> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.ontimebookings.com.au/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Different hours on different days

> Sam works 9 to 5 Monday to Wednesday and 10 to 2 on Thursday and Friday. Here's how to set that up.

You can't set different hours for different days inside one schedule. The hours you enter apply to every day you tick.

**Make one schedule per group of days that share the same hours.**

## Worked example

Sam works:

* Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday — 9:00 to 17:00
* Thursday, Friday — 10:00 to 14:00

That's two groups of days with two sets of hours, so Sam needs two schedules.

### Schedule 1

| Setting    | Value         |
| ---------- | ------------- |
| Name       | Mon–Wed       |
| Days       | Mon, Tue, Wed |
| Hours      | 9:00 to 17:00 |
| Recurrence | Every week    |

### Schedule 2

| Setting    | Value          |
| ---------- | -------------- |
| Name       | Thu–Fri        |
| Days       | Thu, Fri       |
| Hours      | 10:00 to 14:00 |
| Recurrence | Every week     |

Both are active at the same time. Together they cover Sam's week.

## How to do it

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the staff member">
    **Settings → Operations → Staff**, pick the person, then **Working Schedule**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Check the location">
    Schedules belong to one location. Switch to the right one at the top.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add the first schedule">
    Choose **Add Schedule**. Name it, tick Mon, Tue, Wed, set 9:00 to 17:00, and save.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Copy it">
    Use the copy button on the new row. It opens a second schedule with the same settings.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Change the copy">
    Rename it, untick Mon, Tue, Wed, tick Thu and Fri, change the hours to 10:00 to 14:00, and save.
  </Step>
</Steps>

Copying is quicker than starting again, especially once services or a serving area are set.

## More than two groups

The same approach scales. One schedule per group of days that share hours:

| Sam works                           | Schedules needed |
| ----------------------------------- | ---------------- |
| Same hours every day                | 1                |
| Weekdays one way, Saturday another  | 2                |
| Mon–Wed, Thu–Fri, Sat all different | 3                |
| Every day different                 | 7                |

Seven schedules is fine. There's no limit.

## A break in the middle of the day

This is a different problem, and it doesn't need a second schedule.

If Sam works 9:00 to 13:00, takes lunch, then works 14:00 to 18:00, add **two time blocks** to the one schedule. Choose **+ Time Slot** and enter the second block.

Customers can't book across the gap.

<Note>
  Use two time blocks when the same days have a break. Use two schedules when different days have different hours.
</Note>

## Other reasons to add a second schedule

Different hours is the common one. These also need their own schedule:

* **Different services on different days.** Colour treatments only on Tuesdays, everything else the rest of the week.
* **Different suburbs at different times.** Near home in the mornings, further out in the afternoons. See [Serving areas](/manage-schedule/serving-areas).
* **A fortnightly pattern.** Alternating weeks, or alternating between two branches.
* **A temporary change.** A summer roster running December to February alongside the permanent one, using start and end dates.

## Watch for overlaps

Two schedules at the same location can't cover the same day at the same time.

If Schedule 1 is Mon–Wed 9:00–17:00, Schedule 2 can't include Monday at any time between 9:00 and 17:00. Saving fails and names the schedule it clashes with.

Adjoining times are fine. Monday 9:00–12:00 and Monday 12:00–17:00 both save.

## Common questions

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Can I set hours per day in one schedule?">
    No. The hours apply to every day ticked in that schedule. Make a schedule per group of days.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Do I have to delete a schedule when someone's hours change?">
    No. Edit it. If the change is temporary, set an end date on the old one and add a new one that starts after it.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Someone is off for two weeks — do I change their schedule?">
    No. Leave the schedule and [block out the time](/take-bookings/unavailability) on the calendar. Schedules are for the regular pattern.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Someone works at two branches">
    Make a schedule at each. Schedules belong to one location. Use the location switcher at the top of Working Schedule.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Someone works alternate weeks">
    Use one schedule with recurrence set to **Every 2 Weeks (Alternating)**. The start date sets which week is the first working week.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>