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Booking Flows

This guide applies to:

  • Basic Edition
  • Plus Edition
  • Pro Edition
  • Business Edition

Introduction

In this guide, we’ll review the Booking Flows feature and how it works with the booking form and the Appointment Type settings for Simply Schedule Appointments.

Enabling Booking Flows

This feature is currently released as an opt-in beta release. Please be aware that issues may come up as you use this new feature, but please feel free to contact us if you see anything strange, and we’d be happy to fix it!

To begin using the new Booking Flows feature, you first need to enable the new booking app. The new booking app is a complete revamp of our front-end app framework. It gives us the flexibility to develop more complex features such as Booking Flows and Resources.

Opt into using the new booking app by going to the SSA Settings page > scroll to the bottom and click on the Developers link > toggle on Try the new booking app under the Beta Features section > click Save.

The "Try the new booking app" toggle enabled within the SSA Developer settings.

Booking Flows and Views

The Booking Flows feature allows each Appointment Type to set the sequence of Views or screens for its booking form.

Each View also comes with a few options to customize the layout of each screen.

Every Appointment Type can have its own unique Booking Flow and View setup. To find these settings, visit the SSA Dashboard > Appointment Types > Booking Flow tab.

The Booking Flow and Views determine the interface your customers will see and interact with when booking an appointment.

Screenshot of the Booking Flow tab within the Appointment Type Settings. A dropdown to select the Booking Flow and to adjust the Date View is shown.

Main Booking Flows

The Main Booking Flow dropdown setting lets you select the steps that the booking form will display. Depending on which Booking Flow you choose, you will see a different sequence of Views in the settings.

Expanded

The Expanded Booking Flow shows the Date Selection screen followed by the Time selection screen before getting to the final customer information screen in the booking form.

This Flow is recommended when you have a large number of time slots for users to choose from since the Time Selection View gives ample space to display them.

Expanded Booking Flow Guide →

Expanded Flow Demo

Express

The Express Booking Flow consists of a single Appointment Options View containing the Date and Time selection on the same screen.

This Flow is great for giving users the flexibility to compare and contrast time slots on different days since they won’t need to go back and forth between screens.

Express Booking Flow Guide →

Express Flow Demo

First Available

The First Available Booking Flow sequence begins by prompting the user to choose the First Available time slot within your pre-selected duration. For example, this helps encourage users to take the next available time slot within the next 8 hours.

This is great for booking calendars where you’d prefer users to take the nearest time slot to fill out your immediate schedule.

This Flow is also unique because it requires selecting a Fallback Flow. These are the booking steps that you’d like users to see if there is no time slot within the pre-selected duration for the First Available Flow.

First Available Booking Flow Guide →

First Available Flow Demo

Views

Each View in the Booking Flow sequence is modifiable and includes a few different layouts for the step.

Click on the numbered View panel to display its corresponding dropdown setting.

View Setting for the Time Selection screen in the Expanded Booking Flow

Show End Times

You can also now choose to include the “end time” as part of the time view. Toggle on the Show end time for available appointment time slots to display this.

Toggle on Show End Time for available appointment time slots at the bottom of the Booking Flow tab screen.

It will then display like so:

Time slots depicting end times in appointment type so people have a more clear picture of when the appointment ends.

In-Depth Booking Flow Guides

Visit our Booking Flow guides to see demos of how each Booking Flow looks with the varying Views.

Still stuck?

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