You can offer multi-day workshops and similar events with Acuity. This guide explains two potential solutions for multi-day appointments, and how to handle appointments that go past midnight.
Note: Because Acuity is designed to support businesses that offer multiple appointments per day, it isn’t a good option for businesses that primarily focus on overnight or multi-day rentals.
Option 1 - Set up multi-day events with a group class series
Use this approach if you’re offering a retreat weekend or similar event. When you turn a group of classes into a series, clients must book all of the classes as a group to sign up. Create a class series for each date range you want clients to book.
To use this approach:
- Create a group class, and set it up as a series. Use the class details, such as the name and description, to make it clear that this is for a multi-day event.
- Offer the class for each date range you want clients to attend.
Tip: After the multi-day class series has begun, clients won’t be able to book this event online. To schedule a client into an in-progress multi-day event, book the appointment for them.
Option 2 - Create shorter appointments with hidden durations
If it isn't practical to offer a class series for each potential range of days that a client might book, you can use appointments with hidden durations. These appointments won’t engage with many of Acuity's features, including overbooking protection and the ability to accurately sync with third-party calendars. And hiding durations will hide the duration of all appointment types, not just your multi-day appointments.
To use appointments with hidden durations:
- Create an appointment type with a duration of an hour. Edit the appointment type name, description, or both to include the actual duration of the appointment.
- In the Scheduling page options panel, check Hide duration to hide appointment durations.
- (Optional) Edit your email notification templates to list the actual duration of the appointment.
Option 3 - Book appointments that go past midnight
To offer appointments that continue past midnight, like all-night jam sessions, book the appointments on a client’s behalf.
Keep in mind:
- The appointment details and notifications will include the correct appointment end times.
- On your Acuity calendar, the appointment will be cut off at midnight. It won’t appear on the next day’s Acuity calendar. It also won’t block off time to prevent double-booking after midnight.