Services with processing time (such as hair colour)
Let a team member help another client while colour or another treatment develops. Here's how to set working time before, processing time and working time after.
On this page
Some services include waiting time where the team member has nothing to do, such as colour that needs to develop. Processing time splits such a service into three parts. During the processing time other clients can book with the same team member, so your agenda fills up better.
| Part | Example: root colour | Can another client book? |
|---|---|---|
| Working time before | 30 minutes: applying colour | No |
| Processing time | 35 minutes: colour develops | Yes |
| Working time after | 25 minutes: rinse and blow-dry | No |
In this example the client is in the chair for 90 minutes, shown as Chair time: 90 min.
Set up processing time
Step 1: Go to Services and click the service, or create a new one.
Step 2: Under Time, turn on Includes processing time.
Step 3: Enter Working time before, Processing time and Working time after in minutes.
Each part takes between 5 and 480 minutes.
Step 4: Click Save.
Your services list then shows something like “incl. 35 min processing” next to the service. When booking, clients see when the processing time falls.
Good to know
- Processing time applies when a client books this service on its own. If they combine it with another service in one appointment, the plain durations are added up, with no free time in between.
- An appointment with processing time that was booked online shows as two parts in your agenda: the first and the last working part. The time in between is free for other clients.
- Such an online booking can't be moved or deleted in the dashboard. You can still change its status, for example to Cancelled. The client can change it themselves via the link in their confirmation email.
- If you book this service yourself in the dashboard, Bitbooking blocks the whole time, including the processing time.
Does the processing time have to fit within opening hours?
Yes. The whole service, including the last working part, has to fit within your opening hours and the team member's schedule.
My client wants to move a colour appointment.
Send them the link from their confirmation email, or set the appointment to Cancelled and book a new one.
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