Help Center

Is your service really free? Are there any hidden costs?

Our service is really free and there are no hidden costs. The only service that is associated with a fee is SMS reminders for clients. But SMS reminders are an optional feature. By default, we only send free email reminders.

Do you display advertisements on your web pages or in your e-mails?

No, we prioritize a clean and focused experience by ensuring that our website and all e-mail communications are entirely free of advertisements.

Can I record my retail sales through your service?

Currently, the functionality to record retail sales is not available. However, we continually update and improve our services. This feature is under consideration for a future release.

How do I export my clients’ information?

In order to export your clients’ information, simply click on Clients, then select the Export to Excel option as illustrated here. This process will seamlessly aggregate all your clients’ information into a downloadable Excel document.

Do you offer any training courses?

We strive to make our software user-friendly and intuitive. However, we understand the need for some users to have additional guidance. In the near future, we will provide training videos on our website to guide users through our program’s key features.

How can I download my appointments?

To download your appointments, navigate to the calendar page and click on the Export button. This will enable you to export all your appointments into an Excel document.

How can I adjust staff working hours?

To modify a staff member’s working hours, navigate to the calendar page and click on the relevant heading. This will open a dialog box where you can make the necessary changes.

Is this software compatible with all mobile phone platforms?

Absolutely! Our web-based, mobile-responsive interface ensures our service is accessible to users on any mobile platform, such as Android, iPhone, and iPad, without needing to install an app. This also eliminates any compatibility issues.

How do I access my schedule? Can I use any device?

Yes, you can access your schedule from any device including iPhones, iPads, tablets and smartphones. All you need is a web browser and an internet connection, with no app installation necessary.

Can I use the program at home?

Yes, indeed! The data is securely stored online, not on your computer, which enables you to log in and use the program from any location with an internet connection.

Where is my information stored?

All your data is securely stored and hosted in the United States. We utilize the Microsoft Azure Cloud platform for all types of data, except for images and files. For images and files, we use Amazon Web Services (AWS) Cloud.

How do I perform software updates?

Our software updates are performed automatically, so you don’t need to do anything! The software works just like Google Mail, Facebook and other web-based services. Any and all updates will be processed automatically, so you can always rest assured knowing you’re using the latest and greatest version!

Can I Integrate Online Booking Into my Website??

Yes, you can easily integrate our software into your website using a hyperlink or iframe. To do this, navigate to Settings → Online Booking. On the page that appears, you will find a link to your booking page. Simply copy this URL and incorporate it into your website as a link or an iframe, thereby enabling your visitors to book online with ease.

Is there a possibility of appointment conflicts if two clients try to book for the same timeframe?

Our appointment scheduling platform is designed to prevent such conflicts. Clients can only book appointments in available time slots, and cannot select slots that overlap with existing appointments. However, you and your staff can create multiple overlapping appointments and even permit double booking for specific time slots, allowing clients to reserve such slots on your booking page.

Why aren’t all of my staff members visible on the calendar page?

If some staff members aren’t visible on the calendar page, it may be due to screen size constraints. If the display cannot accommodate all your staff, utilize the scroll feature. Just click on the right arrow symbol to horizontally scroll through and view the complete list of your staff on the calendar.

How do I create an appointment on a touch device?

Creating an appointment on a touch device requires a long touch gesture. This means touching the screen and holding your finger on the calendar for at least half a second.

Could you explain the “Padding” feature and its functionality?

The “padding” feature is a handy tool that lets you block off specific time on your calendar, which remains unavailable for client bookings. This feature ensures that your start times and durations remain consistent and visible to clients. It is particularly useful when you need to allocate additional preparation time before or after an appointment.

Can clients book multiple services at the same time?

Yes, clients can book appointments for multiple services simultaneously.

I have a question not covered here. How can I get in touch with you?

No worries at all! Our customer service team is always ready to assist and answer your queries. Simply navigate to our contact page for further help.

Can I use my email address to log into the site?

No, you need to use your username for login. We permit multiple accounts linked to the same email address, which is why we require users to use their usernames when logging in.

