Making a booking

Making a booking

Previous Top Next

The booking process

Making a booking on the SoftBooking system is simple, the user can either double click on the main booking screen in the appropriate place they wish to make the appointment (in the appropriate staff column and in the appropriate time row); can right mouse click on the appropriate area and select create new booking from the dropdown list or can single click on the appropriate cell and from the sidebar press the create new booking button.

Whichever method you use to make a booking you will always be led to the Booking Card.

Making a booking

The basics

When you are on the booking card you only need to fill in two details to actually make a booking: 1, client name; 2, treatment name – both these must be on the systems database to proceed.

1. Client name

To add a client name type either the whole name or part of the name into the box titled client name and press; either the return/enter key on your keyboard or the button marked '…'; this will produce a list of possible matches, from this list double click on the appropriate client. If the system finds no clients it will open a question box saying no client found do you wish to add a new client?

If you choose to add a new client, press yes, a new client card will open; you can either fill in additional details or press the OK button to proceed to the next stage in the booking process.

If you choose not to add a new client you will be returned to the booking card to search again.

If you wish to view the entire client list at the salon, press the '…' button without anything in the search box, a list of all clients will appear.

2. Treatment name

To add a treatment type in either the entire treatment or part of the treatment name into the box titled Treatment Name either the return/enter key on your keyboard or the button marked '…'; this will produce a list of possible matches, from this list double click on the appropriate treatment. If no treatments match the description given, an information box will appear stating there are no treatments matching your search, please try again, when ok is pressed you will be returned to the booking screen to try another search. If you wish to view all the treatments available in the salon, press the '…' button without anything in the search box, a list of all treatments will appear.

Once you have entered in the above two details, press the OK button at the bottom of the screen, the booking card will disappear from the screen and the main booking screen will display the new booking. The price (and any special discounts) and duration of the treatment will automatically be completed by the system.

Extra information

The booking card does allow far more than a simple booking to be stored, allowing far more information to be stored, it also allows you to view extra information about a treatment and client, and also allows multiple bookings to be completed from a single card.

Viewing more information

From the booking card the user can also view comprehensive details about the selected client or the selected treatment.

Once a client has been selected a button will be enabled titled view client, press this button and the selected clients' card will be displayed. Press the OK/Cancel button to close the client card and return to the booking card.

Once a treatment has been selected a button will be enabled titled view treatment, press this button and the selected treatment card will be displayed. Press the OK/Cancel button to close the treatment card and return to the booking card.

Adding extra information

Notes

The booking card allows the user to store extra notes regarding the booking; both prior to the booking taking place and subsequent to the booking, this information is then retrievable from the clients' card in the notes section of treatment history. This is often used prior to an appointment to specify any information you have regarding the clients requirements and subsequent to the appointment to log details about the treatment.

Requested therapist

The booking card also has a tick box, titled Therapist Requested? This should be ticked, by clicking the box with your mouse, if the client has specifically requested a particular therapist. If the appointment is then subsequently moved into another therapists work column a warning will be given by the system alerting the user that the client requested the current therapist.

Booking confirmed

If you have called/texted/emailed a client to remind/confirm their appointment, this can be stored on the booking card by ticking the box titled Booking Confirmed?

Turned up

When a client arrives for their appointment, this can be stored on the booking card by ticking the box titled Turned Up? If you are using the automated no show charging on the system it is important to tick this to stop the system applying a charge for the person not turning up to the appointment.

Changing predefined settings

When a booking is created on the system it will automatically fill in certain details about the booking: treatment length; treatment value; discount and room. All of these are obtained from the predefined treatment card; these can be changed at anytime by clicking on the appropriate box and filling in the amended information. For example if the user wants to change the duration from 15 minutes to 30 minutes, click on the box titled Treatment Length and type in 00:30, the main booking screen will then reflect this change. If you try to increase a bookings duration and it is going to clash with another booking you have you will be prevented from changing the duration. To change a room you must click on the arrow next to the room currently selected, this will show a dropdown list of all available and applicable rooms.

Adding additional bookings

Often client require more than one appointment in a row, to do this press on the button titled Add Another Treatment, the treatment displayed in the box titled Treatment Name will be cleared as will the details of the treatment, to add the new treatment type in which additional treatment is required and press the enter/return button on the keyboard or the button titled '…' then pick the appropriate treatment from the list. This process can be repeated as many times as is necessary.

Adding a client

If a booking is being made for a client who is not stored on the system it is possible to set them up at the booking stage, from the booking card. To do this either type their name into the box titled Clients Name and press the Button titled New or just press the button titled new, both options will open up a blank client, which can then either be filled in at that stage, press OK to close the new client card and return to the booking card to continue the booking process.

Courses/Packages

If a client has purchased a course in the past and has credit available on that course once you selected their name, a button title Courses/Packages will flash, this can be pressed to book the next treatment in the course.

Amending an existing booking

Once a booking has been made you may wish to amend some of the details on the booking, this can be done in three ways: first by double clicking on the appropriate appointment; second by single clicking on the appointment and selecting 'edit booking' from the sidebar or by right mouse clicking and selecting 'edit booking' from the dropdown menu. This will bring you though to the booking card in which any of the details can be amended.