Booking Rules & Restrictions – WooCommerce Bookings and Appointments FAQs

Are there any performance or size limitations I should be aware of with the WooCommerce Bookings and Appointments plugin?

There are no specific limitations on the types or number of bookings you can create with the WooCommerce Bookings and Appointments plugin. The plugin is designed to handle a wide range of booking scenarios and business sizes. It is recommended to evaluate the plugin using the demo to see how it fits your specific needs.

Can I limit the maximum number of reservations per time slot across multiple products by sharing a common resource?

Yes, by using the Asset feature in the WooCommerce Bookings and Appointments plugin, you can set a shared resource with a defined quantity. All assigned products will draw availability from this common pool. As customers book time slots through any of the products using the shared asset, availability for those slots is reduced globally. This automatically limits the maximum number of reservations per slot based on the asset's remaining quantity, regardless of which product the booking comes through.

Can I limit the number of booking slots a user can choose and restrict all slots to be within a specific time frame, such as 10 slots within 3 months?

Yes, using the PluginHive Bookings plugin together with the WooCommerce Multiple Non-Adjacent Bookings plugin, you can set both the maximum number of slots that a user can book and restrict the booking window to a specific time frame, such as 90 days. This allows you to offer a product where users can select, for example, 10 booking slots that can occur on the same or different days within a three-month period. You can configure these restrictions in the plugin settings, ensuring that the total slots cannot exceed your set limit and bookings are only available within your defined date range. For a practical demonstration and to see this functionality in action, you can refer to the provided test product and demo links on the PluginHive website.

Can I use the WooCommerce Bookings And Appointments plugin to limit each appointment slot to a maximum of 4 group bookings, regardless of the total number of people, along with setting a minimum booking of 2 and a maximum of 10 people per group?

The WooCommerce Bookings And Appointments plugin allows you to set a minimum booking of 2 people and a maximum of 10 people per group. However, it is not possible to limit the number of group bookings to a maximum of 4 per appointment slot, regardless of the total number of people booked. The current plugin functionality does not support restricting by the number of separate group bookings for a single appointment slot.

Can PluginHive provide a free license or a temporary free extension for charities who use the plugin only once a year?

PluginHive is unable to provide a free license or temporary free extension, even for charitable organizations or for limited event use, as this is against company policy. However, PluginHive offers discounts, with the maximum possible discount being up to 50% on the renewal purchase.

Can the plugin limit total bookings for week-long camps (e.g., to 30 per week), and optionally permit individual day bookings without exceeding the weekly capacity?

This requirement can be achieved using a custom paid add-on provided by PluginHive. With this add-on, you can customize minimum and maximum bookings, configure one-week slots and individual day slots, and ensure that the shared weekly capacity (such as 30 participants) is not exceeded, regardless of whether entire weeks or individual days are booked.

Does the PluginHive Bookings plugin license provide lifetime updates and support, or is it limited to a specific period?

The PluginHive Bookings plugin license is not a lifetime license. It includes "1 Year of Support & Updates" from the date of purchase. After one year, you must renew or repurchase the license to continue receiving support and updates. This policy is clearly stated on the plugin’s product page.

How can I configure the Booking & Appointments plugin to allow 24-hour reservations that: – Always start at 12:00 pm, ending at 12:00 pm the next day – Are only available on Wednesdays and Saturdays – Allow a maximum of 1 reservation per day?

To set up these booking requirements:

1. Set the booking duration to 1 day (24 hours).
2. Configure the booking start time to always begin at 12:00 pm.
3. In the "Availability" settings, select only Wednesday and Saturday as available days for booking.
4. Limit the maximum bookings per day to 1 by adjusting the "Maximum Bookings Per Day" or equivalent option.
5. Ensure the booking buffer times and minimum/maximum durations do not conflict with 24-hour bookings.
6. If the calendar or time slots are not displaying as needed (e.g., no start time for one-day reservations, or the end date does not extend to the next day), review the product’s booking settings to ensure "Fixed Time" start and correct duration selection.