I am unable to log into my account. What steps should I take?

If you’re having trouble logging in, first ensure that you’re entering the correct username and password. If you’re still unable to log in, click on the “Forgot Password“ link on the login page, enter your username, and follow the instructions. You will receive an email allowing you to reset your password and regain access to your account.

I attempted to reset my password but didn’t receive the email.

If you’ve requested a password reset, an email should be sent to you with further instructions. Please allow a few minutes for the email to be processed by your server. Do also check your SPAM folder to ensure it wasn’t mistakenly flagged as SPAM. If you haven’t received the email, it’s possible that there was a typo in your email address during registration. Please reach out to us if this occurs, and we’ll verify the accuracy of your email address in our system.

Can I provide individual logins for my staff members?

Yes, you can! Every staff member can be provided with a unique username and password. Each user can then log in and manage their appointments accordingly.

How can I share a suggestion for improvement?

We always welcome your feedback! If you have comments, ideas for improvement, or general feedback, please email us at info@smartscheduling.com or get in touch via our contact page.

Can I use my own phone number to send SMS/text message reminders?

Unfortunately, no. Due to regulatory requirements, we can only send alerts from our dedicated phone numbers. The use of third-party phone numbers for sending text message alerts is currently not permitted.

Is it advisable to use emoticons in my text messages?

While emoticons can add a personal touch, we advise against their use in text messages. This is because emoticons are classified as non-English characters, which reduces the maximum character limit from 160 to 70 per text message, even if the text is in English.

Do you offer phone support?

At present, we do not provide phone support. However, we offer comprehensive email support. You can reach us at info@smartscheduling.com or submit your queries via the contact form on our website.

Can I choose to send both SMS/text message reminders and email reminders?

We currently allow only one method of sending reminders – either SMS/text messages or emails. It’s not possible to opt for both simultaneously.

Can each staff member have individual login credentials to access their appointments?

Absolutely, each staff member can have their own distinct login details. To set this up, go to the staff area and click on the respective staff member’s name. There, you will find the username that they need to use for logging in. Don’t forget to assign a password, enabling them to access the website, calendar page, and client database. For your convenience, you have the ability to change the passwords for your staff members at any time as needed.

I created an employee account, but it is not visible on the booking page. What could be the problem?

To resolve this, ensure that the Online Booking option is enabled for the respective staff member and that the staff member have been assigned to at least one service. This should make the employee visible on the booking page.

Can appointments be booked by service instead of by employee?

At present, our system doesn’t support this feature. However, we’re constantly improving our platform, and we may consider adding this feature in the future.

What information should be included in an SMS reminder?

Essential details such as the appointment time, your phone number, and your business name should be included in an SMS reminder.

Can clients access data from my calendar?

While clients cannot directly view your calendar, certain details are visible when they access their appointment details. This includes appointment start time and date, the “services” field, assigned employee, price, and the client’s first and last names. However, appointment notes and the “padding before” and “padding after” fields remain private. For manually created appointments, no calendar details are visible, but if an appointment reminder is issued, you can decide what calendar data is displayed in the reminder text.

When are appointment reminders sent?

Appointment reminders are only sent if this feature is enabled. They apply to both client-created (online bookings) and manually created appointments. If needed, you also have the option to disable reminders for individual clients – a useful feature if you want to enable reminders globally but exclude certain individuals.

What should I do if I can’t log in as an administrator/business owner?

To log in as a business owner (administrator), make sure you’re using the username you registered with. Remember that any employees you create as an administrator will have limited access, so maintaining your administrative access is crucial.

What are the consequences of deleting a staff member?

Deleting a staff member should be done with care, as it permanently removes all data and appointments linked to them. This action is irreversible. While some data can be recovered from daily automated backups, all appointments will need to be manually recreated, and some information might still be missing. Additionally, clients who booked appointments with the deleted staff member won’t receive any automatic updates. To prevent data loss, we recommend exporting all appointment data before removing a staff member.

Can the software manage multiple business locations?

