For times when you're at or near full capacity, the Waitlist lets you keep a list of customers who'd like dates you can't take yet, in case a confirmed booking cancels or space opens up. KennelBooker checks availability for each waitlist entry, and you can turn an entry into a booking in a couple of clicks. Staff manage the waitlist, and you can also let customers add themselves to it from the online booking portal.
Where to find the Waitlist
The Waitlist is in the main menu under Waitlist. It shows when Enable Waitlist is switched on in Settings > Main Settings > Optional Features. If you don't see Waitlist in your menu, switch that on and click Save.
Letting customers add themselves to the waitlist online is a separate setting on the Online Booking Portal page (see "Letting customers add themselves to the waitlist" below). Switching that off doesn't switch off the staff Waitlist.
What the Waitlist does
Keeps waitlist entries for boarding, board and train, homestay, nightcare, daycare, walks, drop-ins, grooming, universal, training and other bookings, depending on the services you offer.
Shows the availability for each entry in the Status column.
Turns an entry into a booking with Add Booking.
Lets you edit, cancel or bulk cancel entries.
Filters the list by Month and Service, and sorts it with Order By.
Exports the list with Export to Excel.
Can email the customer to say they're on the waitlist.
How to add a customer to the Waitlist
Go to Waitlist and click Add to Waitlist.
Under Who is it for?, search for the customer by name, a pet's name or a phone number. If they're new, click Add a New Customer under Not on the list? and enter their details.
Tick the pets the request is for.
Under What they'd like, choose the Service and the Check-In date, plus the Check-Out date, drop-off and pick-up times where they apply. Add any Additional Services and Booking Notes.
Switch on Send Waitlist Email if you want the customer emailed to say they're on the waitlist. This only shows when the customer has an email address and is happy to receive emails.
Click Add to waitlist. The message "Added to the waitlist" confirms it.
You can also add someone to the waitlist while taking a booking. On Add Booking for boarding, homestay, daycare, walks and drop-ins, an Add to Waitlist button is offered next to the booking steps, so when there's no space you can put the request on the waitlist instead.
If something is missing, the popup tells you, for example "Choose a customer, or add their details.", "Tick at least one pet.", "Choose the date they'd like." or "The check-out date must be on or after the check-in date."
How the Waitlist shows availability
For each future entry, the Status column on the Waitlist shows whether you have space, for example Dog Availability, No Dog Availability, Dog Split Only (space only by splitting the stay across runs), or a number of spaces free. Availability is shown for boarding, homestay, daycare, walk and drop-in entries. Entries whose dates have passed show "historic waitlist request".
When you have fewer than 30 entries, availability is checked for each entry automatically when the page opens. With 30 or more, click Check Availability on a row, or Check All to check every entry at once.
How to turn a waitlist entry into a booking
Go to Waitlist and find the entry. The Status column shows whether there's space.
Click Add Booking on the entry. The add booking screen opens with the customer, pets and dates from the waitlist entry.
Finish the booking as normal.
When the booking is saved, the entry is taken off the waitlist.
How to edit, cancel or bulk cancel waitlist entries
Edit: click Edit on the entry, change the details and click Save changes. The Edit popup also has Delete ("Delete this waitlist entry?").
Cancel one entry: click Cancel on the entry. The entry is removed from the waitlist. The customer isn't told.
Bulk Cancel: tick the entries you want to remove, click Bulk Cancel and confirm ("Cancel X waitlist entries?").
Letting customers add themselves to the waitlist
You can let customers add themselves to the waitlist when they try to book online and there's no space. Go to Settings > Online Booking Portal > Availability Settings and switch on Waitlist: Add ability for customers to add themselves to the Waitlist, then click Save.
When it's on and a customer picks dates you're full on, the online portal shows an Add to Waitlist button. When they click it:
The customer sees "Your booking request has been added to the waitlist".
The customer is sent your Waitlist Email.
Staff with New waitlist booking notifications switched on in their staff account get an alert email.
The entry appears on your Waitlist page.
A customer can't add themselves to the waitlist twice for the same service and dates.
