Configuring allocation and visibility for items using the Item Builder (Classic Items) – Checkfront

Learn how to configure allocation and visibility settings for your item, including associating documents/waivers with an item.

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 > Attributes

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.

Configuring allocation

Allocation

You can allocate your item per Day, per Night, per Time or Timeslots. This determines how the item is subsequently distributed, booked, and priced.

This overrides the system's default Configuration (Manage > Setup > Configuration > Allocation). Learn more here:

Setting up your account configuration

Are you searching for how to configure visibility for Products instead? Learn more here:

Determining how your product is booked

Allocating per day

Allocation Per Day

Used for both single-instance bookings (a one-day sightseeing tour) and multiple, full-day bookings (such as a multi-day kayak adventure).

For example, with a per day booking from Aug 1 - Aug 3, the booking ends on Aug 3.

Fixed Length (days)

This forces the Item end date/time to a fixed length. In this case, this represents days.

Leave this field blank to allow the Customer to choose their beginning and end date.

Set the value to 1 to hide the end date/time option.

Allocating per night

Allocation per Night

Used most frequently by accommodation providers. This setting enables you to charge a per Night rate. This differs slightly from the day rate in that the checkout date would be the day after the last booking date.

For example, with a per night booking from Aug 1 - Aug 3. The checkout date would be Aug 4. This does not take away from your available Aug 4 inventory.

Fixed Length (nights)

This forces the item's end date/time to a fixed length. In this case, the value represents the number of nights.

Leave this field blank to allow the Customer to choose their beginning and end date.

Set the value to 1 to hide the end date/time option.

Allocating per time

Allocation per Time

This setting determines the length of your bookings, measured by the amount of time allocated. By default, this is per hour, but you also have the option to offer bookings 10 mins, 15 mins, 20 mins, or 30 mins in length.

Examples range from a 20-minute fitness consult to a 2-hour kayak rental.

When you choose this option, a table of standard time units displays. You can select from this table and refine Allocation using the following settings.

Fixed Start Time

This setting allows you to fix a specific start time for your booking.

For example, if you offer a tour starting at 8:00 AM, you would enter that time in the Fixed Start Time box.

Default Length (interval, e.g. hours)

This setting allows you to suggest a booking length while allowing your Customer to adjust their end time.

You can then specify multiples of this time within the Default Length setting if the particular amount of time you are looking for is not specified.

For example, to configure a booking length of 50 minutes chose a default length of 5. That's 10 minutes, multiplied by 5 to equal 50 minutes.

When booking, the Customer sees a default booking length of 50 minutes. However, they can adjust this if they wish, up or down, in multiples of 10 minutes.

Fixed Length (interval, e.g. hours)

This forces the item's end date/time to a fixed length. In this case, the value represents intervals of time.

Leave this field blank to allow your Customer to choose their beginning and end date/time.

Set the value to 1 to hide the end date/time option.

For example, if you wish to fix the length of a booking to 50 minutes, you put a 5 in the Fixed Length box. This removes the end time from the booking process so the Customer cannot alter it. They can only select a start time.

Allocating with timeslots

Timeslot Settings

Timeslots are an option if you offer scheduled products, tours or appointments.

Setting up timeslots

Start building your timeslots via the following settings.

Features
Start Time		Specify the start time of the timeslot, for example, 9:00 AM.
End Time		Specify the end time of the timeslot, for example, 10:00 AM.
Days of Week		Specify the days of the week that the offering is available (checked) or unavailable (not checked).
Add a Timeslot		Once you specify the start time, end time and days of the week, you can click Add a Timeslot to create the matching timeslot on your Customer Booking Page, e.g. 0:900 AM - 10:00 AM. Click the Add a Timeslot button again to add another timeslot with the same timeslot settings and in sequence, for example, 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM. Repeat this process for every timeslot needed.
Remove		Click this icon to remove the timeslot.

Removing Timeslots

You can add and remove timeslots as needed, but ideally, you do this before you have accepted bookings.

Booking Invoices retain their original timeslot values as a snapshot of what was booked unless the Booking Invoice itself is edited.

If you remove a timeslot, you can still report on previously associated bookings, but the timeslot is no longer visible or accessible in the Inventory Calendar.

Please reach out to Technical Support with your intentions before doing so mid-season to get some advice and avoid issues.

Gaps Between Timeslots

The Maintenance Time setting (Attributes > Additional Options) does not apply to timeslots. Instead, you can leave a time gap between timeslots for turn-around or maintenance time.

Add all the timeslots you need using the Add a Timeslot button, including those that cover the gaps between bookings, then remove every other timeslot on the list.

This creates breaks in between your timeslots, for example, tours going out at 9:00 AM, 11:00 AM, 1:00 PM and 3:00 PM.

Overlapping Times

If timeslots overlap, they share the item's quantity among those times and are not independent.

Other Timeslot Settings

Timeslot Settings

Timeslot Settings enable you to customize how the timeslots appear to your Customers within the Customer Booking Page. Access these additional settings by opening the Timeslot Settings section.

Features
Booking Display		Choose whether booking options should display as buttons or dropdown menus. Check out the timeslot settings preview to help you decide which is best for your needs.
Show End Times		Show (or hide) end times by adjusting the slider button to ON or OFF. Check out the timeslot settings preview to see how this setting controls the booking option display.
Show Unavailable Slots		Show (or hide) unavailable slots by adjusting the slider button to ON or OFF. Unavailable timeslots display in grey with strikethrough text.
Timeslot Settings Preview		Preview how your timeslots would display on your Customer Booking Page as you test timeslot settings.

Determining item visibility

Item Visibility

Choose who can view the item - Everyone, Staff Only or In Packages Only.

Everyone - visible to both Staff and Customers.
Staff Only - only visible and bookable internally.
In Packages Only - only visible when part of a package.

Adding documents/waivers

The following settings display for those on a plan that includes documents/waivers.

Add Document

Click the +Add Document button to associate an existing Document/Waiver Template with your item.

Add Document/Waiver

This opens the Add Document/Waiver modal. From there, you can choose which template to add, the due date for the document/waiver, and any reminder schedule to apply.

Learn more about configuring Waivers & Documents here:

Introduction to waivers & documents

Update document/waiver settings

Update Document

Click on the configuration icon to access the settings associated with the attached document/waiver.

This overrides the system default Configuration (Manage > Setup > Configuration > Allocation). Learn more here:

Setting up your account configuration

From the Update Document/Waiver modal, you can edit settings or click Delete to disassociate the document/waiver from the item.

Clicking on the delete button does not remove the document/waiver entirely but removes the association between the document/waiver and the item.

Any existing Booking Invoices retain the links to the document/waiver and the information provided intact and accessible, but the document/waiver does not attach to any further item bookings.

Are you searching for how to configure waivers for Products instead? Learn more here:

Activating waivers and documents for your product

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