Product
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Settings
Platform
Appointment
11min
Managing appointments effectively is crucial for businesses to ensure smooth operations, maximize customer satisfaction, and improve specialist utilization. Sanoflow's appointment settings are designed to provide flexibility, automation, and centralized control over schedules, services, and communications. Below is a detailed guide to managing appointments effectively within the platform.
To access appointment settings:
- Navigate to the Settings module in the left-hand menu.
- Select the Appointments section under the Platform category.
- From here, you can explore various tabs:
- Locations
- Specialists
- Services
- Departments
- Booking
- SMS & WhatsApp Templates
- Purpose: Manage and configure the locations where services are offered.
- Features:
- View all existing locations for the organization.
- Add new locations to expand services.
- Assign specialists and services to specific locations.
- How to Add a Location:
- Navigate to the Locations tab.
- Click Add Location and fill in the required details, such as name and address.
- Assign associated services or specialists as needed.
- Purpose: Manage specialist schedules and availability across multiple locations.
- Features:
- Working Hours Management:
- Add, edit, or delete working hours for specialists.
- Assign location-specific schedules.
- Define time blocks for weekdays.
- Override Schedules:
- Temporary schedules for special cases like leave or emergencies.
- Requires start date, end date, location, and reason for override.
- Google Calendar Integration:
- Sync specialist schedules with Google Calendar to avoid double bookings and centralize calendar management.
- Practical Example:
- For a specialist working at multiple locations, assign different time slots for each location. Override schedules to handle absences or extra shifts.
- Purpose: Define and organize the services offered by the business.
- Features:
- Service Management:
- Add new services by specifying details like:
- Duration.
- Pricing.
- Online booking availability.
- Buffers (pre/post).
- Service descriptions.
- Categorize services by department for better organization.
- Editable Details:
- Update service names, descriptions, and pricing at any time.
- Practical Example:
- Add a 15-minute pre-buffer to ensure specialists have preparation time before a service starts.
- Purpose: Group services and specialists logically for better management and visibility.
- Features:
- Department Organization:
- Create and manage departments.
- Assign parent and sub-departments to establish a hierarchy.
- Edit department details (e.g., name).
- How to Add a Department:
- Navigate to the Departments tab.
- Click Add Department and input the department name.
- Optionally, assign a parent department for hierarchical organization.
- Practical Example:
- Create a "Dental" department with sub-departments like "Hygienist" and "Orthodontics" for better categorization.
- Purpose: Manage appointment rules, reminders, and no-show handling.
- Features:
- Reminder Settings:
- First reminder (e.g., 24 hours before the appointment).
- Second reminder (e.g., 1 hour before the appointment).
- Reschedule & Cancellation Settings:
- Define time buffers before rescheduling and cancellations.
- Example: Customers can reschedule up to 2 hours before the appointment.
- No-Show Handling:
- Set the time after which an appointment is considered a no-show.
- Trigger a shortcut flow for follow-up actions (e.g., rescheduling or cancellations).
- Automation Settings:
- Automatically confirm appointments.
- Connect appointments with Google Calendar for seamless synchronization.
- Purpose: Configure automated text notifications for various appointment statuses.
- Features:
- Notification Templates:
- Assign templates for events such as:
- Booking confirmations.
- Appointment cancellations.
- Rescheduling notices.
- First and second reminders.
- Completion updates.
- WhatsApp Integration:
- Send reminders and notifications via WhatsApp for higher engagement.
- Multilingual Support:
- Templates can be customized for multiple languages.
- How to Customize a Template:
- Select the desired event (e.g., Appointment Booked).
- Choose a template or create a new one.
- Preview and test the template before saving.
- Practical Example:
- Customize a WhatsApp reminder message to include location, specialist details, and a friendly note in multiple languages.
- Multi-Location Clinics:
- Use the Locations tab to manage different branches.
- Assign location-specific working hours for specialists.
- Ensure that services are linked to the correct location for streamlined booking.
- Specialist Availability:
- Set up detailed schedules with working hours and overrides to ensure accurate availability.
- Sync with Google Calendar for centralized and conflict-free scheduling.
- Custom Notifications:
- Use WhatsApp templates to send automated, personalized reminders to reduce no-shows.
- Incorporate multiple languages for diverse customer bases.
- Efficient Service Categorization:
- Organize services under relevant departments for easy navigation by customers and staff.
- Add buffers to ensure smooth transitions between appointments.
- Keep Schedules Updated:
- Regularly review and update specialist working hours to reflect real availability.
- Use override schedules to handle unexpected changes efficiently.
- Enhance Customer Engagement:
- Leverage WhatsApp templates for timely notifications and personalized messaging.
- Provide reminders in multiple languages for better communication.
- Optimize Service Details:
- Ensure accurate pricing, duration, and buffer times for each service.
- Categorize services logically under departments for easy management.
- Minimize No-Shows:
- Automate reminders and enforce reasonable rescheduling and cancellation buffers.
- Use shortcut flows for follow-up actions on missed appointments.
- How do I add a specialist's working hours?
- Go to the Specialists tab.
- Select a specialist and click Add Schedule.
- Input the weekdays, time slots, and location, then save.
- Can I send notifications via WhatsApp and SMS?
- Yes, you can configure templates for both WhatsApp and SMS in the SMS & WhatsApp Templates tab.
- What is the purpose of pre/post buffers in services?
- Buffers allow specialists time for preparation and cleanup, ensuring smooth transitions between appointments.
- How do I handle no-shows?
- Set a no-show definition under the Booking tab.
- Can I assign services to multiple departments?
- Trigger a follow-up shortcut flow for rescheduling or cancellation notifications.
- No, a service can only belong to one department, but departments can be organized hierarchically.
- Can customers book services online?
- Yes, enable Online Booking under the Services tab to allow customers to book appointments through your website or other platforms.
- How can I notify customers about last-minute changes?
- Use the WhatsApp or SMS templates to send instant updates about reschedules or cancellations.
- How do I manage specialist absences?
- Use the Override Schedule feature in the Specialists tab to set temporary schedules.
- Is there a way to temporarily disable a location?
- While thereโs no direct โdisableโ option, you can unassign all specialists and services or use override schedules to block availability.
- What if a specialist works at multiple locations?
- Assign the specialist to each relevant location and define their working hours separately for each location in the Specialists Tab.
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Updated 06 Jan 2025
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