- Help center
- Knowledge base
- Calendar
Set up and manage your waitlist
Set up and manage your waitlist
Keep your calendar booked up by allowing clients to join a waitlist for their preferred dates and times. Learn to enable waitlist bookings online, update preferences, and manually add clients through your calendar.
Getting started
The waitlist is enabled by default for all businesses using Fresha, so no initial setup is required. To enhance your experience, we recommend:
- Importing all of your clients, making sure their contact details are correct.
- Adding all of your services.
- Keeping your scheduled shifts and blocked time updated.
- If you're a team member, request permission for 'Can book appointments' to use the waitlist.
How the waitlist works
The waitlist is available through your calendar and is specific to each location. You can switch locations using the calendar filters.
Your waitlist can be used:
- Offline by you:
Manually add clients to your waitlist and book them in when their preferred appointment slot becomes available. Clients won't receive any update notifications for this, even if waitlist update messages are enabled. - Online by clients:
Allow clients to join your waitlist online and book an appointment when their preferred time becomes available.
When clients attempt to book through Fresha's marketplace and their chosen date is unavailable, they can join the waitlist by entering any preferred date and time. After confirming their spot, their waitlist status appears under appointments, and they receive a waitlist confirmation email. Clients will be notified when a time slot becomes available, based on your settings for waitlist updates.
You can manage the notifications your clients receive for the waitlist under messaging automations.
Updating waitlist settings
Your waitlist settings determine whether clients can join online and how you offer and book clients for an appointment once their preferred time slot becomes available.
- Desktop
- Mobile
To update your waitlist settings:
- Open Workspace settings, select Scheduling then Waitlist.
- Under Settings, select Edit.
- Choose a waitlist type:
- You pick:
Manually review the waitlist and book clients when a slot becomes available. - Automatic:
Allow Fresha to notify clients automatically based on your chosen priority: First in line, Highest value, or Offer to all.
- You pick:
- Mark the checkbox to Allow clients to join the waitlist online and set the date and times clients can request when joining the waitlist:
- Clients can request any preferred time:
Allow clients to select any date and time when joining the waitlist. This helps you see when you're most in demand. - Clients can only request times that your business is open:
Limit clients to requesting times only during your business hours for the location.
- Clients can request any preferred time:
- Click Save.
To update your waitlist settings:
- Open Workspace settings, select Scheduling then Waitlist.
- Under Settings, select Edit.
- Choose a waitlist type:
- You pick:
Manually review the waitlist and book clients when a slot becomes available. - Automatic:
Allow Fresha to notify clients automatically based on your chosen priority: First in line, Highest value or Offer to all.
- You pick:
- Mark the checkbox to Allow clients to join the waitlist online and set the date and times clients can request when joining the waitlist:
- Clients can request any preferred time:
Allow clients to select any date and time when joining the waitlist. This helps you see when you're most in demand. - Clients can only request times that your business is open:
Limit clients to requesting times only during your business hours for the location.
- Clients can request any preferred time:
- Tap Save.
You'll need to enable online bookings so your clients can join the waitlist online.
Adding clients to the waitlist
You can view and manually add clients to the waitlist through your calendar.
- Desktop
- Mobile
To add clients to the waitlist:
- Open the Calendar.
- If you have multiple locations, use the filters to select the relevant one.
- Click on Waitlist, then select Add.
- Find the client using the search bar, entering their name or contact details.
- Choose a preferred date and time from the dropdowns. To add more options, click Add another time.
- Select a service for the appointment. To add more services, click Add service.
- Add any additional information under Notes.
- Click Save.
To add clients to the waitlist:
- Open the Calendar.
- If you have multiple locations, use the filters to select the relevant one.
- Tap on the Waitlist icon in the top right-hand corner, then select Add.
- Find the client using the search bar, entering their name or contact details.
- Choose a preferred date and time from the dropdowns. To add more options, tap Add another time.
- Select a service for the appointment. To add more services, tap Add service.
- Add any additional information under Notes.
- Tap Save.
You can click on the service to edit it or request a specific team member.
Managing waitlisted clients
Waitlist entries can be managed at any time, allowing you to stay flexible when scheduling appointments.
