Getting Started: Scheduling Services

Modified on Thu, 19 Dec at 10:35 AM

Getting Started on Scheduling: The schedule is a powerful, time-saving tool for scheduling tasks, such as add, edit, cancel, and delete services. Furthermore, the Schedule, Service Orders and Staff Pay Report are all connected, so a change made in one area updates to all areas simultaneously.

Now, let's get started by creating an order and adding services to your schedule.

Note: Before you can start scheduling, create your Services and add pricing. See Getting Started Guide: Service Item Set-Up.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Select a Client
2. Create a Service Order
3. Add Services to the Order & the Schedule

1. Select a Client

To add services to the schedule for a client:

Use the Client Icon to Search for the client.
Select "Go."
Select the blue Client Name to access the Client Account.

Search for a client in best dog walker app

2. Create a Service Order

Once in the Client Account, select Orders & Invoices.
Enter an order "Label," such as "May 2021" or leave it blank and the Label will be "Service Order."
Select "Create New Order."

Add a service order in top pet sitting software

3. Add Services to the Order & the Schedule

Step 1: Open the Order

The new order is first on the list. Select the blue "Service Order Name" to open the Order.

Adding a new order in pet sitting software

Step 2: Add Services

Adding a new order in pet sitter software

Step 3: Add Service Details

In the pop-up, enter the service details, such as date, time and staff assigned.
Select "Add Services."
Repeat as needed.

Adding a new order in cat sitting software

Step 4: Services are Scheduled

The Services you scheduled appear on all schedules and the Service Order.

The Service Order, shown below, becomes the client's Invoice. To create your first invoice, see Getting Started Guide: Invoicing Clients.

Add scheduled services in top dog walker software

The Services are live on the Admin & Staff schedules.

Add scheduled services in best dog walking software

The Services are live on the Client schedule.

See scheduled services in the portal in dog daycare software

Tip:  Each Service Order becomes an invoice, so add services invoiced together on one service order. If you invoice dog walks monthly, put one month of dog walks on a service order. If you invoice two weeks of vacation care on one invoice, put two weeks of vacation services on a service order.

4. "Add Services" Fields Explained...

Add Service Detail onto an existing Service Order in Dog Daycare Software

From and To Dates

Select the "From" date as the first date of the services you are entering.
Select the "To" date as the last date of the services you are entering.

Tip: If you are entering one service only (i.e. on one day only), the "From" and "To" dates will be the same. If you enter a range of dates, one service is created on each date.

Service Item

Time

Select the service time. ALL services in your date range will be scheduled at this time.

Note: The service time governs which schedule column the service is displayed within. See What are the Schedule Columns and Column View Headings?

Timeframe ± or Time Block

The timeframe defines the window of time the service should be started. For example, if a service should be started no earlier than 15 minutes before the service Time and no later than 15 minutes after the service Time, set the timeframe to 15 minutes. See Service Item Timeframe. If you do set a timeframe for a service AND you set "Show Time" (see below) to "Yes," the timeframe will be displayed in the schedule.

Time Block "edit" allows you to enter a custom time-block (a time block not preset in the drop-down). For example, a client requests a dog walk from 11:00am-12:00pm, but your preset time blocks include 11:00am-1:00pm. Change the time block for these services, by clicking "edit" by the Time Block, entering the custom time block, click "done."

Show Time

Sometimes it is not necessary to display a specific service time. For example, if you walk 4 dogs together over lunchtime, it doesn't usually matter if you start at 12:00 or 1:00pm as long as the dogs are walked during lunchtime. It is important, however, to group the dogs by schedule period to easily see services that can be done together to plan the work day.

Some clients request a specific time, such as a visit at exactly 5pm, so the time needs to display on the schedule. "Show Time" has a default setting ("Show Time Default", in Admin > Settings > Schedule Settings. "Show Time" initially displays the system default, but you can change it for a particular repeat service.
When "No" is selected, the exact service time is NOT shown in the schedule. Instead the time is only be used to govern which schedule column the service is displayed in.
When "Yes" is selected, the exact service time shows in the schedule and the time also governs which schedule column the service is displayed in.

Days

To schedule services for a range of dates, but only on certain days of the week, uncheck the boxes for days you do not want the service scheduled. For example, to schedule dog walks for a month, Monday through Friday, enter the "From" date as the first of the month and the "To" date as the last day of the month, uncheck "Saturday" and "Sunday." A dog walk will be scheduled for all weekdays in the month.

Staff

The sitter assigned the service.

Quantity

Change the quantity if there is more than one item. For example, if you charge mileage at $0.50 per mile, select the "Mileage" service item and enter the number of miles traveled in quantity.

Unit Charge

Each service item has a standard charge, calculated according to Price Rules you set. The unit charge can be changed manually when adding a service.

Staff Pay

Each service has a standard amount that you pay your staff. Staff Pay rates are calculated according to the staff pay rules you set. This figure can be changed manually when adding a service.

Schedule Ref Override

Replaces what's in the "Schedule Ref" on the schedule. For example, if your client has two dogs and their Schedule Ref is "Poppy and Penny" but their repeat service is for Penny only; enter "Penny" in "Schedule Ref Override" to have only "Penny" appear in the Schedule for the service.

IMPORTANT CHANGE TO ORDER OF NOTES:

Client Notes

If a client adds a note when requesting services from their client portal, Client Notes are copied to Staff Notes, but also retained and displayed when editing services.

Staff Notes

Staff Notes now appear (in red) above Invoice Notes and are displayed in the admin and staff schedules, providing a reminder of special instructions. They do not appear on invoices and are not seen by clients.

Invoice Notes

Invoice Notes now appear below Staff Notes and are displayed on the invoice beside the service description and will be seen by clients. These are different from "Admin Notes" which can be added to an invoice and will appear in the Unpaid Invoice report.

Note: If you are adding a range of services, Invoice or Staff notes added here will be added to ALL services in the range. If you want your note to appear on one service, enter services without notes and use "Edit Services" to add notes to the appropriate services. The process is the same for any view of the Schedule (List View, Column View or Compact View). You can also add to or overwrite existing invoice/staff notes to other services.

Signposts...

Learn how to use the Schedule and about additional ways to Schedule Services: