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How to Schedule Appointments in PIPPS

A simple guide for beginners

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What is a Host?

A "host" is a person who provides appointments or services.

Examples of hosts:

In simple terms: A host is the person your client will meet with at the appointment time.

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What This Feature Does:

What You'll Need:

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Understanding the Screen

Left Side (Sidebar):

Right Side (Main Area):

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Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Open Schedule Appointment

  1. Look at the blue menu bar at the top of the screen
  2. Find and click on "Schedule Appointment"
  3. The Schedule Appointment page will open

Step 2: Choose a Schedule

  1. Look at the left side of the screen (the sidebar)
  2. You'll see a list of schedule names
    • Examples: "Morning Shift", "Customer Service", "Full-Time Staff"
  3. Click on the schedule you want to work with
  4. The calendar will appear on the right side
Note: If you don't see any schedules, ask your administrator to create schedules and assign hosts.

Step 3: Understanding the Calendar

The calendar uses colors to show you what's available:

White - No time slots set up for this day
Grey - Days in the past (you can't book these)
🔵
Light Blue - Days WITH available time slots (you can click these!)
🔷
Dark Blue - The day you currently have selected
Light blue days show a number in parentheses:
Example: 15 (5) means the 15th day with 5 total available slots
This number counts ALL available slots across ALL hosts for that day

Moving Between Months:

Step 4: Pick a Day to View

  1. Look for light blue days on the calendar (these have available slots)
  2. Click on any light blue day
  3. The page will reload
  4. You'll see detailed time slots below the calendar
Note: You can only click on light blue days. White and grey days cannot be selected.

Step 5: Understanding Time Slots

Below the calendar, you'll see a table showing:

Time Slot Colors:

🟢
Green Slots = Available
This time is open for booking. Click on the time to book an appointment.
🔴
Red Slots = Booked
Someone already has an appointment at this time. Shows the client's name. You can cancel it if needed.
🟡
Yellow Slots = Exception (Unavailable)
This time is blocked off. Shows the reason (like "Holiday" or "Staff Meeting"). Cannot be booked.
Grey Slots = Past Time
This time already happened. Cannot be booked or changed.

Step 6: Book an Appointment

To book a time slot for a client:

Opening the Booking Window:

  1. Find a green (available) time slot in the table
  2. Click on the green time
  3. A pop-up window will appear with the title "Book Slot"
  4. You'll see:
    • Host: Already filled in (locked)
    • Time: Already filled in (locked)
    • Client information fields ready for you to fill

Option A: Booking an Existing Client

The First Name field works as a search tool!

  1. Click in the First Name (Search) field
  2. Start typing the client's name (first or last name works)
    • Example: Start typing "John" or "Smith"
  3. A dropdown list will appear showing matching clients
  4. Click on the correct client from the dropdown
  5. The system will automatically fill in:
    • Middle Name
    • Last Name
    • Phone Number
    • Email Address
  6. Review the information to make sure it's correct
  7. Click the green "Book Appointment" button

Option B: Booking a New Client

If the client isn't in the system yet:

  1. Start typing in the First Name field
  2. If no matches appear in the dropdown, the client is new
  3. Manually fill in the required fields:
    • First Name (required)
    • Last Name (required)
    • Email (required)
  4. Fill in the optional fields if you have the information:
    • Middle Name
    • Phone Number
    • Notes
  5. Click the green "Book Appointment" button
Note: When you book a new client, the system will automatically create their client record in the database before saving the appointment!

Other Options:

After Booking: The pop-up will close, the page will refresh automatically, and the time slot will now be red (booked) showing the client's name.

Step 7: Cancel an Appointment

To cancel an existing appointment:

  1. Find the red (booked) time slot you want to cancel
  2. Look next to the client's name - you'll see a "Cancel" link
  3. Click the "Cancel" link
  4. A pop-up will appear asking "Cancel Appointment"
  5. The pop-up shows:
    • The host name
    • The time
    • The client name
  6. Click "Confirm Cancellation" to cancel the appointment
  7. The pop-up will close
  8. The page will refresh automatically
  9. The time slot will turn back to green (available)
Note: Canceling removes the appointment completely. The slot becomes available for booking again.

Step 8: Exiting the Program

When you're done scheduling appointments:

  1. Look at the bottom of the main content area
  2. Find the grey "Cancel" button (also called the Exit Button)
  3. Click the "Cancel" button
  4. You will be returned to the main menu
Note: This button doesn't cancel any appointments - it just exits the Schedule Appointment manager and takes you back to the main system menu.
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Quick Reference: Color Guide

Calendar Colors:

Color What It Means Can You Click?
⚪ White Days No slots defined No
⬜ Grey Days Past dates No
🔵 Light Blue Days Have available slots Yes - Click to view
🔷 Dark Blue Day Currently selected Already selected

Time Slot Colors:

Color What It Means What You Can Do
🟢 Green Available Click to book
🔴 Red Booked (shows client name) Click Cancel to free up
🟡 Yellow Unavailable (exception/blocked) Cannot book
⚪ Grey Past time Cannot book
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Reading the Calendar

Example of what you'll see:

Monday, January 15, 2025 (8)

This means:

In the time slot table below, you might see:

Host 9:00 10:00 11:00 1:00 PM
Dr. Smith 🟢 Available 🔴 John Doe 🟢 Available 🟡 Lunch Break
Dr. Jones 🟢 Available 🟢 Available 🔴 Mary Smith 🟢 Available
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Common Questions

Q: How do I know if a client is already in the system?

A: Start typing their name in the First Name field. If they exist, they'll appear in the dropdown list. If no matches appear, they're a new client.

Q: What's the difference between booking an existing client vs a new client?

A: For existing clients, you just search and select - their info auto-fills. For new clients, you must manually enter First Name, Last Name, and Email (and optionally Middle Name, Phone, and Notes).

Q: What if I accidentally select the wrong client from the dropdown?

A: Click the "Clear" button at the bottom of the booking form to reset all fields and start over.

Q: Do I need to create the client in a separate program before booking?

A: No! You can book appointments for new clients directly. The system will automatically create their client record when you complete the booking.

Q: What does the number in parentheses mean on the calendar?

A: It shows the total number of available slots for that day across ALL hosts

Q: Can I book appointments for past dates?

A: No, past dates appear grey and cannot be clicked

Q: What if I don't see any blue dates on the calendar?

A: This means no time slots are set up for this schedule. Ask your administrator to create time slots in the Schedule Manager

Q: Can I book the same client for multiple time slots?

A: Yes! Just book each slot separately and enter the same client name each time

Q: What if all the slots are red (booked)?

A: The day is fully booked. Try a different day or cancel an appointment to free up a slot

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