The Waitlist lets a Customer request a Service for one preferred date and time. Customers join from the Booking Page when their preferred time is unavailable. A Waitlist request does not reserve a time or take payment.
When a matching cancellation opens, Setora can notify a waiting Customer. The Customer can then confirm the offered time, or Staff can handle the entry from Hub.
How Customers join
Customers join the Waitlist from the Booking Page when a suitable time is unavailable. They choose their Service, preferred Staff member if needed, one preferred date and a preferred time. They provide their contact details and receive confirmation that their request was added.
The Waitlist does not collect a Deposit or save a card. A public Waitlist confirmation creates the Booking without a Deposit, so explain any payment arrangements separately if the Customer asks.
Review entries in Hub
Open Waitlist in Hub to list entries for the current Location. Use the search and filters to narrow the list by Customer, Staff member, status or date. Each entry shows one preferred date and one preferred time. There are no date ranges or time windows to edit.
The dashboard is for reviewing and acting on entries. It does not have an Add entry action or an entry editor. If a Customer needs different preferences, ask them to join again from the Booking Page and remove the old entry if it is no longer wanted.
Notify, convert or remove an entry
For an active entry, Staff can use the actions their role allows. Converting an entry requires access to view and create Bookings as well as view the Waitlist:
- choose Notify to send the Customer a message about the available time;
- choose Convert to booking when the Customer has agreed to the time; or
- choose Remove when the request is no longer needed.
When a cancellation matches an entry, Setora can notify the first suitable waiting Customer automatically. A notification is an offer, not a confirmed Booking. The Booking is confirmed only after the Customer accepts or Staff successfully converts the entry. Check the Booking in Hub before promising the time.
A converted Waitlist Booking skips the normal Deposit step. Follow Create and manage a Booking for later changes, cancellations and checkout.
If a Waitlist request needs attention
- No suitable entry appears: Check the Location, Service, Staff preference, date and time filters.
- A Customer changed their plans: Remove the old entry and ask them to join again from the Booking Page with the new date and time.
- A Customer did not receive a notification: Check the contact details, entry status and enabled notification channel. SMS notifications use SMS credits.
- The Customer accepted but there is no Booking: Check whether the offer expired or someone else took the time. Do not create a duplicate Booking.
- The time was filled: The entry may expire or remain waiting for another matching cancellation, depending on its status.
For payment and Deposit rules, see Set up Deposits for online Bookings. If the entry or conversion still behaves unexpectedly, contact support with the Location, entry status and Booking reference, without sending card or Customer payment details.