How to Set Up a Provider's Availability Schedule

Learn how to create availability schedules for providers so customers can book appointments during available times. Availability schedules define when each provider is available for appointments, and appointment types use these schedules to determine bookable time slots.

Before You Begin

• You must be logged in to your account at https://app.joinzipper.com
• You need permission to manage schedules (typically organization owners and admins have this permission)
• You should have at least one provider/instructor added to your organization

Steps

Step 1: Navigate to Availability Schedules

1. Log in to your account at https://app.joinzipper.com/auth/login
2. From the dashboard, click Calendar in the left sidebar
3. Click Manage in the calendar actions (or go directly to https://app.joinzipper.com/dashboard/calendar/manage)
4. Click the Availability schedules tab
5. You'll see the Availability Schedules page

Note: If you don't have any schedules yet, you'll see a message saying "There are no availability schedules yet" with a button to create your first one.

Step 2: Open the Create Schedule Form

1. On the Availability Schedules page, look for the Create schedule button in the top right of the "Availability schedules" card
2. Click the button (it's orange with a plus icon)
3. A modal window will open titled "Create schedule"

What happens next: The modal will open and you'll see a form to enter schedule information.

Step 3: Fill Out Schedule Details

1. Name: Enter a clear name for your schedule (required)

   • This helps you identify the schedule later
   • Example: "Monday-Friday Morning Schedule" or "Weekend Availability"
   • If you leave this empty and try to save, you'll see an error message

2. Schedule for: Select which provider this schedule is for (required)

   • Choose from your organization's providers/instructors
   • This determines whose availability you're setting up
   • Important: Schedule assignments cannot be changed after creation, so choose carefully

3. Timezone: Select the timezone for this schedule (required)

   • Choose the timezone where the provider works
   • This ensures times are displayed correctly
   • If you leave this empty and try to save, you'll see an error message "A timezone is required"

What happens next: As you fill out the form, you'll see validation errors if required fields are missing.

Step 4: Set Up Availability Times

1. In the Availability section, you'll see a calendar tool

2. Use the calendar to select days and times:

   • Click and drag on the calendar to select time blocks
   • Select days of the week you're available
   • Set start and end times for each day
   • You can add multiple availability windows (e.g., mornings Monday-Friday, afternoons Tuesday-Thursday)

3. Add availability windows:

   • Click on a day to add availability
   • Drag to set the time range
   • Add multiple windows per day if needed
   • Set different times for different days

Note: The calendar tool lets you visually select your availability. You can set up complex schedules with different times for different days.

Step 5: Save Your Schedule

1. Review all the information you've entered
2. Check that:
   • Name is filled in
   • Provider is selected
   • Timezone is selected
   • At least one availability window is set
3. Click Save (blue button with save icon)
   • The button will show a loading state while saving
   • If there are errors, you'll see error messages below the fields
4. You'll see the modal close and your new schedule will appear in the list

What happens next: Your schedule will be created and available for use with appointment types. The system will automatically show available time slots based on your schedule and existing appointments.

Tips

• You can create multiple schedules for the same provider if they have different availability patterns
• Use descriptive names to easily identify schedules (e.g., "Summer Schedule", "Holiday Hours")
• You can clone existing schedules to create similar ones quickly
• Schedules can be edited after creation, but the provider assignment cannot be changed
• Set up schedules before creating appointment types, as appointment types require a schedule

Troubleshooting

Problem: I don't see the "Create schedule" button Solution: Make sure you have permission to manage schedules. Only organization owners and admins can create schedules. Contact your organization owner if you need access.

Problem: I get an error saying "A timezone is required" Solution: Make sure you've selected a timezone from the dropdown. This field is required and cannot be left empty.

Problem: I get an error saying "A label is required" Solution: Make sure you've entered a name for the schedule. The Name field is required and cannot be left empty.

Problem: The Save button is disabled Solution: Check that all required fields are filled in correctly. The button will only be enabled when all required information is valid. Look for red error messages below fields to see what needs to be fixed.

Problem: I can't change the provider after creating the schedule Solution: Schedule assignments cannot be changed after creation. If you need to assign the schedule to a different provider, you'll need to clone the schedule and assign it to the new provider, or create a new schedule.