Block Unavailable Dates & Times (Calendar Availability Blocking)
OctopusPro lets you block unavailable dates and time slots in your scheduling calendar so you (and your team) can’t be booked during time off, meetings, travel, training, public holidays, or any other blackout periods.
This is different from adding a calendar note (a reminder/to-do). Notes do not change availability, while unavailable time blocks remove those slots from scheduling and real-time availability.
Table of Contents
- What is availability blocking?
- Benefits
- How to block unavailable dates & times
- How it works (colors, rules, visibility)
- Impact on real-time availability & online bookings
- FAQs
- Related articles
What is availability blocking?
Availability blocking (also called unavailable time or blackout time) marks specific dates/times as not bookable. It can be used for:
- Fieldworker time off (leave, sick days, vacations)
- Company-wide events (training, team meetings)
- Travel and personal appointments
- Public holidays or operational downtime
- Buffer time to prevent back-to-back bookings
Important: Unavailable blocks prevent new bookings from being scheduled in that slot. If you already have a booking in that timeframe, you’ll need to reschedule it manually.
Benefits
- Prevent double-bookings: Stops customers/admins from booking unavailable time slots.
- Clear visibility: Everyone can see when resources are unavailable (admins/dispatchers, and fieldworkers).
- More accurate scheduling: Improves dispatch decisions and resource allocation.
- Better online booking experience: Customers only see valid bookable slots when real-time availability is enabled.
How to block unavailable dates & times
1) Block a single date/time (time slot)
- Go to Calendar from the left sidebar menu.
- Click the desired date/time on the calendar.
- Select Add unavailable time.
In the Add unavailable time window, complete the details (options may vary by account settings):
- Title / Reason: Give the block a clear label (e.g., “Vacation”, “Team Meeting”, “Personal Appointment”).
- Start date/time + end date/time: Define the exact slot you want to block.
- Timezone: Choose the correct timezone (useful for multi-region teams).
- Notes: Add internal notes (admins/fieldworkers can see these; customers won’t).
- Color: Optionally assign a color to categorize the block (e.g., leave vs training).
When ready, click Save. The time slot will be blocked and no longer available for new bookings.
2) Block a full day or a date range (multi-day)
Use this for vacations, public holidays, or multi-day events:
- Open Calendar and choose a date.
- Select Add unavailable time.
- Enable the All day toggle.
- Select the start date and end date for the blocked period.
- Click Save.
3) Block time for one or more fieldworkers
Admins/dispatchers can block availability on behalf of fieldworkers, including multiple fieldworkers at once (useful for team meetings or group training).
- Go to Calendar > click the desired date/time.
- Select Add unavailable time.
- In Fieldworkers, select one or more team members.
- Optional: Use Apply for all fieldworkers (if available) to block the same time for the whole team.
- Set the details (title/reason, date/time, notes, repeat if needed) and click Save.
Fieldworkers can also block their own availability from the Fieldworker App (if permitted). See: Fieldworker Calendar & Availability Management (App).
4) Edit or delete an unavailable block
- Click the blocked (unavailable) item in the calendar.
- Edit the fields (title, time/date range, fieldworkers, notes, repeat settings, etc.).
- Click Save to update, or Delete to remove the block and restore availability.
5) Create recurring unavailability (repeat)
If you need a repeating block (e.g., weekly training, recurring appointments, regular non-working hours), use the Repeat every and Ends on options (when available):
- Repeat every: Set the frequency (e.g., every 1 week).
- Ends on: Choose Never (ongoing) or On date (end date).
This is ideal for scenarios like “block every Saturday” or “block every Wednesday 2–4pm”.
How it works (colors, rules, visibility)
- Unavailable blocks are typically shown in red on the calendar.
- Available time is typically shown in green.
- Notes are typically shown in blue and do not block availability.
Once a time slot is blocked, it will not be offered as an available option when scheduling new appointments (unless the block is removed or manually overridden by an admin).
Impact on real-time availability & online bookings
Blocking dates/times directly affects real-time availability used across OctopusPro—especially if you enable dynamic availability for scheduling and online bookings.
- For admins/dispatchers: blocked time reduces the pool of available slots and helps prevent assigning jobs during time off.
- For customers: when real-time availability is enabled, customers only see bookable slots—blocked times won’t appear in the booking flow.
- If a slot becomes blocked during booking: customers won’t be able to finalize that unavailable time and will be prompted to choose another slot.
Learn more about real-time availability scheduling here: Dynamic Real-time Fieldworker Availability Scheduling.
FAQs
Can fieldworkers block their own availability?
Yes. Fieldworkers can block their own availability (if permitted), and it will also reflect in the admin calendar.
Can blocked periods be edited or deleted?
Yes. Blocked periods can be edited or deleted at any time by clicking the blocked item in the calendar.
Do blocked periods affect the entire day?
Not necessarily. You can block a specific time slot, or use the All day option to block a whole day (or date range).
What happens if a time slot is blocked while a customer is booking?
The customer won’t be able to finalize that slot and will need to choose a different available time.
Can admins override a blocked time slot?
Admins can manually schedule an appointment if needed, but it’s best to avoid overriding blocks unless absolutely necessary (to prevent conflicts and overbooking).
What if a fieldworker becomes available during a blocked time slot?
An admin (or the fieldworker, if permitted) can remove or edit the block. Availability updates immediately for scheduling and real-time availability.
Can customers see why a time slot is blocked?
No. Customers only see that the slot is unavailable—internal titles/notes are not shown to customers.
Can I block time slots for a group of fieldworkers at once?
Yes. Select multiple fieldworkers (or use Apply for all fieldworkers, if available) to block the same period for your team.
Can I block all future Saturdays (or create a recurring block)?
Yes—use the Repeat every and Ends on options (when available) to create recurring unavailability (e.g., every Saturday).
Can I block a time slot for a specific service only?
Unavailable blocks are tied to resource availability (fieldworkers), not individual services. If you need service-based availability rules, adjust your service settings/availability configuration.
Related articles
To get the most out of OctopusPro’s calendar management tools, explore the resources below. These guides will help you schedule faster, stay organized, and keep availability accurate across your team.
Scheduling & dispatch overview
Calendar views (choose the best view for the job)
Create & manage schedule items
- Adding a Booking from Calendar
- Blocking Unavailable Date/Time
- Adding Calendar Notes
- Manage Fieldworker Working Hours & Availability
Filters (focus on what matters)
Integrations (see external calendars)
We’ve designed these guides to help you take full advantage of our tools and streamline your operations. Happy scheduling!
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