in the waitlist entry form:
Client Selection:
  • Search for an existing client or create a new one
  • Start typing the client’s name to search
  • Click “Create” to add a new client on the fly
Preferred Times:
  • Add one or more preferred time windows
  • For each preferred time, specify:
    • Date: The desired appointment date
    • Start Time: Earliest acceptable time
    • End Time: Latest acceptable time
  • Click Add Time to add additional preferred time windows
  • Remove unwanted time slots with the trash icon
Services:
  • Click Add Service to select services the client wants
  • Choose from individual services or service bundles
  • Services from bundles are grouped together with a bundle badge
  • Remove services by clicking the trash icon
Notes (Optional):
  • Add any special requests, preferences, or important information
  • Example: “Prefers morning appointments” or “Flexible on service provider”
  1. Click Save to add the client to the waitlist

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Viewing the Waitlist

  1. In the Scheduler section, click the Waitlist button
  2. The waitlist panel shows all pending waitlist entries
  3. Each entry displays:
    • Client name
    • Requested services
    • Preferred time windows
    • Date added to waitlist
    • Notes (if any)

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Editing a Waitlist Entry

  1. Open the Waitlist panel
  2. Click on the waitlist entry you want to modify
  3. Update any fields:
    • Change preferred times
    • Add or remove services
    • Update notes
  4. Click Update to save changes

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Booking from the Waitlist

When a time slot becomes available that matches a waitlist entry:
  1. Open the Waitlist panel
  2. Review entries that match the available time
  3. Contact the client to confirm availability
  4. If confirmed, click the Actions menu on the waitlist entry and select Book
  5. The appointment form opens with the client and services pre-filled from the waitlist
  6. Select the date, time, and team member(s) for the appointment
  7. Click Save to create the appointment
What Happens:
  • The appointment is created with all waitlist details pre-filled
  • The waitlist entry status automatically changes from “Waiting” to “Booked”
  • The waitlist entry is linked to the appointment (you can view the appointment from the waitlist)
  • The waitlist entry remains in the system for record-keeping

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Removing from Waitlist

Manually remove a client from the waitlist when:
  • They no longer need the service
  • They’ve booked elsewhere
  • They’re no longer interested
To Remove:
  1. Open the Waitlist panel
  2. Find the entry to remove
  3. Click the Actions menu and select Delete
  4. Confirm the deletion

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Online Booking Waitlist

Clients can also join your waitlist directly through online booking when no time slots are available.

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Enabling Online Waitlist

  1. Go to Settings → Booking Policies
  2. Scroll to Booking Options section
  3. Toggle on Allow clients to join waitlist
  4. Optional: Override this setting per service in the Service Catalogue

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How Online Waitlist Works

When online waitlist is enabled:
  1. Client selects services and a date in online booking
  2. If no time slots are available, they see a “Join the waitlist” option
  3. Client can add optional notes (e.g., “Morning preferred”, “Team member preference: Sarah”)
  4. After joining, client receives a confirmation notification
  5. Entry appears in your Scheduler waitlist panel
  6. You contact the client when a slot opens and book from the waitlist

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Online vs Staff-Created Entries

Online waitlist entries appear identically to staff-created entries in your waitlist panel. Both include:
  • Client name and contact information
  • Preferred date(s)
  • Services requested
  • Notes
  • Date added

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Business Notifications

When a client joins the waitlist, you can receive a notification (if enabled in Automated Messages):
  • New Waitlist: Sent to your business email/SMS when a client joins the waitlist
By default, this notification is only sent for online waitlist entries. To receive notifications for all waitlist entries (including those created by staff), enable “Include appointments created by staff” in Settings → Automated Messages → Business Notifications. Note: The system does not automatically offer slots to waitlisted clients. When a slot opens, you review the waitlist and contact clients yourself; then book from the waitlist when they confirm.

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Policies and best practices

  • When to enable online waitlist: Enable in Settings → Booking Policies under Allow clients to join waitlist for services where demand often exceeds availability. You can override per service (e.g. disable for walk-in or express services).
  • Review regularly: Check the waitlist often and contact clients when matching slots open. Remove or update entries when clients have booked elsewhere or are no longer interested.
  • Order of contact: Entries show the date added. Contact earlier entries first as a general rule when multiple clients match an open slot.
  • Per-service control: Configure “Allow join waitlist” per service in the Service Catalogue so only relevant services show the waitlist option online.

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FAQs

Q: Can clients add themselves to the waitlist? A: Yes, if you enable “Allow clients to join waitlist” in Settings → Booking Policies (Booking Options). When no time slots are available for their selected date, clients can join the waitlist directly. Otherwise, clients can request waitlist addition through phone, email, or in-person. Q: How many preferred times can a client specify? A: For staff-created entries, there’s no limit. For online waitlist entries, clients join for a single date (the date they searched for). Q: Does the waitlist automatically notify clients when a slot opens? A: No, you manually review the waitlist and contact clients when matching times become available. Q: Can I see waitlist entries directly in the scheduler calendar? A: The waitlist is viewed in a separate panel, not on the calendar itself. Q: Can I add multiple clients to the same waitlist time slot? A: Yes, multiple clients can wait for the same time window. Contact them in order when a slot opens. Q: How do I know which clients to contact first? A: Waitlist entries show the date they were added. Contact earlier entries first as a general rule. Q: How do I disable online waitlist for specific services? A: Edit the service in your Service Catalogue and set “Allow Join Waitlist” to “No - Don’t allow waitlist for this service”. This overrides the location default for that specific service. Q: What notification does the client receive when joining online? A: Clients receive the “New Waitlist” automated message (if enabled). You can customise this message in Settings → Automated Messages.