Booking Configurations
Control how clients book and manage sessions
Your booking settings define session types, scheduling rules, and what clients are required to do during the booking flow. All changes are saved automatically and apply immediately to your booking page.
Access these from Profile Settings under Booking Preferences.
At a Glance
| Setting | Default | What it controls |
|---|---|---|
| Session mode | Both | Online, in-person, or both |
| Online cutoff | 2 hours | Minimum notice for online bookings |
| Offline cutoff | 12 hours | Minimum notice for in-person bookings |
| Buffer time | 0 minutes | Gap between consecutive sessions |
| Allow cancellations | Enabled | Whether clients can cancel |
| Cancellation window | 24 hours | How far in advance clients must cancel |
| Allow rescheduling | Enabled | Whether clients can reschedule |
| Rescheduling window | 24 hours | How far in advance clients must reschedule |
| Intake during booking | Off | Require intake form completion before booking is finalized |
| Payment confirmation | Off | Require payment receipt upload (self-managed only) |
| ID proof | Off | Require new clients to upload identification |
Session Modes
Choose how you deliver sessions:
| Mode | Best for |
|---|---|
| Online only | Remote practices, geographically dispersed clients |
| In-person only | Practices that require physical presence |
| Both | Maximum flexibility — clients choose during booking |
When you select "Both," clients pick their preferred mode as part of the booking flow. Different cutoff times can apply to each mode.
Booking Cutoff Times
How far in advance clients must book. Prevents last-minute bookings that don't give you enough preparation time.
| Session type | Default | Range |
|---|---|---|
| Online | 2 hours | 0–168 hours (1 week) |
| Offline | 12 hours | 0–168 hours (1 week) |
Cutoff is calculated from the session start time. With a 12-hour cutoff, a 2 PM session can't be booked after 2 AM that same day.
Shorter cutoffs let clients book on shorter notice but may increase no-shows. Longer cutoffs give you more planning time but reduce flexibility.
If you're getting too many last-minute bookings and no-shows, increase the cutoff. If you have unfilled slots and want to be more accessible, decrease it.
Buffer Time
A gap (in minutes) added between consecutive booking slots. This gives you breathing room between back-to-back sessions.
Default: 0 minutes. Range: 0–120 minutes.
Example: You have a session from 10:00–10:50 AM and a buffer of 15 minutes. The next available slot starts at 11:05 AM, not 10:50 AM.
| Buffer | Good for |
|---|---|
| 0 min | Packed schedule, no breaks needed |
| 10–15 min | Quick notes, stretching, grabbing water between sessions |
| 30 min | Writing detailed session notes between clients |
| 60 min | Extended note-writing or meal breaks between session blocks |
Cancellation Policy
Allow cancellations — enabled by default. Clients can cancel from their booking confirmation page.
Cancellation window — default: 24 hours. Range: 0–720 hours (30 days). Minimum notice required before the session start time.
Example: With a 24-hour window, a Tuesday 3 PM session can be cancelled until Monday 3 PM. After that, cancellation is no longer available to the client.
Allowing cancellations generally reduces no-shows — clients cancel instead of simply not attending, which frees up the slot for someone else.
Rescheduling Policy
Allow rescheduling — enabled by default. Clients can move their session to a different available slot.
Rescheduling window — default: 24 hours. Range: 0–720 hours (30 days).
When clients reschedule, the new time must respect your booking cutoff. Session mode can't be changed during rescheduling.
Use the same window for both cancellation and rescheduling to keep policies consistent and easy for clients to understand.
Intake Forms During Booking
Default: Off
This setting controls when new clients fill out their intake forms.
| Setting | What happens |
|---|---|
| Off | Client books first, then fills out the intake form later through their Client Portal. They receive a notification prompting them to complete it before the session. |
| On | Client must complete the intake form during the booking flow before the booking is finalized. They can't proceed until the form is submitted. |
When to turn this on
Enable it when you need the intake information before you can accept the booking — for example:
- You screen clients before accepting them (e.g., you specialize in specific conditions and want to confirm fit)
- You need medical history or risk information before the first session for safety reasons
- You're required by your organization or insurer to collect consent forms before scheduling
Example: You offer a "Discovery Call — ADHD" service for new clients with a linked intake form that asks about symptoms, previous diagnoses, and medication history. With intake during booking turned on, the client fills this out as part of booking, so you have the information before the call even happens.
When to leave it off
Leave it off when you want the booking process to be fast and frictionless, and the intake information can wait:
- You prefer to collect details after the client has committed to booking
- Your intake form is long and you don't want it to discourage bookings
- The information is useful but not essential before the first session
Example: You have a standard intake form with demographics, emergency contacts, and mental health history. It's helpful to have before the session but not a dealbreaker if the client fills it out the day before instead of during booking. Leaving this off keeps booking quick — the client gets a reminder to complete the form through their Client Portal afterward.
This setting applies to all services with linked intake forms. You can't turn it on for one service and off for another — it's a global preference. To learn more about creating and linking forms, see Intake Forms.
Require Payment Confirmation
Default: Off. Only available for self-managed payments.
When enabled, clients must upload a screenshot of their payment receipt before their booking can be confirmed.
When to turn this on
- You use a general payment link where the amount isn't fixed and want proof the correct amount was paid
- You want a record of every payment attached to the booking
- You use UPI and want confirmation that the transfer went through
When to leave it off
- You use pre-configured payment links with fixed amounts (the provider already ensures the correct amount)
- You prefer a simpler, faster booking experience for clients
- You use managed payments (where Serene handles confirmation automatically)
For a detailed walkthrough of how this works during the client's booking flow, see Require Payment Confirmation.
Require ID Proof
Default: Off
When enabled, new clients must upload a valid form of identification (such as a government ID, driver's license, or passport) during the booking process. The upload step appears on the service selection page alongside other required fields.
When to turn this on
- Your practice or jurisdiction requires identity verification before the first session
- You need to confirm the client's identity for insurance or compliance reasons
- You work with vulnerable populations and need to verify guardianship or legal identity
- Your organization's policy requires ID on file before treatment begins
Example: You're a licensed psychologist who accepts insurance. Your insurer requires you to verify client identity before filing claims. With ID proof turned on, new clients upload a photo of their ID during booking. You can review it from the booking details on your dashboard before the session.
When to leave it off
- Your practice doesn't require identity verification
- You want to minimize friction during the booking process
- You verify identity in person at the start of the first session instead
ID proof is only required for new clients. Returning clients who have already booked with you before are not asked again. This setting is not available in team mode — it's configured at the individual practitioner level.
Recommended Starting Configuration
If you're not sure what to set, these defaults work well for most practices:
| Setting | Recommended |
|---|---|
| Session mode | Both |
| Online cutoff | 2 hours |
| Offline cutoff | 12 hours |
| Buffer time | 10–15 minutes |
| Cancellation | Enabled, 24-hour window |
| Rescheduling | Enabled, 24-hour window |
| Intake during booking | Off (turn on if you screen clients) |
| Payment confirmation | Off (turn on if using flexible payment links) |
| ID proof | Off (turn on if required by your practice or insurer) |
Monitor your booking patterns over the first few weeks and adjust based on your experience.