How can I configure the WooCommerce Bookings and Appointments plugin to allow users to rent for 4, 8, or 12 months with different prices for each duration?

You can set up rental durations of 4, 8, or 12 months by configuring the Booking period as "Calendar Range with Blocks of" 4 months. Set the Minimum duration to 1 and the Maximum duration to 3. This configuration will allow customers to book for 4, 8, or 12 months, each block representing a specific period with its own pricing.

How can I prevent customers from booking for Monday if they book on a Friday, considering that Saturday and Sunday are non-working days and should be excluded from the minimum booking notice period?

Currently, the "Avoid last-minute bookings" feature in the PluginHive WooCommerce Bookings plugin does not account for non-working days such as weekends. This means that even if you set a 2-day advance notice, the plugin will still allow a customer to book on Friday for Monday. There is no built-in workaround available at the moment for excluding weekends from the buffer period. The plugin calculates days inclusively, without differentiating weekends or non-working days in the buffer configuration.

How can I purchase the "Customize Minimum/Maximum Booking Duration Add-on" for PluginHive WooCommerce Bookings?

To purchase the "Customize Minimum/Maximum Booking Duration Add-on," visit: https://www.pluginhive.com/product/customization-for-pluginhive-woocommerce-plugins/. Select the "Popular Package ($200)" to proceed with the purchase. This is a one-time purchase and is non-refundable. After purchasing, provide your order number to PluginHive for further assistance.

How can I restrict the group size for each reservation to a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 4 participants?

The plugin allows you to set participant restrictions for each booking. You can configure a minimum group size of 2 and a maximum of 4 participants per reservation, ensuring bookings meet your specified group requirements.

How can I set a minimum number of participants for a booking, but let users choose any combination of participant types (such as adults or students) to meet that minimum, and set a maximum total number of participants?

You can set the minimum number of participants required for a booking and define the participant types (like adults and students) so that the total minimum is enforced, regardless of the combination. For example, you can specify a minimum booking of 10 participants and a maximum of 30 participants. Customers will then be able to select any mix of participant types (such as 1 adult plus 9 students or 6 adults plus 4 students), as long as the total is within your specified range. This setup allows flexibility in participant composition while maintaining required booking limits.

How can I set a rule so that the delivery time for a product cannot be later than 14:00 using the PluginHive Product Addon plugin?

It is not possible to configure minimum or maximum time restrictions for a time field using the PluginHive Product Addon plugin. The addon allows for the collection of additional data but does not include options to set time limits. For such functionality, consider using the Bookings plugin where availability and time restrictions can be specified.

How can I set different maximum numbers of bookings per time slot or date in WooCommerce Bookings, such as reducing reservation slots when there are fewer guides available?

To set different maximum numbers of bookings per block or date in WooCommerce Bookings, you need the "Customize Minimum/Maximum Booking Duration Add-on" from PluginHive. This add-on allows flexible configuration of custom minimum and maximum bookable slots or durations for each product. Using this, you can specify varying maximum booking limits for specific dates or blocks, such as reducing available slots on days with fewer staff. The add-on is a custom, one-time purchase (priced at $250, non-refundable). For detailed instructions and to learn more about its features, visit: https://www.pluginhive.com/knowledge-base/woocommerce-bookings-add-ons-customise-maximum-bookings-per-slot/

How can I set different seat limits for each row (asset) for each day when using WooCommerce and your bookings plugin?

To set different seat limits for each row, you need to create an asset for each row and specify its available quantity (the number of seats). For example, create assets for each of your rows with the following seat limits:

• Row 1: 29 seats
• Row 2: 29 seats
• Row 3: 27 seats
• Row 4: 25 seats
• Row 5: 7 seats
• Row 6: 7 seats

How did PluginHive resolve the issue where the Customise Minimum & Maximum Booking Duration add-on would not save rules?

After reviewing the site with appropriate access, PluginHive identified and resolved the underlying issue on the customer’s website. The root cause was site-specific and did not appear on the PluginHive demo site. Resolution involved troubleshooting on the live server, utilizing both WordPress admin and FTP access, and making any necessary adjustments to ensure saving functionality worked as expected. Once resolved, the customer immediately confirmed successful operation.

