Minimize Gaps in Appointments

[MALqueerhair]

Squarespace offers a Minimize Gaps setting that when enabled, the booking flow only suggests available appointment slots that fit the selected service duration near an already scheduled appointment so that any "gaps" are closer to EOD

Their Tooling allows you to select from one of 2 options:

- Avoid any gaps between appointments during the day

- Avoid small gaps but allow gaps of at least [hour drop-down] (ex. 2 hours)

Because Square Appointments does not have a comparable Minimize Gaps feature, we've had to open up another day so instead of working 4 days, we now have to work 5 days!

This is because clients can book anytime during the day causing gaps that no service can fit eating into our daily availability & costing us money.

You will save service providers MONEY & TIME if you release this functionality!

[#2]

Squarespace offers a Minimize Gaps setting that when enabled, the booking flow only suggests available appointment slots that fit the selected service duration near an already scheduled appointment so that any "gaps" are closer to EOD

Their Tooling allows you to select from one of 2 options:

- Avoid any gaps between appointments during the day

- Avoid small gaps but allow gaps of at least [hour drop-down] (ex. 2 hours)

Because Square Appointments does not have a comparable Minimize Gaps feature, we've had to open up another day so instead of working 4 days, we now have to work 5 days!

This is because clients can book anytime during the day causing gaps that no service can fit eating into our daily availability & costing us money.

You will save service providers MONEY & TIME if you release this functionality!

[baileycheddar]

This feature would be amazing. I just checked and when I use the fake it filter to reduce appts shown it took away my first one of the day but was sure to show my last two at 7 and 7:30pm but I have 3 hours open before that and the first two of that 3 hour gap weren't show. Please help us square.

[Innerglo]

@Kassi_ 

It was pointed out at the top of this page that the competition has this feature. That seems it would be much more doable (and viable) if the competition has done it. 

Just re expressing interest that I would also like some control over how the automated booking system works. 

[cyd203]

We saw this capability in boulevard. Pretty smart. Do any other platforms offer this?

[lekristin]

This is a sore oversight for a platform that is otherwise great. I literally can not wrap my head around *why* this is such a blatantly ignored feature for Square and pretty much every single booking system. Service providers operate fundamentally by their schedules, and failure to optimize on the provider end is honestly insulting. I see this request and conversation ALL of the time! Online, the help forums, facebook groups, everywhere. Why has this not been addressed yet? I stg this is probably one of the biggest reasons why there are hairdressers out there that don't use online booking - this reason alone! It's sometimes "easier" to just do it your self.

If this were even available a la carte as an option or in any payment tier, I would happily pay it. PLEASE expand the features for your booking tiers. 

[mandicolorshair]

This is SO needed! It is the singular reason I have recently been seeking out alternative booking systems after 7+ years with square. 

Not having this feature is the reason I cannot utilize online booking fully, and the current way that I do isn't sustainable either. (marking off personal time to show specific time slots before or after existing appointments. I have to manually update it every time I book a new appointment - extremely irritating and I don't always remember to. Which causes me to lose out on money in the same respect a gap in my schedule would.) 

I am exhausted by manually booking clients, need more automatization in my business, and this is the key feature I need to do that. 

Please listen to us Square, I would absolutely pay for this feature!!

[Stephiesava]

Currently researching which software I’m leaving square for due to this. I have asked and waited for over 5 years for this feature and I’m done with it. I was at work from 830-445 yesterday for 4 hours of work.   Wasted time in between each.  At least if they would have been booked together I’d have only been there for half a day.

[symonew]

After reading all the posts on this top dating years back, I cannot believe that this feature still hasn't been implemented. This is table stakes for any professional services business! Not being able to minimize appointment gaps is leading to huge time waste and will most likely be the number one reason we will move on from Square to a different software that can do this intelligently. We chose Square because My Salon Suite has a vendor agreement with them for reduced processing fees but that is not enough benefit when we are losing money on the other end due to not having the feature to minimize appointment gaps. Very disappointing.

[Jasteca]

This is definitely needed. I run 45/1hr/1hr15 appointment times as a barber and spend so much time contacting clients to move 15/30 mins back or forth to make room for another appointment. I’ve done it for 2 years now and I NEED a solution to give me more time back!!

[baileycheddar]

has there been any update on the potential of this feature?

[SuperiorImages]

I would like to either be able to dictate the length of appointment gaps, or have a no gap feature available.   Having wasted time slots in the day is so frustrating.  
I do approve appointments, so that I can opt to move them if absolutely necessary, but it just makes more work for me- the system should be able to do this. 

I’ve used Appointments since it was debuted, and this has always been the most frustrating thing.
Will we ever hear of any solution?