> ## 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.

# Manage your schedule

> Set when each staff member works. Different hours on different days means more than one schedule.

A schedule says when a staff member is available for bookings at one location.

Customers can only book times that fall inside a schedule. If someone has no schedule, they have no available times.

Open a staff member from **Settings → Operations → Staff**, then select **Working Schedule**. Staff can see their own under **Profile → Working Hours**.

## The rule that explains everything

**One schedule has one set of hours.** Those hours apply to every day you tick in it.

So a schedule with Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday ticked and hours of 9:00–17:00 means 9:00–17:00 on all three days. You can't set Monday to 9:00–17:00 and Tuesday to 10:00–14:00 in the same schedule.

To do that, you make two schedules. This is the most common question we get, and it has its own page: [Different hours on different days](/manage-schedule/different-hours-different-days).

## What one schedule holds

| Setting          | What it does                                   |
| ---------------- | ---------------------------------------------- |
| **Days**         | Which days of the week it covers               |
| **Hours**        | The times, shared by every day above           |
| **Recurrence**   | Every week, or every second week               |
| **Dates**        | When it starts and, if you want, when it stops |
| **Services**     | All services, or only the ones you pick        |
| **Serving area** | All suburbs, or only a named list              |
| **Travel**       | Whether to keep bookings close together        |

A staff member can have as many schedules as they need at each location.

## Three things control availability

Schedules are one of three layers. All three have to allow a time before a customer can book it.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Location working hours">
    When the branch is open. Nothing can be booked outside these. Set under [Locations](/set-up/locations/working-hours).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Staff schedules">
    When each person works, inside the branch's hours. Set here.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Blocked-out time">
    One-off exceptions — leave, appointments. Set on the [calendar](/take-bookings/unavailability).
  </Step>
</Steps>

Use a schedule for the regular pattern. Use blocked-out time for one-offs.

## Two schedules can't overlap

At one location, two schedules can't cover the same day and the same hours.

If they do, saving fails and you'll see which schedule clashes and on which day. Change the days, the hours, or the dates.

They can share a day as long as the times don't touch. Monday 9:00–12:00 and Monday 13:00–17:00 are fine.

## Reading the list

Each schedule shows as a row:

* **Day pills** — the days it covers, highlighted.
* **The hours**, underneath.
* **The name** and how it repeats, such as "Every week, from 1 Jan".
* **A status badge** — Active, Upcoming, Ended, or Inactive.
* **Chips** for anything that narrows it — "All services" or "3 services", "All suburbs" or the area name, and "Travel optimised" when it's on.

On the right: a switch to turn it on or off, a copy button, and a delete button. Click the row to edit it.

## Statuses

| Status       | Meaning                       |
| ------------ | ----------------------------- |
| **Active**   | In effect today               |
| **Upcoming** | The start date hasn't arrived |
| **Ended**    | The end date has passed       |
| **Inactive** | Switched off by hand          |

Switching a schedule off stops customers booking it straight away. It doesn't affect bookings already made.

## Pages in this section

<Columns cols={2}>
  <Card title="Different hours on different days" icon="clock" href="/manage-schedule/different-hours-different-days">
    The most asked question, with a worked example.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Add a schedule" icon="plus" href="/manage-schedule/add-a-schedule">
    Every setting in the schedule form.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Serving areas" icon="map-pin" href="/manage-schedule/serving-areas">
    Named lists of suburbs you can reuse across schedules.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Travel between bookings" icon="route" href="/manage-schedule/travel-between-bookings">
    Keep a mobile provider's day in one part of town.
  </Card>
</Columns>