Currently, our system doesn’t support multiple business locations within the same account. As a workaround, we suggest creating a unique account for each location. You can then set up a selection page on your website, allowing clients to choose their preferred location, which redirects them to the corresponding booking page.

Why have my customers stopped receiving booking confirmations?

Customers may choose to unsubscribe from emails, and if they do, we halt sending booking confirmations. To find all unsubscribed emails, navigate to the client area and select Export Clients. The second sheet of the exported Excel file will contain these unsubscribed emails.

Will merging two client records result in data loss?

Merging two client records consolidates all associated appointments and notes under the primary record, so no information will be lost.

Can I limit certain services to specific days of the week?

Yes, you can set restrictions so that certain services are only bookable on specific days of the week. This means clients will not be able to schedule these services on any other days.

How can I upload photos for my staff members?

To upload photos for your staff members, please follow these steps:

• Navigate to the Staff section.
• Select the specific staff member for whom you want to upload a photo.
• Scroll to the Photo section.
• Here, you will be able to upload an image that will represent that particular staff member.

Can multiple users interact with the software at the same time?

Yes, our software allows for simultaneous usage by multiple users.

Why isn’t one of my services listed on the booking page?

If a service isn’t appearing on the booking page, please visit the service management area. Ensure that a staff member is assigned to the service in question. Additionally, confirm the days of the week that the service is allowed to be booked. If the service is restricted to specific days of the week, it will not show up on the booking page on the other days.

Why are some of my service groups not appearing in the service list?

A service group will only appear in the service list once at least one service has been added to that group.

How can I change the images displayed on the front page?

To change your front page images, navigate to Settings → Photos. On this page, you’ll find an uploader that allows you to update your images.

Can I edit a series of repeating events all at once?

Currently, the system doesn’t support batch editing of a series of repeating events. Each occurrence must be edited individually. While we previously offered this feature, it led to inadvertent data overwrites. However, you can still delete an entire series of events at once.

Why is there unfamiliar data in my new account?

Post-registration, your account is populated with sample data, including employee listings, clients, and appointments. This is intended to give you a reference point as you begin using the software. Please feel free to remove all sample data and replace it with information relevant to your business and staff.

Do I need to have my own website to use your software?

Not at all. We provide a standalone booking page that you can share directly with your clients.

Is the software compatible with all web browsers?

Our software is designed to function optimally with all modern web browsers. To ensure the best user experience, we recommend accessing our website using an updated browser. An outdated browser may lead to subpar performance and usability issues.

Can multiple employees access the same account simultaneously?

Yes, our software allows concurrent usage by multiple employees. However, please note that it may take up to 5 minutes to synchronize appointments if multiple users are creating them at the same time. Instant updates can be seen by refreshing your browser. However, this limitation doesn’t affect online booking as the system uses real-time data for client bookings.

Why aren’t some appointments or employees visible in my Excel export?

Each employee has a separate sheet in the exported Excel file. To view appointments associated with different employees, navigate between the sheets as shown in this screenshot.

How can I set up an Email/SMS reminder?

To set up reminders, navigate to Settings → Reminders. Here you can configure automatic reminders for your clients.

Can I modify an employee’s username?

Yes, you can modify an employee’s username. To do this, navigate to the staff management area, select the staff member whose username you want to change, and then update the ‘Username’ field. Remember to save your changes to confirm the update.

How do I install the software?

Being a web-based software, no installation is necessary. Simply sign up and start using our service with an internet-connected device and a web browser. Click here to register your account.

Do you support SMS messages over 160 characters?

Yes, for the US and Canada, we support text messages of up to 1000 characters.

Can clients pay online when booking?

At this time, we do not support online payments, although we plan to add this feature in the future.

Is there a limit to the number of staff I can add to my account?

Yes, you can add up to 40 staff members to your account.

What is the cost of SMS reminders? How am I billed?

Each SMS reminder costs $0.09 (USD) for messages up to 160 characters in English or 70 characters in non-English. Longer messages will be charged as multiple messages. For US or Canadian businesses, following messages in a concatenated text cost $0.045.

Do you delete past appointments?

