Service Calendars
Service Calendars let service-based businesses define individual services with their own durations, pricing, staff assignments, and resource requirements, then display everything through a single booking link called a Service Menu. Instead of maintaining separate booking pages or relying on phone calls, clients pick a service, choose a provider (if allowed), select a time based on real staff availability, and optionally pay at booking time. Everything consolidates into one streamlined scheduling flow.
What Service Calendars Do
Service Calendars solve fragmented scheduling by organizing multiple services under unified booking:
Service Calendars (individual services) define each service your business offers with custom duration, pricing, staff assignments, and required rooms or equipment. Each calendar represents a single service like “Men’s Haircut” or “Deep Tissue Massage” with its own availability and configuration.
Groups categorize related services into logical clusters. A hair salon might create “Hair Services,” “Nail Services,” and “Spa Treatments” groups. Groups are required before adding calendars to Service Menus and help clients navigate your offerings intuitively.
Service Menus are the client-facing booking pages that display multiple services from different Service Calendars on a single page. Menus support multi-service selection (clients book haircut plus blowout in one session), guest booking (additional attendees), and staff selection (clients choose their preferred provider).
Services v2 upgrade expands capabilities beyond the original version with multiple payment gateways (not just Stripe), card-on-file support, in-app payment collection through mobile app, coupon codes at checkout, and service variants with add-ons for flexible pricing.
Key Configuration Options
Staff management is the foundation because availability is determined entirely by assigned team members’ schedules. Add staff under Settings > My Staff with name, email, permissions, and availability by day and time range. Each staff member’s availability carries over to every Service Calendar they’re assigned to. Configure preferred meeting location per staff member: Phone, Address, Custom, Zoom (requires integration), or Google Meet (requires Google Calendar connection).
Service Details include Service Logo (appears on individual calendar widget), Group assignment (determines menu category), Appointment Invite Title (shows on Google/Outlook/Apple Calendar with personalization tokens like {{contact.name}}), and Event Color (visually distinguishes service on internal calendar view). Service Cover Image (different from logo) displays in Service Menu listings.
Availability and Timing controls include Weekly Working Hours (default recurring schedule), Date-Specific Hours (override for holidays or special events), Service Duration (length of each appointment), Post Buffer Time (cleanup or preparation time after appointments), Minimum Scheduling Notice (how far in advance bookings must be made), and Date Range (how far into future clients can book). Slot interval is fixed at 15 minutes but buffer times give effective control over spacing.
Forms and Payments handle data collection and fees. Default form collects Name, Email, Phone. Select custom forms from Sites > Forms > Builder dropdown. Enable consent checkbox with custom message. Set Confirmation Page to display thank you message or redirect to custom URL for upsells or intake forms. Integrate Stripe for payment collection during booking (payments apply only to main attendee, not guests).
Rooms and Equipment prevent double-booking of physical resources. Rooms represent spaces (styling station, treatment room, consultation booth). Equipment tracks tools with quantity available (three blow dryers means max three services requiring blow dryers in same time slot). Create resources in calendar settings first, then assign to Service Calendars under Rooms and Equipment tabs.
Creating a Service Menu
Service Menus consolidate multiple services onto one booking page:
- Navigate to Calendars > Calendar Settings > Service Menu tab
- Click Create Service Menu
- Enter Name (client-facing title), Description (optional summary), Slug URL (custom path for booking link), and Form (custom form if needed)
- Open Select Services tab and check which Service Calendars and groups appear
- Drag and drop to set display order (put popular or high-value services at top)
- Under Additional Options, toggle Enable Add Guests (book for multiple people), Enable Multiple Service Selection (book more than one service per session), and Enable Staff Selection (clients pick preferred provider)
The system calculates total duration for multi-service bookings, checks staff availability across all selected services, and presents only time slots that work for the entire combination.
Pro Tips
- Name services from the client’s perspective. Use “Men’s Haircut” or “60-Minute Deep Tissue Massage” instead of internal codes. Clear names reduce booking confusion and support inquiries.
- Use buffer times strategically. Even if service takes 45 minutes, adding 15-minute buffer gives staff time to clean up, prepare the room, and mentally transition. Prevents rushed service and reduces late starts.
- Assign rooms and equipment to every applicable service. Resource assignment prevents double-booking during busy periods. A missed assignment can cascade into scheduling chaos.
- Upload cover images for every service. Visual booking pages convert better than text-only ones. Use clean, professional images representing each service category.
- Use confirmation page redirect for upsells. After booking, redirect to page offering add-on services, intake forms, or preparation instructions. This is free marketing real estate.
Common Questions
Can I create more than one Service Menu?
Yes. Build multiple menus using different Group Calendars. Useful for separate booking pages for different locations, departments, or client types.
Can clients book multiple services at once?
Yes, as long as Enable Multiple Service Selection is toggled on in Service Menu settings. System calculates combined duration and checks availability for full booking.
Can I accept payments through the Service Menu?
Yes. Connect Stripe under Forms and Payment section. Service Menu payments currently require Stripe. The v2 upgrade adds support for additional payment gateways.
Why are no time slots showing for a service?
Most common causes: no staff members assigned to calendar, assigned staff have no availability configured, or assigned rooms/equipment are fully booked for selected time range. Check each in order.
What is the difference between the Service Logo and Service Cover Image?
Service Logo appears on booking widget when client books single Service Calendar directly. Service Cover Image appears in Service Menu where all services are listed together. Upload both for consistent branded experience.