The Availability is a template that is used to connect appointment booking parameters to an appointment booking session.
When a new appointment booking session is created, the appropriate availability is used, for the activity - and the appointment parameters are copied from the availability into the booking session. The availability is linked to the Activity Type.
The availability has parameters to define the appointment period (request period and period start offset), the appointment mode (appointment to start/appointment to complete), the auto request option and the default slot availability (all slots are initially available, or unavailable). Each availability has one or more Slot ID connected to it and each connected slot has an availability calendar. One slot is always the default. The calendar defines the working hours/working days/exceptions, when appointment slots are generated within a booking session.
The result is that the availability parameters, together with the default
slot parameters, provide all of the data required to create an appointment booking
session. If the default slot is not suitable for the booking then this can be
changed to one of the other slots listed under the availability. For more information
refer to the activity Define Appointment Slot.
To perform this activity, one or more generated calendars must exist.
As a result of this activity, the availabilities are defined for a company.
Note: these availabilities are connected to the activity types that will be used by the Scheduling Engine and Appointment Booking Engine.