Booking Links and Scheduling with External Users

The Bearish OS Calendar Center offers a powerful tool called Booking Links, allowing users to easily schedule meetings with external users by sharing a predefined schedule via a unique link. This feature is especially useful for professionals who frequently need to organize meetings with clients, partners, or other external contacts, providing them with flexibility and control over available meeting times.

What are Booking Links?

A Booking Link is a shareable URL that allows external users to view a user's available times and schedule a meeting based on pre-set availability. This eliminates the back-and-forth communication often required when setting up a meeting, streamlining the process for both parties.

Key Features of Booking Links:

• Predefined Availability: Users can create booking links with specific times they are available for meetings.
• Customizable Meeting Durations: Choose predefined durations for meetings, such as 15 minutes, 30 minutes, 60 minutes, etc.
• Buffer Times: Add buffer times before or after meetings to ensure there’s a gap between scheduled appointments.
• Customizable Details: Users can specify meeting details like event name, icon, calendar, and description.
• Automatic Conflict Detection: The system automatically detects scheduling conflicts and removes unavailable time slots from the link in real-time.
• Location Options: Users can set a virtual meeting link (e.g., Bearish OS Video Call, Zoom, Microsoft Teams) or a physical meeting location using integrated maps (e.g., TomTom Maps).

How to Create and Use a Booking Link:

Step 1: Create a New Booking Link

1. Access the Calendar Center: Open the Calendar Center in Bearish OS and navigate to the Booking Links section.
2. Create New Link: Click on Create New Booking Link to start setting up your schedule.
3. Choose a Name: Give your booking link a meaningful name, such as "Client Consultations" or "Weekly Sync."
4. Set Availability: Choose the days and times you are available for meetings. You can create multiple time slots and specify buffer times between meetings.
5. Set Meeting Duration: Define how long meetings should last, such as 15 minutes, 30 minutes, or custom durations.
6. Select Meeting Type and Calendar: Choose whether the meeting will be virtual or in-person. For virtual meetings, you can select a video platform (Bearish OS Video, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, etc.), and for physical meetings, you can add a location using map integration.
7. Optional Fields: You can request additional details from the person scheduling the meeting, such as name, email address, phone number, or company name.
8. Save and Generate Link: Once you've configured the settings, save the booking link. A unique URL will be generated for you to share with external users.

Example:

• A consultant who offers one-hour strategy sessions creates a booking link called "Strategy Consults," with availability every Tuesday and Thursday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and a 15-minute buffer time between meetings.

Step 2: Share the Booking Link

Once the link is generated, you can share it with external users via email, social media, or embed it in your website. The recipient will click the link and be directed to a booking page showing your available times.

Step 3: External User Schedules the Meeting

External users can choose a time that works for them based on your availability, input their details, and confirm the meeting. If any time slots become unavailable due to new events on your calendar, those slots will be removed in real-time from the booking page.

Example:

• The consultant shares the "Strategy Consults" link with prospective clients. A client clicks the link, selects a free time slot on Thursday at 2:00 PM, enters their details, and confirms the booking.

Managing Booking Link Settings

After creating a booking link, you have full control over how it behaves:

• Expiration Date: Set an expiration date for the link if it should only be active for a certain period.
• Buffer Time Adjustments: Modify the buffer times before and after meetings to ensure you have enough preparation or recovery time between sessions.
• Visibility and Editing: Booking links can be edited or deactivated at any time. You can also track how often the link is used and who has scheduled meetings via the link.
• Analytics and Tracking: View metrics such as how many people visited the booking link, how long they stayed on the page, and their device details (e.g., IP address, browser type).

Example:

• After a few weeks, the consultant updates the "Strategy Consults" link to reduce meeting durations to 45 minutes and adds buffer times of 30 minutes instead of 15.

Automatic Notifications and Calendar Integration

Once an external user schedules a meeting through the booking link, both parties will automatically receive:

• Confirmation Email: An email is sent to both the user and the guest, confirming the scheduled meeting.
• ICS/iCal Integration: The confirmation email includes an ICS/iCal file, allowing the external user to easily add the meeting to their calendar.
• Automatic Calendar Entry: The meeting will automatically appear in the user’s Bearish OS calendar, with all relevant details like time, location, and guest information.

Conflict Detection and Dynamic Updates

One of the powerful features of Booking Links is its conflict detection mechanism:

• If the user’s calendar gets updated (e.g., a new meeting is scheduled), the available time slots on the booking link are automatically adjusted to reflect these changes.
• If a conflict arises between the proposed meeting times and existing calendar events, the system will prevent the external user from selecting overlapping time slots.

Example:

• A client tries to schedule a meeting for 10:00 AM on Thursday, but the consultant’s calendar shows a conflicting event. The system automatically removes that time slot from availability, offering alternative times like 11:00 AM or 2:00 PM.

Feedback and Post-Meeting Actions

After a meeting is scheduled through a booking link, users can set up automated post-meeting actions, such as:

• Follow-up Emails: Automatically send a thank-you or follow-up email to the guest after the meeting.
• Feedback Survey: Include a short feedback form after the meeting for attendees to provide their thoughts on the session.
• Post-Meeting Notes: Optionally send a summary of the meeting with action items or next steps.

Example:

• After each strategy consultation, the consultant’s clients receive an automated follow-up email with a link to a feedback survey. This helps the consultant gather insights and improve future sessions.

With Booking Links in the Bearish OS Calendar Center, users can easily manage and schedule meetings with external users, reducing the time spent on logistics while maintaining flexibility, security, and control over their calendars. This tool is invaluable for anyone who regularly schedules appointments, consultations, or meetings with clients, partners, or other contacts outside their organization.