This guide walks you through everything you need to know to create an appointment in Cadence Calendar. It is written for everyday users, so you do not need any technical knowledge to follow it.
When you create an appointment in Cadence Calendar, you are usually creating an appointment type first. An appointment type is the reusable setup for a kind of meeting, such as:
a 30-minute lesson
a parent check-in
a consultation call
an in-person visit
Once you save the appointment type, people can book that time from your booking page.
Before you create an appointment, it helps to know a few basics:
Choose the kind of meeting you want to offer.
Decide how long it should last.
Decide whether it will be online or in person.
Decide when you want it to be available.
Decide whether you want to require payment.
If you are unsure, start simple. A short appointment with clear instructions is usually easier for families and clients to book.
Sign in to Cadence Calendar and open the Appointments page.
From there, look for the button that says New appointment type.
Enter a clear name for the appointment type.
Examples:
30 minute lesson
Trial lesson
Parent planning call
In-person assessment
A good name is simple and specific. People should understand what the appointment is for right away.
Set how long the appointment should last.
This is usually measured in minutes. Common choices include:
15 minutes
30 minutes
45 minutes
60 minutes
Choose a length that matches the real meeting. A short check-in should be short. A full lesson or consultation may need more time.
Select whether the appointment will be:
Online
In person
If you choose Online, the meeting can be done through a video link or online session.
If you choose In person, you will need to add the location name or address.
Use the description box to explain what the appointment is for.
You can include things like:
what the meeting will cover
what the person should bring
what to expect during the appointment
any special instructions
A short, clear description helps people know whether they are booking the right appointment.
This is one of the most important parts of the setup.
You can choose when the appointment should be offered. Cadence Calendar lets you set:
weekly availability
specific date-based availability
booking windows
You can make the appointment available on certain days of the week and during certain hours.
For example:
Monday through Friday
9:00 AM to 3:00 PM
only on Tuesdays and Thursdays
If you want to block out special dates, you can also add date-specific hours.
You can control how far in advance people can book and how much notice you want before a meeting.
This helps prevent last-minute bookings and keeps your schedule under control.
Typical settings include:
how many days in advance bookings can be made
how much notice is required before the appointment starts
If you charge for appointments, you can turn on payment requirements.
When payment is required:
the booking may need a payment before it is fully confirmed
the amount can be set in dollars
If you do not want to charge for the appointment, leave this off.
If the appointment has any special details, add them here.
Examples:
bring a notebook
log in 5 minutes early
meet at the front desk
bring a music instrument
These notes help the person attending the appointment feel prepared.
Once everything looks right, save it.
After saving, the appointment type will appear in your appointment list and can be shared with families or clients.
This section explains each field you may see when creating an appointment type.
This is the title people will see.
Use a clear title such as:
30 minute lesson
Trial lesson
Parent check-in
In-person tutoring
Keep the name simple and easy to understand.
This tells Cadence Calendar how long the meeting should last.
Why this matters:
it helps prevent overlap with other appointments
it sets expectations for the person booking
it helps you plan your day
If your meeting usually takes 45 minutes, set the duration to 45 minutes.
This tells people where the appointment will happen.
Choose Online if the appointment will happen through a video call or online meeting.
Choose In person if the appointment will happen at a physical place.
If you choose In person, you should include:
the location name
the full address
any instructions that will help the person arrive
This is optional.
Use it to add helpful details such as:
enter through the side door
park in the back lot
meet at the front desk
bring your own materials
This field is especially helpful for in-person appointments.
This is where you explain the appointment.
Use it to answer questions like:
what is this appointment for?
what should the person expect?
is anything required beforehand?
A good description helps reduce confusion and makes booking easier.
This controls whether the appointment type is shown publicly in the booking area.
Turn this on if you want people to see and book it.
Turn it off if you want to keep the appointment type private or for internal use.
This tells Cadence Calendar which time zone to use for the appointment.
This matters because your schedule may be based on your local time, while your clients or families may be in another time zone.
Choose the time zone that matches your working location so your availability is correct.
A buffer is extra time before an appointment begins.
This can be useful if you need time to:
prepare for the meeting
switch from another appointment
settle in before the next session starts
For example, if you put a 10-minute buffer before an appointment, that time is reserved so your schedule does not become too tight.
A buffer after the appointment is extra time after the meeting ends.
This is useful for:
note-taking
resetting your space
travel time
short breaks between appointments
If you have back-to-back appointments, a short buffer can help keep your day running smoothly.
This is where you decide what days and times the appointment can be booked.
You can usually set weekly hours, such as:
Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
You can also create date-specific hours if you want to make an exception for a specific day.
Examples:
a holiday schedule
a special event day
a different schedule for one week only
This tells Cadence Calendar when the appointment type should begin accepting bookings.
Use this if you want the appointment to start being available on a future date rather than immediately.
This tells Cadence Calendar when the appointment type should stop accepting bookings.
Use this if you want the appointment type to be available only until a certain date.
This controls how far in advance people can book.
For example, if you set this to 60 days, people can book appointments up to 60 days ahead.
This helps you avoid overcommitting too far into the future.
This is the amount of notice someone must give before the appointment begins.
For example, if the minimum notice is 24 hours, someone cannot book an appointment that starts less than a day away.
This is helpful if you want to avoid last-minute bookings.
Turn this on if the appointment should require payment before it is fully booked.
This is useful for:
paid lessons
premium consultations
services that require upfront payment
If you do not want to charge, leave this setting off.
This is the amount to charge for the appointment.
Enter the price you want to charge in dollars.
Make sure the amount is clear and matches your pricing.
This is only for visual organization.
The color helps you quickly tell different appointment types apart in your calendar or scheduling view.
You can use colors to group similar services, such as:
lessons in blue
consultations in green
assessments in orange
People should understand the purpose of the appointment immediately.
A 15-minute appointment is fine for a quick check-in. A lesson or consultation may need more time.
The more clearly you describe the appointment, the fewer questions you will get later.
Double-check that the days and times you select are actually when you want to work.
If your schedule is busy, buffers help keep things from feeling rushed.
If you are new to this, create one or two appointment types first, then adjust them later.
giving the appointment a vague name
choosing a duration that does not match the real meeting length
forgetting to set the correct location
not adding instructions when needed
setting availability that does not match your real schedule
forgetting to review booking rules before saving
After you save the appointment type:
it becomes available in your appointments list
it can be shared with clients or families
people can book it based on the availability you set
it will appear in your calendar workflow
To create an appointment in Cadence Calendar, you usually:
open the Appointments area
create a new appointment type
choose a name
choose a duration
choose a location
add a description
set availability
set booking rules
decide whether payment is required
save the appointment type
If you follow those steps and review each field carefully, you will have a clear and professional appointment setup that is easy for others to understand and book.
