Appointments

A Diarybook appointment contains various elements such as the service provider, the client and the date and time. Each element plays a part in how the appointment is managed.

Elements of an appointment

When creating an appointment in Diarybook the following elements are used

• Service provider
• Client
• Appointment type
• Date and time
• Appointment duration
• Resources (optional)
• Waiting room (optional)
• Reminder setting (optional)

Service provider

The Service Provider is a Diarybook user that can fulfil appointments: a user with the Can Take Appointments permission (see Users and Permissions). The service provider can create and manage their own appointments or have another Diarybook user manage their appointments for them.

Work hours

The work hours of a service provider are the normal on-going hours of work for the Diarybook user. It provides the basis for when appointments can be created for them.

Examples

The work hours can have one or more entries. For example a single entry can be

An example that takes in to account a lunch break

Another example for a part-time user

Appointment restrictions

Work hours restrict when an appointment can be made for this service provider. See Time conflicts for the full rule and the conditions under which it can be overridden.

Client

An appointment requires a client. When creating the appointment the user searches for the client using the name or other details of the client. The appointment will be added to the client’s appointment history. An appointment can have more than 1 client for group-style appointments such as classes.

Reminder fields of a client

When adding client records the minimum requirement is the client’s name. However there are other fields to be considered.

To identify the client

Clients can have the same name so when searching for a client other details can help differentiate. The date of birth, mobile number and home address fields can help in this manner.

To send an appointment reminder

Your appointment can be configured to automatically send appointment reminders to the client. To make use of this other client fields need to be utilized.

Appointment type

The type of appointment to be performed. The type is selected from a drop-down of appointment types.

• Users can easily see the reason for the appointment
• It defines the duration of the appointment
• It can be assigned a colour for calendar views
• It can be assigned a department for reporting and analysis
• It can be assigned a waiting room for the appointment
• It can be assigned a reminder setting for the appointment
• It can be assigned a location for the appointment
• It can have a seperate description for public noticeboards

See Appointment types for how these values are set up and managed.

Selecting a type updates other fields

Choosing an appointment type also updates the appointment’s waiting room, duration, reminder setting and location fields to match the values set on that type. This only happens for fields the type actually has a value for — if the type has no default reminder set, for example, the appointment’s reminder setting is left alone.

Changing the appointment’s location afterwards also filters the appointment type list down to types for that location.

Date, time and duration

The date and time of the appointment is when the client(s) will meet the Service Provider. The duration (in minutes) determines the end-time of the appointment and therefore the block of time booked.

The available block of time is governed by time conflicts — see that page for the full set of restrictions (service provider work hours, other appointments, blocked times, resource availability) and when each can be overridden.

Resources

Diarybook resources are usually rooms where the appointment will be held but can also indicate equipment. By selecting a resource you are booking this resource for the duration of the appointment. Diarybook will prevent other users from booking the resource for the duration of the appointment.

Resource work hours

Like a service provider, a resource can have work hours that define when it is available for booking. This puts a restriction on the date, time and duration of the appointment. Breaching either can create a conflict — see Time conflicts.

Resource permissions

A resource may have access restricted so that only selected users can book the resource. In this case this refers to the user creating the appointment and not necessarily the service provider of the appointment.

Filtering by location

A resource can also have its own location. Changing the appointment’s location filters the resource list down to resources for that location, or resources with no location set at all.

Waiting room

An appointment can optionally be associated with a waiting room.

Waiting room capacity

A waiting room can have a maximum capacity defined.

• Patient capacity
• Average wait times

In a building where various users are creating appointments using the same waiting room, the numbers can be restricted if social distancing rules are in affect. This promotes the spacing out of appointments and avoids crowding the building. See Time conflicts for when this restriction can be overridden.

Attendance

If a client is checked-in on arrival their name and appointment details will appear in the waiting-room screen.

Reminder setting

The reminder setting determines how the client will be reminded in advance of the appointment.

How

• SMS text
• Email
• Voice call
• Letter ^
• Letter By SMS

When

Each reminder method can be given a schedule to determine when to send the reminder

• Number of days before the appointment
• Number of hours before the appointment
• The day the appointment was created

and for follow up SMS texts and Letters

• Day of appointment, after the appointment
• Number of days after the appointment

Location

The appointment can have a specific location set. Some elements of the appointment — the appointment type, the reminder setting and any resources — can also have locations. When these are used they set the appointment’s location.

Changing the appointment’s location filters two other fields down to entries for that location or with no location set at all:

• The appointment type list
• The resources list

If different elements of the appointment end up pointing at different locations, this is a location conflict — see Time conflicts for why this happens and why, unlike most conflicts, it can’t be overridden.

The location can provide the client more information about where their appointment is. Location information can be used in SMS, Letter, Email reminders and Letter By SMS.

Related

• Appointment types
• Adding an appointment
• Time conflicts