What the Waitlist doesn't do
The Waitlist doesn't book anyone in automatically. Staff turn an entry into a booking with Add Booking.
The Waitlist doesn't email customers when space opens up. Contact the customer yourself.
Cancelling a waitlist entry doesn't notify the customer.
A waitlist entry doesn't hold a run, room or space. Other bookings can still take the space.
Availability isn't shown for grooming, training, universal or other entries.
Settings that affect the Waitlist
Enable Waitlist (Settings > Main Settings > Optional Features): shows the Waitlist in your menu.
Default waitlist sort order (same section): the order the Waitlist opens in: by Service, then by Check-in; by Service, then by Check-in, then by Created; or by Created Date.
Auto Send Waitlist Confirmation Email (same section): when it's on, Send Waitlist Email is already switched on when staff add a customer to the waitlist.
Waitlist: Add ability for customers to add themselves to the Waitlist (Settings > Online Booking Portal > Availability Settings): lets customers add themselves online when there's no space.
New waitlist booking (a staff account's notification settings): emails that staff member when a customer adds themselves online.
Waitlist: frequently asked questions
How do I turn on the waitlist?
To turn on the Waitlist, go to Settings > Main Settings > Optional Features, switch on Enable Waitlist and click Save. Waitlist then appears in your main menu.
How do I stop customers adding themselves to the waitlist?
Go to Settings > Online Booking Portal > Availability Settings and switch off Waitlist: Add ability for customers to add themselves to the Waitlist. Staff can still use the Waitlist.
Does the waitlist book customers in automatically when space opens up?
No. The Waitlist shows when there's space in the Status column, but staff turn an entry into a booking by clicking Add Booking on it.
Does the customer get told they're on the waitlist?
When staff add a customer to the Waitlist, the customer is only emailed if Send Waitlist Email is switched on in the popup. When customers add themselves online, they're always sent your Waitlist Email.
Is the customer told when I cancel their waitlist entry?
No. Cancelling a waitlist entry removes it from the Waitlist without telling the customer.
Which services can go on the waitlist?
The Waitlist takes boarding, board and train, homestay, nightcare, daycare, walks, drop-ins, grooming, universal, training and other bookings, depending on which services you offer. Availability is shown for boarding, homestay, daycare, walk and drop-in entries.
Why does the Status column say "Dog Split Only"?
"Dog Split Only" on the Waitlist means there's no single run free for the whole stay, but there is space if the stay is split across more than one run.
Why do I have to click Check Availability?
When you have 30 or more waitlist entries, KennelBooker doesn't check them all when the page opens, to keep the page fast. Click Check Availability on a row, or Check All to check every entry.
Can I export the waitlist?
Yes. On the Waitlist page, click Export to Excel.
Does a waitlist entry hold the space for the customer?
No. A waitlist entry doesn't reserve a run, room or space. Another booking can take the space until you turn the entry into a booking.
What happens to the waitlist entry when I make the booking?
When you click Add Booking on a waitlist entry and save the booking, the entry is taken off the Waitlist automatically.
Can I change the waitlist email?
The email uses your Waitlist Email template, which you can edit in Settings > Email Settings with your other email templates.
Waitlist: common problems
I can't see Waitlist in my menu
Waitlist only shows in the main menu when Enable Waitlist is switched on in Settings > Main Settings > Optional Features. The waitlist setting on the Online Booking Portal page only controls whether customers can add themselves.
The Status column is blank
Availability isn't shown for grooming, training, universal or other entries, or for entries with no pets ticked ("cannot show availability - no pets on waitlist"). With 30 or more entries, click Check Availability or Check All.
There's no Send Waitlist Email option
Send Waitlist Email only shows when the customer has an email address on their profile and is set up to receive emails. Add or check their email address, then edit the entry again.
Customers aren't offered the waitlist online
Switch on Waitlist: Add ability for customers to add themselves to the Waitlist in Settings > Online Booking Portal > Availability Settings. The Add to Waitlist button only shows to customers when the dates they picked are full.
There's no Add Booking option on a waitlist entry
Add Booking isn't offered on every type of waitlist entry. Make the booking from Add Booking in the main menu instead, then cancel the waitlist entry.
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