How to set up an online calendar for consulting

A personal booking link, session types as services and your other calendar as busy time.

Specific businesses

For consultants, attorneys, psychologists, coaches and freelancers, an online calendar ends the long email exchange about when everyone is free. With 4appointments you share one link and clients pick an open time. You confirm each request yourself, and you send any meeting link yourself, because the tool produces none.

Create a provider for yourself with your real weekly schedule, then add your session types as services, each with a duration and a price: for example a short intro call, a full session or a follow-up. Use “Availability” for days off and blocks, including time you keep free for preparation or admin.

Copy your personal booking link, which is separate from that of other providers, and place it in your email signature, on LinkedIn or on your website. Clients choose a service and an open time without creating an account, and the page shows only times that are really free.

Set the rules that protect your day. The notice rules decide how soon before the session someone may book and how far ahead; the defaults are 120 minutes and 60 days, and each service can have its own values. The pause field adds a gap after every booking for notes or a breather.

Mark services as online if they take place remotely. The flag doesn’t create a meeting link, so send your own when you confirm. Each request arrives as pending; confirm it in the Bookings section and tell the client by email or message, as 4appointments sends nothing to clients. Subscribe to the ICS link of your external calendar and its busy blocks close those times, refreshed about every 15 minutes.

Key points

  • ✓A personal booking link that you share once and use everywhere
  • ✓Notice rules and a pause after each session, set by you
  • ✓Meeting links are sent by you, since the tool creates none

Common questions

Is it possible to set aside hours in my calendar for creative or admin time?+

Yes. Add blocks or days off in “Availability”, and those times won’t be offered to clients.

Is it possible to offer a free first consultation and charge for the rest?+

You can create one service at a price of zero and others with a price. The tool doesn’t collect payment, so arrange it outside, by invoice or EFT, before you confirm.

More guides to read

Do you work as a consultant or freelancer?

Replace the “when are you free?” emails with one booking link. The first 12 months are free, with no card, and the plans then start from €1 per month.

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