Creating Experience Sessions

Sessions define exactly when your experience services run. Without sessions, customers cannot book your experience. This guide covers all session types, recurrence patterns, and scheduling best practices.

Why Sessions Matter

Experience services use a fixed session model instead of dynamic availability:

📅 Predictable Schedule: Know exactly when you're running activities
👥 Staff Planning: Assign specific team members to each session
🏢 Resource Management: Prepare rooms, equipment, materials in advance
📊 Capacity Control: Track bookings against defined limits

💡 Tip: Plan your session schedule before creating the experience service. Consider staff availability, peak demand times, and seasonal variations.

Session Types Explained

1. Weekly Recurring

Runs the same time every week, indefinitely or until an end date.

Example: Monday Morning Yoga

Day: Monday
Time: 9:00 AM
Repeats: Every week
Active: Year-round

Best for: Regular classes with consistent demand

2. Multiple Days Weekly

Runs on several days each week at specified times.

Example: Boot Camp (Mon/Wed/Fri)

Days: Monday, Wednesday, Friday
Time: 6:00 AM (same each day)
Repeats: Every week

Example: Art Class (Tue/Thu with different times)

Tuesday: 2:00 PM
Thursday: 6:00 PM
Repeats: Every week

Best for: High-frequency activities, fitness classes

3. Bi-Weekly

Runs every two weeks on the same day and time.

Example: Wine Club Tasting

Day: Saturday
Time: 7:00 PM
Repeats: Every 2 weeks

Best for: Special activities, clubs, premium experiences

4. Monthly (Specific Day)

Runs on a specific date each month (e.g., the 15th).

Example: Full Moon Yoga

Date: 15th of each month
Time: 8:00 PM
Note: If 15th falls on a day you're closed, session is skipped

Best for: Monthly events, membership perks

5. Monthly (Weekday Pattern)

Runs on a pattern like "2nd Saturday" or "Last Friday" of each month.

Example: First Saturday Workshop

Pattern: 1st Saturday
Time: 10:00 AM

Example: Last Friday Happy Hour Tour

Pattern: Last Friday
Time: 5:00 PM

Best for: Recurring monthly events with weekday preference

6. Specific Date (One-Time)

Runs once on a single date. Does not repeat.

Example: New Year's Eve Special

Date: December 31, 2025
Time: 9:00 PM
One-time only

Best for: Special events, holidays, guest instructors

Creating a Session: Step by Step

Step 1: Access Session Management

Go to Services in the sidebar
Find your experience service
Click Manage Sessions (or the sessions icon)

Step 2: Add New Session

Click + Add Session
Select your recurrence type from the dropdown

Step 3: Configure Timing

For Weekly/Bi-Weekly:

Select day(s) of the week
Set start time
Duration inherits from service (can be overridden)

For Monthly (Specific Day):

Enter the day number (1-31)
Set start time

For Monthly (Pattern):

Select week occurrence (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, Last)
Select weekday (Monday-Sunday)
Set start time

For Specific Date:

Pick the exact date from calendar
Set start time

Step 4: Assign Staff

Select which team member runs this session:

Only staff assigned to this service appear
Staff availability is checked for conflicts
You can have different staff for different sessions

ℹ️ Note: If a staff member is unavailable (vacation, other booking), the session still exists but may show a warning.

Step 5: Assign Location

Select where the session takes place:

Only locations where the service is offered appear
Each session can have a different location
Location determines timezone for display

Step 6: Set Active Dates (Optional)

Control when the session is bookable:

Active From: Session only appears after this date

Use for new programs launching later
Example: "Spring Kayak Tours" starting March 1

Active Until: Session stops appearing after this date

Use for seasonal activities
Example: "Beach Yoga" ending September 30

💡 Tip: Use Active From/Until for seasonal businesses instead of deleting and recreating sessions each year.

Step 7: Save

Click Save to create the session. It immediately becomes bookable (unless Active From is in the future).

Managing Existing Sessions

Viewing Sessions

The session management panel shows:

Day/time of each session
Recurrence pattern
Assigned staff and location
Active status (toggle)

Editing Sessions

Click the edit icon next to any session
Modify settings as needed
Click Save

⚠️ Important: Changes affect future occurrences only. Existing bookings are not affected.

