How to Use Block Booking Templates

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Using Block Booking Templates Recorded Class

Use Block Booking templates to organize days on the Schedule / Diary by appointment types. 

• Create templates and assign appointment types.
• Apply templates to selected days on the Schedule/Diary View, by Location.
• Toggle the overlay displaying the templates from the Manage Schedule View control.
• You can opt to enforce the block booking rules for a location, to prevent users from deviating from the applied template rules. 

Creating a Block Booking Template

To create a template:

1. From the location's Administration tab, select Templates > Block Booking Templates.
2. Under Actions, click Create New Template.
3. Enter a Template Name and Description.
   
4. Click and drag a series of time blocks. The block displays the number of minutes allotted. 
5. Click the + sign in the middle of the time block. The Apply Appointment Type to Time Block window is displayed.
   
6. Select an appointment type and click Apply. The appointment type is added to the template. 
7. Repeat Steps 5 - 6 to populate all the time blocks and appointment types you want for this template.
8. Click Create. The template is displayed in the Block Booking Templates list.
9. Under Actions, click Apply Templates. 
   
   
   Sensei Cloud takes you directly to the Scheduler's Location Schedule Planning interface.

Applying the Template to the Scheduler

To apply a template:

1. On the Location Schedule Planning screen, select the days for this template, and then click Apply template.
   
   Note: You can use the Ctrl or Shift key to select multiple days, and use the arrows at the top of the Schedule/Diary to navigate to different weeks or months. You can also click a day of the week (clicking Mo selects all of the Mondays), or click the arrows on the side to select the entire week.
   
   The Apply template to selected days window is displayed.
   
2. Select the template from the list and click Apply.

Viewing the Template Overlay

In the Schedule Day View/Diary Day View for a location, click the Gear icon next to Manage Schedule View/Manage Diary View, and then select the Show Block Booking Guidance option.

The overlay is visible on days for which it is applied.

Enforcing Block Booking Rules

When block booking rules are enforced for a location, users are prevented from scheduling appointments that conflict with the block booking template rules applied to that day's schedule. Only appointments that match the appointment type defined in the applied template are allowed, unless the user has administrative permission to override the rule.

A prompt is displayed when a user attempts to schedule an appointment in a time slot that does not match the appointment type defined in the template applied to the day, or if an appointment type has not been defined.

Clicking Ok takes the user back a step in the scheduling process, to either find another spot on the schedule or to redefine the appointment type.

Note: If the user has permission, the option Override block booking rule is also displayed on the prompt. Clicking this enables the appointment to be scheduled in the selected slot.

To enforce block booking rules:

1. Select Administration > Scheduler/Diary > [select location] > Edit Schedule Settings/Edit Diary Settings.
2. Select This location enforces block booking rules.
3. Click Save.

Important: Appointments scheduled prior to the enabling of this feature are not affected. Only appointments scheduled going forward are subject to enforcement.

Override Permissions

The ability to override block booking rules can be granted by selecting Administration > Permissions > User Permissions > General > Can Overwrite Block Booking Rules. 
Note: Users in the Administrators group have this permission automatically.