Auto-Assign Specialist
When a service is linked to multiple calendars, you can enable auto-assign so clients skip the specialist selection step entirely. The system automatically picks the best available specialist at booking time.
This feature requires a service linked to 2 or more calendars. Since the Free plan includes only 1 calendar, auto-assign is effectively available starting from the Pro plan.
How It Works
Without auto-assign, clients booking a multi-calendar service see:
- Select a service
- Choose a specialist (or “Any Available”)
- Select date and time
- Enter details
- Confirm
With auto-assign enabled, the specialist step is removed:
- Select a service
- Select date and time (merged availability across all calendars)
- Enter details
- Confirm
The system handles specialist assignment behind the scenes.
What Clients See
When auto-assign is enabled for a service:
- The specialist selection step is skipped entirely
- The date picker shows merged availability from all linked calendars
- If Calendar A is full at 10:00 but Calendar B is free, 10:00 still shows as available
- After confirming, the system assigns whichever specialist has that slot open
Auto-assign uses load balancing. When multiple specialists are free at the same time, the system picks the one with the fewest sessions that day.
Enabling Auto-Assign
- Go to Services
- Edit the service (or create a new one)
- Link the service to 2 or more calendars
- The Auto-Assign Specialist section appears
- Toggle Enable auto-assignment on
- Save
The auto-assign toggle only appears when a service is linked to 2 or more calendars. If you only see one calendar linked, add another first.
When to Use Auto-Assign
Good Fit
- Interchangeable specialists - Clients don’t mind who they see (e.g., a general consultation)
- Maximizing availability - You want clients to see the widest range of time slots
- Reducing booking friction - Fewer steps means faster booking
Not a Good Fit
- Clients prefer specific specialists - Returning clients who want continuity
- Specialists have different expertise - Clients need to choose based on specialization
- Different locations - Clients need to pick based on where they want to go
Examples
Example 1: Wellness Center
A wellness center has 3 massage therapists, each with their own calendar:
| Calendar | Specialist |
|---|---|
| Room A | Maria |
| Room B | Carlos |
| Room C | Laura |
The “60-Minute Massage” service is linked to all 3 calendars with auto-assign enabled.
Result: Clients pick a time, and the system assigns whichever therapist is free. The calendar shows maximum availability across all three.
Example 2: Consulting Firm
A firm has 2 consultants available for initial calls:
| Calendar | Specialist |
|---|---|
| Sarah’s Calendar | Sarah |
| David’s Calendar | David |
The “Discovery Call” service has auto-assign enabled, but “Strategy Deep-Dive” does not (clients pick their consultant).
Result: Discovery calls are auto-assigned for maximum flexibility. Strategy sessions let clients choose who they work with.
How Assignment Works
When a client confirms a booking with auto-assign:
- The system checks which calendars have the selected time slot free
- If only one calendar is available, it gets the booking
- If multiple calendars are available, the system picks the one with the fewest sessions that day (load balancing)
- If multiple calendars are tied (same number of sessions), the system picks randomly among them for fair distribution
- If the chosen slot becomes unavailable (race condition), the system retries up to 3 times
- The session is created on the assigned calendar
In rare cases where all calendars become fully booked between slot selection and confirmation (e.g., simultaneous bookings), the client will see an error and can choose a different time.
”Any Available” vs Auto-Assign
These are two different features that both assign a specialist automatically:
| Any Available | Auto-Assign (Pool Mode) | |
|---|---|---|
| Client sees | Specialist list with an “Any Available” button | No specialist step at all |
| When it triggers | Client clicks “Any Available” instead of picking someone | Always (service setting) |
| Availability shown | For the assigned calendar only | Merged across all calendars |
| Assignment logic | Picks the specialist with the earliest available slot | Picks after the client selects a specific time |
How “Any Available” picks a specialist
When a client clicks “Any Available”, the system:
- Scans all calendars linked to the service
- Finds which calendar has the earliest available time slot (looking up to 30 days ahead)
- If multiple calendars have availability on the same day, it picks the one with the fewest sessions that day
- If there is still a tie, it picks randomly among them
- The client then sees that specialist’s availability for date and time selection
The key difference: “Any Available” assigns the specialist before the client picks a date, then shows only that specialist’s calendar. Auto-assign shows merged availability from all specialists and assigns after the client picks a time slot.
Combining with Manual Selection
You can mix auto-assign and manual services for the same coach:
| Service | Auto-Assign | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Quick Check-in | On | Any specialist works |
| Coaching Session | Off | Clients choose their coach |
| Group Workshop | Off | Only on the group calendar |
Troubleshooting
Auto-Assign Toggle Not Showing
- The service must be linked to 2 or more calendars
- Check the Calendars section in the service form
Client Sees Specialist Selection Despite Auto-Assign
- Verify auto-assign is enabled on the correct service
- Make sure the service is linked to multiple calendars
- Check that the linked calendars are public
No Available Slots Showing
- Verify that at least one linked calendar has working hours configured
- Check that calendar events or sessions aren’t blocking all time slots
- Ensure the booking notice period hasn’t expired all near-term slots