How To - Managing Time Slots

Configuring Capacity Management at Site

The Capacity Management allows you to configure the seating capacity and turn times for their tables and dining rooms.

Key features include:

Setting the default turn times for different party sizes (e.g. 2 hours for 1-4 covers, 2.5 hours for 4-6 covers)
Defining the cover level thresholds that trigger changes in turn times
Customising turn times for different meal periods (e.g. 1.5 hours for breakfast, 2 hours for lunch)
Configuring the maximum capacity for each dining room or area

This capacity management functionality helps the business optimise table usage and ensure efficient table turnover to maximise seating capacity, without sacrificing the dining experience for customers; as such, it is a critical component for managing reservations and seating in the venue.

Managing Time Slots

The Managing Time Slots window contains a set of tab pages available to Company and Site Administrators for defining restaurant sittings for the site.

This is available on the Capacity Management tab at company and site level.

Preferences Tab

Site administrators have access to an additional Preferences tab that provides the ability to control the timeslots that are displayed when making bookings and to restrict quantity of cover sizes able to book.

If you change the session setup for a site, all existing timeslots will be deleted to allow you to re-create them in the new configuration. A warning message will be displayed to remind you of this functionality:

This will delete all timeslots and you will need to create new time slots. This is irreversible.

Today tab

The Today tab allows administrators to make modifications to the current day’s time slots.

Adjust the start time for each timeslot if required by selecting a time from the drop-down list.
Adjust the maximum capacity if required.
Enter any cover restrictions by entering an appropriate value for any of the table cover sizes:
- 0 – No table of that cover size available
- 1+ – The number of tables of that cover size available
Select the Available Online check-box to allow slots to be booked online if required or use the ALL or NONE options to make the selection for all timeslots on the special day.
Adjust the minimum and maximum allowed to be booked online as appropriate.
Enter the length of advanced booking required for each timeslot.
Select Save at the bottom of the window when complete.
Select Insert to add a new time slot to start 5 minutes after the session selected.
Select Delete to remove a time slot from the current day

Standard Days tab

The Standard Days tab page allows administrators to manage the time slots that are displayed to customers when they book online. If the display time slots for a given session radio button is selected, users are prompted to select the required session when creating standard time slots.

Additionally, when sessions are set, users can select a different table plan for each session if required.

If you change the session setup for a site, all existing timeslots will be deleted to allow you to re-create them in the new configuration.

To configure what customers see when booking

Select whether customers booking online can see time slots for the full day or per session.
Complete the settings as required to create or overwrite a standard time slot.
Select Submit.
A list of all the time slots created is displayed for you to review and modify as required.

Make any modifications, or select Insert or Delete to update individual time slots if required.
Select Save when complete.

The bottom of the Standard Time Slots Session page displays all the timeslots currently set up for the company. You can edit an existing session or delete a session for a specific day. You can also assign a different table plan for different sessions if required.

Special Days tab

The Special Days tab page allows you to create customised time slots for any specific day, for example for special events or public holidays. Site Administrators can create additional special time slots that are unique for their site. As sites have different capacities, this allows sites to adjust their timeslots as required. Site Administrators can enter a date range, allowing multiple special days to be created quickly and easily.

Tables creates the special days selected using the timeslots from the standard day and you can select Edit alongside the appropriate special day and modify the time slots as required.

To create a new special day at site level:

Select the start date for the new special day.
If you only need to create one special day, select the same date as the End Date. If you need to create new time slots for consecutive days, select a different date for the End Date.
Select the Available Online check-box to determine whether the timeslots on the new special day will overwrite the standard available online settings.
Add an appropriate description for the new special day(s).
Select Submit.
A list of all the time slots created is displayed for you to review and modify as required.

Select Edit to update the time slots if required.
Select Save when complete.

To copy an existing special day

Select Copy alongside the day you want to duplicate.
Enter a new date and/or description for the new special day
Select Submit.
Edit the duplicated timeslots as described below.

To edit the timeslots for a special day:

Select Edit alongside the special day you want to modify.
The Edit Special Day window is displayed:

Complete the settings as required to create or overwrite a standard time slot.
Select the Available Online checkbox if required or use the ALL or NONE options to make the selection for all timeslots on the special day.
Select Insert or Delete to update individual time slots if required.
Select Save when complete.

All reservation times must now fit a time defined as a timeslot, i.e. guests will only be able to reserve a time via the widget or host app if there is a matching timeslot.

Removing a timeslot from the settings will not change any existing reservations on the host app. The option to delete special days is configured at brand level.

If disabled, users are prevented from deleting special days after the day has passed to protect the integrity of liveRES Tables data.