Introduction
The Digital Bell's Reservations system provides a way to:
- Schedule meetings and conferences
- Sell event tickets
- Allow parents and guardians to sign up their children for extracurricular programs
And more - all through your Web site. The set of tutorials contained in the Reservations section will explain each component of the system, as well as provide step-by-step instructions on how to create and implement Reservations on your site.
The first step in implementing Reservations is to create a Schedule. Each Schedule will be used for a distinct purpose - such as After-School Program sign-ups, Parent/Teacher Conference appointments, or selling tickets to a specific event. Schedules provide the framework for your eventual sign-up page or order form.
The following steps explain how to create a new schedule.
- Creating a Schedule
- Adding Time Slots to your Schedule
- Creating a Reservation Form
- Optional: Creating Time Slot Groups
- Optional: Printing your Schedule
- Creating a Schedule
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Step 1: Navigate to the Reservations Section
After logging in to The Digital Bell, mouse over the "Calendar" link, located in the menu at the top of your Digital Bell Dashboard. Next, click the "Reservations" link, in the drop-down menu. This will take you to the Reservations section.
Step 2: Click "Add Schedule"
In the Reservations section, click the "+Add Schedule" link, located in the right margin. This will forward you to the "Add Schedule" form.
Step 3: Complete the Form
The "Add Schedule" form will allow you to title your Schedule, and add an optional description. You can also assign permissions to other user accounts to view, edit or own this schedule. The fields in this form are explained below.
Title: The title of your Schedule. Your title should reflect the purpose of the Schedule.
Description: This is an optional field that allows you to enter a summary of the Schedule's purpose.
Published?: This option determines whether your Schedule is available for use. The default setting is "Yes."
Permissions: This section allows you to grant access to other user accounts. After adding a user account, you can then determine their permission level with the drop-down menu that appears to the left of their name. "Viewer" allows the user to view the status of the Schedule, "Editor" allows the user to make changes to the Schedule, and "Owner" gives complete control to the selected user - including the delete permission.
Once you have completed the form, click the "Submit" button to create your new Schedule. After clicking "Submit," you will be forwarded to the central information page for your Schedule. Here, you can begin adding Time Slots, as discussed in the next section of the tutorial.
Update Cancel Return to Top - Adding Time Slots to your Schedule
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Now that you have created a Schedule, you can begin populating it with Time Slots. Each Time Slot will represent a selectable option on the eventual reservation page. For example, if you are creating a Schedule for Parent/Teacher Conferences, each Time Slot will represent an appointment time that a parent or guardian will be able select.
Note: If your Schedule will be integrated with online payments, each Time Slot will represent one purchaseable option. For example, if your school is hosting an open-air festival with carnival rides, and you plan to sell both "General Admission" tickets, and an "Unlimited Ride Pass;" one Time Slot would be created for "One General Admission Ticket," and another for "One Unlimited Ride Pass." The "Add Time Slot Form," discussed below, includes the option to set a price for each Time Slot.
Also note that, for Schedules integrated with online payments, there is not currently a feature that allows visitors to select the quantity they would like to purchase. If you would like to offer a purchase of multiple items, separate time slots will need to be created for each amount. For example, selling packs of 2, 3, and 4 "General Admission" tickets would require three additional Time Slots - one for each option. Time Slots representing multiple items will need to be price adjusted accordingly (i.e. $5.00 for the "One General Admission Ticket" Time Slot, $10.00 for the "Two General Admission Tickets" Time Slot, etc.).
The following steps explain how to create new Time Slots. Later in this set of tutorials, we explain how your Time Slots will be added to a Web page - allowing members of the community to request an appointment, sign-up for an event, or make a purchase.
Step 1: Click "Add Time Slot"
After creating your Schedule, you should now be viewing the central information page for that Schedule.
However, if you are adding new Time Slots to an existing Schedule, mouse over the "Calendar" link, located in the menu at the top of your Digital Bell Dashboard. Next, click the "Reservations" link, from the drop-down menu. This will bring you to a list of your Schedules. Locate the appropriate Schedule, then click the View button (magnifying glass icon) to the left of the title. This will bring you to your selected Schedule's central information page.
On the Schedule's central information page, click the "+Add Time Slot" link, located in the right margin. This will bring you to the "Add Time Slots" form.
Step 2: Complete the Form
You will notice your Schedule's title is displayed in the "Schedule" section, at the top of the form. Here, you will also find fields for adding a title, selecting a date/time range, and entering a description of your new Time Slot. The fields and options on this form are explained in detail, below.
Title: The title of the individual Time Slot. Unlike the title of the Schedule, a Time Slot's title is optional. If a title is entered in this field, it will appear on the public reservation form. If your Time Slot will represent a good or service, the title should be used to provide a description of the good/service offered.
Groups: This is an optional section will allow you to assign your Time Slot to a Time Slot Group. See the section below for more information on Time Slot Groups.
Date: Here you will select the date, as well as start and end times for your Time Slot. The settings entered here will be reflected on the public page, where visitors can select an available Time Slot. If you are creating an all day event, click the checkbox for "All Day?"
For Time Slots that will be integtated with online purchases, such as for an event or extracurricular program, these fields can be used to enter the date, and start/end times of the event, or the date range durig which the program will be taking place.
Description: This is another optional field. Here, you can enter a summary for this individual Time Slot. If this Time Slot will be used for a good or service, additional details can be entered in this field.
Available Seats: Use this field to determine how many individuals can request a single Time Slot. The default setting is "1," meaning only one person can request this Time Slot. You can also delete the default "1" to leave this field blank, and allow unlimited requests.
