Bookings
Blocking Out Time
Blocking Out Time
Reserve time on the calendar for breaks, training, meetings, or personal tasks so that customers cannot book those slots.
Overview
Blocking out time lets you:
- Reserve a time slot on a specific staff member's calendar
- Choose a reason (lunch break, training, meeting, and more)
- Set a custom duration from 15 minutes to 8 hours
- Remove blocks when plans change
Blocked time appears on the calendar as a grey block labelled with the reason you selected.
Creating a Time Block
On Web
There are three ways to create a time block:
Click an empty slot — Click any empty time slot on the Day, 3-Day, or Week calendar view. The Block Out Time dialog opens with that staff member and time pre-filled.
Toolbar button — Click "Block out time" (with the ban icon) in the calendar toolbar. This button is visible on desktop-sized screens. The dialog opens with the first staff member and the next available 15-minute slot as defaults.
Right-click — Right-click an empty time slot and select "Block out time" from the context menu.
In the Block Out Time dialog:
- The selected staff member and start time appear at the top
- Select a Reason from the dropdown:
| Reason | Stored Value |
|---|---|
| Lunch Break | Lunch |
| Personal Time | Personal |
| Training | Training |
| Meeting | Meeting |
| Processing Time | Processing |
| Other | Other |
- Select a Duration using the quick buttons or enter a custom value:
| Quick Button | Duration |
|---|---|
| 30 | 30 minutes |
| 60 (default) | 60 minutes |
| 90 | 90 minutes |
| 120 | 120 minutes |
To enter a custom duration, type a value in the text field below the buttons. The minimum is 15 minutes and the maximum is 480 minutes (8 hours), in 15-minute increments.
- Click Block Out Time to create the block
A toast confirms: "Time blocked out".
On Mobile
Long-press an empty time slot on the calendar, then select "Block out time" from the action sheet.
The Block Out Time sheet opens:
- The selected staff member and start time appear at the top (e.g., "Starting at 9:30 AM")
- Select a Reason from the radio buttons (same 6 options as web)
- Select a Duration using the preset buttons or tap Custom to enter a value:
| Quick Button | Duration |
|---|---|
| 30m | 30 minutes |
| 45m | 45 minutes |
| 1h (default) | 60 minutes |
| 1.5h | 90 minutes |
| 2h | 120 minutes |
| Custom | Opens a text input (15–480 minutes) |
- Tap Block Out Time to create the block
Tip
On mobile, you can also go to the full block time page via the calendar menu, where you can pick a specific staff member, date, and time range with separate start and end time pickers.
Viewing a Blocked Time Slot
Blocked time appears on the calendar as a grey block showing the reason (e.g., "Lunch Break") or "Blocked" if no reason was specified.
To view the details of an existing block:
On web: Click the blocked time block on the calendar. A "Blocked Time" dialog shows:
- Staff name
- Time range (e.g., "2:30 PM – 3:30 PM")
- Duration in minutes
- Reason (or "No reason specified")
On mobile: Tap the blocked time indicator on the calendar. The "Blocked Time" sheet shows the same details.
Removing a Time Block
- Click or tap the blocked time block on the calendar
- In the details dialog/sheet, click Remove Block
- The block is deleted and the time slot becomes available for bookings
A toast confirms: "Time block removed".
Note
Only Owners and Managers can remove time blocks. Stylists can create blocks but cannot delete them.
Validation Rules
When creating a time block, OpenChair checks for conflicts:
| Check | Error Message |
|---|---|
| Block overlaps an existing booking | "This time overlaps with an existing booking" |
| Block overlaps another time block | "This time overlaps with an existing block" |
| Staff member not in venue | "Staff not found in this venue" |
| End time not after start time | "End time must be after start time" |
| Duration outside 15–480 minute range | "Duration must be between 15 minutes and 8 hours" |
If any check fails, the block is not created and the error message appears as a toast.
Platform Differences
| Feature | Web (Desktop) | iPad | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Create from empty slot click | Yes | Yes (long-press) | Yes (long-press) |
| Toolbar "Block out time" button | Yes | No | No |
| Right-click context menu | Yes | No | No |
| Duration presets | 30, 60, 90, 120 min | 30, 45, 60, 90, 120 min + Custom | 30, 45, 60, 90, 120 min + Custom |
| View block details | Click block | Tap block | Tap block |
| Remove block | Yes (Owner/Manager) | Yes (Owner/Manager) | Yes (Owner/Manager) |
Troubleshooting
| Issue | Solution |
|---|---|
| Cannot find the "Block out time" button | On web, the toolbar button is only visible on desktop-width screens. On mobile, long-press an empty time slot instead. |
| "This time overlaps with an existing booking" error | A booking already occupies that slot. Cancel or reschedule the booking first, then create the block. |
| Cannot remove a time block | Only Owners and Managers can remove blocks. If you are a Stylist, ask your manager to remove it. |
| Blocked time not showing on the calendar | Ensure you are viewing the correct date and staff member. Blocked time only appears in Day, 3-Day, and Week views — not in Agenda view. |
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Last updated: March 2026