Your complete guide to booking online
Practical answers to 35 questions on running online bookings — for clients and for the businesses that serve them.
Booking for clients
How to make a salon booking online
Pick your treatment and time on the salon’s own booking page; the request stays pending until the salon confirms it.
Booking a doctor’s appointment online, explained
Request a consultation on the practice’s booking page; the practice confirms your request afterwards.
How to book your car in for a service online
Choose the job and an open time on the workshop’s booking page; the workshop confirms the request afterwards.
How to call off an appointment online
Cancel with a few clicks using the management link from your confirmation screen — no call required.
How to change the date of a booking online
Open your management link, choose a new open time and confirm, in just a few clicks.
Management for business
Running your client appointments from an online app
One panel for your bookings, providers and services, with a calendar you can read by day, week or month.
How to stop double-booking appointments
Only open times are offered, and a request holds its time from the moment it’s sent.
How booking confirmation works, and what stays in your hands
Each request stays pending until your team confirms it in the panel; telling the client is up to you.
How to keep clients informed about appointments
4appointments sends no messages to clients, so here’s a simple manual routine that works.
How to manage appointments when you have several staff members
Each provider has their own schedule and link, and the team calendar shows everyone together.
Calendar & availability
How to set up time slots for appointments
Set the weekly schedule, the duration of each service and the notice rules; clients then see only real open times.
How to add days off and breaks to your calendar
Mark days off and breaks in “Availability”, and they drop out of the times clients can book.
How to manage 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.
How to set up an online calendar for your clients
A public booking page showing open times, with a link you can share wherever your clients are.
Payments & firm bookings
How payment works for appointments
Online payment isn’t part of the current plans; payment is arranged between you and your client.
How to handle a deposit for online bookings
The tool doesn’t collect deposits, but a pending booking holds the time until you have your payment.
How to reduce no-shows for appointments
Confirm each booking yourself, contact clients before the visit and make cancelling easy.
How to invoice an online appointment
4appointments issues no invoices; you export the booking data and invoice with your own tool.
Real-world problems
Why you’re not receiving appointment notifications
4appointments doesn’t email or message clients, so the final screen and the business itself are what count.
Why appointments aren’t showing in your calendar
Check the view and date range, the booking status, calendar visibility and your external ICS calendars.
How to fix overlapping appointments
Find where the overlap came from, move one booking and keep every booking in a single place.
How to handle clients who don’t show up
Confirm by hand before the day, review your cancellations and agree clear terms with clients.
How to remind clients before an appointment
4appointments sends nothing to clients, so a short daily routine with your own channels does the job.
Specific businesses
Taking online bookings for a beauty salon
A calendar per stylist, services with set durations and one link to put in your social media bio.
How to manage patient bookings online
A calendar per doctor, consultation types as services and confirmation done by your reception.
How to create a booking system for a car service workshop
Work types with set durations, one calendar per mechanic or bay and confirmation by your own team.
How to set up an online calendar for consulting
A personal booking link, session types as services and your other calendar as busy time.
Special questions
How to create a complete online booking system for your business
Account, services, providers, public page and a simple daily routine, step by step.
How to keep clients informed about appointments
The tool sends no emails or texts to clients, so a short routine of your own covers each step.
How to manage appointments across several locations
One provider per place gives each location its own calendar and link, as a practical workaround.
How to link your calendar to 4appointments
There’s no direct Google Calendar or Outlook sync; three ICS options connect your calendars today.
Setup & integrations
How does the public booking page work?
A link where clients see open times and ask for a booking by themselves, at any hour.
How do I add the booking system to my website?
Add a Book now link or button that opens your booking page; there’s no embed code or plugin.
Is it possible to send a booking link on WhatsApp?
Yes: copy the link and paste it into any chat app. You send it, and 4appointments sends nothing itself.
How do I give my booking page my own branding?
Set your business name, logo and primary colour; other elements of the page are fixed for now.
Ready to get going?
Set up your booking page in 15 minutes.
Give 4appointments a try →