Availability Schedules in TidyCal

Availability in TidyCal lets you create multiple named schedules that define when clients can book you. Create different schedules for different purposes (e.g., “Winter Hours”, “Consulting Only”) and assign them to specific booking types.

To manage your availability, click Default Availability in the left sidebar or go to tidycal.com/dashboard/availability.

All plans (Free, Individual, and Agency) have full access to availability schedules with no limits on the number of schedules you can create.

How Availability Works

Availability defines the broad window when TidyCal can offer booking slots. It is not a business-hours setting — TidyCal always checks your connected calendars (Google, Outlook, Apple) to determine when you’re truly free.

Here’s how TidyCal determines available slots:

Your availability schedule defines the hours you’re open to bookings
TidyCal checks your connected calendars for conflicts
Only time slots where you’re actually free are shown to clients

Your external calendars always take priority. If you have a calendar event during an “available” window, TidyCal blocks that slot automatically.

The Availability Page

The Availability page shows all your schedules as cards. Each card displays:

Schedule name (e.g., “Default Schedule”, “Summer Hours”)
Default badge — A blue “Default” badge on your default schedule
Your timezone
Weekly schedule — A table showing your available hours for each day of the week
Date overrides — Specific dates with custom hours or marked as unavailable

Each schedule card has a three-dot dropdown menu with these actions:

Edit — Open the schedule editor to modify hours
Set as default — Make this the default schedule (not shown on the current default)
Duplicate — Create a copy of this schedule with “(Copy)” appended to the name
Delete — Remove this schedule (not available for the default schedule)

Creating a New Schedule

Go to Default Availability in the sidebar
Click the New schedule button in the top right
The schedule editor drawer opens on the right side
Enter an "Availability title" for your schedule
Configure your weekly hours:
- Enable or disable individual days of the week
- Set start and end times for each day
- Add multiple time windows per day (e.g., 9:00am–12:00pm and 1:00pm–5:00pm)
Optionally add date overrides for specific dates with custom hours or to mark dates as unavailable
Click Save

The new schedule appears in your list. It will not be the default unless you explicitly set it.

Editing a Schedule

Click on the schedule card, or click the three-dot menu and select Edit
The editor drawer opens with the current schedule settings
Modify the name, weekly hours, or date overrides
Click Save to apply changes

Changes apply immediately to all booking types using this schedule.

Setting a Default Schedule

Your default schedule is used by booking types that don’t have a specific schedule assigned. It’s marked with a blue Default badge.

To change your default:

Click the three-dot menu on the schedule you want as the new default
Select Set as default
The page reloads with the updated default

Only one schedule can be the default at a time. When you set a new default, the previous default loses its badge.

Duplicating a Schedule

To quickly create a schedule based on an existing one:

Click the three-dot menu on the schedule you want to copy
Select Duplicate
A new schedule is created with “(Copy)” added to the name, containing the same hours

You can then edit the duplicate to adjust the hours for your needs.

Deleting a Schedule

Click the three-dot menu on the schedule you want to remove
Select Delete
Confirm in the dialog: “Are you sure you want to delete [schedule name]? Booking types using this schedule will fall back to the default.”

Important:

You cannot delete the default schedule. If you need to replace it, create a new schedule, set it as default, then delete the old one.
When a schedule is deleted, any booking types that were using it automatically fall back to your default schedule.

Assigning Schedules to Booking Types

Each booking type can use a specific availability schedule or fall back to the default. TidyCal uses this priority order to determine available slots:

Booking type’s own availability windows — If the booking type has custom availability configured directly, those are used first
Linked schedule — If the booking type is assigned to a specific schedule, that schedule’s windows are used
Default schedule — If no specific assignment, the default schedule is used

To assign a schedule to a booking type, edit the booking type and select the desired schedule from the availability options.

Weekly Hours vs. Date Overrides

Weekly Hours (Recurring)

Set your regular recurring availability for each day of the week. For example:

Monday–Friday: 9:00am – 5:00pm
Saturday: 10:00am – 2:00pm
Sunday: Unavailable

You can add multiple time windows per day. For example, if you take a lunch break:

Monday: 9:00am – 12:00pm, 1:00pm – 5:00pm

Date Overrides

Override your weekly schedule for specific dates. Use date overrides for:

Custom hours on a specific day (e.g., December 24: 9:00am – 12:00pm)
Blocking a date entirely (e.g., January 1: Unavailable)

Date overrides take priority over weekly hours for that specific date.

Common Use Cases for Multiple Schedules

Seasonal hours: Create “Summer Hours” and “Winter Hours” schedules, switch default as needed
Service-specific availability: “Consultations” schedule (weekday mornings) vs “Quick Calls” schedule (weekday afternoons)
Part-time schedules: “Full Days” for your main booking types, “Half Days” for lower-priority ones
Client-type schedules: Different availability windows for new vs. existing clients

Troubleshooting

No Dates Showing on Booking Page

If your booking calendar shows no selectable dates:

Check that your schedule has at least one day enabled with time windows
Ensure time windows are long enough for the booking type’s duration (e.g., a 60-minute meeting needs a time window of at least 60 minutes)
Verify the booking type is using the correct schedule

Booking Type Using the Wrong Schedule

Edit the booking type and verify which schedule it’s assigned to. If no schedule is assigned, it uses the default schedule.

Can’t Delete a Schedule

You cannot delete the default schedule. Create a new schedule, set it as default, then delete the old one.

Duplicate Schedule Names

TidyCal allows duplicate schedule names. If you duplicate a schedule, "(Copy)" is appended to the name automatically. You can rename it afterward.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are there limits on how many schedules I can create?

No. All plans (Free, Individual, and Agency) can create unlimited availability schedules.

Does my connected calendar override my availability schedule?

Yes. TidyCal always checks your connected calendars. If you have a calendar event during an available window, that slot is blocked automatically.

What does the “Default” schedule mean?

The default schedule is used by booking types that don’t have a specific schedule assigned. You always have one default schedule, marked with a blue “Default” badge.

What happens to booking types when I delete a schedule?

Booking types that were using the deleted schedule automatically fall back to your default schedule.

How does availability work with Teams?

In team booking types, each team member’s actual availability comes from their own connected calendars. The availability schedule defines the range of hours TidyCal checks for each member.