Edit clients' waitlist preferences
- Desktop
- Mobile
To edit a waitlist entry:
- Open the Calendar.
- If you have multiple locations, use the filters to select the relevant one.
- Click on Waitlist and locate the waitlisted client.
- Click Actions and select Edit preferences.
- Update the client's preferences as needed.
- Click Save.
To edit a waitlist entry:
- Open the Calendar.
- If you have multiple locations, use the Filter icon in the bottom left-hand corner to select the relevant one.
- Tap on the Waitlist icon in the top right-hand corner and locate the waitlisted client.
- Tap on the three dots underneath the clients booking and then select Edit preferences.
- Update the client's preferences as needed.
- Tap Save.
Remove clients from the waitlist
- Desktop
- Mobile
To remove a waitlisted client:
- Open the Calendar.
- If you have multiple locations, use the filters to select the relevant one.
- Click on Waitlist and locate the waitlisted client.
- Click Actions and select Remove from waitlist.
- Select Remove to confirm.
To remove a waitlisted client:
- Open the Calendar.
- If you have multiple locations, use the Filter icon in the bottom left-hand corner to select the relevant one.
- Tap on the Waitlist icon in the top right-hand corner and locate the waitlisted client.
- Tap on the three dots underneath the clients booking and select Remove from waitlist.
- Select Remove to confirm.
You can also manage waitlisted clients by selecting Quick actions (the three dots) on the top right corner of the waitlist entry.
Manually book available time slots
When waitlisted client becomes available to book, you’ll receive a waitlist notification on the calendar (red dot on the waitlist).
- Desktop
- Mobile
To book a client from the waitlist:
- Open the Calendar.
- If you have multiple locations, use the filters to select the relevant one.
- Click on Waitlist and locate the waitlisted client with an available time slot. You’ll see “Available to book” at the top of the entry with the number of available appointments.
- Book the appointment by either:
- Book now:
Select Book now to book the earliest available time slot. Update the appointment details as needed and click Save. - Select a specific time slot:
Click on the waitlist entry and select the relevant time slot, if multiple time slots are available. Update the appointment details as needed and click Save.
- Book now:
To book a client from the waitlist:
- Open the Calendar.
- If you have multiple locations, use the Filter icon in the bottom left-hand corner to select the relevant one.
- Tap on the Waitlist icon in the top right-hand corner and locate the waitlisted client with an available time slot. You’ll see “Available to book” at the top of the entry with the number of available appointments.
- Book the appointment by either:
- Book now:
Select Book now to book the earliest available time slot. Update the appointment details as needed and tap Save. - Select a specific time slot:
Tap on the waitlist entry and select the relevant time slot, if multiple time slots are available. Update the appointment details as needed and tap Save.
- Book now:
If your waitlist settings are set to automatically notify clients when a time slot becomes available, you won't need to schedule appointments manually. The client will be notified according to your preferences and can book the appointment online.
Booking an alternative time slot
If the client’s preferred time slot is unavailable, you can still schedule an appointment at an alternative time.
- Desktop
- Mobile
To book an alternative time slot:
- Open the Calendar.
- If you have multiple locations, use the filters to select the relevant one.
- Click on Waitlist and locate the waitlisted client.
- Click Actions and select Book now.
- Choose an available time slot in your calendar.
- Update the appointment details as needed.
- Click Save.
To book an alternative time slot:
- Open the Calendar.
- If you have multiple locations, use the Filter icon in the bottom right-hand corner to select the relevant one.
- Tap on the Waitlist icon in the top right-hand corner and locate the waitlisted client.
- Tap on the three dots underneath the clients booking select Book now.
- Choose an available time slot in your calendar.
- Update the appointment details as needed.
- Tap Save.
FAQs
Can clients change their time slot preferences on the waitlist?
Is there a fee for using the waitlist?
Do I need online bookings enabled to use the waitlist?
Will clients be immediately notified when an appointment slot becomes available?
If a client does not book after being notified, will Fresha notify other clients?
How does the Marketplace New Client Fee affect waitlisted clients?
What happens if a customer selects "Any professional" when adding themselves to a waitlist?