34 terms
Appointment Scheduling Software
Appointment scheduling software is a tool that lets clients book time with a business or individual online, showing real-time availability and confirming the appointment automatically instead of over phone or email.
Booking Page
A booking page is a web page where clients can see a provider's available times, choose a slot, and confirm an appointment. Each page usually represents one service with its own name, duration, and price.
Scheduling Link
A scheduling link is a single URL a person shares so others can book time with them. Clicking it opens a page showing open slots based on the owner's availability.
No-show
A no-show is a booked appointment where the client does not attend and does not cancel in advance. No-shows cost the provider the revenue and the reserved time.
No-show Fee
A no-show fee is a charge applied when a client misses an appointment without cancelling in time. It compensates the provider for the lost slot and discourages missed bookings.
Deposit (Booking)
A booking deposit is a partial, upfront payment a client makes to reserve an appointment, with the balance paid later. It secures the slot and reduces cancellations.
Payment Link
A payment link is a URL that opens a checkout where someone can pay a specified amount online. It lets businesses collect payments without building their own checkout.
Buffer Time
Buffer time is a gap automatically added before or after an appointment so the provider has time to prepare, reset, or travel between bookings. It prevents slots from being booked back-to-back.
Double-booking
Double-booking is when two appointments are scheduled for the same time slot with the same provider or resource. It creates conflicts and forces a cancellation or reschedule.
Availability
Availability is the set of times a provider is open to being booked. It is usually defined by working hours, days of the week, and rules such as breaks and buffers.
Minimum Notice (Lead Time)
Minimum notice, or lead time, is the shortest amount of time before an appointment that a client is allowed to book it. For example, a two-hour minimum notice blocks bookings less than two hours away.
Round-robin Scheduling
Round-robin scheduling distributes incoming bookings across a group of team members in rotation, so appointments are shared out evenly based on availability.
Group Booking
A group booking is a single appointment or class that multiple attendees can book into, up to a set capacity. Each attendee reserves a place in the same time slot.
Recurring Appointment
A recurring appointment is a booking that repeats on a regular schedule, such as weekly or monthly, without needing to be booked each time individually.
Cancellation Policy
A cancellation policy is the set of rules that define how far in advance a client must cancel or reschedule, and any charges that apply if they do not.
Calendar Sync
Calendar sync connects a scheduling tool to a calendar (such as Google Calendar) so that booked appointments appear on it and existing busy times block new bookings.
Embedded Booking Widget
An embedded booking widget is a scheduling interface added directly to a website, usually via an iframe or script, so visitors can book without leaving the page.
Time Zone
A time zone is a region that shares the same standard time, defined by an offset from Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). Time zones can shift by an hour during daylight saving.
Business Hours
Business hours are the times during which a business is normally open and available, commonly around 9am to 6pm on weekdays, though this varies by region and industry.
Time Slot
A time slot is a specific, bookable block of time offered to clients, defined by a start time and a duration. Once booked, a slot is removed from availability.
Prepaid Booking
A prepaid booking is an appointment that is paid for at the time it is booked, rather than after the service. Payment confirms the reservation.
Discovery Call
A discovery call is a short, often free introductory conversation between a service provider and a prospective client to assess fit before committing to paid work.
Intake Form
An intake form is a set of questions a client answers when booking, collecting the details a provider needs before the appointment, such as goals, history, or context.
UPI (Unified Payments Interface)
UPI is an instant, real-time payment system developed in India that lets users transfer money between bank accounts through a mobile app using a virtual payment address.
Razorpay
Razorpay is an Indian payment gateway that lets businesses accept online payments through methods such as UPI, cards, netbanking, and wallets.
Online Booking System
An online booking system is software that lets customers reserve appointments, classes, or services over the internet, managing availability, confirmations, and often payments.
Meeting Scheduler
A meeting scheduler is a tool that helps people find and book a common meeting time, often by sharing availability and letting the other party pick a slot.
Waitlist
A waitlist is a queue of clients waiting for a slot that is currently full. If a booking is cancelled, a spot can be offered to the next person on the list.
Utilization Rate
Utilization rate is the percentage of a provider's available working time that is actually booked and billable. It measures how fully capacity is used.
Session Package
A session package is a bundle of appointments sold together, often at a discount, that a client books against over time — for example, ten training sessions.
Overbooking
Overbooking is deliberately accepting more bookings than there is capacity for, on the assumption that some will cancel or not show. It risks turning clients away if everyone attends.
Self-scheduling
Self-scheduling lets clients book their own appointments directly from a provider's available times, without a staff member arranging the time for them.
Time Zone Converter
A time zone converter is a tool that translates a time in one location into the equivalent local time in another, accounting for the offset and any daylight saving.
Meeting Overlap (Working-hours Overlap)
Meeting overlap is the window of time during which people in different time zones are both within their normal working hours, making it a suitable time to meet.