# Bookings – table reservations, appointments and walk-ins

> Take table reservations and appointments, manage walk-ins and the waitlist, share an online booking page and open bookings in the POS.

Source: https://docs.smartposhub.com/modules/bookings/  
Last updated: 2026-10-30  
Product: SmartPOS Hub (https://smartposhub.com)

**Bookings** is one calendar for table reservations, service appointments and walk-ins. Restaurants, cafés and bars use it to reserve tables and run a waitlist; salons, spas, barbers and clinics see their appointments here. This page shows you how to switch Bookings on, set it up, share an online booking page and turn a booking into a sale.

> **How to turn it on**
> 1. **Plan:** Included in every plan (core feature). Appointments for services also need the Services module.
> 2. **Switch:** Settings › Business Settings › Modules › Restaurant, bar & bookings › Bookings, then Update settings. Bookings also opens when the Services module is on.
> 3. **Permission:** Roles › Bookings: Add/Edit/View all bookings, or Add/Edit/View own bookings
> - **Mobile app:** Bookings screen in the SmartPOS Business app (More › Bookings)

## What Bookings does and who it is for

| You run… | What you use Bookings for |
|---|---|
| Restaurant, café, bar | Table reservations with party size, a waitlist for walk-ins, table suggestions, "reserved soon" on the floor plan |
| Salon, spa, barber, clinic | Appointments created by the Services module, shown by staff member on the timeline |
| Any business | General bookings (a meeting room, a consultation) with a calendar and reminders |

Every booking has a reference number, a status, a source (**Walk-in**, **Phone**, **Online**, **POS**, **Other**) and a timeline of what happened. The status moves through **Requested → Confirmed → Arrived / Seated / In service → Completed**, or ends as **No-show** or **Cancelled**.

## Before you start

- Add at least one business location (**Settings › Business Locations**).
- Restaurants: add your tables first (**Restaurant › Tables & floor plan**) so bookings can be placed on a table. See [Restaurant](https://docs.smartposhub.com/modules/restaurant/).
- Salons and other service businesses: set up the [Services module](https://docs.smartposhub.com/modules/services/) (services and staff) so appointments can be booked by person.

## First-time setup

1. Open **Settings › Business Settings**, click the **Modules** tab and switch on **Bookings** in the **Restaurant, bar & bookings** group. Click **Update settings** at the bottom of the page.
2. Open **Restaurant › Bookings** (or **Bookings** in the sidebar if you do not use tables) and click **Settings** at the top right.
3. Under **Opening hours**, set when each day opens and closes. Online time slots and staff without their own hours use these hours.
4. Under **Time slots & durations**, set the **Slot interval (min)**, the **Table turn time (min)**, a **Buffer between bookings (min)**, **Minimum notice (min)** and **Book up to (days ahead)**.
5. Under **Online booking page**, tick **Let customers book online** and, if you take reservations, **Customers can reserve a table online**. Decide whether to **Confirm online bookings automatically**.
6. Under **Deposit & cancellation** and **Notifications**, choose a deposit, whether customers can cancel online, your cancellation policy, and whether to send email confirmations and reminders. Save.
7. Give staff the booking permission in **User Management › Roles** (see the table below).

:::note
The online link only works after you switch online booking on and save. If you click **New link**, the old link stops working, so update it on your website and social profiles.
:::

## Everyday use

### Add a booking or a walk-in

1. Click **New booking**. Search the customer by name or phone (or type a new name and mobile).
2. Pick the date and a time from **Available times**. For a table booking, enter the **Party size**; SmartPOS Hub lists **Free tables that fit**.
3. Add a **Customer note** (allergies, occasion) or an **Internal note** that only staff see, and save.
4. For guests who walk in, click **Walk-in** instead: **Seat now at** a free table, or choose **No table free - add to waitlist**. The waitlist shows how long each party has waited and an estimated wait.

![Bookings page in Timeline view showing two appointments by staff member and today's arrivals with Check in buttons](https://docs.smartposhub.com/_astro/bookings-timeline.DhIvQfQa.png) (web app page: `/bookings`)
*The Timeline view shows one row per table or staff member. Today's arrivals on the right have a Check in button.*

### Work through the day

- The cards at the top show **Bookings today**, **Still to come**, **Awaiting confirmation**, **Arrived / in service**, **Completed** and **Waitlist**.
- Switch between **Calendar** (month, week, day, agenda), **Timeline** (rows **By table** or **By staff**) and **List**. Filter by status, type, staff and source.
- Click a booking to **Confirm**, **Check in**, **Seat**, **Start**, **Complete**, mark **No-show** or **Cancel booking**. Drag a booking in the calendar to move it.
- Click **Open in POS** to bill the booking. The POS opens with the customer (and table and waiter for restaurants) filled in, and the booking is linked to the sale.

