These instructions will help you create and set up an Online Booking website for your business that allows clients to book and request appointments that sync directly and automatically with your software.
Add the Online Booking Service Feature
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Log into the cloud software website and select Options (or More > Options) at the top.
Click on More Features on the left and select Online Booking.
Click Get Started.
Choose an account name for your website address. Most businesses use their name (all one word) at the beginning of the website address. Click on Check Availability to verify that your account name is not already taken by another business. If it's already taken, you must choose a name that is available.
You will be given an opportunity to change your selected name or continue the setup process. If you are satisfied with your website URL, click Continue Setup. Otherwise, choose Change Name to pick something else.
Pick a theme for your site. Everything on your site can be customized to match your style, but selecting a pre-designed theme will help get you started. Use the magnifying glass icon to see a preview of any available theme. If you will be doing a lot of customization, it may be best to choose a theme like Simplicity since it's very basic.
Click on Finish! Create Website. This may take a couple minutes. This completes the setup of your website. Click the Continue to Edit Your Website button if you would like to start making changes and modifying your preferences now. Otherwise, your site is live with all the default settings and clients can start requesting appointments. The next section provides some helpful starting tips for getting started with your website.
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Add Online Booking to your Existing Business Website
Add Online Booking to your Existing Business Website
Adding the booking portion of your Online Booking page to your existing website is easy.
Log in to your Online Booking website with your authorized DaySmart account.
Select Website Options in the Navigate panel on the left.
Choose Booking Plugin Setup in the Set Your Preferences section.
If you'd like the plugin to have the same appearance as your selected Online Booking page theme, click the Generate Plugin Code button. Set the width of the frame and click Generate Plugin Code. Skip to Step 6. (NOTE: The height of the frame will be sized dynamically with each step of the booking process, so it's only necessary for you to choose the width.)
If you want to alter the appearance of the booking plugin, select Design Booking Plugin. Make the desired changes and see a preview with the Open Preview button or click the checkmark icon to save changes. Expand the Booking Plugin Setup menu with the arrow in the upper right and click Generate Plugin Code. (NOTE: The height of the frame will be sized dynamically with each step of the booking process, so it's only necessary for you to choose the width.)
Copy the code and paste it where you would like the plugin to appear or send it to your web developer to have it added to your existing website. Please note that this code will not work if pasted into a text box meant to modify the front end of your site. It will need to be copied directly to the code for your site or through a back-end webpage editor.
Add Online Booking to your Business's Facebook Page
Add Online Booking to your Business's Facebook Page
Due to changes made by Facebook, the below method will no longer work if you do not have 2,000 followers on your business's Facebook page. Additional steps have been included in a section below that goes over how to setup a Book Now button on your Facebook page that redirects to your online booking website.
Add Online Booking to your Business's Facebook Page
Log in to your Online Booking website by selecting Manage Site at the bottom of your website.
Select Website Options in the Navigate panel on the left.
Choose Facebook Integration in the Set Your Preferences section.
Click the Login with Facebook button. You will be prompted to sign into your Facebook account. Once you are signed into Facebook, click the Connect a Facebook Page button.
Once you're signed in select the business page you want the plugin to appear on and click Add Page Tab.
If you want to alter the appearance of the booking plugin, select Change Plugin Appearance. Make the desired changes and see a preview with the Open Preview button or click the check mark icon to save changes. Your plugin will update and appear on your Facebook page automatically. If you do not see the results of your changes immediately, refresh your browser or close the page and reopen it.
Press the Create 'Book Now' button and follow the directions that appear in the pop up window.
It is important to note that the Facebook mobile app does not allow integration of third party software plug-ins. For this reason, the Online Booking plug-in will only appear when the client is using Facebook in a web browser. An alternative to getting a visible link to your Online Booking page through the mobile app is to add the Booking Page URL as your website entry on your Facebook page.
Direct Customers to your Online Booking Website from Facebook
Direct Customers to your Online Booking Website from Facebook
From your online booking website, go to Book Now.
Copy the URL at the top of the page. You will need this in a moment.
Now go to your business's Facebook page and make sure you are signed in as an Admin user of the page.
Near the top of your Facebook page you should have a blue button with a Pencil Icon. Click on the button and select Edit Button.
Select Book with you and then Book Now. Press Next.
Now select Link to Website.
In the window that pops up, paste the URL that you copied from earlier. Press Save.
Press Finish.
Now when your customers go to your business's Facebook page, they will be able to select the Book Now button at the top of the page and a new tab will open for the customer, taking them to your online booking website to begin making an appointment request.
Editing Your Website
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With your website setup, you can then begin to edit the appearance of the website to make it more of your own, along with adjusting the booking process settings. When you are signed into your website, you will have a navigation bar along the left side that will allow you to access the ability to edit your website.
Site Styles: Site Styles will give you access to editing the overall theme of your website. From this section, you will be able to edit the text font,size and color that will be used for the entire site by default. You will also be able to adjust the site background, menus and heading options from here.
Edit Layout: The Edit Layout option will let you add additional content sections. You can also rearrange the order of your content sections when this option is selected.
Edit Content: Edit Content will allow you to add information into the sections that you create with the Edit Layout option. You can choose to include text, video, images, a map for where your business is located, and info cards. Info cards will give you the option to include your contact info, address, operation hours, features & amenities, and other services that you offer. You can adjust all information that will be included on the info cards by selecting Website Options and then Business Details.
Website Options: This will take you to the behind the scenes options that will let you control what pages a customer can navigate to, what information appears on your website, and when customers can book appointments. It is highly recommended that you check your settings in the Business Details and Booking Preferences sections within these options.
Helpful Website Tips
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Log in to your Online Booking website and edit it from anywhere simply by navigating to the page's URL and clicking the Manage Site link at the bottom of the page.
Client bookings are linked directly with employee schedules in your software. If a time is available on your appointment book, a client will be able to book in that spot. You should look at the Schedule in your software and make sure it matches employees' exact working times. See the article here if you need help creating schedules.
All your requests can be managed from the new Requests button at the top of your software. Online Booking appointment requests will also appear as translucent "ghost appointments" on your appointment book. They will appear in the time slot for which they are requested until they are accepted or rejected. This will also prevent double-booking. Your software will alert you with a pop-up when next requests come in. Double-clicking on a ghost appointment will show you the accept/reject screen with the requested appointment details.