We retain all past appointments unless your account is deleted.

Can I customize the appearance of my booking page with CSS?

We currently do not support custom CSS for the booking page, as software updates that change the HTML could invalidate your custom CSS rules, causing conflicts.

Is there a limit on the number of clients or appointments I can add to my account?

You can add up to 300,000 clients per business account. We do not impose a limit on the number of appointments.

Why aren’t some clients receiving SMS reminders?

Typically, this occurs when the client’s phone number is incorrect. Please verify the accuracy of the number stored in the system.

What are the various access permissions available?

Our software provides several permission levels to accommodate your team’s varying needs:

Permission	Description
Administrator	Users with this permission can perform all tasks except account deletion and changing the business email. They also have access to all other permissions listed below.
Export Appointments	Users can export appointment data via Excel.
Export Clients	Users can export your client data via Excel.
Client Database	Users can access the client database.
Write Access	Users can save changes and create new objects or items.
Everyone’s Schedule	Users can view all scheduling data. Without this permission, a user can only view their own schedule.
Contact Details	Users can see the client’s full email and phone number. Without this, parts of the contact information are obscured with an asterisk (*).

Can I direct clients straight to my booking page?

Yes, you can link directly to your booking page with this URL: https://smartscheduling.com/{username}/booking

How do I integrate a “Book Now” button on my Facebook page?

Please follow this guide to add a Book Now button on your Facebook page.

How long have you been operating?

We have been providing our services since 2012.

How do I report a bug or security issue?

Kindly report any bugs or security issues via our contact form or by emailing us at info@smartscheduling.com. Please note that we do not currently offer a cash-based bug bounty program.

Can I recover deleted staff members’ appointments?

Unfortunately, deleting a staff member also removes all their associated appointments. However, you can retrieve deleted appointments from automated backups under Settings → Automated Backups.

How can I reorganize my services or groups?

Rearranging your services is simple. Click on a service and drag it to the desired position. You can also transfer services between groups.

How can I contribute a translation to the software?

At this time, specific portions of the software, including online booking features, client-oriented pages, and emails, are available for translation. Please note that the rest of the software is exclusively in English and cannot currently be translated.

Interested in contributing a translation? Here’s how to do it:

• Click here to download the translation file.
• Open the file and create a new column for your intended language.
• Add translations for all text in the new column. Please note that only complete translations will be accepted. Partial or incomplete translations cannot be integrated into the software.
• After translating all the text, email the Excel file with your translations to info@smartscheduling.com for validation.
• Upon validation, we’ll add your translations to the software. While this process may take up to seven days, we usually complete it much sooner.

If you notice an error in an existing translation, please follow the same procedure. Download the translation file, correct the error, and then email us the corrected file. After validation, we will update the translations in our software as soon as possible.

Your contribution to making our software more accessible is greatly appreciated!

Can I host the software on my server?

Our software cannot be hosted on external servers. However, we ensure your booking page does not feature any of our branding or links. Moreover, our service is free, so self-hosting offers little advantage.

What can I do if I’m not receiving emails from your service?

It’s possible that our emails are marked as SPAM. Please check your SPAM folder and remove the spam label for our emails. If the problem persists, email us directly from the affected address at info@smartscheduling.com to resume email delivery. Do not use our contact form for this purpose.

Why didn’t I receive an email after registration?

We send a confirmation email with your account details and initial password after registration. If you didn’t receive this email, you might have mistyped your email address during registration. Please contact our support team and provide your email address and business name.

How can clients upload files or documents during booking?

To enable file upload during booking, you’ll need to create a custom field for file uploads. Here’s how:

• Navigate to Settings → Custom Fields.
• Create a new field designed for file uploads.
• Go to your service management area and assign this custom field to each service that requires client file uploads.

After these steps, your clients will have the option to upload files when booking your services.

How can I adjust pricing and duration dynamically on the booking page?

You have two options to automatically adjust pricing and duration:

• If your business involves multiple staff members, assign a unique price and duration to each staff member via the service management area.
• Create custom fields of type checkbox or dropdown in Settings → Custom Fields. These fields can adjust prices and durations based on client inputs. Remember, you need to assign these custom fields to your services for them to be operational.