### On a phone

The Bookings page works in a phone browser too: the cards stack and the calendar switches to the agenda list.

![Bookings page in a phone browser with the booking cards and calendar filters](https://docs.smartposhub.com/_astro/bookings-phone.DJ68l1KC.png)
![Bookings screen in the SmartPOS Business app with the waitlist, Seat at T6 button and the day's bookings](https://docs.smartposhub.com/_astro/bookings-day.CeUlauQT.png)
*Left: the web page at phone width. Right: the Bookings screen in the SmartPOS Business app.*

## Booking settings explained

| Setting | What it does |
|---|---|
| **Slot interval (min)** | Online times are offered every this many minutes. |
| **Table turn time (min)** | How long a table is held for one booking (unless you enter a duration). |
| **Buffer between bookings (min)** | Free time kept before and after each table booking for cleaning and setup. |
| **Minimum notice (min)** / **Book up to (days ahead)** | How soon and how far ahead customers can book online. |
| **Smallest party online** / **Largest party online** | Party size limits for the online page. |
| **Max bookings per slot** | Only used when you have no tables. 0 = no limit. |
| **Wait estimate per party (min)** | Used for the waitlist estimate when no table can be predicted. |
| **"Reserved soon" window (min)** | A table shows as reserved on the floor plan this many minutes before a booking. |
| **Booking number prefix** | The letters in front of every booking number. |
| **Ask for a deposit on online table bookings** | Shows a deposit as due on online bookings; you take it as an advance payment. |
| **Customers can cancel online** / **Cancel until (hours before)** | Lets customers cancel from their booking link up to a deadline. |
| **Email confirmations automatically** / **Send email reminders** | Sends emails when email is set up for your business. Bookings always save, even if an email cannot be sent. |

## Permissions

| On the Roles page | What it allows |
|---|---|
| **Add/Edit/View all bookings** | See and manage every booking in the business. |
| **Add/Edit/View own bookings** | See and manage only bookings the user took or is assigned to. |
| **Services: manage all appointments** / **Services: manage own appointments (staff)** | Service appointments, when the Services module is on. See [Services](https://docs.smartposhub.com/modules/services/). |

Admins have every permission. To change Booking settings a user needs access to business settings.

## In the SmartPOS Business app

Open **More › Bookings** for a day strip, a **List** / **Timeline** switch, the waitlist with **Seat at** buttons, and **Walk-in** and **New booking** buttons. Staff in a salon use **Services › My day** instead. See [Bookings, hotel, gym and repair in the app](https://docs.smartposhub.com/business-app/bookings-hotel-gym-repair/).

## Tips and mistakes to avoid

- Set **Table turn time** realistically. Too short and tables are double-booked in practice; too long and online slots disappear.
- Leave **Confirm online bookings automatically** off at first if you want to check every online request.
- Always bill through **Open in POS** so the booking, customer and sale stay linked in reports.

## Related pages

  - [Services module](https://docs.smartposhub.com/modules/services/) — Service menu, staff hours, appointments and commission.
  - [Restaurant module](https://docs.smartposhub.com/modules/restaurant/) — Tables, floor plan, kitchen display and orders.
  - [Booking payments](https://docs.smartposhub.com/modules/booking-payments/) — Ask customers to pay a deposit online before a booking is confirmed.
  - [All modules](https://docs.smartposhub.com/modules/) — Every module and how to switch it on.

## Frequently asked questions

### What is the difference between Bookings and the Services module?

Bookings is the shared calendar for every reservation: tables, appointments and general bookings. The Services module adds a service menu, staff hours, commission and online appointment slots on top of it. Service appointments still appear in Bookings.

### Do I need a special plan for Bookings?

No. Bookings is a core feature. You only switch it on in Settings › Business Settings › Modules and give staff the booking permission. Appointments for services need the Services module, which is part of some plans.

### Can customers book online?

Yes. Turn on Let customers book online in Booking settings, save, and share the link from the Online page button. You choose whether online bookings are confirmed automatically or arrive as Requested.

### How do I take a deposit for a booking?

Write the agreed deposit on the booking and take the money as an advance payment in the sale when the guest arrives. To ask customers to pay online before a booking is confirmed, use Booking payments.

### Can two bookings land on the same table?

No. SmartPOS Hub checks table capacity and existing bookings and shows a message when a table is already booked or too small. A manager can tick Save anyway to override the check.

### Will customers get reminders?

Yes, by email, when Send email reminders is on and email is set up for your business. The reminder is sent once, the number of hours before the booking that you choose.

### How does a booking become a sale?

Open the booking and click Open in POS. The POS opens with the customer, and for restaurants the table and waiter, already filled in. When the sale is saved the booking is linked to it.