Blocking Out Time
Reserve time on the calendar for breaks, training, meetings, or personal tasks so that customers cannot book those slots.
Overview
Blocking out time lets you:
- Reserve a time slot on a specific staff member's calendar
- Choose a reason (lunch break, training, meeting, and more)
- Set a custom duration from 15 minutes to 8 hours
- Remove blocks when plans change
Blocked time appears on the calendar as a grey block labelled with the reason you selected.
Creating a Time Block
On Web
There are three ways to create a time block:
Click an empty slot — Click any empty time slot on the Day, 3-Day, or Week calendar view. The Block Out Time dialog opens with that staff member and time pre-filled.
Toolbar button — Click "Block out time" (with the ban icon) in the calendar toolbar. This button is visible on desktop-sized screens. The dialog opens with the first staff member and the next available 15-minute slot as defaults.
Right-click — Right-click an empty time slot and select "Block out time" from the context menu.
In the Block Out Time dialog:
- The selected staff member and start time appear at the top
- Select a Reason from the dropdown:
| Reason |
Stored Value |
| Lunch Break |
Lunch |
| Personal Time |
Personal |
| Training |
Training |
| Meeting |
Meeting |
| Processing Time |
Processing |
| Other |
Other |
- Select a Duration using the quick buttons or enter a custom value:
| Quick Button |
Duration |
| 30 |
30 minutes |
| 60 (default) |
60 minutes |
| 90 |
90 minutes |
| 120 |
120 minutes |
To enter a custom duration, type a value in the text field below the buttons. The minimum is 15 minutes and the maximum is 480 minutes (8 hours), in 15-minute increments.
- Click Block Out Time to create the block
A toast confirms: "Time blocked out".
On Mobile
Long-press an empty time slot on the calendar, then select "Block out time" from the action sheet.
The Block Out Time sheet opens:
- The selected staff member and start time appear at the top (e.g., "Starting at 9:30 AM")
- Select a Reason from the radio buttons (same 6 options as web)
- Select a Duration using the preset buttons or tap Custom to enter a value:
| Quick Button |
Duration |
| 30m |
30 minutes |
| 45m |
45 minutes |
| 1h (default) |
60 minutes |
| 1.5h |
90 minutes |
| 2h |
120 minutes |
| Custom |
Opens a text input (15–480 minutes) |
- Tap Block Out Time to create the block
Tip
On mobile, you can also go to the full block time page via the calendar menu, where you can pick a specific staff member, date, and time range with separate start and end time pickers.
Viewing a Blocked Time Slot
Blocked time appears on the calendar as a grey block showing the reason (e.g., "Lunch Break") or "Blocked" if no reason was specified.
To view the details of an existing block:
On web: Click the blocked time block on the calendar. A "Blocked Time" dialog shows:
- Staff name
- Time range (e.g., "2:30 PM – 3:30 PM")
- Duration in minutes
- Reason (or "No reason specified")
On mobile: Tap the blocked time indicator on the calendar. The "Blocked Time" sheet shows the same details.
Removing a Time Block
- Click or tap the blocked time block on the calendar
- In the details dialog/sheet, click Remove Block
- The block is deleted and the time slot becomes available for bookings
A toast confirms: "Time block removed".
Note
Only Owners and Managers can remove time blocks. Stylists can create blocks but cannot delete them.
Validation Rules
When creating a time block, OpenChair checks for conflicts:
| Check |
Error Message |
| Block overlaps an existing booking |
"This time overlaps with an existing booking" |
| Block overlaps another time block |
"This time overlaps with an existing block" |
| Staff member not in venue |
"Staff not found in this venue" |
| End time not after start time |
"End time must be after start time" |
| Duration outside 15–480 minute range |
"Duration must be between 15 minutes and 8 hours" |
If any check fails, the block is not created and the error message appears as a toast.
Platform Differences
| Feature |
Web (Desktop) |
iPad |
Phone |
| Create from empty slot click |
Yes |
Yes (long-press) |
Yes (long-press) |
| Toolbar "Block out time" button |
Yes |
No |
No |
| Right-click context menu |
Yes |
No |
No |
| Duration presets |
30, 60, 90, 120 min |
30, 45, 60, 90, 120 min + Custom |
30, 45, 60, 90, 120 min + Custom |
| View block details |
Click block |
Tap block |
Tap block |
| Remove block |
Yes (Owner/Manager) |
Yes (Owner/Manager) |
Yes (Owner/Manager) |
Troubleshooting
| Issue |
Solution |
| Cannot find the "Block out time" button |
On web, the toolbar button is only visible on desktop-width screens. On mobile, long-press an empty time slot instead. |
| "This time overlaps with an existing booking" error |
A booking already occupies that slot. Cancel or reschedule the booking first, then create the block. |
| Cannot remove a time block |
Only Owners and Managers can remove blocks. If you are a Stylist, ask your manager to remove it. |
| Blocked time not showing on the calendar |
Ensure you are viewing the correct date and staff member. Blocked time only appears in Day, 3-Day, and Week views — not in Agenda view. |
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Last updated: March 2026