Definitions and Concepts

Application

Within the Diary Planner installation you can create multiple applications. Applications are self contained sets of calendars, appointment types, booking forms and appointment rules and configuration.

For example, you could create one application for staff members to book time with your IT department, and another application for clients to book meetings with their account manager.

Calendars

All appointment get booked into calendars. Calendars are created using the Slot Book Template. Each calendar defines available days and times, which types of appointment can be booked into them and how many appointments of a certain type can be booked in a day.

Overview Calendars

Multiple calendars can be grouped into a single view using the Slot Booking Template.

Appointments

Appointments are defined by articles using the Slot Type Template. As well as settings like the length of the appointment, they also set which form is used to make a booking (ie you can have different forms for different types of appointment).

Appointment Processing

Diary Planner includes two appointment processing models, that is, two ways of working with appointments once they have been booked into a calendar.

No Processing

This is the recommended approach for simple booking systems. Once an appointment has been booked it can be cancelled, rescheduled and have details updated.

Processing

The processing model implements a workflow for booked appointments. It allows users to be checked in when they arrive for their appointment, the appointment to be assigned to the staff member the appointment is with, and the appointment start and end times to be recorded.

Users

Diary Planner has three broad categories for user roles. Roles, the user groups in each role, and the actions each role can perform are set in the configuration.

Administrators

These users work directly with the calendars. By default they are able to cancel, amend, reschedule, check in, and start and complete appointments

Customer Service Users

These users can cancel, amend, reschedule and check in appointments. They don't have the ability to assign appointments to users, or start and end appointments.

Citizens

These users make bookings via the appointment booking forms. They don't have access to the calendars (because they would be able to see everyone else's bookings).