Recurring Bookings

Recurring Bookings

Recurring bookings in EquiBillBook allow you to create repeat reservations for customers who book tables regularly. This guide explains how to set up and manage recurring table bookings.

What are Recurring Bookings?

Recurring bookings are reservations that repeat automatically on a regular schedule. They are ideal for customers who have standing reservations, regular dining patterns, or recurring events like weekly business meetings or monthly celebrations.

Creating a Recurring Booking

To create a recurring booking:

1. Navigate to Restaurant → Table Booking
2. Click "Create New Booking"
3. Fill in the booking details (customer, tables, time, etc.)
4. Look for "Make Recurring" or "Recurring Booking" option
5. Select the recurrence pattern (daily, weekly, monthly, etc.)
6. Set the start date and end date (or number of occurrences)
7. Configure recurrence settings
8. Save the recurring booking

Recurrence Patterns

Common recurrence patterns:

• Daily: Bookings repeat every day
• Weekly: Bookings repeat on the same day each week
• Monthly: Bookings repeat on the same date each month
• Custom: Define custom recurrence patterns (e.g., every 2 weeks)
• Weekday Only: Repeat only on weekdays (Monday-Friday)
• Weekend Only: Repeat only on weekends (Saturday-Sunday)

Recurrence Settings

Configure recurrence details:

• Pattern: Select how often the booking repeats
• Start Date: First occurrence date
• End Date: Last occurrence date (or leave open-ended)
• Number of Occurrences: Total number of bookings to create
• Days of Week: For weekly patterns, select specific days
• Day of Month: For monthly patterns, select day of month

Managing Recurring Bookings

After creating a recurring booking:

• Individual Bookings: Each occurrence appears as a separate booking
• Linked Bookings: All occurrences are linked to the recurring booking template
• Edit Individual: You can edit individual occurrences without affecting others
• Edit All: Update the recurring template to change all future occurrences
• Cancel Series: Cancel all future occurrences at once

Editing Recurring Bookings

To modify recurring bookings:

• Edit Single Occurrence: Modify one booking without affecting others
• Edit Future Occurrences: Update all future bookings from a specific date
• Edit All Occurrences: Change all bookings in the series
• Cancel Single: Cancel one occurrence while keeping the series
• Cancel Future: Cancel all future occurrences

Viewing Recurring Bookings

Recurring bookings can be viewed in:

• Calendar View: All occurrences appear in the calendar
• Recurring Booking List: View all active recurring booking templates
• Individual Bookings: Each occurrence appears as a separate booking
• Series View: View all bookings in a recurring series together

Stopping Recurring Bookings

To stop a recurring booking:

1. Open the recurring booking template or any occurrence
2. Click "Stop Recurrence" or "Cancel Series"
3. Choose to cancel all future occurrences or from a specific date
4. Confirm the cancellation
5. Past bookings remain, but no new ones will be created

Best Practices

• Use recurring bookings for customers with regular dining patterns
• Set clear end dates or review recurring bookings regularly
• Verify table availability for all occurrences when creating
• Review recurring bookings periodically to ensure they're still needed
• Communicate with customers about recurring bookings
• Be flexible to modify or cancel recurring bookings when needed
• Use recurring bookings to build customer loyalty
• Track recurring booking patterns for business insights

Use Cases

Common scenarios for recurring bookings:

• Regular Customers: Weekly or monthly reservations for loyal customers
• Business Meetings: Recurring business lunch or dinner reservations
• Family Events: Monthly family dinners or celebrations
• Special Occasions: Recurring anniversary or birthday celebrations
• Corporate Accounts: Regular bookings for corporate clients

Recurring Booking Reports

Generate reports for recurring bookings:

• Active Recurring Bookings: List of all active recurring booking templates
• Recurring Booking History: Historical data on recurring bookings
• Customer Recurring Patterns: Identify customers with recurring bookings
• Recurring Booking Revenue: Revenue from recurring bookings

Next Steps

After setting up recurring bookings:

• Identify customers who would benefit from recurring bookings
• Set up recurring bookings for regular customers
• Review recurring bookings regularly
• Communicate with customers about their recurring reservations
• Use recurring booking data for business planning