A scheduler group functions much like a landing page for multiple schedulers. Instead of sending your client an invite to book a specific appointment type, you can send a scheduler group and allow them to choose the appointment type that best fits their needs.
For clients, booking an appointment through a scheduler group is just as easy as booking through an individual scheduler. The only difference is that the booking experience begins with a landing page where the client can select which type of appointment they would like to book.
Once an appointment type is selected, the rest of the process continues as usual for an individual scheduler. The client will have access to a Back button if they change their mind and would like to choose a different appointment type.
After an appointment is booked, the confirmation and reminder emails of the individual scheduler template will be sent. The purpose of the scheduler group is just to give your client the ability to choose from different appointment types! Let's set one up.
How to Create a Scheduler Group
Before creating a scheduler group, you will first need to set up the individual schedulers you want to include. Once your individual schedulers are created, you are completely in control of how you choose to group them!
Creating a New Scheduler Group
Go to Templates >> Scheduler.
Click on the Scheduler Groups tab.
Click Add Group.
Give your scheduler group a name and select the appointment schedulers you would like to add to the group.
If you plan on sending this scheduler group to your clients through their projects, select a custom canned email that contains the Scheduler Group Link smart field. (See the Scheduler Group Invitation Email section below.)
Click Create.
Quickly Adding Schedulers to an Existing Group
Go to Templates >> Scheduler.
Select the appointment schedulers you would like to add to an existing scheduler group.
Click the bulk actions dropdown and select Add to group.
Choose the existing scheduler group to which you'd like to add the selected schedulers.
Click Add.
Scheduler Group Invitation Email
Just like individual scheduler templates, you can set a custom invitation email for your scheduler group. This email is only used when sending the scheduler group directly to a client via email, either manually or via workflow. The invite email is not used when sharing the scheduler publicly, via embed code or direct link.
You can create a custom canned email under Templates >> Canned Emails. Be sure to include the Smart Field >> Link >> Scheduler Group Link in this email so that a button to access the scheduler group will be generated when the email is sent. Once your canned email is created, you can select it from the dropdown list while creating your new scheduler group.
Setting a custom scheduler group invitation email does not override the invite emails on the individual schedulers within the group. If you ever send any of those schedulers on their own, the original invite email you set in the scheduler template will be used.
Sharing a Scheduler Group
Scheduler groups can be shared in all the same ways that an individual scheduler can be shared.
Embedding or Using the Direct Link
If you'd like to embed your scheduler group on your website or post a direct link to book on your social media profiles, this is the way to go!
Just head to the Scheduler Groups tab and click Share on the scheduler group of your choice to access the embed code and direct link.
TIP: We strongly recommend that all of the individual schedulers in a group that will be shared publicly have a lead capture form or public proposal attached. This will prevent appointments being made without a corresponding project.
Sending an Invite Through a Project
If your client already has a project in Dubsado and you'd like them to schedule an appointment from a scheduler group, you can send them an invite via email. Here's how:
Go to the Appointments tab of the project.
Click the Schedule Appointment dropdown and select Use Existing Scheduler Group.
Select a scheduler group from the pop up modal and click Add.
Click Send on the scheduler group to pull up an email draft. Customize the email if necessary, and send!
Adding a scheduler group to a project makes a copy of each individual scheduler from the master template, so you can make changes to schedulers within the group without affecting your master templates. Just click the dropdown arrow within the scheduler group once it's been added to the project to edit the individual schedulers.
Scheduler groups can also be sent via workflow using the Send Appointment Scheduler action.
TIP: If you are sending a scheduler group invite directly to a client, we strongly recommend that NONE of the individual schedulers in the group include a lead capture or public proposal as the additional form, unless you want a new project to be created as part of the scheduling process.
Managing Scheduler Group Templates
You can edit and delete existing scheduler groups by going to the Scheduler Groups tab under Templates >> Scheduler. Just click on the gear icon of any scheduler group to edit, copy, or delete that group. There is also a dropdown arrow that allows you to view which schedulers are in the group at a glance.
