Clients can book time with you in two ways: through a session direct link, or through a scheduler block in a smart file or lead form. Both show your real-time availability. You can sync an external calendar (Google, iCal, or Outlook) so that all your availability is accounted for. Clients choose a time within your working hours, so there are no double-bookings and no back-and-forth about when you’re free.
Booking with a session direct link
When a client opens your link, they go through these steps:
Choose a service (if applicable). If your scheduler includes multiple services, the client must select one before the calendar appears. They’ll see a note that session options depend on the service they choose, and they click Choose a service to continue.
Pick a date. The calendar opens to the current month, whether or not you have availability. Clients can use the previous and next month buttons to move to another month. Dates with no available time slots can’t be clicked. They show a strikethrough day number and a blocked-day icon.
Pick a time. After choosing a date, the client sees the available time slots for that service. They select a time and click Continue.
If you’ve turned on client choice for meeting location in an eligible one-on-one session, the client can also choose from the location options you’ve set.
For group sessions that allow more than one client, you can show how many spots remain (for example, “2 spots left”).
Enter details. The client provides their name, email, and phone number, plus any notes or comments, then clicks Schedule.
Confirm. A confirmation page, which you can customize, tells the client the session is scheduled. If you’ve allowed cancelling and rescheduling in your session type setup, the client can do the following from this page:
Reschedule: returns them to the calendar to choose a new time. You and your client both receive emails confirming the new time.
Cancel: prompts them to enter a reason and confirm. You and your client both receive emails confirming the cancellation.
Add to calendar: starts the standard add-to-calendar flow.
The client also receives a confirmation email, and the meeting is automatically added to their calendar (see the calendar note below).
📣 Note
When meetings are added automatically
Outlook: The meeting is not added automatically. Clients can add it manually from the confirmation page or the confirmation email.
Google Calendar: The meeting is added automatically only if you’ve had previous interactions with the client. For first-time contacts, the client must indicate in the confirmation email that they know you before the meeting is added to their Google Calendar.
Booking with a scheduler or public availability calendar in a smart file or lead form
Clients who receive a smart file or lead form with a scheduler block can pick a time from your session availability on any device.
Public availability calendar: Lead forms can include a public availability calendar block that shows your availability directly in the form. If public availability is turned off, clients won’t see this calendar.
Multiple services: Clients must choose a service before they can see the calendar and times, just as with a direct link.
Meeting location: If you’ve turned on client choice for meeting location in an eligible one-on-one session, clients can choose from your location options during booking.
Multiple spaces: If your availability includes multiple spaces, clients can use the space selector to view a specific space or all spaces.
Group sessions: For group sessions that allow more than one client, the booking page can show how many spots are left (for example, “2 spots left”).
Settings that control the booking requirement
Client must schedule session: When ON, the client must schedule a session before continuing. When OFF, they can choose whether to schedule one.
Client must sign to reserve session: When ON, the client can choose a time slot, but the session isn’t scheduled until they sign the required contract. This option is only available when the contract with a client signature comes after the scheduler page.
When a client schedules through a smart file or lead form, they receive a confirmation email and the meeting is automatically added to their calendar (see the calendar note below).
What notifications will my client and I receive during the scheduling process?
You and your client both receive:
Email confirmation when a session is scheduled (with an add-to-calendar option)
Email reminders for upcoming meetings, if you’ve turned that setting on (with an add-to-calendar option)
Email confirmation when a session is rescheduled (with an add-to-calendar option)
Email confirmation when a session is cancelled
Your client also receives:
SMS reminders for meetings (if you've turned that setting on)
Still have questions? Feel free to send us a message by clicking the Question Mark icon on any HoneyBook page. Our team is always happy to help!