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# Creating Event Types

# Creating Event Types

Event types define what clients can book with you. Learn how to create and configure different appointment types.

## What are Event Types?

Event types are the different kinds of appointments or meetings clients can book:
- **Consultation Call**: 30-minute discovery call
- **Strategy Session**: 1-hour planning session
- **Quick Check-in**: 15-minute update call
- **Workshop**: 2-hour training session

Each event type has its own:
- Duration
- Price (optional)
- Availability rules
- Booking form questions
- Location settings

## Creating an Event Type

### Basic Information

1. Go to **Scheduling** → **Settings** → **Event Types** (or create from dashboard)
2. Click **"New Event Type"** or **"Create Event Type"**
3. Fill in required fields:
   - **Name**: "30-Minute Consultation", "Discovery Call", etc.
   - **Duration**: How long the appointment lasts (15, 30, 60 minutes, etc.)
   - **Description**: What the appointment includes

### Optional Settings

**Location:**
- **In-Person**: Physical location address
- **Phone Call**: Phone number
- **Video Call**: Automatic meeting link (Zoom, Google Meet, etc.)
- **Custom**: Your own meeting link

**Pricing:**
- **Free**: No payment required
- **Require Payment**: Set price (uses Stripe)
- **Price Override**: Custom price for this event type

**Advanced Options:**
- **Buffer Time**: Time before/after appointment
- **Minimum Notice**: Hours before booking allowed
- **Maximum Advance**: Days in advance clients can book
- **Require Confirmation**: Manual approval needed
- **Allow Rescheduling**: Clients can change time
- **Allow Cancellation**: Clients can cancel

## Event Type Settings Explained

### Duration

How long the appointment lasts:
- **15 minutes**: Quick calls
- **30 minutes**: Standard consultations
- **60 minutes**: Longer sessions
- **Custom**: Any duration

### Buffer Time

Time added before/after appointments:
- **Before**: Preparation time (e.g., 15 minutes)
- **After**: Wrap-up time (e.g., 15 minutes)

**Example**: 30-minute appointment with 15-minute buffers = 1 hour blocked in calendar

### Minimum Notice

How far in advance clients must book:
- **2 hours**: Book at least 2 hours ahead
- **24 hours**: Book at least 1 day ahead
- **48 hours**: Book at least 2 days ahead

Prevents last-minute bookings.

### Maximum Advance Booking

How far in advance clients can book:
- **30 days**: Book up to 30 days ahead
- **90 days**: Book up to 3 months ahead
- **Unlimited**: No limit

### Booking Limits

Control how many bookings per period:
- **Per Day**: Max bookings per day (e.g., 5)
- **Per Week**: Max bookings per week (e.g., 20)
- **Per Month**: Max bookings per month (e.g., 80)

### Payment Settings

**Require Payment:**
- Enable to require payment before booking
- Set price (from product catalog or custom)
- Uses Stripe for processing
- Client pays when booking

**Payment Options:**
- Link to product from catalog
- Set custom price override
- Choose currency

## Booking Form Questions

Add questions clients answer before booking:

1. In event type settings, find **"Booking Form"** section
2. Click **"Add Question"**
3. Configure question:
   - **Type**: Text, textarea, dropdown, checkbox
   - **Label**: Question text
   - **Required**: Make mandatory
   - **Options**: For dropdown/checkbox

**Common Questions:**
- "What's the purpose of this meeting?"
- "Any specific topics to discuss?"
- "Preferred communication method?"
- "Company name" (if not already collected)

## Location Settings

### In-Person

1. Select **"In-Person"**
2. Enter **Address**: Full address where meeting happens
3. Address shown to clients on booking page

### Phone Call

1. Select **"Phone Call"**
2. Enter **Phone Number**: Number to call
3. Number shown to clients

### Video Call

1. Select **"Video Call"**
2. Choose **Provider**:
   - **Zoom**: Automatic Zoom link (requires OAuth)
   - **Google Meet**: Automatic Google Meet link
   - **Microsoft Teams**: Automatic Teams link
   - **Daily.co**: Automatic Daily.co link
   - **Custom**: Your own meeting link

3. Meeting link automatically generated and sent

### Custom Location

1. Select **"Custom"**
2. Enter **Location Details**: Any text (e.g., "We'll send address after booking")
3. Shown to clients on booking page

## Event Type Availability

Set different availability for each event type:

1. Go to **Scheduling** → **Settings** → **Availability**
2. Use **"Event Type"** dropdown
3. Select event type
4. Set availability for that type only

**Use Cases:**
- Quick calls: Only morning hours
- Strategy sessions: Only afternoon hours
- Workshops: Only weekends

## Activating/Deactivating

**To Hide Event Type:**
1. Open event type
2. Toggle **"Active"** to OFF
3. Event type hidden from booking page
4. Existing bookings remain

**To Show Event Type:**
1. Toggle **"Active"** to ON
2. Event type appears on booking page

## Editing Event Types

1. Go to **Scheduling** → **Settings** → **Event Types**
2. Click event type name
3. Click **"Edit"**
4. Make changes
5. Save

**Note**: Changes apply to future bookings only. Existing bookings keep original settings.

## Duplicating Event Types

Create similar event types quickly:

1. Open event type
2. Click **"Duplicate"**
3. New event type created with same settings
4. Edit as needed
5. Save

**Use Cases:**
- Different durations of same service
- Different prices for same service
- Similar event types with slight variations

## Best Practices

1. **Clear Names**: Use descriptive names ("30-Min Consultation" not "Meeting")
2. **Set Duration**: Match duration to actual meeting length
3. **Add Descriptions**: Explain what appointment includes
4. **Use Buffer Time**: Add time between appointments
5. **Set Limits**: Prevent overbooking
6. **Require Payment**: For paid services, enable payment
7. **Add Questions**: Collect necessary information upfront
8. **Test Booking**: Book yourself to test experience

## Common Event Types

### Consultation Call
- **Duration**: 30 minutes
- **Location**: Video call
- **Price**: Free or paid
- **Buffer**: 15 minutes before/after

### Strategy Session
- **Duration**: 60 minutes
- **Location**: Video call or in-person
- **Price**: Paid
- **Buffer**: 30 minutes before/after

### Quick Check-in
- **Duration**: 15 minutes
- **Location**: Phone or video
- **Price**: Free
- **Buffer**: 5 minutes

### Workshop/Training
- **Duration**: 2-4 hours
- **Location**: In-person or video
- **Price**: Paid
- **Buffer**: 30 minutes before/after

## Troubleshooting

**Event type not showing on booking page?**
- Check event type is active
- Verify availability is set
- Check user has access
- Clear browser cache

**Can't set duration?**
- Verify duration is valid number
- Check minimum/maximum limits
- Try refreshing page

**Payment not working?**
- Verify Stripe is configured
- Check payment is enabled for event type
- Test payment link
- Check Stripe API keys

**Meeting link not generating?**
- Verify calendar/video provider connected
- Check OAuth connection status
- Test connection
- Reconnect if needed

For more help, see [Common Issues](../troubleshooting/common-issues.md).

## Next Steps

- [Managing Bookings](https://help.swellsystem.com/en/article/managing-bookings-1wa9wdr/) - Handle appointments
- [Calendar Connections](https://help.swellsystem.com/en/article/calendar-connections-y8b2aq/) - Sync calendars
- [Booking Links](https://help.swellsystem.com/en/article/booking-links-1awuscu/) - Share your booking page