Appointments Tool
The Appointments tool lets visitors book meetings directly through the chatbot. It supports Google Calendar integration or a built-in Local Calendar.
Configuration
General Settings
| Field | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
| Enable Appointments | Activates the booking capability for this chatbot. | Off |
| Booking Provider | Choose between Google Calendar or the built-in Local Calendar. | |
| Meeting Title | Default title for booked meetings (e.g. "Consultation with ACME Corp"). | Empty |
| Duration | Meeting duration in HH:mm format (e.g. 00:30 for 30 minutes, 01:00 for 1 hour). | 00:30 |
| Pre-Buffer | Buffer time before the meeting in HH:mm format. Prevents back-to-back bookings. | 00:00 |
| Post-Buffer | Buffer time after the meeting in HH:mm format. | 00:00 |
Working Hours
Configure your availability for each day of the week:
| Day | Enabled | Start | End |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | Yes | 09:00 | 17:00 |
| Tuesday | Yes | 09:00 | 17:00 |
| Wednesday | Yes | 09:00 | 17:00 |
| Thursday | Yes | 09:00 | 17:00 |
| Friday | Yes | 09:00 | 17:00 |
| Saturday | No | — | — |
| Sunday | No | — | — |
For each day you can:
- Enable or disable availability
- Set start and end times in HH:mm format
Google Calendar Settings
When using Google Calendar as your booking provider:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Google Calendar Connection | Connect your Google account to sync bookings. Click "Connect" to authorize access. |
| Calendar | Select which Google Calendar to use for bookings (if you have multiple). |
The chatbot checks your Google Calendar for existing events to avoid double-bookings.
Notifications
| Field | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
| Email Notifications | Receive email alerts when a new booking is made. | On |
| Notification Recipients | Comma-separated email addresses for booking notifications. | Empty (owner only) |
How It Works
- During a conversation, the visitor expresses interest in booking a meeting
- The chatbot checks available time slots based on your working hours and existing calendar events
- The visitor selects a preferred date and time
- The booking is confirmed and added to your calendar
- Email notifications are sent to configured recipients
Google Calendar vs. Local Calendar
| Feature | Google Calendar | Local Calendar |
|---|---|---|
| Sync | Two-way sync with Google | Built-in only |
| Conflict checking | Checks existing Google events | Checks local bookings only |
| Setup | Requires Google account connection | No setup needed |
| Best for | Teams already using Google Calendar | Simple booking needs |
Managing Bookings
All bookings are visible in the Bookings Dashboard. If using Google Calendar, bookings also appear in your Google Calendar.
Best Practices
- Set buffer times — Pre/post buffers prevent rushed transitions between meetings
- Keep working hours accurate — Update them when your schedule changes
- Use a descriptive meeting title — Visitors see this in their calendar invite
- Connect Google Calendar — This prevents double-bookings with your existing schedule