Overview
Previously, we had two distinct availability configurations: Standard Availability and Custom Availability. With recent updates, these have evolved into Weekly Working Hours and Date-Specific Hours - two types of availability settings to cater to your diverse needs.
In the past, the availability settings operated independently of each other. Now, you can configure both your weekly working hours and date-specific hours concurrently, providing a more dynamic and adaptable scheduling experience. It allows you to maintain a consistent weekly schedule while accommodating unique circumstances on specific dates.
Understanding the distinction between these two can help you effectively manage your calendar and ensure it aligns with your real-time availability.
Weekly Working Hours
Weekly working hours represent your regular availability regularly. This is useful for setting up your default schedule that repeats week after week.
For instance, you can configure these as your weekly working hours if you're consistently available every Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 8 AM to 10 PM. The system will then automatically apply this schedule to those weekly days and times.
Date-Specific Hours
Date-specific hours allow you to customize your availability or unavailability for specific dates. You can add specific dates and define hours applicable only to those dates.
This feature is beneficial for handling exceptional circumstances, holidays, or personal commitments. Here are a few examples to illustrate its usage:
Example 1: Holidays
You can mark upcoming holidays such as Easter, Christmas, or bank holidays as unavailable. Your calendar will reflect that you are not available on these specific dates, ensuring accurate scheduling.
Example 2: Personal Commitments
If you have prior personal commitments that deviate from your regular schedule, you can easily adjust your availability for those specific dates. For instance, if you have a doctor's appointment on 10th February 2024 from 12 PM to 3 PM, you can mark yourself as unavailable without creating a blocked slot.
Example 3: Extended Availability
For special occasions like a long weekend, when you want to extend your working hours for a limited duration, you can use date-specific hours to modify your availability only for those specific days.
Note: To mark your unavailability, select the date and click on the delete icon under the timeslot.
Important Points to Note
- Weekly Hours vs. Date-Specific Hours: Weekly hours represent your standard, recurring schedule, while date-specific hours allow for specific adjustments on selected dates.
- Hierarchy of Hours: Date-specific hours will always precede the Weekly Working Hours. In other words, if you have set specific hours for a particular date, those hours will override the default weekly working hours for that day.
- Marking Availability/Unavailability: Date-specific hours allow you to mark both your availability and unavailability for specific dates, giving you complete control over your calendar.
By leveraging weekly and date-specific hours, you can create a flexible and accurate representation of your availability, ensuring a seamless scheduling experience for you and those interacting with your calendar.
