Universal Appointments and Time Reservations v.14

Auto time slots generation

• Slots are generated according to configured resource business calendars. Each resource has an own calendar and time offs: it is impossible to schedule appointment for non-working time. If configured, the app would also consider simple meetings of resource responsible users as busy for time slots
• The algorithm takes into account service duration. Available time slots have duration depending on a chosen service or one entered manually
• Per each resource type define when appointment might be scheduled. For example, time slot is available not later than 2 days before, and not earlier than 30 days before. Similar rules are applicable for re-scheduling and cancellations
• Reserved time slots are not available for other bookings. Even not yet confirmed appointments (pre-reservations) temporarily block target slots. Pre-reservation would be canceled if not done within a specified period (you may change this limit on the configuration page)
• The tool is also perfect for multi timezone appointments. Either let users choose time zone by themselves (default is a browser tz), or set the same timezone for all cases

Smart Odoo reservations

• No appointment might be entered manually, but it should be selected among available slots and according to the principles you set up
• To start new scheduling pick up a required time period on calendar - the wizard would be automatically initiated. Chosen dates are used as time range for slots
• In the wizard you can change which resource type, resource, service should be scheduled. The tool automatically checks and restricts viable options
• As soon as wizard details are filled up, the tool would generate and show time slots. A manager should merely select a desired one. Selection means that this slot is pre-reserved and can not be used for other bookings. You may even let schedule a few appointments simultaneously (regulated by the special setting on the configuration page)
• Afterwards, the only thing left is to enter client details
• From the appointments calendar you may also re-schedule reservations. To that end just drag and drop an event, and the tool would prepare possible time slots.

• Scheduling an appointment through Odoo portal and website is organized as multi steps checkout process
• A customer searches among resource types and selects a required one. For example, "Beauty salon" or "Class C Cars". The step would not be shown if there is a single published resource type for this website
• A customer navigates over available for this type resources and chooses one, a few, or apply any (all). For example, "Hair Dresser John Brown" or "Opel Astra 1234". The step is missed in case there is a single published resource, or a chosen resource type assumes automatic allocation
• A customer chooses a desired service among provided by selected resources. For example, "Classic Hair Cutting" or "Car Rent Class C". Clients would not be asked to choose a service, if there is only one published for this website
• A customer is shown available time slots. The interface let adopt time frames for search, change time zone, insert duration (for services with manual duration). Each action results in slots recalculation. Website visitors might be optionally allowed to book a few time slots for a chosen service
• Slots selection is required and might be not missed. As soon as pre-reservation is done, nobody else can book the same slot. Simultaneously, clients have limited time to make confirmation after which pre-reservation would be canceled (the exact time is up to you)
• A customer should enter contact details, set of which might be configured per website. By default required ones are name and email. Previously registered (portal) users would have fields auto populated. Optionally add here a checkbox to agree with terms and conditions
• Optionally ask customers to confirm email / mobile or phone number. If confirmation option is turned on, website visitors would be obliged to insert received codes. In case a correct code is not introduced in time (set up on the configuration page), appointments would be canceled. If you selected SMS confirmation (depends on Odoo SMS IAP), but you balance is not sufficient, a confirmation code would be forwarded by email
• As soon as all steps are done, a customer receives a confirmation email and is redirected to the success page. For not yet registered users, Odoo would offer to enter the password for Odoo portal
• During the whole process customers might see the progress bar (if you have not purposefully turned it off). Progress bar let safely return to any previous step.

