Bookings
Booking Policies & Cancellation Settings
Set the minimum notice period, customer-facing booking policies, and alternate-staff rules that govern how customers book, reschedule, and cancel online.
Last updated 20 July 2026
Set the rules for when and how customers can cancel or reschedule online, plus the customer-facing policy sections shown before booking confirmation, on manage-booking, and in confirmation messages.
TL;DR
- Booking policies set the minimum notice period and the policy text customers see before and after booking.
- Available on all plans; deposit refund actions are configured separately in Deposit rules.
- Most common mistake: expecting the notice period to block staff cancellations, it only affects customer self-service.
- Owners can use AI on web and mobile to draft or rewrite policy sections, then edit before saving.
Overview
The booking policy settings let you:
- Set a minimum notice period before which customers can cancel or reschedule online.
- Write customer-facing sections for cancellation, rescheduling, no-show, late arrival, deposit refund, before-visit notes, and custom terms.
- Choose which sections customers must acknowledge before confirming a booking.
- Use AI to generate or rewrite policy sections in clear British English.
- Allow customers to switch to an alternate qualified staff member when rescheduling.
Note
Booking policies explain your rules to customers. They do not create new cancellation fees, no-show fees, refund behaviour, or payment enforcement. Deposit and saved-card rules still control payment outcomes. See Deposits.
Accessing booking policies
Go to Settings, then open Booking policies.
The Booking policies page includes:
- Minimum notice period: how close to the appointment customers can self-serve cancel or reschedule.
- Allow alternate-staff self-serve: whether customers can choose another qualified team member when rescheduling.
- Booking policies: fixed customer-facing policy sections with optional acknowledgement.
Related deposit controls live under Manage > Deposits > Deposit rules.
Setting the minimum notice period
The Minimum Notice Period dropdown controls how far in advance customers must cancel or reschedule online.
| Option | Effect |
|---|---|
| No minimum (0h) | Customers can cancel or reschedule at any time, up to the appointment start |
| 1 hour | Customer must cancel at least 1 hour before the appointment |
| 2 hours | At least 2 hours' notice required |
| 4 hours | At least 4 hours' notice required |
| 24 hours (default) | At least 24 hours' notice required |
| 48 hours | At least 2 days' notice required |
| 72 hours | At least 3 days' notice required |
When a customer tries to cancel or reschedule inside the notice period, the online self-service action is blocked and the customer is directed to contact the venue.
Writing booking policy sections
The Booking policies card uses fixed sections rather than one long legal textarea.
| Section | Typical content |
|---|---|
| Cancellation | Notice expectations and how to cancel |
| Rescheduling | How far ahead customers can move a booking |
| No-show | What happens if the customer does not attend |
| Late arrival | Grace periods, shortened appointments, or contact instructions |
| Deposit refund | How deposit or saved-card protection is handled |
| Before visit | Patch tests, preparation notes, accessibility, parking, or arrival details |
| Custom | Venue-specific policy text |
Each section has:
- Visible: shows the section to customers when it has text.
- Requires acknowledgement: includes the section in the booking-policy agreement.
- Body: the exact text shown to customers.
Hidden or empty sections are not shown to customers. If any visible section requires acknowledgement, the booking review step shows one checkbox: "I've read and agree to the booking policies."
Using AI to write policies
Owners can use AI on web and mobile:
- Draft with AI drafts empty policy sections from your current settings, active deposit or card-protection rules, brand voice, and Business Memory.
- Rewrite rewrites one section while preserving the original meaning.
Use AI as a starting point, then edit the text before saving. AI does not change enforcement rules.
Allowing alternate-staff rescheduling
The Allow alternate-staff self-serve toggle controls whether customers can switch to a different qualified staff member when rescheduling online.
| Setting | Behaviour |
|---|---|
| On | When a customer reschedules, they can choose a different staff member who offers the same service. |
| Off | Rescheduling keeps the same staff member. If that staff member has no availability on the new date, the customer must contact the venue. |
How customers see policies
During booking
Visible policy sections appear at the review step before the customer confirms. If one or more visible sections requires acknowledgement, the customer must tick the booking-policy checkbox before confirming.
Deposit or saved-card consent appears separately when a booking protection rule applies.
On manage-booking
The customer manage-booking page shows the policy snapshot saved when the booking was created. Older bookings without a snapshot can fall back to the current venue policy.
In confirmations
Booking confirmations include the customer-visible policy snapshot when present, so the customer can review the same text they saw during checkout.
How booking policies relate to deposits
The cancellation system has two layers:
| Layer | Where to configure | What it controls |
|---|---|---|
| Booking policies | Settings > Booking policies | Notice period, customer-facing text, acknowledgement, alternate-staff toggle |
| Deposit rules | Manage > Deposits > Deposit rules | Deposit amount, refund action, store credit, forfeit, card-protection consent |
Both work together: the booking policy controls what customers see and acknowledge, while the deposit rule controls what happens to money.
Platform differences
| Feature | Web | Mobile |
|---|---|---|
| Booking policies | Dedicated Settings page | Dedicated Settings page |
| Deposit rules list | Manage > Deposits | Deposits Settings destination |
| AI policy writing | Available to Owners | Available to Owners |
Troubleshooting
| Issue | Solution |
|---|---|
| Customers can still cancel at the last minute | Check the Minimum Notice Period setting. If it is set to No minimum, customers can cancel or reschedule at any time. |
| Booking policies are not showing to customers | Check that the relevant section is Visible and has body text. Hidden or empty sections are excluded. |
| Customer is not asked to tick an agreement checkbox | Turn on Requires acknowledgement for at least one visible policy section. |
| Deposit is being forfeited but I want to offer a refund | Edit the deposit rule in Manage > Deposits > Deposit rules. Refund actions are not controlled by booking policy text. |
| AI-generated policy mentions the wrong notice period | Save the latest notice-period setting, then click Rewrite on the affected section. |
FAQ
How do I stop customers cancelling at the last minute?
Go to Settings > Booking policies and set the Minimum Notice Period to 24 hours, 48 hours, or 72 hours. Customers who try to cancel or reschedule inside the window see a message directing them to contact the venue directly.
Where do I write my customer-facing booking policies?
Go to Settings > Booking policies. Add text to the visible policy sections you need. Click Draft with AI to generate a starting point from your current settings, then edit it as needed.
Can customers switch to a different stylist when rescheduling online?
Only if you enable the Allow alternate-staff self-serve toggle in Settings > Booking policies. It is off by default. When on, customers can choose a different qualified staff member who offers the same service.
How does the booking policy relate to deposit rules?
Booking policy controls what customers see and acknowledge. Deposit rules control what happens to the money, refund, store credit, forfeit, or saved-card protection. Both are configured separately.