Option Bookings

This feature is great for a workflow where clients request to “Pencil hold” time in the schedule, rather than confirming straight away. For example 1st Pencil, 2nd Pencil, 3rd Pencil etc. It makes it clear visually on the timeline what is confirmed and “pencil” and does not require setting up several statuses to be selected and sorted manually at the time of booking.

Use Option Bookings and Option Booking Colours

To start using Option Bookings go to Server Setup and under Bookings tab activate Use Option Bookings.

Force Bookings Last When Changing Time (Options Bookings) (recommended to be set to No)
Whenever the time of an Option Booking is changed, it would be automatically moved last in order, i.e. become the last Pencil Booking. To avoid this behaviour when a Booking is just trimmed a little, set this setting to No.

Allow Changing Order Of Option Booking (Options Bookings) (recommended to be set to No)
When activating this setting each Option Booking (Pencil Booking) will have a little icon in the top-right corner indicating that it is possible to drag there. It can be moved up and down. Hold it over any other Option Booking and a little indicator (arrow pointing up or down) shows where it will go when dropping it.

Draw All Preliminary Bookings As Option Bookings (Options Bookings) 
If changed to Yes, all Preliminary Bookings will be drawn as thin overlays in the Hourline. If it's set to No (as by default) it will draw Preliminary Bookings in their full size when possible.

Next configure the colours for the different Option Bookings by clicking on the green plus icon next to Option Booking Colours. You can add as many options as you need. If e.g. you configure only 3 and a fourth Option Booking is eventually added, it will still be drawn with number 4 and will take the colour of Option 3.

Settings Explained - Draw All Preliminary Bookings As Option Bookings

With Draw All Preliminary Bookings As Option Bookings set to Yes, and you are booking in Preliminary Status, Option Bookings will be drawn as a thin rectangle with the Option number next to the name:

When one of the Option Bookings is changed to Confirmed Status, the remaining Option Booking will get number 1 and the corresponding colour:

But if Draw All Preliminary Bookings As Option Bookings is set to No, the Preliminary Booking that is number 1 in the list will be drawn as a big rectangle with the default Preliminary Status colour:

Only when there is a Confirmed Booking overlapping it, the Preliminary Booking will be drawn narrow with the colour of the first Option Booking, and will display number 1 in front of the name:

But, if the overlapping Booking is another Preliminary (Option) Booking, it will still be displayed big and with the Preliminary Status colour. The overlapping Option Booking will display number 2, and will be drawn narrow:

Settings Explained - Force Bookings Last When Changing Time

The "waiting list" is by default "first come, first serve", but if Force Bookings Last When Changing Time setting is set to  Yes, performing any of the below operations on an Option Booking, will put the booking last in the waiting list:

• When the time of the Booking is adjusted, it will be put last in the list but only on the affected day/days.
• When Objects are added to the Booking. It will be last in the list on all days for that Object only.
• Objects are "replaced with available class members". It will be last in the list on all days.
  
  

N.B. We recommend setting this option to No, unless all of the behaviours explained above comply with your needs.

Settings Explained - Allow Changing Order of Option Bookings

When Allow Changing Order of Option Bookings is set to Yes, you can drag+drop Option Bookings to change their order. When mousing over an Option Booking, the white icon that allows drag+drop gets activated on the right side. Click on it to drag the Booking to the new position:

N.B. We recommend setting this option to No, and it is set to No as default