Booking is a tool for scheduling appointments with specialists, reserving equipment, and more. You can track employee availability, send clients reminders about their appointments, and save data in the CRM. This article answers frequently asked questions about booking.

Why booking is useful

Booking helps automate the process of handling requests. Clients can choose a convenient time and service through a form or contact a manager who adds the booking to the calendar. The company sees the current schedule, avoids overlaps and empty slots, and employees are freed from routine calls.

This tool is suitable for various business sectors, such as:

• Medical centers — scheduling appointments with doctors, diagnostics, and procedures.
• Beauty salons — booking haircuts, makeup, and other services.
• Space rentals — renting coworking spaces, photo studios, etc.
• Equipment rentals — renting cars and specialized equipment.
• Consulting services — providing consultations on legal and other matters.

What a resource is

Resources are everything needed to provide a service, like specialists, rooms, equipment, and more. You can specify the type, schedule, and booking duration for each resource. For example, a resource could be:

• In a medical center — a doctor and a room with equipment.
• In a fitness club — a trainer and a workout room.
• In an auto repair shop — a bay, a mechanic, and a lift.
• In a coworking space — a meeting room.
• In a rental service — cars and other vehicles.

Add a resource to the Booking section

How clients can book a service

Clients can book a service in two ways:

Through a manager. If a client calls or writes, the manager selects a time and adds the booking to the schedule. For example, a clinic administrator schedules a patient with a doctor, or an auto repair manager books a time for a repair.

Through a CRM form. In Bitrix24, you can configure a booking form so clients can choose a convenient time and book services themselves. There are three types of CRM forms:

• Auto-selection — the form automatically suggests the nearest available time and specialist. This is useful when booking as soon as possible is a priority, and the specific employee doesn't matter. For example, a client with a toothache can see any available on-call dentist.
• Time selection — the client sees all available slots for a specific date and chooses a convenient one. This is ideal when the date and time are important. For example, an auto repair shop can offer slots for tire changes.
• Specialist selection — the client selects the employee, date, and time. This option is needed when a specific professional is required. For example, in a beauty salon, a client may want to book their preferred hairstylist.

Create a resource booking form

What reminders can be configured

You can set up automatic reminders for both clients and managers in the booking tool:

• New booking notification — the client receives a message with the date, time, and service immediately after booking.
• Appointment confirmation — the client gets a link to confirm the booking, and the manager is notified if the client doesn't confirm.
• Appointment reminder — the client receives a reminder about the booking a certain time before the appointment, such as in the morning on the day of the booking.
• If the client is late — the client gets a message, and the manager receives a reminder if the client is running late.

This helps reduce missed appointments and downtime. Clients are reminded of their bookings and are less likely to forget, while managers can anticipate cancellations and respond quickly.
Booking: Customer message templates

Whether multiple clients can book the same time slot

The booking tool includes an overbooking option, allowing two clients to book the same time slot. If one cancels or reschedules, the other remains on the schedule. This is useful when cancellations are frequent, ensuring the schedule stays full, employees remain busy, and the company doesn't lose time or clients.
Add a customer booking

How to book a client if the schedule is full

If all time slots are booked, add the client to a waitlist. When someone cancels, the manager can immediately offer the newly available time to those who have left a request and are waiting. This helps avoid empty slots in the schedule and retain clients.

For example, a fitness club uses a waitlist for personal training sessions, while a clinic uses it for patient appointments.
Bitrix24 Booking: put a client on the waiting list

Whether clients can be booked directly from the CRM

Clients already in the CRM can be booked for a service in two ways.

In the CRM form.

1. Go to the CRM section and select a CRM item.
2. Click Booking in the timeline and select a time under the required resource.

Booking in CRM

In the booking section.

1. When creating a new booking, click Customer.
2. Start typing the client's name in the Contact name field.
3. The booking will automatically link to the CRM and appear in the form.