Specials and seasonal services: offering a service for a while

A special is a service you only offer for a while: a spring blonde package, a Christmas party up-style, a treatment for the summer. Give it a first and last day, and your booking page offers it on those days only. The day after its last day, FullColumn archives it for you, so your menu tidies itself.

#How specials work

Any service can be a special: turn on Only for a while and choose its days.

• First day: clients can book it online for appointments on or after this day. Leave it empty ("Straight away") to start now.
• Last day: the last day it can be booked for online. Leave it empty ("No end date") for no end.
• The day after the last day, it's archived automatically: it leaves your menu and booking page, and appointments already booked keep it.

The dates are for online booking. Your team can book it at the desk at any time while it's on your menu.

#Setting up a special

1. Open Settings → Services. Choose Service to make a new one (with its own name, price and time), or click an existing service.
2. Turn on Only for a while. The Last day starts as the end of this month (or next month, when this one's nearly over).
3. Choose the First day and Last day. The × beside a date clears it.
4. Check Bookable online is on, and tick who does it under Who does it.
5. Choose Save.

Under the dates, the editor sums up what will happen: the days clients can book it online, and the day it'll be archived.

Setting up specials needs "Edit services and prices". Owners have every permission.

#What clients see when you run a special

• The special shows on your booking page with its dates beside it, like "Until 30 Nov" or "3 Nov – 30 Nov".
• It shows while any of its days is within how far ahead clients can book. A special starting in three months won't appear until then.
• Clients can only choose a date between its first and last day.
• A bundle with a special in it can only be booked on the days all its services are offered.

In Settings → Services, the special shows the same dates on a badge beside its name.

#Sharing a special

Use the link button beside the service in Settings → Services (Copy booking link) to copy a link that opens your booking page with the special already chosen. Post it on Instagram, put it in a campaign, or text it to a client. See marketing campaigns.

#Booking a special at the desk

At the desk you can book a special before its first day, and after its last day until it's archived. Booking it for a day after its last day shows a warning that it's only offered until then, and you choose whether to go ahead.

Once it's archived it no longer shows when booking.

#When a special ends

The day after the special's last day, FullColumn archives it automatically. It shows in Settings → Services (with Show archived services on) as "Archived on 1 Dec automatically".

• Appointments already booked with it stay booked, with the special's price.
• Its sales and history stay in your records and reports.
• Bundles with it in can't be booked online after its last day either.

When you choose a last day, the editor warns you about any appointments already booked after it ("2 appointments are booked after 30 Nov. They stay booked.") and names any bundle the special is in.

#Changing a special's dates or ending it early

Open the service, change the First day or Last day, and Save. To end it early, set the Last day to today: it stops being offered online after today, and it's archived tomorrow. Or choose Remove to take it off your menu straight away (archived if it's been booked).

A last day that has already passed can't be saved on a service that's on your menu: "That last day has passed. Choose a later day, or clear it."

#Running a special again

1. Turn on Show archived services in Settings → Services.
2. Open the special and choose Unarchive. Its old last day is cleared ("Its last day had passed, so that’s cleared").
3. Under Only for a while, choose its new days if it's only back for a while, or turn Only for a while off to keep it on your menu.
4. Choose Save.

#A special price on a service you already have

A special is its own service, with its own price. To take money off a service you already offer, rather than make a new one, give clients a promo code instead, or a discount at checkout.

#Common questions

#Will a special disappear from appointments when it ends?

No. Appointments already booked keep it, at the price they were booked at. Only your menu and booking page lose it.

#Can I set up a special now that starts next month?

Yes. Choose its First day: clients can't book it for earlier days, and it appears on your booking page once its days come within how far ahead clients can book. Your team can book it at the desk straight away.

#Can a special have no end date?

Yes. Leave Last day empty and choose only a First day: it's offered from that day on until you remove it.

#What happens to a bundle when a special in it ends?

The bundle can't be booked online after the special's last day. Take the special out of the bundle, or remove the bundle, if it shouldn't stay on your menu.

#Can I run the same special again next year?

Yes. Show archived services, open it, choose Unarchive, set its new days and Save.