Booking Window

A booking window is the pair of limits you place on self-service scheduling: the earliest a client may book (say, not more than 60 days out) and the latest (say, no closer than two hours before the slot). The lead-time limit protects prep and setup, stops a client from grabbing a chair with no time to gather product or staff, and keeps same-day chaos in check. The far limit keeps your calendar from filling with speculative bookings months out that tend to cancel.

The window is also how you capture after-hours demand safely. Only 54% of bookings happen during opening hours, so up to 46% of demand arrives when you are closed, with 28% coming in the evening and 18% early in the morning. A well-set window lets clients book that late-night slot for a future day automatically, without letting them book something you cannot staff in time.

Tune the window per service: a quick barber cut can take same-day bookings, while a full color or lash set needs more lead time and a Deposit. It works alongside Self-Booking and a Waitlist to keep the calendar both full and realistic. Configure it in online booking and align it with staff scheduling.