Decide when clients can book, change and cancel appointments
Set your booking cancellation policy, booking notice, and cut-off times in Picktime’s online booking site so customers only book or change appointments within your rules.
Booking RestrictionsLead time, window and slot limits
Minimum advance windowHow soon before a slot a customer can still book it.2 hours
Maximum advance windowHow far into the future customers can book.60 days
Booking windowA fixed date range for seasonal or pop-up bookings.dd/mm/yyyytodd/mm/yyyy
Approval required for bookingsRequests land as pending until someone accepts.
Minimum noticeNothing inside two hoursToday, Wed 4 NovNow 08:4009:0010:0011:3014:00
Book up to60 days ahead
Seen onWed 4 NovLast day on offerSun 3 Jan
They move it themselvesUntil 24 hours before
RescheduleCancel
Set once, kept by the pageIt stops offering what you would refuse
Booking RestrictionsLead time, window and slot limits
Minimum advance window2 hours
Maximum advance window60 days
Approval required for bookings
Today, Wed 4 NovNow 08:4009:0010:0011:3014:00
They move it themselvesUntil 24 hours before
Booking Rules
What it does
Four Booking Rules. Less Calendar Policing.
How much notice do you need?
Set the minimum notice customers must give before booking an appointment. This prevents last-minute bookings and gives you time to prepare.
Minimum noticeBooking restrictions2 hours
Your booking page
Today, Wed 7 OctNow 08:40
Inside 2 hours09:0010:0011:3014:0016:00
11:30First on offer now. After 09:30 it falls inside the two hours too.
How far ahead can customers book?
Choose how far into the future customers can schedule appointments. Picktime hides dates beyond that limit, so you don’t have to manage bookings months ahead.
Book up toBooking restrictions60 days
Your booking page
December 2026
MoTuWeThFrSaSu30123456Horizon: 60 days78910111213
6 DecThe last day on offer. Next July is not on the page at all.
When can customers cancel or reschedule?
Set a cut-off for when customers can change or cancel their appointments themselves. Once that window closes, they’ll need to contact you to make a change, giving you a chance to handle last-minute requests.
Cancel or moveCancellation settingsBefore 24 hours
12
Theirs to changeOnly you
Booked 7 OctThu 15 Oct, 14:00
1Tue 13 OctThu 15 Oct, 14:00RescheduleCancel
2Thu 09:00Thu 15 Oct, 14:00RescheduleCancelHas to reach you
Do you want to approve bookings first?
Require approval for bookings that need your review before they’re confirmed. You can also use CAPTCHA to help prevent spam bookings or require customers to log in before booking.
Their bookingConsultationThu 15 Oct, 14:00Held until accepted
Each rule is a trade-off. If it’s too strict, you turn clients away. If it’s too loose, you’re back to policing your calendar.
01
Notice period
Set how close to the appointment customers can book. A longer notice period gives you time to prepare, while a shorter one lets customers book closer to the time they need.
Minimum notice2 hours
Wed 7 Oct, now 08:40
09:0010:0011:3014:0016:00
Too soonBookable
11:30 is the first time on offer
AnswersHow soon can someone book?Watch forTurning away customers who want an earlier appointment.
02
How far ahead
A long limit fills your calendar early, but it commits you to dates before you know your schedule. If you plan a month at a time, don’t open bookings much further out than that.
Book up to60 days
From Wed 7 Oct
Next weekWed 14 OctShown
Next monthMon 9 NovShown
Last daySun 6 DecShown
Next JulyNot on the pageHidden
AnswersHow far ahead is too far?ControlsHow far into the future customers can book.
03
Cancellation cut-off
An early cut-off sends more changes your way. A late one lets clients cancel when it’s too late to fill the slot. Set it to the time you’d need to rebook. It only decides when clients can make changes online, not whether they get a refund.
Cancel or move24 hours before
Appointment Thu 15 Oct, 14:00
Tue 13 OctRescheduleCancel
Thu 09:00LockedRescheduleCancel
Inside 24 hours, a change has to reach you
AnswersWhen customers can no longer change bookings themselvesNotWhether they qualify for a refund
04
Approval
Choose whether bookings are confirmed automatically or held for your review. This is useful when you need to check a request before accepting it.
Approve bookingsPaid plans
InstantApprove first
Tue 10:00Abby ColeAccepted
Thu 14:00Sam ReidHeld
Fri 11:00Leo ParkDeclined
AnswersIs the booking confirmed automatically?SuitsServices that need approval before confirmation.
Plans
Notice and cut-offs are free. Approval and CAPTCHA are on the paid plans.
Notice, horizon, hours, breaks and the cancellation window are all on the free plan, and between them they do most of the work.
Paid plans
The rules that gate the booking
Requiring a login, approving bookings and CAPTCHA are about who may book at all rather than when, and they sit on the paid plans.