How does participant-based (group size) availability work in PluginHive’s booking plugin?

When setting participant limits, you can define both minimum and maximum allowed per booking, as well as a maximum cumulative group size per time slot. The plugin tracks bookings for a particular slot and makes the slot unavailable when the cumulative participant count reaches the defined maximum. For example, if the slot limit is 20 and previous bookings total 18 participants, only 2 additional participants can be booked for that slot. Always test your settings to confirm the plugin is enforcing limits as intended.

If I create new buffer rules for products, will it affect only future reservations or will it also impact current bookings?

When you add buffer rules to your products, the changes will only affect future reservations. Existing bookings made before the buffer rule was applied will not be impacted.

Is it possible to set a global availability limit (e.g., maximum 35 participants per hour) that overrides individual product availability settings in the plugin?

No, it is not possible to set a global participant limit (such as a maximum of 35 participants per hour) that overrides individual product availability settings. Global availability settings apply across all bookable products but, based on the range type, individual product availabilities cannot be limited collectively to a single global maximum. Each product will maintain its own set availability (e.g., 10 participants per hour) without the ability to enforce a shared overall limit across multiple products.

Is it possible to set bookings so they are only accepted with a minimum of 2 days in advance using your plugin?

Yes, you can configure booking availability rules in the WooCommerce Bookings and Appointments plugin to ensure bookings are only accepted a set number of days in advance, such as requiring at least 2 days’ notice. This allows you to restrict which dates are shown as bookable based on your requirements.

Is it possible to set the relative booking window in the WooCommerce Bookings and Appointments plugin to limit bookings for front-end users only, while allowing administrators to book at any time in the future?

No, the relative booking window feature in the WooCommerce Bookings and Appointments plugin applies to both customers (front-end users) and administrators. Currently, there is no option to exclude the relative booking window restriction for administrators; it will affect all users equally.

Is there a way to receive a discount on a multi-site license if I already own a single-site license?

While there is no official upgrade policy to pay the price difference between license tiers, PluginHive support may offer a custom discount code in certain cases, particularly if you’re an existing customer seeking to purchase multi-site licenses. If you qualify, you will receive a coupon code which will be valid for a limited period and only for the email address on record.

Is there a way to test the WooCommerce Bookings & Appointments plugin before purchase, and what is the refund policy if the plugin does not meet my needs?

There is currently no demo backend available due to site maintenance. However, PluginHive offers a 30-day refund policy. If you purchase the plugin and find during your testing that it does not meet your requirements or does not satisfy your business needs, you are eligible for a refund within 30 days of purchase. This policy applies whether the issue is due to a technical limitation or simply a matter of preference.

What can I do if my hosting provider does not allow increasing the PHP max input vars due to shared hosting restrictions?

If your hosting provider does not allow increasing the "PHP max input vars" value on a shared hosting plan, you have a few options:

• Contact your hosting support to discuss if they can increase the limit for your account.
• If this is not possible, consider upgrading to a higher hosting plan (such as VPS or dedicated hosting) that allows you more control over PHP settings.
• Alternatively, you could try optimizing the number of rows and fields in your plugin setup to stay within the current limit, but this may restrict the number of rules you can add. If you require more, upgrading hosting is the recommended solution.

What is the maximum value I can enter for the number of minutes in advance for sending reminder emails?

There is no defined maximum limit for the "minutes in advance" field for sending reminder emails. You can enter any value according to your requirements, such as 1440 minutes for a 24-hour advance reminder. Adjust the value as needed to suit your business workflow.

What should I do if the "Global Assets" feature in the Bookings plugin is not saving data, even after updating to the latest version?

If the "Global Assets" feature is not saving data despite updating to the latest version of the Bookings plugin, try the following steps:

1. Check and increase your website's PHP configuration settings, specifically:

• Max Upload Size
• PHP Time Limit
• PHP max input vars

1. You may need the assistance of your website developer or hosting provider to adjust these server limits.
2. After increasing these settings, save the changes and test the Global Assets feature again.

