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How to Create and Manage Schedules in PIPPS

A simple guide for beginners

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Back to Help Topics

What is a Schedule?

A "schedule" is a set of working hours and time slots for appointments.

Think of it as a template that defines:

Example: A "Full-Time Schedule" might be Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, with 30-minute appointment slots.

Why you need schedules:

What You'll Need:

Understanding the Screen

Left Side (Sidebar):

Right Side (Main Area):

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Open the Schedule Manager

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

Step 2: Start Creating a New Schedule

  1. On the left sidebar, click the green "+ Add New Schedule" button
  2. A form called "Create Schedule" will appear on the right side

Step 3: Name Your Schedule

  1. Find the box labeled "Description"
  2. Type a name for your schedule
Examples:
  • "Full-Time Staff"
  • "Morning Shift"
  • "Part-Time Hours"
  • "Weekend Schedule"
  • "Customer Service Team"
Tip: Use a name that clearly describes when or who this schedule is for!

Step 4: Set Up Time Slots

Now you'll tell the system:

Here's how:

1. Select Days of the Week:

2. Enter Start Time:

3. Enter End Time:

4. Enter Interval (Minutes):

Common examples:
  • 15 = 15-minute appointments
  • 30 = 30-minute appointments
  • 60 = 1-hour appointments
Example Setup:
  • Days: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday (checked)
  • Start Time: 09:00
  • End Time: 17:00
  • Interval: 30

This creates 30-minute appointment slots from 9 AM to 5 PM on weekdays.

Step 5: Save the Schedule

  1. Click the "Create Schedule" button at the bottom
  2. Your new schedule will be saved
  3. You'll see it appear in the sidebar list
  4. The schedule is now ready to assign to hosts!

How to Edit an Existing Schedule

Option 1: Change the Schedule Name

  1. Click the schedule name in the sidebar
  2. The schedule details will appear on the right
  3. Find the "Description" box at the top
  4. Change the name
  5. Click the "Update" button

Option 2: Add or Change Time Slots for Specific Days

Important: When you update time slots for specific days, the OLD slots for those days will be REPLACED with the new ones.
  1. Click the schedule name in the sidebar
  2. Scroll down to see the time slot form
  3. Check the days you want to update
  4. Enter new Start Time, End Time, and Interval
  5. Click "Update"
  6. The system will replace the old time slots for those days with your new ones
Example:
  • You want to change Friday hours from 9-5 to 9-3
  • Check only Friday
  • Enter: Start Time: 09:00, End Time: 15:00, Interval: 30
  • Click Update
  • Friday's time slots are now updated (9 AM to 3 PM)

Managing Individual Time Slots

When you click on a schedule in the sidebar, you'll see a table showing all its time slots.

Viewing Time Slots

The table shows:

Editing a Single Time Slot

To change just one specific time slot:

  1. Find the time slot in the table
  2. Click the "Edit" button next to it
  3. A form will appear
  4. Change any of these:
    • Start Time
    • End Time
    • Interval (minutes)
  5. Click "Update Slot"
  6. That one slot is now updated

Deleting a Single Time Slot

To remove just one time slot:

  1. Find the time slot in the table
  2. Click the "Delete" button next to it
  3. A pop-up will ask "Are you sure?"
  4. Click "OK"
  5. That time slot is removed

How to Delete an Entire Schedule

⚠️ Warning: This will delete the schedule AND all of its time slots permanently!

Steps to Delete:

  1. Click on the schedule name in the sidebar
  2. Scroll down in the main area
  3. Click the "Delete Schedule" button
  4. A pop-up will warn you that this deletes everything
  5. Click "OK" to permanently delete
  6. The schedule and all its time slots are gone

Understanding Time Formats

PIPPS uses 24-hour time format (military time):

12-Hour Format 24-Hour Format What to Enter
8:00 AM 08:00 08:00
9:00 AM 09:00 09:00
12:00 PM (noon) 12:00 12:00
1:00 PM 13:00 13:00
2:00 PM 14:00 14:00
3:00 PM 15:00 15:00
4:00 PM 16:00 16:00
5:00 PM 17:00 17:00
6:00 PM 18:00 18:00
Quick conversion: For afternoon times, add 12 to the hour
• 1 PM = 13:00 (1 + 12)
• 2 PM = 14:00 (2 + 12)
• 5 PM = 17:00 (5 + 12)

Common Schedule Examples

Example 1: Full-Time Weekday Schedule

Example 2: Part-Time Morning Schedule

Example 3: Weekend Schedule

Quick Tips

Common Questions

Q: Can I create different hours for different days?

A: Yes! When creating time slots, check only the specific days and enter their hours. Repeat for other days with different hours.

Q: What's a good interval to use?

A: It depends on your business:

Q: Can I have different intervals on different days?

A: Yes! Create separate time slots for each day with different intervals.

Q: How do I make a schedule with a lunch break?

A: Create two time slots for the same days:

Q: Can hosts have different schedules?

A: Yes! Each host can be assigned to a different schedule, or multiple hosts can share one schedule.

Q: What happens if I delete a schedule that's assigned to hosts?

A: The hosts will no longer have time slots until you assign them a new schedule.

Q: Can I copy a schedule?

A: No, but you can create a new one with similar settings. Just use a different name.

Troubleshooting

Problem: I can't see the "+ Add New Schedule" button

What to do: Make sure you're on the Schedule Manager page (click "Schedule Manager" in the top menu)

Problem: I entered the wrong time format

What to do: Use 24-hour format. If you entered 5:00 for 5 PM, change it to 17:00

Problem: My time slots aren't showing up

What to do: Make sure you clicked "Create Schedule" to save. Also check that you selected at least one day of the week

Problem: I want different hours for each day

What to do: Don't check all days at once. Instead, create separate time slot entries for each day with different hours

Problem: The intervals don't divide evenly into my hours

What to do: Example: 9:00 to 17:00 is 8 hours (480 minutes). Use intervals that divide evenly: 15, 30, 60, 120, etc.

Problem: I deleted a schedule by accident

What to do: Unfortunately, you'll need to recreate it. There's no undo for deletions

Problem: I can't edit a time slot

What to do: Make sure you clicked the "Edit" button next to the specific slot, not the "Update" button at the top

Problem: When I update, all my time slots changed

What to do: When you use the "Update" button with days checked, it REPLACES all slots for those days. To change just one slot, use the "Edit" button in the time slot table instead

Important Reminders