Setting Up Your Availability

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Understanding Availability Schedules

Setting up your availability schedules is a crucial step for managing your dog training business efficiently. Availability schedules define when you’re available to conduct different types of training sessions and allow clients to book sessions during these times. In Pawgress, you can create multiple availability schedules to accommodate different training formats.

The Availability Schedules page is where you manage your weekly schedules and exceptions

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Creating Your First Availability Schedule

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Step 1: Navigate to the Availability Page

From your dashboard, click on “Availability” in the main navigation menu. This will take you to the availability schedules overview page.

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Step 2: Create a New Schedule

Click the “New Schedule” button in the top right corner of the page. This will take you to the schedule creation form.

Click the “New Schedule” button to create a new availability schedule

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Configuring Basic Information

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Schedule Name

First, give your schedule a descriptive name that indicates its purpose:

• Specific: Use names like “One-on-One Training Hours” or “Puppy Class Schedule” rather than generic names like “My Schedule”
• Clear: The name should instantly tell you what type of training this schedule is for
• Consistent: Establish a naming convention that works for all your schedules

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Timezone Setting

Select the timezone that applies to your schedule. This is especially important if:

• You work with clients in different timezones
• You travel regularly and train in different locations
• Your local area observes daylight saving time changes

Pawgress will automatically handle timezone conversions for your clients, ensuring that session times are displayed correctly for everyone.

Enter a descriptive name and select your timezone

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Setting Weekly Hours

The weekly schedule is the foundation of your availability. For each day of the week, you can:

• Mark the day as available or unavailable by toggling the switch
• Set specific start and end times for when you’re available on that day

Configure your availability for each day of the week

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Daily Availability

For each day, consider these factors when setting your hours:

1. Buffer Time: Allow for breaks between sessions by setting slightly shorter hours than your actual workday
2. Travel Time: If you travel to clients, factor in travel time when setting your availability
3. Preparation: Include time for session preparation and follow-up

Remember, you can always create different schedules for different types of training. For example, you might have more limited hours for in-home training but extended hours for virtual consultations.

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Saving and Using Your Schedule

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Saving the Schedule

Once you’ve configured your weekly availability:

1. Review all settings to ensure accuracy
2. Click the “Save Changes” button at the top right of the page
3. Your new schedule will be saved and added to your list of availability schedules

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Connecting to Training Packages

After creating your availability schedule, you’ll need to associate it with specific training packages:

1. Navigate to the Training Packages page
2. Create a new package or edit an existing one
3. In the package form, select your availability schedule from the dropdown
4. Save the package

This connection ensures that clients can only book sessions during the times you’ve specified in your availability schedule.

Select your availability schedule when creating or editing a training package

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Managing Date Overrides

Your regular weekly schedule is a great starting point, but life happens! Date overrides allow you to specify exceptions to your regular schedule for specific dates.

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When to Use Overrides

Date overrides are perfect for handling:

• Vacations and time off
• Holidays and special events
• Professional development days
• Temporary schedule changes
• Dates when you’re already fully booked

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Adding an Override

To set a date override:

1. Navigate to your availability schedule detail page
2. Find the “Date Overrides” section
3. Click the “Add Override” button
4. In the dialog, select the date(s) you want to override
5. Choose “Unavailable for entire day” or specify unavailable hours
6. Click “Add Override” to save

Add date overrides for vacations, holidays, or other special circumstances

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Managing Existing Overrides

You can view and manage all your date overrides in the “Date Overrides” section of your availability schedule page:

• View all your scheduled overrides
• Delete overrides that are no longer needed
• Add new overrides as your schedule changes

Regularly reviewing and updating your overrides helps ensure your availability is always current and prevents scheduling conflicts.

View and manage your date overrides from the availability detail page

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Next Steps

Now that you’ve set up your availability schedules, you’re ready to:

• Create or update training packages connected to your availability schedules
• Schedule sessions during your available times
• Set up Google Calendar integration to sync your Pawgress schedule with your personal calendar

By carefully managing your availability, you can optimize your schedule, reduce scheduling conflicts, and create a better experience for both you and your clients.