Appointments Overview

the appointments module simplifies scheduling by managing specialist availability and facilitating seamless booking processes it caters to both internal team usage and client side booking through various interfaces, such as manual input by staff or chatbot assisted scheduling getting here this module is accessible by admins , managers , and any user with authorized access to the appointments module this module can be accessed through the navigation list on your left side of the screen, then go to appointments key functionalities for internal use team members can book appointments directly via the module advanced filters to locate and manage appointments by date, location, and specialist instant notifications for updates (e g , confirmations or cancellations) for client use a client facing landing page, customizable with your business branding, enables clients to self book appointments chatbot integration allows clients to book appointments during live interactions, showcasing real time availability updates section displays appointment related updates for quick visibility notifications for client appointment requests, changes, or reminders views available person view (default view) displays appointments for all specialists in a timeline format navigate dates using the arrows or jump back to the current day with the “today” button card color codes light blue appointment booked dark blue appointment confirmed red appointment canceled light green appointment completed appointment card features click to view appointment details or perform actions like confirmations and cancellations calendar view weekly calendar layout for easier management of long term schedules toggle weeks with navigation arrows select specific specialists or filter appointments by location ability to see each appointment assigned under each specialist you filter out appointment list view summarizes all appointments for a specific date, including booked, confirmed, and canceled slots exportable for reporting and printing purposes each appointment includes action buttons for quick contact or status updates ability to see all appointments assigned with their specialists appointment creation workflow new appointment accessible via the "add appointment" button or by clicking empty time slots input fields contact select an existing contact or add a new one location, specialist, and service mandatory fields to assign the booking correctly date & time select start and end times communication channel notify clients via whatsapp additional notes optional for specific instructions or comments block time period temporarily block availability for specific specialists input fields location & specialist start & end dates reason for the block advanced filters filter options by location, specialist, service, contact, date created , or status toggle notifications for early availability waitlist management enables visibility and prioritization of clients on the waitlist for time slots updates column the updates column in the appointments module provides a centralized area for tracking and managing recent activities, notifications, and requests related to appointments it is particularly useful for ensuring that no client request or appointment action goes unnoticed its main features are real time notifications the updates column dynamically displays notifications for actions such as new appointment requests from clients requests for appointment confirmations appointment reschedules or cancellations actionable insights each notification includes critical information client name name of the person making the request contact details phone number and email for immediate follow up appointment details location, specialist, and service type timestamp indicates when the request or update was made quick access click on a notification to view further details or directly access the related appointment for quick action (e g , confirm or cancel the request) clear visual organization updates are displayed in chronological order, ensuring that the latest actions are always visible at the top important note on adding new doctors when adding a new doctor or specialist to the system, make sure to assign at least one service to them why it matters without a linked service, the specialist will not appear in the appointment creation dropdown, and clients won't be able to book sessions with them what to do go to the services tab docid\ pe9hshxljqkuekrfteazt under the settings module and assign relevant services to the specialist upon creation practical use cases medical practices clients can schedule consultations, follow ups, or specialist appointments via the booking page internal staff can block unavailable hours during surgeries or other events salons and spas allow clients to self book haircuts, massages, or other services while managing employee schedules fitness centers trainers can manage one on one session bookings, cancellations, or group class scheduling corporate meetings set up client or internal team meetings while ensuring that room availability and schedules are conflict free real estate automate booking for property visits or client consultations best practices optimize filters use filters for specialist , location , and status to streamline appointment searches and updates enable notifications always enable notifications for reminders to reduce no shows utilize waitlist regularly check the waitlist to fill canceled slots and improve utilization maintain up to date availability ensure specialists’ schedules are accurately updated to avoid double bookings or mismanagement use exported reports analyze appointment data weekly to track performance, cancellations, and overall booking trends faqs how can clients self book appointments? through the landing page or via chatbot assisted booking during interactions what happens when a client cancels an appointment? the appointment card turns red notifications are sent to the client can i export appointments for reporting? yes, use the appointment list view to export data in a printable format what if two clients book the same slot? double bookings are prevented through real time updates and sync mechanisms can i edit appointment details after booking? yes, access the appointment card and make necessary changes is there a way to send automated reminders to clients? yes, by going to settings, appointments, then booking why can’t i see a newly added doctor in the booking form? you need to assign at least one service to the doctor without it, they won't be bookable can i block off a specialist's schedule for vacation or breaks? yes, use the “block time period” option to define unavailable time ranges for any specialist can multiple staff manage the same appointment calendar? yes, as long as they have access to the appointments module, team members can manage, update, or view the calendar collaboratively what is the default time interval for appointments? sanoflow does not enforce fixed intervals you can define custom start and end times for each booking