Manual booking — phone and web in the same calendar
You enter an appointment from the calendar and it occupies the slot like any other.
The problem
Moving to online booking does not make the phone go away. Some clients will keep ringing, others will drop in, others will write. If those appointments do not enter the same calendar, you end up with two competing versions of the truth — and double booking is guaranteed.
The temptation is then to keep a paper diary alongside. It works until the day you forget to copy something over, a slot booked online lands on an appointment written by hand, and you have to ring someone to apologise.
Built-in manual entry does away with the diary. The appointment taken over the phone blocks the slot instantly for everyone.
How it works in Kagenda
Entry happens from your calendar, by clicking a free slot. The appointment created is a full appointment, not a note.
- You click the slotFrom the day, week or month view. Date and time are pre-filled by where you clicked.
- You choose the service and the clientAn existing client is found by search; a new client has their record created along the way, with a history that starts there.
- The slot is blockedIt disappears from online booking immediately, along with its buffer time. You can add an internal note visible only to you.
- You decide about the confirmationThe confirmation email goes out if you want it to. For someone you already have on the phone, it is often pointless.
Who it helps
Frequently asked questions
Does manual entry respect the minimum notice?
No, and that is deliberate. Minimum notice protects public booking; when you have the client on the phone, you are best placed to judge whether you can take them within the hour.
Can I enter an appointment on a slot that is already taken?
Kagenda warns you of the clash. Double booking remains possible when it is deliberate, but it never happens by accident.
Does the client get a reminder like the others?
Yes, as soon as their email address is on the booking. The reminder before the appointment does not distinguish an online booking from a manual entry.