Why it matters
Your Booking Page Needs Rules, Not Constant Checking
Without booking rules, customers can book at the last minute, schedule appointments months ahead, or cancel just before their visit. A clear booking cancellation policy sets expectations for customers and keeps your booking page within the limits you choose. Without those limits, your page may accept last-minute bookings or cancellations you would have declined.
You shouldn’t have to keep checking your booking page to stay in control. Set your booking notice, how far ahead customers can book, and when they can cancel or reschedule. Picktime applies these rules for you, so you can focus on your work instead of managing every booking.
Sunday, 22:50One Week Without Booking Rules
Open
Sun eveningThe page runs while you are away
Nothing setHour lost
Sunday, 10:50 p.m.A booking for 8 a.m. Monday You’re asleep, and the customer books for the next morning. You only find out at seven, with little time to prepare.
MondayA booking for next July Someone books eleven months ahead, even though your service prices may change before then. Now you have a booking to manage around those changes.
Tuesday, 9:58 a.m.A 10 a.m. appointment gets cancelled The customer cancels two minutes before the appointment. It’s too late to fill the slot, and that hour goes unused.
Hour lost10 a.m.
With booking rules setKept
Sunday, 10:50 p.m.Too soon, so not offered The minimum notice prevents last-minute bookings and gives you time to prepare.
MondayNext year is not shown Picktime hides dates beyond your limit, so you don’t have to manage bookings months ahead.
Tuesday, 9:58 a.m.Too late to cancel online Once the window closes, the customer needs to contact you to make a change.
KeptWindow shut
Every one of these bookings was allowed because no limits were set. A few simple booking rules could help prevent these surprises.
In practice
Different Businesses, Different Booking Cancellation Policies
Great free scheduling tool. The ability to book directly from Google Maps and to start charging for appointments! It is crazy how many free features Picktime gives you. I also like how I can manage multiple accounts for my staff.
NANick A.Verified review
The perfect tool to book appointments in organizations. Easy to use and integrable with Facebook. It allows to book appointments with multiple locations/people. It simplifies all the process and sync it with your calendar.
LCLuca C.Verified review
This program is very essential for us, because it helps us to schedule the appointments we have with colleagues from other companies, clients and new staff of the organization. Every time we schedule an appointment there is never a clash of schedules.
AWAva Nataile W.Verified review
Questions
FAQs
Where can I set booking and cancellation rules in Picktime?
You can manage your booking rules under Online Booking > Settings in Picktime. Set how far in advance customers can book, how much notice they must give, and when they can cancel or reschedule appointments. These settings help you control online bookings while keeping your schedule manageable.
How can I prevent customers from making last-minute bookings?
Picktime lets you set a minimum advance booking notice to prevent last-minute appointments. For example, if you require 24 hours’ notice, customers must book at least 24 hours before their appointment starts. This gives your team more time to prepare and manage upcoming appointments.
Can I limit how far in advance customers can book appointments?
Yes. Picktime lets you control how far ahead customers can schedule appointments using the Users Can Book Into Future setting. You can limit bookings to a specific number of days, weeks, or months instead of opening your calendar a year in advance. This helps you manage future availability more effectively.
Can I restrict online bookings to specific dates?
Yes. Picktime’s “Booking Window Starts At & Ends At” setting lets you choose when customers can start and stop booking appointments within a defined date range. This is useful for seasonal services, special events, or events with limited booking periods. Customers can book appointments only within the dates you make available.
How late can customers cancel or reschedule an appointment?
Customers can cancel or reschedule bookings within the separate notice periods you set in Picktime. Configure those deadlines under Online Booking > Settings, in the Reschedule/Cancellation Settings section. When you enable the cancellation and rescheduling links in Setup > Notifications > Settings, customers can manage appointments from their confirmation emails within your rules.
Can I approve booking requests before they are confirmed?
Yes. On the Pro plan, Approve Bookings feature lets you accept or decline appointment requests before confirmation. However, when a customer pays through your Booking Page, Picktime confirms that booking automatically, even with Approve Bookings enabled. For current plan details, check out Picktime pricing.
How can I display my booking cancellation policy before customers book?
You can display your booking cancellation policy through the Terms & Conditions section of your Picktime Booking Page. Add your policy link under Online Booking > Booking Page > Terms & Conditions. Customers can open it before completing a booking, and you can require them to select the Terms & Conditions checkbox.
Can I add cancellation and refund terms when customers pay online?
Yes. After connecting a payment gateway such as PayPal, Stripe, or Square, add your Payment Terms under Payments & Sales > Settings. You can use this section to explain cancellation charges, deposit requirements, and refund conditions to customers before they pay. Your Booking Rules separately control the deadlines for canceling and rescheduling appointments.
How does Picktime help prevent fake or spam bookings?
Picktime offers CAPTCHA verification to help reduce automated and spam bookings through your Booking Page. When enabled, customers complete a verification step during the booking process. CAPTCHA verification is available on the Pro plan and can be enabled under Online Booking > Settings. It provides an additional safeguard against unwanted booking requests.
