Your complete guide to online booking
Practical answers to 35 questions about handling online bookings, written for both clients and businesses.
Booking for clients
Booking a salon appointment online: how it works
Choose the service and a free time on the salon’s booking page at any hour; the salon then confirms your request.
Booking a doctor’s appointment online, made simple
Request your consultation on the practice’s booking page whenever suits you; the practice confirms the request afterwards.
Booking your car in for a service online
Choose the job and a free time on the garage’s booking page; the garage confirms the request afterwards.
Cancelling an appointment online: a quick guide
Use the management link from your confirmation screen to cancel in a few clicks, with no call to make.
Rescheduling a booking online, step by step
Open your management link, choose a new free time and confirm in just a few clicks.
Running your business
Managing client appointments in an online app
One panel for your bookings, providers and services, with a calendar you can read by day, week or month.
Preventing double bookings in your diary
Only free times are offered, and a request holds its time from the moment it is sent.
How booking confirmation works
Each request stays pending until your team confirms it in the panel; telling the client is up to you.
Keeping clients informed about appointments
4appointments sends no messages to clients, so here is a simple manual routine that works.
Managing appointments for several team members
Each provider has their own schedule and link, and the team calendar shows everyone together.
Calendar and availability
Setting up time slots for appointments
Set the weekly schedule, the duration of each service and the notice rules; clients then see only real free times.
Setting days off and breaks in the calendar
Mark days off and breaks in “Availability” and they disappear from the times clients can book.
Managing staff availability in a booking system
Every provider has a weekly schedule of their own, and the booking page offers only the times when that person is free.
Creating an online calendar for your clients
A public booking page showing free times, with a link you can share wherever your clients are.
Payments and confirmed bookings
How payment works for your appointments
Online payment is not part of the current plans; payment is arranged between you and your client.
Handling a deposit when clients book online
The tool does not collect deposits, but a pending booking holds the time until you have your payment.
Reducing no-shows in your appointment book
Confirm each booking yourself, contact clients before the visit and make cancelling easy.
Issuing an invoice for an online appointment
4appointments issues no invoices; you export the booking data and invoice with your own tool.
Everyday problems
Why am I not receiving appointment notifications?
4appointments does not email or message clients, so the final screen and the business itself are what count.
Why are appointments not showing in my calendar?
Check the view and date range, the booking status, calendar visibility and your external ICS calendars.
How to resolve overlapping appointments
Find where the overlap came from, move one booking and keep every booking in a single place.
Dealing with clients who do not show up
Confirm by hand before the day, review your cancellations and agree clear terms with clients.
Reminding clients before an appointment
4appointments sends nothing to clients, so a short daily routine with your own channels does the job.
Guides by type of business
Taking online bookings for a beauty salon
A calendar per stylist or beautician, services with set durations and one link for your social media bio.
Managing patient bookings online
A calendar for each doctor, consultation types set up as services and confirmation done by your reception.
Setting up a booking system for your garage
Work types with set durations, one calendar per mechanic or lift and confirmation by your own team.
Setting up an online calendar for consulting work
A personal booking link, different session types and your other calendar as busy time.
Special questions
Creating a complete online booking system for your business
Account, services, providers, public page and a simple daily routine, set up one step at a time.
Keeping clients informed about appointments
The tool sends no emails or texts to clients, so a short routine of your own covers each step.
Managing appointments across multiple locations
One provider per place gives each location its own calendar and link, as a practical workaround.
Linking your calendar to 4appointments
There is no direct Google Calendar or Outlook sync; three ICS options connect your calendars today.
Set-up and integrations
What is the public booking page and how does it work?
A link where clients see free times and ask for a booking by themselves, day or night.
Adding the booking system to your own website
Add a Book now link or button that opens your booking page; there is no embed code or plugin.
Is it possible to send a booking link on WhatsApp?
Yes. Copy your booking link and paste it into any chat app; you send it, and 4appointments sends nothing itself.
Customising the booking page with your brand
Set your business name, logo and primary colour; other elements of the page are fixed for now.
Shall we get you started?
Have your booking page up and running in 15 minutes.
Start with 4appointments →