How to use categories

Group similar appointment types or packages together. 

Categories are groupings you can use to organize your appointment types or packages. You can link directly to specific categories, use them to collapse appointment options in the scheduler, and more.

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Before you begin

You can use categories to organize both appointment types and packages. While categories function almost identically for both, you can't mix packages and appointment types in one category. If you create an appointment type category and a package category with the same name, the two categories remain separate.

The sections of this guide include separate instructions for managing appointment type categories and package categories.

Tip: You must have at least two appointment types or packages to put them in categories.

Create a category

Appointment types

To create an appointment type category:

1. In Acuity, click Appointment types.
2. Scroll down to an appointment type, then click Edit.
3. In the Details section under the category dropdown menu, click Create New Category.
   
4. Name your new category, then click Save.
5. Click Save.

Packages

To create a package category:

1. In Acuity, click Packages, gifts, & subscriptions.
2. Scroll down to a package, then click Edit.
3. Under Category, click Create a new category…
4. Name your new category, then click Save.
5. Click Update package or Update subscription.

Add to an existing category

Appointment Types

To add an existing category to an appointment type:

1. In Acuity, click Appointment types.
2. Scroll down to an appointment type, then click Edit.
3. In the Details section, click the Category dropdown menu and select the category.
4. Click Save.

You can also drag and drop an appointment type into a different category. 

Packages

To add an existing category to a package:

1. In Acuity, click Packages, gifts, & subscriptions.
2. Scroll down to a package, then click Edit.
3. Under Category, select your category from the drop-down menu.
4. Click Update package.

Edit a category's name

Appointment Types

To edit an appointment type category:

1. In Acuity, click Appointment types.
2. Click the name of the category you want to rename.
3. Enter the new name.
4. Click Save.

Packages

To edit a package's category:

1. In Acuity, click Packages, gifts, & subscriptions.
2. Click the name of the category you want to rename.
3. Enter the new name.
4. Click Save.

Delete a category

Appointment Types

Tip: If you've enabled the Collapse categories option in the Scheduling Page Options panel, disable it before trying to delete an appointment type category.

To delete an appointment type category:

1. In Acuity, click Appointment types.
2. Click the name of the category you want to delete.
3. Delete the category name, then enter the name of another category you want to transfer the appointment types to. If you don't want them to be in any category, leave the field blank.
4. Click Save.

Packages

To delete a package category:

1. In Acuity, click Packages, gifts, & subscriptions.
2. Click the name of the category you want to delete.
3. Delete the category name, then enter the name of another category you want to transfer the packages to. If you don't want them to be in any category, leave the field blank.
4. Click Save.

Link directly to a category

Appointment Types

To link directly to an appointment type category:

1. In Acuity, click Appointment types.
2. Scroll down to an appointment type, then click Direct scheduling link.
3. Copy the link that appears and share it with your customers.

To embed the scheduler for that specific category, click the Embed scheduler tab and use the code that appears.

Packages

To link directly to a package category:

1. In Acuity, click Packages, gifts, & subscriptions.
2. Scroll down to a package, then click Direct scheduling link.
3. Copy the link and share it with your customers.

To embed the scheduler for that specific category, click the Embed tab and use the code that appears.

Collapse categories

When you use categories, your items are still all listed on your scheduler, but they're grouped by category, with the category names as headings.

You can also collapse categories. When you enable this option, only your category names will appear on your scheduler. Clients can then select a category to view the appointment types or packages within. Clients can also click Show all appointments beneath the category list to view all public appointment types instead.

To enable collapsed categories, you must have all of your appointment types or packages in categories.

To enable this feature:

1. In Acuity, click Scheduling Page, then click Settings.
2. Click the checkbox for Collapse Categories.
3. Click Save Changes.
4. Use categories on your scheduler

Use collapsed categories to change the booking flow

By default, clients start the booking process by choosing an appointment type. If you want them to choose something else first, you can make those choices categories, then enable the collapse categories feature. 

Change the order of packages or appointment types in a category

To change the order of appointment types or packages in a category, you can drag-and-drop them in the order you want. Do this using a computer, not a mobile device.