How to use online appointment scheduling software
Moving from a paper diary or spreadsheet works best when you prepare the next appointments first. Follow these steps to build a usable calendar and share a booking link with confidence.
1. Prepare the information you will need
Gather your business details, service list, staff working hours and confirmed future appointments. Choose a clear date from which the online calendar becomes the shared booking record. Keep the old diary available for reference while checking the transfer, but agree with your team where new bookings will be recorded so two calendars do not drift apart.
2. Create services with realistic durations
Use names that clients will recognize, and check the duration and price of each service. Allow enough time for preparation or cleanup when setting the occupied appointment time. Separate services that need different lengths, such as an initial consultation and a follow-up. A clear service list makes it easier for a client to choose the right appointment.
3. Set staff availability and enter existing bookings
Add the people who take appointments, their services and their actual working hours. Enter confirmed future bookings before you share the public link, checking the date, time, client and assigned staff member against the old diary. Review breaks and days off too. Do not open online availability for time that is already promised to someone else.
4. Check the public booking experience
Open your Plandok booking page as a client would. Check the business information, service choices, staff availability and appointment times on a phone as well as a computer. Make a test appointment using your own contact details and confirm that it appears correctly in the business calendar. Remove the test booking when you have finished, then review the calendar again.
5. Review notification settings and allowances
Check the email address or phone number on your test booking and review the notification settings you intend to use. Free includes 100 email notifications per month; keep the expected number of messages in mind when enabling notifications. SMS and WhatsApp notifications require Premium, and message charges are separate from the subscription. Test the channels you choose before relying on them for client communication.
6. Share one booking link and keep the calendar current
Add the tested booking link to your website and social profiles. Clients can choose an available appointment through that page; staff should enter phone and in-person bookings in the same calendar. When an appointment changes, update the calendar promptly and check that the new details match what you agreed with the client.
Review the first week before adding more complexity
Look for bookings assigned to the wrong service or staff member, durations that leave too little time and hours that should have been unavailable. Ask the team which steps still need clarification and adjust the setup. You do not need to migrate every historical record before the first booking, but all future commitments must be accounted for.
Choose a plan for your initial setup
The Free plan includes one location, up to 3 staff members, unlimited appointments, clients and online bookings, and 100 email notifications per month. No credit card is needed to start. If you need recurring appointments, client export or more email notifications, compare the relevant Premium features before relying on them.
Continue with a practical next step
Explore the guide or product page that matches what you need to do next.
Do I need to transfer every old client record before starting?
Start by checking confirmed future appointments and the client details needed for those bookings. Keep your old records available while you verify the transition. Do not assume historical records have been imported automatically.
Do clients need the business management app to book?
Clients use your public online booking link to choose an appointment. The business calendar is where you and your team manage the schedule. Test the client booking page before sharing it.
Is the first booking calendar free?
The Free plan includes one location, up to 3 staff members, unlimited appointments, clients and online bookings, and 100 email notifications per month. No credit card is needed to start.
Build your first appointment calendar
The Free plan includes one location, up to 3 staff members, unlimited appointments, clients and online bookings, and 100 email notifications per month. No credit card is needed to start.