Configurable appointment pages

• Show / hide progress bar. Introduce your own names for progress steps
• Show / hide introduction block, images, short description for resource types, resources, and services
• Prepare own full details pages for resource types, resources, and service using Odoo standard website builder. Show / hide links for those pages
• Show / hide pre-reservation and confirmation timers
• Choose contact details fields required to be entered. Define fields which should be entered for appointments
• Define filters and sorting criteria for resource types, resources, and service pages
• Show / hide agreement with terms and conditions for portal / public users. Introduce your own text and link for that agreement
• Show / hide prices

Portal control of reservations

• Customers may control their appointments right in the Odoo portal
• Portal users observe the list of planned and done appointments, and may check any of those
• The Odoo portal allows to schedule new or repeat existing reservation, cancel or re-schedule planned ones
• Each appointment has chatter box which allows direct communication with resource manager and other followers
• If an appointment has a linked sale order (sent, confirmed or done) it would be also available through the standard Odoo portal entries 'Quotations' and 'Sale Orders'.

Resource types

• Resource types might be particular businesses you manage. For example, 'beauty salon', 'dentistry', or just 'hairdressers'
• Another approach is to consider a resource type as a group of particular resources. For instance, 'class B cars' and 'class C cars' for rental business
• Resource types contain main settings of how to organize service provision: how to allocate resources, how to calculate appointment total price, what are time restrictions, which services are possible, etc.

Resources

• A resource in many service businesses assume certain specialists: For example, 'Dentist John Brown', 'Hairdresser Anna Green'
• In other companies it might be a particular equipment or facility. For instance, 'Mercedes A1231', 'Room 12'
• Resources are the Odoo object which working calender you are planning. Thus, they define available days, timetable and time offs, responsible users, etc.

Services

• An appointment service defines what actually should be done. For instance, 'consultation', 'tooth surgery', 'classic hair cutting', 'car class C rent'
• Services are not equal to Odoo products, but they are linked between each other to manage pricing details
• Services regulate time settings of appointments (how long should it take and when it can be started), which goods might be suggested as complementaries

3 layers to reflect specifics

• The decision what to consider resource types, resources, and services is completely up to you. Such approach let reflect almost any service business
• The tool does not force you to have multiple instances for each layer. In simple cases, there might be just a single representative for each step. For example, Lawyers - Attorney Chris Black - Consultation
• If there is a single option, the app would reflect that by simplifying appointment scheduling. So, steps without actual choice are auto missed.

Sale orders and appointments

• The app let you link appointments and sale orders. You have 3 configuration options
• Automatically confirmed sale orders: if chosen, a sale order would be created as soon as appointment is scheduled. The method is suitable in case your service is standard, and final sale positions and details would hardly be changed during appointment. For example, fixed-price hair cutting
• Draft sale orders: if chosen, only a quotation would be generated. In such a way you would be more flexible in updating an order during service provision or beforehand. For example, if you want to add extra complementaries during a visit or to grant clients individual discounts
• Manual sale orders: if chosen, managers would have to create quotations while providing service. The method might be applicable when most of sale lines become clear only during the visit itself. For example, mobile phone repair business assumes initial diagnostics and only after that offering the price
• Until an appointment sale order is not confirmed, you would be also able to update that right from a reservation form. Both service, quantity and complementary products are re-calculated in that case

Service pricing

• The tool let you configure pricing method per each resource type
• Per planned duration: if chosen, Odoo quotations would be created based on initial reservation plans. For example, it might be suitable for car rent or massage
• Per units: if chosen, sale orders consider appointments for the same price disregarding their duration. For example, standard haircutting or tire mounting are invoiced the same disregarding how much time they take
• Per tracked (real) duration: when you want to invoice actual time spent on service provision. For example, the approach might be suitable for consultation or legal services
• Prices are price list dependent. It means, that a manager might select individual conditions during scheduling. In such a way, it is possible to apply various currencies, discounts, promos
• The latter feature is also applicable for website / portal users. In case there are a few to-select price lists, users would be able to choose the most suitable (e.g. in a correct currency). For portal user, their partner price list is selected by default

Complementaries and upselling

• When a client finishes scheduling, it seems a good moment to increase a bill by offering complementary products. The tool aims to help you in that
• Odoo would show popup wist suggested products for backend managers immediately after reserving a time slot
• Website visitors / portal customers would see accessories dialog also when they select time for reservation
• The popup allows both adding one / a few of complementaries or merely miss the step if suggested products are not required
• The feature is turned on/off on the configuration page: for backend and for each website. Popup would be shown only in case there are complementaries defined for a booked service