Do you offer a point-of-sale (POS) system?

Currently, we don’t provide a point-of-sale system. However, we’re planning to release one in the future, which will be provided free of charge. We don’t have a definitive release date for this feature yet.

Will your branding appear on my booking page?

No, our free booking software is a white label solution. It does not display any of our brand markings on your booking page.

How can I deactivate my account?

You can delete your account by logging in as a business owner using your credentials, then navigating to Settings → Basic Information. Here, you will find an option to delete your account.

How can I adjust the start and end times on the calendar?

To modify the calendar’s start and end times, please click on the preferences button on the calendar page. This action will bring up a dialog where you can alter calendar settings. Bear in mind that this button may not be accessible if you lack the required permission.

How can I determine the number of SMS parts required to send a message?

To analyze your text messages, you can use this online tool: https://messente.com/documentation/tools/sms-length-calculator

How can I update my business email address?

You can change your business email address by navigating to Settings → Email. Please note that this page can only be accessed when logged in as a business owner, not as a staff member.

Can I use your service as a sole practitioner?

Absolutely, our service is fully functional for sole practitioners. Besides your business account, you will need to create a staff member account to manage your appointments.

How can I transfer clients from one account to another?

To move all your clients along with their notes between accounts, use the import/export tools. Export all clients from the original account and then import them into the new account. Please remember that this action might require special permissions, so you may need to contact your administrator. Ensure that both accounts have identical country and locale settings since the software can only interpret date and time formats specific to each country. If possible, consider renaming your username as this is a much simpler solution.

How can I send a mass email to all my clients?

Our application does not support sending mass emails directly. Doing so could adversely affect the deliverability of our other emails, potentially causing them to end up in spam folders. However, you can export your clients to an Excel file and use this list to send email campaigns via third-party services such as mailchimp.com.

Please note, it’s important to review your local regulations regarding mass email communications. In certain jurisdictions, sending mass emails may be subject to specific rules and may require explicit permission from the recipients. Always ensure that you are compliant with these regulations before initiating a mass email campaign.

How can I hide certain services from appearing on my booking page?

To restrict the booking of specific services, navigate to the service management area and select a service. Set the Online Booking field to Disabled. Consequently, this service will not appear on your booking page.

How can I insert a link into my emails?

Links can be added to your email signature and reminders. Type the desired URL as text, and it will automatically be converted into a clickable link, like so:

https://smartscheduling.com/en/documentation/privacy

If you wish to add a hyperlink with display text, encapsulate the text in double square brackets before the URL, as shown below:

[[Privacy Policy]]https://smartscheduling.com/en/documentation/privacy

Your clients will only see the clickable text, and the URL will remain hidden.

Why can’t a particular link in my text be clicked on?

If your link isn’t highlighted correctly within the app, prepend it with https://. This should rectify the issue and make your link clickable.

Do you offer a native app for iPhone or Android?

Currently, we don’t have a native app for Android or iPhone. However, our website is fully optimized for mobile use. You can easily add it to your iPhone’s home screen and access it similarly to how you would a native app. To do this, visit https://smartscheduling.com/calendar, add this page to your bookmarks, and select Home Screen as the destination in the confirmation dialog. Afterward, you’ll be able to access your calendar directly from the home screen with just one click.

In addition, you can synchronize your iPhone calendar with SmartScheduling.com. This will enable you to view appointments directly from your calendar app. For instructions on how to configure appointment synchronization, please refer to the corresponding section.

Can I customize the greeting in my automatic appointment reminders based on the client’s gender?

Indeed, you can tailor greetings in automatic reminders based on your client’s gender. Simply use the following template:

{gender:choose(Unspecified|Male|Female):Hi {first_name},|Dear Mr {last_name},|Dear Ms {last_name},}

This will format your reminder in the following manner:

Dear Ms Doe,
This is a quick reminder that you have an appointment on 10/10/2018 at Demo Salon.
We look forward to seeing you soon!

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