New Types of Custom Fields

There are now four types of custom fields that can be created for your client appointment form, including:

• Select lists
• Radio buttons
• Checkboxes
• Text fields

Select lists let you create a drop-down list for the client to select. For example, a select list custom field can be labeled 'Healthcare Insurance Provider' and the client can choose Aetna, Blue Cross, etc. from the drop-down choices.

Radio buttons can be used when there is an either/or choice. For example, the field label may be 'How did you hear about us?' while the choices may include Google Search, Direct Mail or Referral.

Checkboxes have been expanded to allow multiple checkboxes in one custom field. For example, the field title could be 'May we leave a message (check all that apply)' with choices like 'on your work voicemail', 'on your cell voicemail' and 'with someone at your home'. Checkboxes allow multiple answers to be selected, so a client may indicate that voicemail messages can be left at home, work and cell phone.

The text field is great for open-ended questions, gathering information like the client's Company Name.
Where: Settings > Client Appointment Form Customization

The three custom fields shown above are (from top) a select list, checkboxes and a text field. Radio buttons (not shown) are the fourth type of custom button that can be set-up.

Appointment Confirmation Email Attachments

Schedapple now lets you upload a file (e.g. .pdf, .doc, .docx) to be automatically attached to the clients' appointment confirmation email. A download file link will also appear on the appointment confirmation web page. You can also set up different attachments based on the service selected (e.g. new client form, payment policies).
Where: Settings > Scheduling Confirmation Messages

The list of appointment confirmation messages with the top message having a file uploaded. The file will be sent as attachment on the appointment confirmation email.

Month Calendar

The new month calendar is a fast and powerful way to view your appointments. Use the filters to select any combination of locations and service providers, showing the matching appointments on the calendar. Click on a calendar date and an easy-to-read list of appointments for that date will appear in the column to the right of the calendar. Page to upcoming or previous months and then click the Today button to immediately return to current month and day. Click the Calendars tab and then the Month Calendar button to give it a test drive. Let us know what you think.
Where: Calendars > Month Calendar

The month calendar with the filters menu open on the left. January 15 is selected and highlighted in blue. The appointments for the selected date are in the column to the right of the calendar.

New Client Search Critieria

Have you ever wanted to get a list of the clients who had an appointment with a particular service provider or an appointment with a particular service. Well now you can.
Where: Clients > Advanced Clients Search & Export

Advanced Schedule Linking

There's a new Service Providers/Schedules setting to let you link a schedule to itself across locations. This means a service provider can have the same work hours (adjusted for time zones) at several locations and not get double-booked.

For example, a business that schedules phone meetings with clients across the U.S. can set up one schedule with four locations — one for each of the main timezones. Clients will choose their region of the country and then select an appointment time in their local time. By linking the schedule to itself across the four locations, double-booking a time slot is avoided.
Where: Settings > Service Providers/Schedules

Client Appointment Form Customizations Settings — Automatic Staff Selection, Hide Business Name

There are two new client appointment form customization settings.

If your logo includes your business name, then the hide business name setting lets you avoid duplication at the top of the client appointment page.

The automatic staff selection setting hides the staff selection section and the staff member is automatically assigned. Clients will select the service and date/time; Schedapple matches these selections up to the available service providers.
Where: Settings > Client Appointment Form Customization

Multiple Account Log-in and Switching

An account menu has been added to the Schedapple menu bar, letting you to log-in to another account and switch between accounts. For businesses with several Schedapple accounts, this makes it easy to switch between accounts without having to log-out and back in.
Where: Schedapple menu bar

The Schedapple menu bar with the account menu open, showing two accounts are logged in to.