Resource allocation

• In case of a few resources of the same type, the challenge how to distribute appointments among those arises. There are 2 general approaches introduced by the app
• Manual allocation - applied when each resource is unique, and you prefer to give clients a right to select among those. For example, customer would like to be consulted by a certain doctor, or to be serviced by a definite hairdresser. Manual allocation does not ask a client to select resource as obligation. This is the right, which might be simply missed by explicitly choosing "any" or a few of resources
• Automatic allocation - applied when all resources are considered equally good for clients. For example, customer would hardly compare Opel Astra 1234 vs. Opel Astra 1235. Automatic allocation is configured per each resource type depending on your business specifics
• Automatic distribution by resource workload let assign appointments according to the total planned duration of all open appointments. For example, it might be fair in beauty salon to equally spread tasks
• Automatic allocation by appointments number does not take into account real duration, but only absolute quantity. For example, it might be suitable for tire mounting where price is set up not per duration but per units
• Automatic distribution by order means that each resource has own priority, and allocation is done on a queue basis. Thus, the resource with the highest priority would be always chosen until it has available slots for the target moment. After that, the second-important resource is under consideration until it is also occupied, and so on. For example, such approach might work for facilities booking or car rental

Service duration

• Duration is applied per each service individually according to the set of rules
• It is possible both to have rigid duration for service (for example, standard hairdressing always lasts an hour) or let clients / managers select that manually (for example car rental might take from a day or 60 days)
• Duration is defined either in hours (for example, it might be suitable for consulting, repair) or in days (for example, applicable for equipment or room rent, conference translator services)
• For manual duration it is possible to apply restrictions: what is the maximum/minimum order, what should be the multiplier. For instance, you can simply apply the rule: a service should last not less than an hour, not more than 8 hours, but duration should be always multiplied for 30 minutes (1:20 is not possible, while 01:00 and 01:30 are fine)
• The app also allows to define the rule to round time slots start. Sometimes applied restrictions might result in calculated start you do not like. For example, for an hour-long service start at 12:23 is hardly good. To solve the problem you can simply set up rounding for an hour (other available options are 5, 10, 30 minutes; 2 hours; midnight or midday tomorrow)

Configurable reminders

• The app allows to prepare 3 types of appointment alerts: pop-ups, emails, and SMS. You can quickly create those trough the special configuration menu entry. SMS reminders are sent using the Odoo SMS server (make sure that you have sufficient balance for Odoo SMS IAP)
• Select default alarms for each resource type. Such alarms would be automatically applied to all new appointments of this type. Otherwise, you may choose those for specific appointments
• Define whom not notify: a responsible manager, external followers (clients), internal followers, or all followers. Popup alarms are available only for backend users
• Specify a period for alert: it is possible to apply time range in days, hours, or minutes. For instance, 2 days before scheduled date
• For SMS and email alarms you should also assign a template which is rendered based on appointment details

Misc options

• Optionally configure automatic requests for a customer review when appointment is done. Clients should select among 3 simple "smiles": satisfied, not satisfied, highly dissatisfied. Final rating is calculated for resource types, resources, and services
• The app allows appointment managers to track time spent on providing service. This "real" time might be used not only for statistics, but also to calculate total appointment price.
• The tool let link resources and employees to automatically apply working calendars of the latter for appointments of this resource
• The tool has an own report view, where you can analyze appointments on pivot and graph views
• Appointments have automatic numbering. You may change its logic (suffix, prefix, step, etc.) through configuring the related Odoo sequence
• Each appointment has a printing version which might be generated in backend and optionally in portal, and which is attached to all appointment confirmation emails. The printing version relies upon standard Odoo layouts, and might be also used as a service voucher.