Best practices for using Calendly schedules

NOTE: for step-by-step instructions for creating a schedule, check out this article.

Use schedules to ensure you only get booked when you want

Specify your schedule under the Availability page so you don't have to set preferences for when you’re available every time you need to host a different event. Update your schedule for all of your one-on-one and group events all at once, in one place.

Note: You can also apply schedules to team event types. See this guide to learn how! 

Specify when you’re typically available 

When you signed up for Calendly, you specified days and hours you're typically available. Calendly uses your schedule, in addition to busy events on your connected calendar to determine when you're available or unavailable to host meetings. 

You can specify your schedule to indicate specific days and hours when you’re available:

  • weekly, or

  • for individual dates.

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See How to set up and edit your available hours to update the hours within your schedule. 

Set up multiple schedules for specific needs

If you want to set up a different schedule for various types of events, create multiple schedules with varying hours for different event types. This is especially useful when you:

  • work more than one job with unique schedules and use Calendly for both jobs,

  • want to limit your availability for specific events, or

  • want to offer more extensive availability for specific events.

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Set your default schedule

When you use multiple schedules, define your Default Hours schedule with your regular working hours. When your availability changes, update your Default Hours schedule or use another schedule instead. 

Note: Calendly applies your Default Hours schedule to any new events unless you specify otherwise.

 

Define custom hours for specific event types

If you want to offer unique hours for a particular kind of event you can override any of your schedules for a particular event type by setting custom hours for that event. When your hours change, just update your custom hours accordingly under the When can people book this event section in your event type settings. 

 

 

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Note: You can also save the custom hours for an event type as a new schedule from the When can people book this event section. After setting your custom hours, select Save as a new schedule.  

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Apply schedules when you set up new event types

When you set up a new event type, just tell Calendly which schedule to use for that event. You can also apply your schedule to existing event types.

 

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Note: If your event type duration is longer than the time intervals you have set within your schedule, the schedule will not apply to that event type. For example, if your schedule says that you are free from 4:30-5:00 pm but the duration of the event type you want to apply your schedule to is 1hr long, the schedule will not apply.

Even more ways to get booked exactly your way

On your event types, you can also specify:

  • the time zone for that particular event 

  • the number of time slots and start times to offer invitees

  • how far in advance of an event that invitees can book

  • the maximum number of events that can be scheduled daily for a specified event 

  • if you want to hide an event from your scheduling site

These availability settings can be found under the When can people book this event section for each event type. See Manage advanced availability rules for additional information.