What steps should I take if updating PHP configuration variables does not resolve the settings saving issue?

If increasing PHP configuration values like max_input_vars, max upload size, and PHP time limit does not fix the problem, follow these troubleshooting steps:

1. Temporarily deactivate all plugins except for WooCommerce and the Bookings plugin.
2. Switch to a default WordPress theme (such as Twenty Twenty-Four).
3. Attempt to save settings in the Customise Minimum & Maximum Booking Duration add-on again.
4. If the problem remains, gather a screencast or video that demonstrates the issue, as this will assist in replicating and diagnosing the problem.
5. If needed, provide temporary WordPress admin and FTP access to qualified technical support for further investigation.

When are affiliate payments processed by PluginHive?

Affiliate payments are processed in the third week of each month. Please note that only orders considered for payout are those that are at least 45 days old, aligning with PluginHive's standard refund policy. Earnings become eligible for payout once your total unpaid commissions reach the minimum threshold of $50.

Where can I find more information about the Customize Minimum/Maximum Booking Duration Add-on for the PluginHive Bookings plugin, and how much does it cost?

The "Customize Minimum/Maximum Booking Duration Add-on" for the PluginHive Bookings plugin allows you to set custom minimum and maximum bookable slots or durations for each product, offering greater flexibility for seat limits per time slot. This add-on is priced at $250 and is non-refundable. Detailed information, including setup instructions and capabilities, is available here: https://www.pluginhive.com/knowledge-base/woocommerce-bookings-add-ons-customise-maximum-bookings-per-slot/

Which calendar design is being used for automatic date highlighting, and does the calendar's design affect the display of cross-month bookings?

Calendar Design-1 is used for automatic date highlighting. However, the final display of selected dates, especially at the turn of the month, also depends on how your booking product is configured within the plugin settings. Despite the design choice, if the "Customise Minimum & Maximum Booking Duration" addon is used, dates from the next month will not be auto-highlighted, as this feature is not currently supported. All calendar designs will be subject to this limitation based on the addon functionality.

Why are bookings going over the assigned maximum capacity even though the product, store, and resource capacities are set to a limit?

When checking your site, once the maximum number of slots (e.g., 20 children per day) were added for a date, the date became greyed out and could not be selected for further bookings. This indicates the plugin's capacity limitation is functioning correctly. If overbookings still occur, ensure all related products and resources are linked to the same booking and capacity logic, and confirm that no other plugins or manual changes are interfering with slot management. If the issue recurs, please provide detailed steps to reproduce and affected order numbers, and consider sharing FTP access so the team can investigate further.

Why are changes not being saved in the Customise Minimum & Maximum Booking Duration add-on after the latest update?

This issue can occur if the PHP environment is not configured to handle a higher number of input variables, which is necessary for saving multiple rules or entries. Please check and increase the following PHP server settings:

1. **Max Upload Size**: Ensure it's large enough for your site's operations.
2. **PHP Time Limit**: Raise this value to give scripts more time to execute.
3. **PHP max_input_vars**: Increase this limit (e.g., to at least 3000) to accommodate saving multiple booking duration rules.

Why does booking a specific walker (e.g., "Jenny" for July 4th at 5:00pm) affect the availability of other walkers in the PluginHive Booking Plugin? Each walker should have individual time slots.

In the PluginHive Booking Plugin, the maximum number of bookings allowed per time slot is controlled by two factors:

1. The total quantity of the assigned assets (e.g., number of walker staff).
2. The “Max Bookings per Block” setting for the product.

• The total possible bookings would be 30 (3 walkers × 10), but the "Max Bookings per Block" is 3.
• The system limits the maximum bookings per time slot to 3, so as soon as those bookings are made, the slot is considered fully booked for all assets.

• Set each asset’s quantity to 1 and assign each asset to the product.
• Adjust the "Max Bookings per Block" to 3 (or higher if needed).
• Now, the availability shown for each walker will be 1 per slot.
• Booking a slot will reduce availability only for the specific walker that was booked, not for others.