Does Square Appointments offer double booking?

[BourbonBrunette]

I'm a hairstylist and regularly 'power' or 'double' book my clients during haircolor services to maximize my schedule and earnings.  For example, I schedule my highlight & haircut service at 3 hours:  this gives me an hour to highlight, one hour for the client to process, and the last hour for the cut and blowdry.  During that hour of processing time, I schedule another client for a color and/or cut service.  Is this something that can be done with Square Appointments?  So far, it looks like if a client books me for a highlight & cut at noon, I'd be unavailible for any other bookings until 3pm...  I need to show availibity for a 1pm appt.

[#2]

Hi there @jjohnstone 👋

We introduced the processing time feature last year, which enables your clients to book appointments during your down time.

You can learn more about how this works here, but be sure to let me know if this isn't what you were looking for!

P.S. Welcome to the Seller Community!

[#3]

Kinda tricky.

The service duration + the block time for the service has to be less than the processing time. It gets complicated if both services have processing time. It has to puzzle together perfectly in order to work. 

It could also be be the calendar settings for when times can be booked. Typically we suggest setting the processing time to  According to service duration within Appts Dashboard > Settings > Calendar & Booing > Appointments are scheduled. 

@Hannahchristine

[Chad]

Hello @adelfosse! 

We're always looking for ways to improve Square Appointments. I definitely get why you want to ban certain clients. 

Could you explain how processing time differs from service duration? This way I can accurately convey your feedback to the Appointments Team. 

[adelfosse]

@Chad Processing time would add a gap of available time within a single service. This would allow another customer to book during that gap or "processing time"- or for two services with processing time to book around each other... if that makes sense.

[Helen]

Thank you @adelfosse. I went ahead and moved your post to the Feature Request board so we can track this as Chad's not here today. 

We're also tracking the request to be able to block a specific client, I know that's important too. 

[Release]

Hello.  I too need this functionality.  I want clients to be able to book appointments (book equipment rental) for multiple days at a time.  I'm surprised it's not common and already addressed.  

[JoaquinJonathan]

There REALLY should be a way to customize automatic time blocking for services booked online. I.E root hair color application takes 30 mins and then the customer sits to process for 30mins (meanwhile I can do a 30mins service on someone else. This needs to be open time for oniline viewing for other customers) then I need an additional 30 mins to wash and blow dry the customer with color. 

[JoaquinJonathan]

OMG YES! Someone finally understands my daily PAIN!! I feel so rude for telling my customers to not book their chemical services online simply because “my online booking system just isn’t quite thy sophisticated to adjust time blocks”. It feels so tacky to have services available for viewing (to show that I provide such services) and then not allow them to book the appointment online. I have to write all of these rules in my “Bio” and in my services descriptions to prevent them from booking online which creates sooooooo much wreckage in the day if I don’t catch the booking ahead of time. PLEASE ADD THIS FEATURE SQUARE TEAM! I’d even go back to paying monthly for the individual service if you could pull some magic. Transfering to another service would be such a mess. 

[JoaquinJonathan]

Finally someone who understands my daily pain!! 

[Smrees]

I have been using the square appointments app for android and I am having so much trouble adjusting my business hours. I am unable to do it in the android app itself, but I changed them online out of the app, and then again in an apple app. But they still will not show as changed in my android app! I logged out and back in, and I also tried uninstalling and reinstalling the app. I just want to be able to see my correct availability in my own app. Any advice is appreciated!

[Helen]

@Smrees Hmm your settings should update in the app automatically. Did you update the hours for your staff profile from your online Dashboard? (Those hours can be different to yoru business hours.) To check and update the hours for your staff profile:

1. Sign to your online Appointments Dashboard
2. Scroll down to Location and Hours > click Manage Staff Locations.
3. Change your hours > click Done > click Save.

If you go back to the app on either device after following these steps the time should have updated. Let me know if you're still having trouble with this or call our CS team and an Appointments specialist can help. 

[Smrees]

@Helen I tried that, I am going to go through and uninstall it again and try everything one more time and if I can't get it to work I will call and have someone help me out. Thank you so much for your suggestions!