We haven't actually gone live with our bookings. We have build it in the backend but we are struggling with something which we are not sure how to solve so this is our web developer: Hanna Partridge who is contacting you.
We have build in catgories, services, and read in appointments. We are struggling with the fact that a user who wants to book 3 services in a row let's say
Hot stone massage 9-10
Foot massage 10-11
Facial 11-12
We have a buffer time for santizing 30min but if the same person is with the same employee then they can book directly after each other and the system needs to not apply the buffering time if its a single customer booking. I don't know if this is at all possible to do.
The other struggle is that we would like for customers in the booking form to be able to select multiple services, timeslots and then confirm the booking as many of them come for more then one treatment.
We do see there is a pending "feature request" with 352 likes on it but its quite urgent as otherwise we have to request a refund and switch to a plugin that can assist us with selecting multiple services in one go.
1. I'm afraid, the buffer time is fixed, it can't be dynamically changed according to a Customer or an Employee. So, no matter if it's the same Customer, the buffer time will be added before an/or after the appointment.
2. Yes, that's correct: the multiple booking feature is on the way. I can't tell you precisely when it will be implemented, but we have plenty of requests, so our developers know how high the demand is.
However, multiple bookings can be achieved with some workarounds.
One of the workarounds is to use Recurring appointments. But it is suitable only if a customer books multiple appointments of the same service.
The other one is Packages of Services - it is a feature that allows creating packages of multiple appointments (of the same or different services). In that case, the services that are included in the package and the number of appointments will be fixed, and the price will be set for the whole package. As far as I can see, you have a Pro license, which means packages are included in it. You can find more information on Packages here.
I found another way of doing this is also through the "extra's' functionality.
However is it possible for you to send me some code that can change the label for "Extra's" if I place it in the template for Amelia functions.php maybe?
Then I can call "Extra's" Services and use the booking form in a different way and this will actually work for us then.
Please let me know this is quite urgent for me to solve!
Both do not solve the problem or even address the actual problem. They are created and used for same service combinations which does not help me at all.
I know you do state that but it can seem from your reply that you think this will solve our problem but it doesnt.
I do not understand why a customer is not able to book for e.g 3 services in a row without it applying buffering time as its the same person.
The other way of doing it is applying buffering time on the user/customer instead of on the service.
This means before and after a "user" the buffer time applies that way customers can book different services within a room and the buffer time only applies after that user's bookings are finished. (I am using rooms instead of employees so I changed employees to "rooms" instead)
Unfortunately, we can't implement an unlimited number of features. It will make our product really complicated and confusing with tons of settings. That's why we have to choose which functionality to add. Usually, our customers apply buffer time to Employees since it's quite rare that the same Employee performs a couple of Services with the same Customer in a row. Or they set it as one Service with multiple extras (like a haircut and hair coloring under the same Service), as you mentioned.
You can change the word "extra" and basically any words you want by "translating" it. In order to achieve it, please:
I wanted to say that usually, our customers apply buffer time anyways, since they don't need it to be applied to particular clients or Employees, but rather to Services. That's why this setting is available only in Services.
You can suggest dynamic buffer time as a feature request here, or check if this request was already submitted and vote for it. Thus, our developers will see that there's demand for such functionality.
Hi,
We haven't actually gone live with our bookings. We have build it in the backend but we are struggling with something which we are not sure how to solve so this is our web developer: Hanna Partridge who is contacting you.
We have build in catgories, services, and read in appointments. We are struggling with the fact that a user who wants to book 3 services in a row let's say
Hot stone massage 9-10
Foot massage 10-11
Facial 11-12
We have a buffer time for santizing 30min but if the same person is with the same employee then they can book directly after each other and the system needs to not apply the buffering time if its a single customer booking. I don't know if this is at all possible to do.
The other struggle is that we would like for customers in the booking form to be able to select multiple services, timeslots and then confirm the booking as many of them come for more then one treatment.
We do see there is a pending "feature request" with 352 likes on it but its quite urgent as otherwise we have to request a refund and switch to a plugin that can assist us with selecting multiple services in one go.
Please could you assist with the above
Hanna
Hi, Hanna!
Thank you for your inquiry.
1. I'm afraid, the buffer time is fixed, it can't be dynamically changed according to a Customer or an Employee. So, no matter if it's the same Customer, the buffer time will be added before an/or after the appointment.
2. Yes, that's correct: the multiple booking feature is on the way. I can't tell you precisely when it will be implemented, but we have plenty of requests, so our developers know how high the demand is.
However, multiple bookings can be achieved with some workarounds.
One of the workarounds is to use Recurring appointments. But it is suitable only if a customer books multiple appointments of the same service.
The other one is Packages of Services - it is a feature that allows creating packages of multiple appointments (of the same or different services). In that case, the services that are included in the package and the number of appointments will be fixed, and the price will be set for the whole package. As far as I can see, you have a Pro license, which means packages are included in it. You can find more information on Packages here.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Hi Liza
Thanks for the reply.
I found another way of doing this is also through the "extra's' functionality.
However is it possible for you to send me some code that can change the label for "Extra's" if I place it in the template for Amelia functions.php maybe?
Then I can call "Extra's" Services and use the booking form in a different way and this will actually work for us then.
Please let me know this is quite urgent for me to solve!
Hanna
Hi Liza
Just so we are quite clear. Your two solutions
1. Recurring appointments
2. Packages
Both do not solve the problem or even address the actual problem. They are created and used for same service combinations which does not help me at all.
I know you do state that but it can seem from your reply that you think this will solve our problem but it doesnt.
I do not understand why a customer is not able to book for e.g 3 services in a row without it applying buffering time as its the same person.
The other way of doing it is applying buffering time on the user/customer instead of on the service.
This means before and after a "user" the buffer time applies that way customers can book different services within a room and the buffer time only applies after that user's bookings are finished. (I am using rooms instead of employees so I changed employees to "rooms" instead)
Hi, Charmaine!
Thank you for the clarification.
Unfortunately, we can't implement an unlimited number of features. It will make our product really complicated and confusing with tons of settings. That's why we have to choose which functionality to add. Usually, our customers apply buffer time to Employees since it's quite rare that the same Employee performs a couple of Services with the same Customer in a row. Or they set it as one Service with multiple extras (like a haircut and hair coloring under the same Service), as you mentioned.
You can change the word "extra" and basically any words you want by "translating" it. In order to achieve it, please:
1. Install POEDIT.
2. After that, open the program and open the file from the extracted folder on your computer ameliabooking/languages/en_US/wpamelia-en_US.po.
3. Modify a string by translating it
4. Replace the existing file with the newly saved .po file in /plugins/ameliabooking/languages/en_US (use WP File Manager or any similar plugin)
5. Clear browser and server cache
It might look complicated but actually, it takes a few minutes (ok, half an hour) and gives you the freedom of changing any words and phrases.
Please let us know if you have any other questions.
Best Regards.
Hi Liza
How do we apply buffer time to the employees this is not in the employee section on the Amelia section?
Hanna
Hi, Hanna!
I'm sorry, I think my explanation was confusing.
I wanted to say that usually, our customers apply buffer time anyways, since they don't need it to be applied to particular clients or Employees, but rather to Services. That's why this setting is available only in Services.
You can suggest dynamic buffer time as a feature request here, or check if this request was already submitted and vote for it. Thus, our developers will see that there's demand for such functionality.
Best Regards.