Note: If your Time Slot represents somehing that can be purchased, such as an event ticket or extracurricular program spot, use this field to set the number that will be available for purchase.
Returning to the festival example - if this Time Slot represents the "Unlimited Ride Pass," and you would like to set a limit of 100 passes for purchase, you would use this field to enter that number. Your Schedule will automatically keep track of the number of sales, and will not allow customers to order more than the amount you set. This field can also be left blank (by deleting the default "1") to allow unlimited purchases.
Published: This field determines whether or not the Time Slot is currently in use.
Payment Amount: If your Time Slot represents an item that will be sold, such as a ticket or program spot, enter the price in this field.
Permissions: Like this "Permissions" section for the "Schedule," you can add additional user accounts and assign them permissions to view, edit, or own this Time Slot.
Once you have completed the form, click the "Submit" button to add this Time Slot to your chosen Schedule. After clicking "Submit," you will be returned to the Schedule's central page. Repeat the steps in this section of the tutorial to assign additional Time Slots to your Schedule.
To view a list of Time Slots, across all Schedules, click the "Time Slot" link, located under the "Reservations" heading in the right margin. When viewing this section, Time Slots can also be created by clicking the "Add Time Slot" link, located in the right margin of this page. When creating a Time Slot through this link, you will be prompted to select a Schedule from a drop-down menu at the top of the form.
After adding all of the necessary Time Slots, you can begin creating a form that will present them to your site's visitors.
Return to Top - Creating a Reservation Form
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After adding the necessary Time Slots to your Schedule, you will begin building an interactive form that will prompt visitors to enter any relevant information (name, email address, payment information, etc.), and allow them to select from the Time Slots you have created.
This step is contained in a separate tutorial, which includes step-by-step instructions for creating your reservation form. Click the link below to view the next tutorial, or continue reading to learn about optional features for your Schedule and Time Slots.
Return to Top - Optional: Creating Time Slot Groups
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The optional "Time Slot Groups" feature allows you to catagorize your Time Slots. Time Slots that you have added to a Time Slot Group will be sorted by the title of their group, on the public reservation page.
For reference, the image below contains a sign-up page with two separate Time Slot Groups. The 1:00 - 2:00pm Time Slot has been added to a Time Slot Group titled "Guidance," while the 12:00 - 1:00pm and 1:00 - 2:00pm slots have been added to the "Parent Teacher" group. The 10:15 - 11:15am slot has not been assigned to a group. The following steps explain how to create and implement Time Slot Groups.
Step 1: Navigate to the Reservation Section
After logging in to The Digital Bell, mouse over the "Calendar" link, located in the menu at the top of your Digital Bell Dashboard. Next, click the "Reservations" link, in the drop-down menu. This will take you to the Reservations section. Here, click the "Time Slot Group" link, located in the right margin.
Step 2: Add a Time Slot Group
Clicking the link will bring you to a list of any existing Time Slot Groups. Next, click the "Add Time Slot Group" button, located in the right margin. This will bring you to the "Add Time Slot Group" form.
Step 3: Complete the Form
The fields and options of the Add Time Slot Group form are explained below.
Schedule: First, select the Schedule you would like to add this group to. Your existing Schedules should appear in this field's drop-down menu.
Title: This is the title of your new group. The title you select will appear on the public reservation page.
Name: The "Name" field will auto-complete, and no changes are necessary.
Weight; Your group's weight will determine the order in which your group appears on the public reservation page. Selecting a lower value will place the group higher on the page, relative to other Time Slot Groups, and vise versa.
Published?: This option determines whether the Time Slot Group is in use. The default setting is "Yes."
Permissions: The permissions section allows you to add additional user accounts, and give them permission to view, edit or own the Time Slot Group.
Once you have created a Time Slot Group, you will be able to assign Time Slots to it, so long as the Time Slots belong to the Schedule you have selected when creating the group.
To assign existing Time Slots to a group, navigate to the Reservations section of The Digital Bell, then locate the Schedule the Time Slot belongs to. Click the View button (magnifying glass icon) to the left of the title, then click the "Time Slots" button to view the list of existing Time Slots.
Locate the Time Slot you wish to assign to a group, then click the Edit button (pencil icon) to the left of the date. This will bring you to the Time Slot editor.
Locate the "Groups" section, then click the drop-down menu to select a Time Slot Group. Finally, scroll down and click the "Submit" button to complete the process.
New Time Slots can be assigned to a group by selecting a Time Slot Group from the "Group" drop-down, in the "Add Time Slot" form, as described in the section above.
Return to Top - Optional: Printing your Schedule
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Your schedules can be printed - giving you a hard copy list of selected Time Slots. Your printed schedules can be sorted by date, or the last name of the individuals who have selected a Time Slot.
Begin by mousing over the "Calendar" link, in the menu at the top of your Digital Bell Dashboard. Next, click the "Reservations" link in the drop-down menu. This will bring you to a list of your Schedules. Locate the appropriate Schedule, then click the View button (magnifying glass icon) to view the Schedule's central information page. To format your Schedule for printing, click the "Print this Schedule" link, located under the "Add Time Slot Group" button in the right margin.
Clicking the link will bring you to the default-formatted printing page.
To select an alternate format, click the "List" button to create a drop-down menu. Selecting the "Date" format will display a compact version of the default format, sorted by date, in chronological order.
Selecting the "Name" option will sort your appointments by the last name of the attendees, in alphabetical order. Unlike the default and date formats, open Time Slots are omitted from this format.
Once you have selected the appropriate format, the page can be printed by selecting the "Print..." option from your Web browser's menu, or pressing "Ctrl+P" (Command+P on Macs) on your keyboard.
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