Deactivating Sessions

Temporarily disable a session without deleting it:

Toggle the session OFF
Session no longer appears on booking page
Existing bookings remain valid
Toggle ON to reactivate

Use for:

Staff vacations
Seasonal breaks
Temporary schedule changes
Testing new times before committing

Deleting Sessions

Click the delete/trash icon
Confirm deletion

⚠️ Warning: Deleting a session does NOT cancel existing bookings for that session. Check your calendar first and handle any bookings before deleting.

Real-World Examples

Example 1: Yoga Studio

Morning Flow (Weekdays)

Type: Multiple Days Weekly
Days: Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri
Time: 7:00 AM
Capacity: 15
Staff: Sarah

Power Yoga (Evenings)

Type: Multiple Days Weekly
Days: Tue, Thu
Time: 6:30 PM
Capacity: 12
Staff: Mike

Weekend Warrior

Type: Weekly
Day: Saturday
Time: 9:00 AM
Capacity: 20
Staff: Sarah

Example 2: Cooking School

Italian Night

Type: Weekly
Day: Thursday
Time: 6:00 PM
Capacity: 8
Staff: Chef Marco
Active: Year-round

Summer BBQ Class

Type: Weekly
Day: Saturday
Time: 4:00 PM
Capacity: 10
Staff: Chef James
Active From: June 1
Active Until: August 31

Example 3: Tour Company

Daily Walking Tour

Type: Multiple Days Weekly
Days: Every day
Times: 10:00 AM, 2:00 PM
Capacity: 20
Staff: Rotating guides

Sunset Wine Tour

Type: Bi-Weekly
Day: Saturday
Time: 5:00 PM
Capacity: 12
Staff: Maria

Holiday Special: Christmas Markets

Type: Specific Dates
Dates: Dec 15, 16, 22, 23, 2025
Time: 4:00 PM
Capacity: 15
Staff: All guides

Common Questions

Q: Can I have multiple sessions at the same time? A: Yes, if you have enough staff and locations. Each session needs its own staff member.

Q: What happens if I edit a session's time? A: Existing bookings keep their original time. Only new bookings use the updated time.

Q: Can different sessions have different capacities? A: Currently, capacity is set at the service level. All sessions share the same max capacity.

Q: How far in advance can customers book? A: Based on your "Max Advance Days" setting in Settings → Availability. Sessions beyond this aren't shown.

Q: Can I copy a session to create a similar one? A: Not currently. You need to create each session individually.

Q: What if my session falls on a holiday? A: Sessions on dates marked as Holidays in Settings won't be bookable. Add holidays to automatically block those dates.

Troubleshooting

"Session not appearing on booking page"

Check these in order:

Is the session toggle ON (active)?
Is the Active From date in the past?
Is the Active Until date in the future?
Is the session date within Max Advance Days?
Is the assigned staff member active?
Is the assigned location active?
Is the service itself active (not archived)?

"Staff shows unavailable for session"

Staff may have another booking at that time
Staff may have set personal time off
Staff may not be assigned to the location

"Sessions overlapping"

Same staff assigned to simultaneous sessions
Solution: Assign different staff or stagger times
The system will warn you about conflicts

"Wrong timezone showing"

Session times display in the location's timezone
Customers see times converted to their selected timezone
Verify location timezone in Locations settings

Best Practices

Naming and Organization

Use descriptive session descriptions in the service itself
Keep consistent timing (e.g., always 7 AM for morning classes)
Document your session schedule for staff

Schedule Management

Review sessions monthly to catch seasonal changes
Deactivate instead of delete when testing
Use Active From/Until for predictable seasonal changes
Create sessions at least 2-3 months ahead

Handling Changes

Notify customers before changing session times
For major changes, consider creating new sessions and gradually phasing out old ones
Always check existing bookings before deleting sessions

Experience Services - Understanding experience configuration
Managing Services - Edit service settings
Setting Up Availability - Business hours and advance booking settings
Team Members - Managing staff assignments

Well-structured sessions make your experience bookable and your schedule predictable! 📅