Blocking Out Time

Reserve time on the calendar for breaks, training, meetings, or personal tasks so that customers cannot book those slots.

TL;DR

• Blocking out time reserves a staff member's calendar so customers cannot book that slot
• Duration ranges from 15 minutes to 8 hours in 15-minute increments
• Most common mistake: looking for the "Block out time" toolbar button on mobile, it does not exist there
• On mobile, long-press an empty time slot instead

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:

1. The selected staff member and start time appear at the top
2. Select a Reason from the dropdown:

Reason	Stored Value
Lunch Break	Lunch
Personal Time	Personal
Training	Training
Meeting	Meeting
Processing Time	Processing
Other	Other

3. 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.

4. 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:

1. The selected staff member and start time appear at the top (e.g., "Starting at 9:30 AM")
2. Select a Reason from the radio buttons (same 6 options as web)
3. 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 to 480 minutes)

4. Tap Block Out Time to create the block

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

1. Click or tap the blocked time block on the calendar
2. In the details dialog/sheet, click Remove Block
3. The block is deleted and the time slot becomes available for bookings

A toast confirms: "Time block removed".

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 to 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.

FAQ

How do I block out time on the calendar?

Click any empty time slot on web, or long-press an empty slot on mobile, then select Block out time. Set a reason and duration (15 minutes to 8 hours), and click Block Out Time to create the block.

Who can remove a time block?

Only Owners and Managers can remove time blocks. Stylists can create blocks but cannot delete them. If you are a Stylist, ask your Manager to remove the block.

What happens if a block overlaps an existing booking?

OpenChair prevents the block from being created and shows the error "This time overlaps with an existing booking". Cancel or reschedule the conflicting booking first, then create the block.

How long can a time block be?

Time blocks can be set from 15 minutes to 8 hours (480 minutes) in 15-minute increments, using the preset buttons or by entering a custom value.

Related Articles

• Using the Calendar
• Calendar Views
• Booking Rules