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Appointment Options

Appointment options let customers choose the type of meeting they want to book, such as "30-Minute Phone Call" or "In-Home Consultation."

Overview​

When you enable appointment options for a scheduling group, customers see a selection of meeting types before choosing a time slot. Each option can have:

  • A custom name and duration
  • Virtual or in-person designation
  • Automatic travel time blocking (for in-person meetings)

Enabling Appointment Options​

  1. Open your scheduling group
  2. Find Use Appointment Options setting
  3. Toggle to Yes
  4. Save the group
  5. Add your appointment options (see below)
When Disabled

When appointment options are disabled, all bookings use the group's default slot duration and the meeting type is not specified.

Creating Appointment Options​

Step 1: Access the Options List​

  1. Open your scheduling group
  2. Scroll to the Appointment Options section
  3. Click Add Option

Step 2: Configure the Option​

SettingDescriptionRequired
NameDisplay name (e.g., "30-Minute Phone Call")Yes
DurationMeeting length in minutes (15-480)Yes
VirtualToggle for virtual vs. in-personNo
Create Travel ActivityBlock prep/travel time before in-person meetingsNo
Travel TimeMinutes to block before the appointment (5-120)If travel enabled

Step 3: Save and Order​

  1. Click Save to add the option
  2. Drag options to reorder how they appear to customers
  3. The first option is selected by default on the booking page

Virtual vs. In-Person​

Virtual Appointments​

When Virtual is enabled:

  • The appointment is marked as a virtual meeting
  • No travel time can be configured
  • Calendar invite indicates it's a virtual meeting

Use for: Phone calls, video conferences, screen shares

In-Person Appointments​

When Virtual is disabled:

  • The appointment is marked as in-person
  • Travel time blocking becomes available
  • Calendar invite indicates an on-site meeting

Use for: Home visits, office consultations, site inspections

Travel Time Blocking​

For in-person appointments, you can automatically block prep and travel time on the team member's calendar.

How It Works​

  1. Customer books a 1-hour consultation at 2:00 PM
  2. You've configured 30 minutes of travel time
  3. System creates two calendar items:
    • 1:30 PM - 2:00 PM - Travel time (blocks availability)
    • 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM - The actual appointment

Configuring Travel Time​

  1. On the appointment option, toggle Create Travel Activity to Yes
  2. Set Travel Time duration (5-120 minutes)
  3. Save the option

What Gets Created​

ItemPurposeCustomer Sees
Travel ActivityBlocks the team member's calendar before the appointmentNo
Main AppointmentThe actual meeting with the customerYes

Both items sync to connected calendars (Google, Outlook).

Travel Time Duration

Consider your service area when setting travel time:

  • 15-30 minutes - Local service area
  • 45-60 minutes - Regional service area
  • 60-120 minutes - Wide service area or heavy traffic areas

Travel Time Appearance​

Travel time appears on the team member's calendar with:

  • Title: "Travel Time - [Customer Name]"
  • Duration: Your configured travel time
  • Linked to the main appointment

Managing Options​

Editing an Option​

  1. Click the Edit icon on the option
  2. Make changes
  3. Click Save
Duration Changes

Changing the duration of an option does not affect existing bookings. Only new bookings use the updated duration.

Reordering Options​

  1. Drag options using the handle on the left
  2. Order is saved automatically
  3. First option appears as the default selection for customers

Deleting an Option​

  1. Click the Delete (trash) icon
  2. Confirm deletion
Soft Delete

Deleted options are deactivated, not permanently removed. This preserves data integrity for historical bookings.

Display Order​

Options appear to customers in the order you set. Consider:

  • Most popular first - Reduces customer friction
  • Shortest first - Encourages quick initial meetings
  • Virtual first - If you prefer virtual consultations

Examples​

Sales Team Options​

OptionDurationVirtualTravel Time
15-Minute Phone Intro15 minYes—
30-Minute Video Call30 minYes—
In-Home Consultation60 minNo30 min

Service Department Options​

OptionDurationVirtualTravel Time
Quick Quote Call15 minYes—
On-Site Estimate45 minNo45 min
Project Walkthrough90 minNo45 min

Design Team Options​

OptionDurationVirtualTravel Time
Initial Consultation30 minYes—
Design Review60 minYes—
Home Measure120 minNo60 min

Best Practices​

Keep Options Simple​

  • Offer 2-4 options maximum
  • Use clear, descriptive names
  • Avoid jargon customers won't understand

Match Durations to Reality​

  • Base durations on actual meeting times
  • Include buffer for transitions
  • Account for setup time in virtual meetings

Consider Your Workflow​

  • Virtual-first saves travel time and increases capacity
  • In-person builds stronger relationships
  • Mix gives customers flexibility

Use Consistent Travel Times​

  • Keep travel times consistent across similar appointment types
  • This helps with calendar management and capacity planning

Troubleshooting​

Options Not Showing to Customers​

Problem: Customers don't see appointment options on the booking page.

Solutions:

  1. Verify Use Appointment Options is enabled on the group
  2. Check that at least one option exists and is active
  3. Confirm the group is active

Travel Time Not Blocking​

Problem: Team members are getting booked during travel time.

Solutions:

  1. Verify Create Travel Activity is enabled on the option
  2. Check that Travel Time duration is set
  3. Ensure the option is saved

Wrong Duration on Calendar​

Problem: Calendar shows different duration than expected.

Solutions:

  1. Check the appointment option's duration setting
  2. Verify customer selected the expected option
  3. Note that existing bookings retain their original duration