Using the waitlist
Updated
On this page
When you're full, put the client on the waitlist instead of turning them away. The waitlist is part of the Professional plan and up.
You can reach it in three places:
- Sidebar → Appointments → Waitlist — the full page, at
/dashboard/waitlist. - The Waitlist tab at the top of the Facility Calendar.
- The Waitlist list in the calendar's left panel. Drag a waiting client from here onto an open slot to book them.
Adding someone
- Go to Sidebar → Appointments → Waitlist and press Add to Waitlist.
- Pick the Client (required).
- Pick a Pet and Service. Both are optional, but automatic offers only reach entries whose service matches the cancelled appointment, so set the service when you can.
- Pick the Requested Date (required).
- Set Preferred Start and Preferred End if they have a time window. Both default to "Any time".
- Add Notes, like "mornings only", and save.
Your most regular clients go first. Each entry gets a priority based on how many completed visits the client has had. Ties go to whoever joined first.
The five states
| State | Means |
|---|---|
| Waiting | On the list, nothing offered yet |
| Notified | Told a slot opened up |
| Booked | An appointment was made from this entry |
| Expired | The offer ran out (see the note below) |
| Cancelled | Removed from the list |
The page has a tab for each. Waiting and Notified show a count. Use the search box to find someone by client, pet, service or phone number.
When a slot opens
Automatically. When you cancel an appointment, Alaga looks for Waiting entries with the same requested date and the same service as the cancelled appointment. It doesn't check preferred times. It picks the top entry and contacts that client:
- by email, if they have one and your waitlist email is on, and
- by text, if they have a phone number.
The message says a spot opened up and the offer lasts 24 hours. The entry moves to Notified. Only one client is contacted per cancellation.
By hand.
- On a Waiting entry, open the row menu (the three dots).
- Choose Notify Client.
The same email and text go out, and the entry moves to Notified.
The message asks the client to call or email you. They don't get a booking link, so they'll get in touch and you book them.
Note: Notified entries don't move to Expired by themselves after 24 hours. Once the client answers, convert or cancel the entry so the list stays tidy.
Turning it into a booking
- On a Waiting or Notified entry, open the row menu.
- Choose Convert to Booking.
- The New Appointment form opens with the client, pet, service, date and preferred start time filled in. Finish the booking.
The entry is marked Booked only once the appointment is actually saved. If you close the form without booking, the client keeps their place.
On the calendar you can also drag a waiting client from the left-panel Waitlist list onto an open slot. The form opens filled in, the same way.
Removing someone
- Open the row menu and choose Cancel Entry.
- Confirm with Cancel Entry, or press Keep Entry to back out.
From the client's side
If a pet parent tries to book online on a day with nothing free, the booking page offers the waitlist. They can add a preferred time range and press Join Waitlist. Their entry lands in the same list you see.