Scheduling & Appointments
Your AI agents can book appointments automatically. This guide shows you how to set up your availability, manage bookings, and configure scheduling settings.
Accessing Scheduling
- Click Scheduling in the left menu
- You'll see two tabs:
- Appointments — View and manage booked appointments
- Settings — Configure availability plans, resources, and holidays
Setting Up Scheduling
Before your AI agent can book appointments, you need to configure:
- Resources (optional) — Team members or equipment
- Availability Plans — When you're available for bookings
- Calendar Integration — Sync with Google Calendar
If you're a solo business, you can skip Resources and just create an Availability Plan. The agent will book appointments directly to your calendar.
Availability Plans
Availability plans define when customers can book appointments.
Creating an Availability Plan
- Go to Scheduling → Settings
- Find the Availability Plans section
- Click New Plan
Plan Configuration
Basic Information
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Name | Clear name like "Sales Demo" or "Consultation" |
| Description | Optional notes about this plan |
| Type | Service (general) or Individual (specific person) |
Time Settings
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Timezone | Timezone for this plan (defaults to browser timezone) |
| Slot Duration | How long each appointment lasts (15, 30, 45, 60, 90, or 120 minutes) |
| Buffer Time | Break between appointments (0, 5, 10, 15, or 30 minutes) |
| Max Concurrent Bookings | How many can be booked at the same time (for group sessions or multiple staff) |
Meeting Type
Choose how appointments are conducted:
Virtual
- Video call appointments
- Auto-create Google Meet links (requires Google Calendar integration)
In-Person
- Physical location appointments
- Set a default location (e.g., "123 Main St, Anytown, USA")
- Option to ask customer for their address (for mobile services)
- Add location instructions for your AI agent
Flexible
- Let customers choose virtual or in-person
Invitees
Add team members or external emails that should be invited to all appointments created under this plan.
Setting Available Times
For each day of the week:
- Toggle the day ON if you're available
- Set your start time and end time
Example Schedule:
| Day | Available | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Yes | 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM |
| Tuesday | Yes | 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM |
| Wednesday | Yes | 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM |
| Thursday | Yes | 9:00 AM - 7:00 PM |
| Friday | Yes | 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM |
| Saturday | Yes | 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM |
| Sunday | No | — |
Set a plan to Inactive to temporarily stop accepting new bookings without deleting the plan.
Resources
Resources represent the people or assets that can be booked.
When to Use Resources
Use resources when you have:
- Multiple team members who take appointments
- Equipment that needs to be scheduled
- Different service providers with different availability
Creating a Resource
- Go to Scheduling → Settings
- Find the Resources section
- Click Add Resource
- Enter the resource name and details
Holiday Settings
Block off dates when you're closed or unavailable.
Adding Holidays
- Go to Scheduling → Settings
- Find the Holiday Settings section
- Add dates when no appointments should be booked
You can set holidays to repeat annually for dates like Christmas, New Year's, etc.
Connecting Your Calendar
Sync with Google Calendar so your AI agent can see your real-time availability.
Setting Up Google Calendar
- Go to Settings → Integrations
- Find Google Calendar
- Click Connect
- Sign in to your Google account
- Allow Need Theo to access your calendar
What Calendar Integration Does
Once connected:
| Feature | Benefit |
|---|---|
| Two-way sync | Appointments show on your Google Calendar |
| Busy time blocking | Existing events block those times from booking |
| Calendar invites | Customers receive invites with meeting details |
| Meet links | Video call links are added automatically |
If you manually add events to your calendar, your AI agent will see those times as unavailable. Keep your calendar up to date!
Viewing Appointments
Go to Scheduling → Appointments to see all bookings.
The Appointment List
Each appointment shows:
- Date and time
- Customer name
- Service or reason
- Status (pending, confirmed, completed, etc.)
Filtering Appointments
By Date
- Today
- This week
- This month
- Custom date range
By Status
- Pending
- Confirmed
- Completed
- Cancelled
- No-show
Appointment Statuses
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Pending | Booked, waiting for confirmation |
| Confirmed | You've confirmed the appointment |
| Completed | The appointment happened |
| No-show | Customer didn't show up |
| Cancelled | Appointment was cancelled |
Changing Status
- Click on an appointment
- Use the status dropdown
- Select the new status
- Changes save automatically
Managing Appointments
Viewing Details
Click any appointment to see:
- Customer contact information
- Booking time and duration
- Notes from the booking
- Link to the conversation where it was booked
Editing an Appointment
- Open the appointment
- Click Edit
- Change date, time, or details
- Save
Customers aren't automatically notified of changes. Contact them directly if you reschedule.
Cancelling an Appointment
- Open the appointment
- Click Cancel or change status to "Cancelled"
- Confirm
Consider reaching out to the customer to let them know.
How Your AI Agent Books Appointments
When a customer wants to book:
1. Customer: "I'd like to book an appointment"
2. Agent asks what service they need
3. Agent checks your availability (and calendar if connected)
4. Agent offers available times
5. Customer chooses a time
6. Agent confirms and captures contact info
7. Appointment appears in your dashboard and calendar
Example Conversation
Customer: "I'd like to book an appointment"
Theo: "I'd be happy to help you book an appointment! What service are you looking for?"
Customer: "A haircut"
Theo: "Great! I have availability this week on Tuesday at 2 PM, Wednesday at 10 AM, or Thursday at 4 PM. Which works best for you?"
Customer: "Wednesday at 10"
Theo: "Perfect! I'll book you for Wednesday at 10 AM. Can I get your name and phone number?"
Best Practices
Keep Your Calendar Updated
If you schedule something outside of Need Theo, add it to your calendar so your agent knows you're busy.
Set Realistic Buffer Times
Give yourself time between appointments for:
- Cleanup or preparation
- Travel (for mobile services)
- Running late
Check Appointments Daily
Make it a habit to review upcoming appointments each morning. This helps you:
- Prepare for the day
- Catch any issues early
- Follow up on no-shows
Handle No-Shows
When someone doesn't show up:
- Mark them as "No-show"
- Consider a follow-up call
- Review your cancellation policy
- Track patterns (repeated no-shows from same customer)
Multiple Availability Plans
Create different plans for different services:
| Plan Name | Duration | Hours | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quick Consultation | 30 min | 9am-5pm | Initial phone consultations |
| Full Service | 60 min | 10am-4pm | Standard appointments |
| Premium Package | 120 min | By request | Extended services |
Assign different plans to your agent's behaviors based on what service the customer needs.
Common Questions
Why isn't my agent offering appointments?
Check that:
- You have an availability plan set up
- The plan has available hours configured
- The plan is set to Active
- Appointment scheduling skill is enabled for your agent's behavior
- Your calendar integration is connected (if used)
Can customers cancel through my agent?
Currently, customers need to contact you directly to cancel. You can then update the status in your dashboard.
What timezone are appointments in?
Each availability plan has its own timezone setting. Make sure this matches your business timezone!
Can my agent send appointment reminders?
Calendar invites include event reminders through Google Calendar. For additional SMS or email reminders, contact support about available options.
What if two appointments overlap?
Your agent won't double-book if your calendar is connected and working properly. If you manually book conflicting appointments, you'll need to resolve the conflict yourself.
Can I have different team members with different availability?
Yes! Create a Resource for each team member, then create availability plans that are assigned to specific resources. The agent can then book appointments with the appropriate person.
Need Help?
- Check our Troubleshooting Guide
- Email support@needtheo.com