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Creating a Booking Calendar

Booking calendars in Kindertales CRM+ allow childcare providers to manage appointment requests for center tours within available time slots. This feature is specific to each childcare center location, meaning:

  • Each childcare center can have its own booking calendar.
  • Families requesting tours through the calendar will be associated with the respective center.
Given the robust nature of this functionality, there is a lot to cover. Below is a table of contents to guide you:

Location Settings

Before setting up your booking calendar, decide which Location to use. Once chosen, customize various default settings by navigating to Settings > Location:

  1. Choose the Location Type
    1. This determines the default available tour types (e.g., Individual Tour, Group Tour, Virtual Tour). Refer to the help article “Location Types” for more details. This setting is located in the Description tab under the For Reference section.
  2. Assign the Location Owner
    • The location owner will receive and approve tour requests. This setting is located in the Email/Web Options tab under the Optimize Your Email Communication section. To assign a location owner:
      • Fill out “Emails Sent From Name”
      • Fill out “Emails Sent From Email”
      • Save Changes
  3. Set Default Tour Reminders
    • Configure default settings for:
      • When reminder emails are sent
      • The email template used, including a Webcal link if desired
      • SMS notifications and custom messages
    • Use placeholders like Firstname_Placeholder and User1_Placeholder for mail merging recipient information. Embed tour information using placeholders such as:
      • EventID_Placeholder
      • EventTitle_Placeholder
      • EventDate_Placeholder
      • EventStartTime_Placeholder
      • EventLocationName_Placeholder
      • EventLocationAddress_Placeholder
    • This setting is located in the Event Options tab under the Event Reminders section.

Booking Calendar

Once your default location settings are customized, start building your booking calendar by navigating to Settings > Calendar:

  1. Enable Booking
    • By default, all location have an Event Calendar. To enable the Booking Calendar functionality:
      • Check “Appointment calendar with booking availability”
      • Save Changes
    • Additional fields will appear for customizing your calendar.
  2. Customize Your Settings
    • Each booking calendar offers various settings to customize its appearance and functionality.
    • Vanity URL: Create a unique URL for your booking calendar.
    • Combine Other Booking Calendars: If you have multiple locations with booking calendars, combine their time slots into one calendar.
    • Calendar Appearance:
      • Show or hide weekends
      • Add a logo to the top right corner
      • Choose the default calendar view (Month, Week, or List)
      • Show reserved time slots with custom titles like “Taken” or “Booked”
      • Set appointment request intervals (5 to 90 minutes)
    • Appointment Request Settings:
      • Customize dialog titles and request button text
      • Set advanced notice periods
      • Collect phone numbers and additional user data
      • Add a captcha for security
      • Request phone number
      • Request user field data (parent data)

        Kindertales recommends at a minimum requesting the mobile phone number and setting Request User Field Data #1 to "relationship" to receive optimal information on all leads while also making the follow-up process as smooth as possible.

    • After Request Submission:
      1. Customize the thank you page URL
      2. Set approval requirements for bookings
      3. Configure approval emails with placeholders for appointment details
  3. Add/Modify Available Tour Locations
    • After customizing your calendar, set up your tour locations. Go to the Event Locations tab. Add new locations or edit existing ones by clicking the Pencil icon.
  4. Add/Modify Available Tour Types
    • Once locations are added, create tour types. Go to the Event Types tab. Add new tour types by specifying:
      • Tour Name
      • Default Location
      • Duration
      • Max Attendees (usually 1 for individual tours)
      • Reminders for confirmed attendees

Adding Availability

After enabling the booking calendar, navigate to Calendar > Booking to set your availability. Click on a day to add an available time slot:

  • For: Choose between specific days or recurring weekly slots.
  • Start Time and Until: Define your availability window.
  • Tour Types: Select which tour types are available.
  • Comments: Add comments for requestors.
  • Description/Instructions: Provide details for confirmed tours.

This setup ensures that your booking calendar is tailored to manage center tours efficiently, providing a seamless experience for families and staff alike.