It sounds like the issue might be related to how the cancellation process is set up or how the available slots are displayed after a client cancels. Here are a few potential reasons why this could be happening and ways to address it:
Possible Causes and Solutions:
Cancellation Policy Settings:
- If there's no cancellation policy in place, the system may not automatically release the slot for rebooking after a cancellation. Ensure the cancellation policy is set up correctly and specifies whether the slot should be rebooked immediately, or if there's a waiting period before it's available again.
Solution: Go to the Appointments section of your Square account and review the cancellation policy settings to ensure that canceled appointments open up slots for rebooking.
Buffer Time Between Appointments:
- Sometimes, the system might require a buffer period between appointments. This could prevent the canceled appointment time from immediately being available if it's too close to the next available slot.
Solution: Check your buffer time settings (in the Appointment or Booking section). Ensure that it allows for enough time to rebook a canceled appointment.
Availability Settings:
- If appointments are set to be viewable for booking at specific times (for example, a few hours or days in advance), the canceled slot may not show as available right away due to the availability window.
Solution: Review the Viewable Availability settings for your appointments and ensure they allow clients to see canceled slots immediately or within an appropriate timeframe.
Manual Rebooking:
- If your system is set up to require manual rebooking, the canceled appointment may not automatically go back into the available slot for another client to book.
Solution: Consider setting up automatic rebooking or enabling the system to handle available slots dynamically after cancellations.
System Glitches or Updates:
- There might be a system glitch or a delay in the updates. If your Square account or scheduling system has recently undergone an update, it could be causing a delay in re-releasing canceled slots.
Solution: Check if the issue persists after a few minutes or try refreshing your system. If it's a persistent issue, reaching out to Square Support might be the best option.
If none of these solutions solve the issue, the best course of action would be to contact Square's customer support for further investigation. 🙂
