Appointments
The appointment system in CloudBridal helps you manage your bridal shop's schedule while providing a professional booking experience for your customers. This guide covers how to effectively use the system in your daily operations.
Initial Setup
To configure your appointment system, refer to the Appointments Setup documentation.
Calendar Overview
The appointment calendar serves as your central hub for managing customer appointments. You can view your schedule in day, week, or month format, with each view optimized for different planning needs.
Understanding Appointment Statuses
Each appointment status serves a specific purpose and may trigger different system behaviors:
Pending
Description: Awaiting staff confirmation
When It Occurs: Customer requests appointment through booking system. Can be skipped altogether if the Auto Confirm Appointments setting is enabled for the related appointment schedule.
System Actions:
- Appears in Pending Appointments table
- Staff receives notification via email and notification center
- Customer notified of request receipt
Confirmed
Description: Approved and scheduled
When It Occurs: Staff confirms a pending appointment or creates new appointment
System Actions:
- Sends confirmation email to customer
- Creates customer's profile in the system
- Processes payment if applicable (e.g. paid appointment)
- Can be charged as no-show if applicable
Declined
Description: Rejected by staff
When It Occurs: Staff declines a pending appointment request
System Actions:
- Sends declination email (optional)
- Releases time slot for rebooking
- Can include reason for declination
Cancelled
Description: Cancelled by customer or staff
When It Occurs: Customer cancels or staff cancels confirmed appointment
System Actions:
- Sends cancellation notification
- Releases time slot
Incomplete
Description: Appointment didn't complete as planned
When It Occurs: Staff marks completed appointment as incomplete (no-shows, etc.)
System Actions:
- Can be charged as no-show if applicable
- Easily distinguishable in calendar
Creating appointments in CloudBridal is designed to be intuitive while ensuring all necessary information is captured. The system guides you through the process while enforcing your shop's scheduling rules and policies.
Quick Creation Methods
- Calendar Click: Click any time slot in Day or Week view to instantly create an appointment for that time
- New Appointment Button: Use the "New Appointment" dropdown for more control over appointment type
- Customer Profile: Create appointments directly from a customer's profile page
Smart Time Slot Selection
CloudBridal automatically calculates the possible slots within an appointment schedule and clearly indicates whether a slot is available for booking.
Slot Status Indicators
🟢 Available: Time slot is open and recommended
🔴 Unavailable: Time slot is fully booked or blocked
🔒 Staff Only: Slot restricted to staff bookings only
Override Options
- Override Time Slot: Manually set times outside recommended slots
- View Slots: Switch between manual time entry and slot picker
- System warns about potential conflicts while maintaining flexibility
Payment Integration
If enabled, the payment system integrates directly with appointment creation and management. All payment processing is handled securely through Stripe. For more information, see Stripe Integration.
Waitlist Management System
How Waitlists Work
When a desired time slot is fully booked, customers can:
- Join Waitlist: Request to be notified if slot becomes available
- Flexible Waitlist: Indicate willingness to accept nearby time slots
- Specific Time: Request exact time slot only
If the slot becomes available, the appointment will surface in the Pending Appointments section, where a staff member can confirm the appointment after ensuring the customer is still interested.
Schedule Blocking and Time Management
Types of Schedule Blocks
Closing the Store
You can mark the store as closed for a given date. This prevents all bookings for that day and is great for holidays. Simply click the 'Manage Day' area in the 'Notes' row and check the Mark Store Closed checkbox.
One-Time Blocks
You can block a given schedule using a One-Time block. This allows you to prevent bookings for a given time range for a specific date.
Recurring Blocks
You can block a schedule on a Recurring basis. This will repeat based on your configured schedule unless removed. You can still control and override individual dates by modifying a recurring block just for a given date.
Updated on: 13/07/2025
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