Configuring the default calendar and item events for items using the Item Builder (Classic Items)

Learn how to set up a default calendar status and item events, including creating new item events and attaching and detaching existing item events.

New to the Item Builder? You can read the first article in this series for an introduction to the Item Builder.

Accessing the features mentioned in this article

Where can I find this feature using the top menu?

• Inventory > Items > Add New/Edit Item > Pricing
   

What more do I need to use this feature?

• Admin or restricted permissions to View items, products, and assets and Manage items, products, and assets.
   

Which Checkfront version supports this feature - Classic Items, Classic Products, or both?

• Your account must have access to classic items (Inventory > Items), a key feature of our Classic Items version of Checkfront. 

This section allows you to set the default status of your item. You have three status options to choose from.

• Available—By default, the item is available year-round, 365 days a year. However, you can still add closures later via item events.
• Unavailable - The item is NOT available by default. An item event is required to set availability. Item events override the default item status.
• Disabled - The item is never bookable. You can use this to archive unused items for later use.

Think of this as the baseline. Events you create later can add availability to previously unavailable items or block off dates from previously available items.

Create and attach existing item events to refine when your item is Available or Unavailable.

• You can apply closures to items configured with a default calendar status of Available.
• You can also add availability windows to items configured with a default calendar status of Unavailable.

Why isn’t the Item Events section showing in the Product Builder for one of my items? This usually happens when the item is set up as a simple item, which doesn’t include item events. Simple items are commonly used for fixed products like merchandise or food and beverages. If you need to use item events, you can update the item to a non-simple item or create a new non-simple item that better suits what you’re trying to do. You can learn more about simple items here: Configuring additional options for items using the Item Builder (Classic Items)

Learn more You can centrally manage events from the Item Events page (Inventory > Item Events). Learn more here: Introduction to item events Also, are you searching for how to configure availability events for Products? Learn more here: Understanding product availability events Introduction to product closures

You have four options for item events, accessible by clicking the Create New Item Event button.

• Seasonal item events
• Special pricing rates
• Closure dates
• Exclusive date spans

This video provides step-by-step instructions on setting up a seasonal item event.

Operators typically use seasonal item events to adjust pricing or availability based on the time of year, making them ideal for peak, low, or off-season periods. For example, you might raise prices from July to August and close in January. 

When creating a seasonal event, you can:

• Use the base price.

• Create a new price point.

• Apply a dynamic adjustment (e.g., +10% or -$5).

• Use yield pricing, where the price changes as inventory fills up.

You can also set the start/end dates, applicable days, and optional timeslots. This feature provides precise control over how the event is applied.

Seasonal item events overlapping Seasonal item events should not overlap one another.

From the drop-down menu, select Seasonal Item Event to get started. You now see a pop-up window where you can enter your requirements.

Features
Name		Enter a name for the seasonal item event, bearing in mind this displays on Customer Booking Invoices.
Price		You can determine the item's price once the seasonal rate is effective.
- Base Price		Select this to use the default base price.
- Create New Price Point		Select this option to enter a new, specific price for this item event. Once you save the item event, a new price point displays so that you can enter whatever price you like for each parameter. This new section is labelled Pricing Table.
- Dynamic		You can choose this option if you need to adjust the base price by an amount or percentage. Adjust by percent (%) or a fixed amount ($). For example, +3%, -10% or -$5.00. As with creating a new price point option, you can view pricing in the Pricing Table.
- Yield		With the yield setting, you can adjust the price of your inventory based on the amount of Inventory remaining using threshold pricing. For example, if you have 10 seats on a bus and they are all available, you can charge the base price. However, as the seats start to sell, you can increase or decrease the price based on the remaining stock. Once applied, the Pricing Table communicates that pricing thresholds are in effect. It is important to note that yield pricing is calculated using the base price and is NOT cumulative. For example, if there are only 5 spots left, the price is reduced by 10%. If there is only 1 space left, the price is reduced by 25%, NOT by 35% (10% + 25%). To remove a threshold, click on the trash can at the end of the row.
Available Days		You can use the drop-down menu to determine which days of the week the pricing is available. Combine the applicable day settings with the start/end dates to create an item only in effect on select days and times!
Start Date		Determine the start date for the item event.
End Date		Determine the end date for the event of the item. The remove end date setting leaves the item event open-ended. The start and end dates should be the same for a one-day item event.
Applicable Times		By default, the item event applies to all times. Used in combination with the +Add specific timeslots setting.
+ Add specific timeslots		Click on +Add specific timeslots to view the drop-down list of available timeslots. Options to Select All or Select None are also available.
Ruleset		If you’ve created a ruleset to apply to the item event, choose it here. Learn more about rules here: Introduction to item rules (Classic)
Apply to		Choose which categories and items to apply to the item events. Options to select all or select none are also available.

Learn more The recurrence setting for item events is configured on the item event once created via the Item Events list (Inventory > Item Events). Learn more here: Introduction to item events (Classic Items)

How do I make my item available for certain dates? Check out this FAQ for further instructions, including video instructions! How do I make my item available for select dates only?

Special pricing works like seasonal events but is designed for short-term promotions—for example, a long weekend discount. It temporarily overrides other pricing rules during the specified dates.

Select the Special Pricing Rate drop-down menu, then configure the settings mentioned above under Seasonal Item Events to match your special pricing rates.

Closure dates remove the item from the booking for a set period. You can use closure dates to configure a closure, for example, if you want to close your business over the holidays. This item event removes the item from your booking page during your chosen period.

Pricing fields There are no pricing fields in this pop-up window, as the inventory is unavailable to your Customers.

How do I make my item available for certain dates? Check out this FAQ for further instructions, including video instructions! How do I make my item unavailable for select dates?

You can use the setting to configure specific date ranges for exclusive items, such as seasonal item events and special pricing rates.

With this item event, the booking must begin and end on the specified dates.

One-off trip example For example, if you offer a one-off trip from July 1st to July 5th, the item is only displayed on the Booking Calendar for those dates. Customers can't change the start and end dates when booking.

Click the Attach existing Item Event button to initiate this process.

The Attach Item Events modal opens with the list of created item events. You can select the item events you need and click Attach to connect them to your item.

Learn more For a detailed look at centrally managing item events from the Item Events page (Inventory > Item Events), check out the following article: Introduction to item events (Classic Items)

To remove an item event from the item, open the Edit menu under the Details column and click the Detach Event option. 

Detaching item events If you do not see the option to detach the event, the item event is most likely applied to the entire category, not just the item in focus. You must change the Apply To settings to detach the item event from this item. Ideally, you do not detach item events after you have accepted bookings. Please reach out to Technical Support with your intentions before doing so mid-season to get some advice and avoid issues.

Next Steps

Scroll down to the Taxes section to set up any applicable taxes for the item.

You can continue to the next article in this series to learn how to configure taxes, deposits, and more!

< Configuring pricing for items    |     Configuring taxes, deposits, and additional options for items >