Appointment types
An appointment type describes what the appointment is for. Beyond the name, a type can set time constraints on when it is available and store documents related to the appointment.
Why this matters
Well-defined appointment types keep bookings consistent: the right duration is filled in automatically, the calendar is colour-coded at a glance, and the correct reminder setting is applied without the person booking having to remember it. Types also feed departments into reporting.
Before you start
Managing appointment types requires one of the Account Owner, Account Administrator or Change Settings privileges.
The elements of an appointment type
| Element | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Type name | The name of the type shown in the appointment screen and in reports. |
| Duration | The duration in minutes. This prepopulates the duration field when making an appointment. |
| Department | Optionally, the department the appointment is in. Selected from a list. |
| Default reminder | Optionally, the reminder setting to use for appointments of this type. Selected from a list. |
| Physical Location | Optionally, the location of the appointment. Selected from a list. |
| Waiting room | Optionally, the waiting room to use for appointments of this type. Selected from a list. |
| Public Name | The name clients see on public display screens and DiaryPage pages. |
| Colour | The foreground and background colour used for the appointment in the calendar. |
Managing appointment types
Go to the Settings area and select Appointment Types. The screen shows a list of your existing appointment types.
Click a row to open the type window. The window has three menu items: Type Details, Schedule and Documents.
Type Details
Use Type Details to view the main elements of the type listed above. Click Edit to enable editing of these fields.
Schedule
Use Schedule to add time constraints on when the appointment type is available — for example, restricting a type to the hours of a clinic.
Documents
Use Documents to upload public, non-client-specific documents that clients can view on DiaryPage.
What to watch for
Location conflicts
The appointment type screen lets you assign a location to a type, but the type is not the only place a location can come from: the reminder setting can also be assigned a location, and the appointment itself can have one too.
A common problem is choosing an appointment type from one location together with a reminder setting assigned to a different location — this creates a conflict when the appointment is made. The appointment’s own location can conflict in the same way. Unlike a work-hours conflict, a location conflict cannot be overridden: it blocks the appointment from being saved, because a mismatch could lead to the client being directed to the wrong location.
When assigning a Physical Location to a type, check that the type’s Default reminder is a reminder setting for the same location, and keep the appointment’s own location consistent when booking.