Appointments Tool
The Appointments tool lets a visitor book a meeting with you without leaving the chat — the bot offers free slots, the visitor picks one, done. You can connect Google Calendar so bookings land in your real calendar and clashes are avoided automatically, or use the built-in Local Calendar if you'd rather not connect anything.
Google Calendar uses WebChatAgent's Google connection, so it may be unavailable on some white-label instances. The Local Calendar always works.
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