Online booking is the final publishing layer on top of your locations, appointment types, staff, resources, and availability.
Package note: Online booking (including the Booking Widget) requires the Plus or Premium plan. Core does not include it. Check Settings > Plan & Billing to see your current plan, or contact CoolFocus support about upgrading.
Before enabling online booking
Confirm:
At least one active location has hours.
Each online appointment type is active and assigned to a location.
Required positions have qualified staff with work schedules.
Shared rooms or provider capacity are configured.
Closures, buffers, lead time, booking window, and limits are correct.
Where settings live
Under Settings > Client Portal:
General: client-facing portal branding and organization details.
Online Booking: choose published appointment types, categories, layout, and order.
Booking Widget: generate links and embed code for your website.
Appointment-specific booking rules and instructions are under Settings > Schedule > Appointment Types; open a type and use its Online tab.
Publish appointment types
For each type:
1. Turn on Online booking on the type's Online tab.
2. Set the Client-facing name and description on the Basics tab.
3. Confirm the length clients see (Show clients a different length on the Basics tab).
4. Add booking instructions and preparation instructions on the Online tab.
5. Add translations for supported client languages.
6. Assign the type to each location where it can be booked, on the When tab.
7. Add Booking Questions on the Online tab, and intake forms and consents under After booking → Forms & consents.
8. Decide whether the type appears publicly or is available only by an unlisted link set up in Settings > Embed Widgets.
Booking channels
The appointment type is what you turn on or off for each channel. The same type can be offered through more than one channel, and you can mix them: for example, one set of types on your website, another only for a partner integration, and an unlisted link for a referral partner.
Online booking: publishes the type on your public booking page and Booking Widget, for services you want the public to find and book.
Unlisted link: a special URL for a type you do not advertise publicly. Share it with partner organizations, such as shelters, WIC offices, or referral partners, so they can book that type directly without the slots appearing on your public page. Hosted booking links are set up in Settings > Embed Widgets: create a scheduler widget scoped to the type and set Access to Unlisted link.
Partner integrations: makes the type visible to partner integrations that book through the CoolFocus Scheduler API. The booking questions you define in CoolFocus are passed to the partner, whose system collects the answers. Partner integrations does not control PlusLink. See Partner scheduling integrations.
Organize the booking page
Use categories to group related services. Set category and appointment-type order so clients see a clear, intentional list. Changes to within-category order save when the item is dropped.
This order is fixed by staff. The booking page does not sort appointment types or categories by their earliest open slot, so clients see the order you set, not the service with the soonest availability first.
Widget and links
The Booking Widget page provides the booking link and website embed code. Test the published page on a phone and desktop. Confirm the correct organization, locations, appointment types, instructions, and available times appear. Once a client picks a location, the booking calendar shows a "Next available" shortcut with the soonest open date and time for that location, so the client can book it with one click instead of paging through the calendar.
Go-live test
Complete a real test booking for every public type. Verify:
Questions and consent steps
Date and time display
Confirmation message
Staff notification
Reminder schedule
Appointment location, type, and booking source in CoolFocus