Managing Location-Specific Schedules

Configure and manage unique availability schedules for each of your shop locations.

Overview

When operating multiple shop locations, each location typically has different operating hours, artist availability, and scheduling needs. Apprentice allows you to set location-specific schedules that control when clients can book appointments, which artists are available where, and how your reception board operates at each location. This ensures clients only book valid time slots and artists aren't double-booked across locations.

Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Access Location Schedule Settings

1. Navigate to Settings > Locations
2. Click on the location you want to configure
3. Select the Schedule tab
4. You'll see schedule configuration options for this location

Step 2: Set Location Operating Hours

Define when this location is open for business:

Weekly Schedule:

• Set hours for each day of the week
• Example:
• Monday: 10:00 AM - 8:00 PM
• Tuesday: 10:00 AM - 8:00 PM
• Wednesday: Closed
• Thursday: 10:00 AM - 8:00 PM
• Friday: 10:00 AM - 10:00 PM
• Saturday: 12:00 PM - 10:00 PM
• Sunday: 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM

Split Shifts:

• Add multiple time blocks per day for shops with breaks
• Example: Monday 10 AM - 2 PM, 4 PM - 8 PM (closed 2-4 PM)

Timezone:

• Set location-specific timezone (important for multi-state operations)
• Clients see availability in their local time, but system uses location time

Step 3: Configure Booking Availability Windows

Control how far in advance clients can book:

Advance Booking:

• Minimum Notice: Earliest clients can book (e.g., 24 hours ahead)
• Maximum Window: Latest clients can book (e.g., 90 days ahead)
• Same-Day Booking: Enable or disable day-of appointments

Location-Specific Settings:

• Busy urban locations might restrict to 30+ days out
• Smaller locations might allow more flexible last-minute bookings
• Pop-up locations might have narrow windows (e.g., 7-30 days)

Step 4: Assign Artists to Location Schedules

Each artist needs a schedule at locations where they work:

Single-Location Artists:

1. Go to Team > [Artist Name] > Schedule
2. Set their regular weekly availability at their assigned location
3. Schedule automatically applies to that location only

Multi-Location Artists:

1. Go to Team > [Artist Name] > Schedule
2. Toggle Works at Multiple Locations
3. Set separate schedules for each location:

Example:

• Downtown Location: Monday, Wednesday, Friday (10 AM - 6 PM)
• Eastside Location: Tuesday, Thursday (12 PM - 8 PM)
• Mobile Unit: Saturdays only (varies by event)

Artist can only be scheduled at one location at a time—no overlapping shifts.

Step 5: Handle Schedule Conflicts

System prevents double-booking across locations:

Automatic Conflict Detection:

• Artists can't have overlapping availability at multiple locations
• System blocks booking requests that conflict with other location commitments
• Warnings appear when setting up conflicting schedules

Conflict Resolution:

• If artist needs to work both locations on same day, use split shifts
• Example: Downtown 9 AM - 2 PM, Eastside 4 PM - 9 PM (allows travel time)
• Set buffer time for travel between locations

Step 6: Set Up Special Hours and Closures

Manage location-specific exceptions to regular schedules:

Holiday Hours:

1. Go to Location > Schedule > Special Hours
2. Add date-specific hours
3. Examples:

• Thanksgiving: Closed
• Christmas Eve: 10 AM - 4 PM (early close)
• New Year's Day: Closed

Event Hours:

• Convention hours (extended hours for 3-day events)
• Flash day events (all artists present)
• Private events (closed to public, special bookings only)

Emergency Closures:

• Weather closures
• Facility issues (power outage, plumbing emergency)
• Staff emergencies

Add closure with notification:

• System automatically notifies affected clients
• Offers rebooking at same location or alternative location
• Sends SMS/email alerts

Step 7: Configure Walk-in Policies per Location

Different locations may handle walk-ins differently:

Walk-in Settings:

• Appointments Only: No walk-ins accepted
• Walk-ins Welcome: Always accept walk-ins during open hours
• Walk-ins if Available: Accept if artists have gaps in schedule
• Walk-in Hours: Specific times for walk-ins (e.g., 12-4 PM daily)

Queue Management:

• Set average wait time expectations per location
• Configure max walk-ins in queue
• Enable/disable waitlist when queue is full

Step 8: Manage Buffer Time and Session Settings

Fine-tune scheduling parameters for each location:

Buffer Time:

• Between Appointments: Cleanup and prep time (typically 15-30 minutes)
• End of Day: Buffer before closing (e.g., no appointments after 7 PM if closing at 8 PM)
• Artist Breaks: Built-in lunch/break blocks

Default Session Durations:

• Standard Session: Default appointment length (e.g., 2 hours)
• Minimum Session: Shortest bookable appointment (e.g., 30 minutes for flash)
• Maximum Session: Longest single session (e.g., 6 hours for large pieces)

Location-specific settings allow customization:

• Urban location with high turnover: Shorter buffers, shorter sessions
• Destination studio for large projects: Longer sessions, more buffer

Step 9: Sync with External Calendars

Integrate location schedules with external calendar systems:

Google Calendar Integration:

1. Connect location to Google Calendar
2. Two-way sync:

• Appointments from Apprentice appear in Google Calendar
• Blocked time in Google Calendar prevents bookings in Apprentice

3. Location-specific calendar per artist (e.g., "John - Downtown Studio")

Benefits:

• Artists see all commitments in one calendar
• Personal appointments automatically block booking availability
• Family/life events won't result in double-bookings

Step 10: Monitor and Adjust Schedules

Use analytics to optimize location schedules:

Schedule Performance Metrics:

1. Go to Analytics > Locations > [Location Name] > Schedule
2. View:

• Utilization Rate: % of available hours booked
• Peak Hours: When location is busiest
• Slow Hours: Underutilized time slots
• Booking Lead Time: How far in advance clients typically book
• Cancellation Patterns: Which days/times have most cancellations

Optimization Actions:

• Reduce hours during consistently slow times
• Add artists to location during peak demand
• Adjust buffer times if running ahead/behind schedule
• Promote underbooked time slots with special pricing

Tips

• Start with consistent hours: Begin with the same schedule across locations, then differentiate based on demand data
• Account for travel time: Multi-location artists need realistic travel buffers—30-60 minutes depending on distance
• Communicate schedule changes early: Give artists and clients at least 2 weeks notice for permanent schedule changes
• Use special hours liberally: Don't permanently change weekly schedule for one-off events—use special hours feature
• Match schedule to client behavior: Check analytics to see when clients try to book, then adjust availability accordingly
• Consider commute patterns: Urban locations might need evening hours for after-work clients
• Test booking flow: Book test appointments at each location to ensure times display correctly for clients
• Enable same-day booking strategically: High-volume locations benefit from same-day bookings; smaller locations may not have capacity

Common Issues

• Issue: Artist showing as unavailable when they should be working → Solution: Verify artist is assigned to that location, has schedule set for that location, and hasn't blocked off time. Check for calendar sync conflicts.

• Issue: Clients booking appointments after location closes → Solution: Check that location hours are set correctly and that buffer time before closing prevents late bookings. Update if closing time changed.

• Issue: Multi-location artist double-booked → Solution: Ensure schedules at different locations don't overlap. Add travel buffer time between locations. Check that external calendar sync isn't creating conflicts.

• Issue: Walk-ins arriving when location is appointments-only → Solution: Update public page to clearly state walk-in policy. Train reception staff to explain policy and offer to book appointment. Consider limited walk-in hours.

• Issue: Schedule changes not appearing on public booking page → Solution: Changes may take up to 10 minutes to propagate. Clear cache and refresh. Verify changes were saved successfully.

• Issue: Artists want to customize their schedule within location hours → Solution: Artists can set individual availability that's narrower than location hours (e.g., artist works 12-6 PM even though shop is open 10-8 PM). Go to artist's schedule settings.

Updated on: 19/01/2026