Title: Using Calendar Preview
Category: booking-calendar
Preview your booking schedule to see exactly what customers will see and verify everything looks correct before syncing to Google Calendar.
Where to Find This
Services → Booking Management tab → Booking Availability sub-tab
What Is Calendar Preview?
Calendar Preview is a visual calendar that shows:
- Your configured locations and time slots
- When services are available
- Working hours for dynamic availability
- How your schedule looks across different views (week/month/day)
Where to find it: Availability tab → Preview Calendar button (top right)
When to Use Preview
Use Calendar Preview when you want to:
- Verify your schedule - Check that all time slots appear correctly.
- Catch conflicts - See if slots overlap or times look wrong.
- Plan adjustments - Visualize changes before making them.
- Test different views - See how your schedule looks in week vs month view.
Pro Tip: Always preview your schedule after creating or editing locations with fixed time slots. It's much easier to fix issues before syncing to Google Calendar.
Opening Calendar Preview
- Go to Services → Booking Management tab → Booking Availability sub-tab.
- Click the Preview Calendar button (top right, next to "Add Location").
- The calendar viewer opens below your locations list.
To close the preview:
- Click Hide Calendar Preview button.
- The preview collapses back to the location table.
Understanding What You See
Color Coding
Events in the preview use colors to distinguish between locations:
- Blue - First location
- Green - Second location
- Amber - Third location
- Pink - Fourth location
- And so on...
Each location gets a consistent color so you can quickly identify which location each slot belongs to.
Event Information
Each event shows:
- Time - When the slot occurs
- Service - Which service is available
- Location - Where it takes place
- Capacity (for group slots) - Max attendees / available spots
Click any event to see full details in a popup.
Calendar Views
Switch between three views to see your schedule in different ways:
Week View
Best for: Seeing your daily schedule at a glance
- Shows Monday-Sunday
- Time slots displayed vertically (8am, 9am, etc.)
- See multiple days at once
- Navigate forward/back by week
When to use: Planning your week, checking for time conflicts
Month View
Best for: Getting a big-picture overview
- Shows entire month in calendar grid
- Events shown as dots/bars on dates
- Click any date to see that day's events in a list below the calendar
- Navigate forward/back by month
When to use: Long-term planning, seeing booking density
Day View
Best for: Detailed view of a single day
- Shows one day at a time
- All time slots listed hour by hour
- Easy to see exactly what's happening when
- Navigate forward/back by day
When to use: Verifying a specific day's schedule, checking detailed timing
Interactive Features
Changing Views
Click the view buttons in the top right:
- Month - Calendar grid view
- Week - 7-day schedule
- Day - Single day timeline
Navigating Dates
Use the toolbar controls:
- ◀ Previous - Go back one period (week/month/day)
- Today - Jump to current date
- Next ▶ - Go forward one period
Viewing Event Details
Click any event to open a details modal showing:
- Full service name
- Location name and address
- Start and end time
- Capacity information (if applicable)
- Which services are available
Month View: Date Click
In Month view, clicking a date shows a detailed event list below the calendar:
- All events for that date
- Time, service, location for each
- Click event in list to see full details
- Click "Clear" to hide the list
What Shows in Preview
Fixed Slots
All configured fixed time slots appear as events:
- Group classes with their capacity
- Scheduled sessions at set times
- Recurring slots shown across multiple days
Working Hours (Dynamic Mode)
For locations using Dynamic availability:
- Background shading shows working hours
- No individual slots (generated in real-time when customers book)
- Color-coded by location
Hybrid Mode Locations
Locations using Hybrid mode show:
- Fixed slots as colored event blocks
- Working hours as background shading
- Both display simultaneously
Desktop-Only Features
On desktop computers, you get extra capabilities:
Drag and Drop
Drag events to different times or days (preview only - doesn't save changes)
Resize Events
Click and drag event edges to adjust duration (preview only - doesn't save changes)
Note: Mobile/tablet users see the full calendar preview but without drag-and-drop or resize features.
Common Scenarios
Scenario 1: Checking a New Schedule
You've just created a location with multiple time slots (e.g., kids club with swim lessons, music lessons, window cleaning rounds):
- Open Calendar Preview.
- Switch to Week View.
- Scan your working days to verify all slots appear.
- Check that times don't overlap (unless you have multiple staff).
- Confirm capacity numbers look right for group sessions.
- If something's wrong, close preview → Edit Location → Fix → Preview again.
Scenario 2: Adding a New Time Slot
You want to add a new session (e.g., Saturday morning pet grooming appointments):
- Edit your location.
- Add the new slot or extend working hours.
- Save location.
- Open Calendar Preview.
- Navigate to next Saturday.
- Verify the new availability appears correctly.
- Sync to Google Calendar.
Scenario 3: Finding Empty Gaps
You want to optimize your schedule:
- Open Calendar Preview.
- Switch to Day View for detailed view.
- Navigate through your week.
- Look for gaps between sessions.
- Decide if you want to add more availability or leave buffer time.
Scenario 4: Monthly Planning
Planning next month's special workshops:
- Open Calendar Preview.
- Switch to Month View.
- Navigate to next month.
- See which days are busy vs light.
- Identify good dates for special events.
- Close preview → Add new slots → Preview again.
Syncing After Preview
Once you're happy with how your schedule looks:
- Close Calendar Preview.
- Click Sync with Google Calendar (top right).
- Wait for confirmation.
- Your schedule is now live!
Troubleshooting Preview
Preview shows nothing?
- Make sure you've created at least one location.
- Verify the location has fixed slots or working hours configured.
- Check that you haven't filtered out all locations.
Slots missing?
- Check the date range - navigate forward/back to find them.
- Verify recurrence settings on slots.
- Confirm you saved the location after adding slots.
Times look wrong?
- Double-check the start time and duration in location settings.
- Verify your timezone is correct.
- Make sure AM/PM is set correctly.
Can't see colors?
- Each location gets a different color automatically.
- If you only have one location, everything will be the same color.
- Create multiple locations to see color differences.
Tips for Using Preview
Preview often Check Calendar Preview every time you make changes to locations or slots.
Use Week View for daily work Best for seeing your actual day-to-day schedule.
Use Month View for availability gaps Quickly identify which days/weeks are light vs busy.
Use Day View for verification When you need to check exact timing and details.
Test different months Navigate forward to verify recurring slots appear correctly in future weeks.
Check mobile view Preview also works on mobile/tablet - test responsive rendering.
What Preview Doesn't Show
Calendar Preview shows your availability schedule but doesn't show:
- Actual customer bookings (until synced and booked)
- Your personal calendar events from Google
- Booking quota/limit information
- Price or payment details
To see actual bookings, check your Google Calendar or go to Managing Bookings.