Square Appointments: Introducing new social-distancing tools

[pbarfield]

We want to make sure you have the tools to keep your business running while social distancing measures continue to be in place. That’s why we’ve launched additional features such as prepayment with tipping and daily reservation limits to help you manage scheduling and any business modifications more easily. These are automatically included with your Square Appointments account.

Digital contracts

We’ve launched a new integration with Square Contracts. Start automatically sending digital contracts once a new appointment is booked with your business by enabling this feature on your Appointments Dashboard.

To turn on automatic service agreements from your online Appointments Dashboard:

1. Visit Settings > Communications using a laptop or desktop computer.
2. Turn on the Digital customer contracts toggle.
3. Select Select contract template to assign a contract template to a certain location. Note: You will be directed to the Contracts tool to create a contract template if you have no contract templates saved. Once you create a template, navigate back to Settings → Communications to turn on the template for each location.
4. Click Save.

Read more about creating contracts.

Prepayment with tipping

Customers can now add a tip when prepaying for their appointment, removing the need for checkout or a separate transaction for tipping in person.

To enable customer prepayment with tipping from your online Appointments Dashboard:

1. Visit Settings > Payments & Cancellations using a laptop or desktop computer.
2. Click Require Prepayment and define your cancellation policy in the text box. Your customers will be required to agree to your policy before booking online.
3. Turn on the toggle to allow customers to add a tip. 
4. Click Save.

Daily reservation limits

Set a limit on the number of reservations an employee or location can accept per day.

To enable reservation limits from your online Appointments Dashboard:

1. Visit Settings > Calendar & Booking using a laptop or desktop computer.
2. Turn on the toggle to set a limit on the number of appointments per day.
3. Select the type of limit you wish to create, either per staff member or per location
4. Choose the number of appointments you want to accept per day.
5. Click Save.

Booking website QR code

Print out your unique booking site QR code and display it so customers can easily scan it and book their next appointment.

To access your booking site QR code from your online Appointments Dashboard:

1. Visit Online Booking > Visibility & Display using a laptop or desktop computer.
2. Select whether to print the QR code only or show a message related to COVID-19. Note: This message cannot be customized at this time.
3. Select Get QR Code.

Let us know how these new features are going and don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or ideas for additional tools!

[TCSlaguna]

@pbarfield 

We would love to have: 

Where do you accept appointments?

At my business and over the phone. 

[arickrtattoos]

As much as I love that online contracts are now a thing with square (not having that capability is the one reason I've considered switching to another booking platform), it still isn't quite what I need as a tattoo artist. I would love to have the ability for them to not just sign, but enter their birthdate, and also, legally, I need to see an ID at the time of contract signing to prove age. My only other option would be to print every signed contract so that I can copy their ID onto it at their appointment, which is actually more work than how I'm doing it now. 

[Groomingbyjuani]

I’d love if we were able to edit the pending appointment in the app before having to accept then edit it or logging on to the full site to do so. 

[Groomingbyjuani]

There should be an option to have customers sign agreements once or with each appointment. I have biweekly clients who I don’t feel need to sign an agreement 2x a month. 

[Doncierr]

I love using this app the only problem is why is there not an app for this application? Every time a client needs to make an appointment they text me to have me resend them the link. Why is there not an app on the phone that they can just click on it would be so much easier and less time-consuming. The whole point of this booking online and checking out system is so it is quicker and easier. A simple app on the phone would make it that

[Bodybysam]

I would love the option for multiple bookings during a time slot for group training so my clients can easily book. I love this app for my business and that would be a game changer.

[DistinctiveNail]

I would love the option to send (or attach) a contract to a reminder. This way, the COVID questions can be asked the day prior to an appointment-when I really need to know If they’ve been exposed or feeling sick. Adding it when a new appointment is booked is useless when clients prebook 6 months in advance.