What Are Status Categories?
A status category for appointments is a way to label and track where each appointment is at, helping with organization and tracking of each appointment's progress or state for effective management and communication.
Initiated
The category for the status describes all newly created appointments that are awaiting acknowledgment.
- Example: A user schedules a consultation. The appointment status is "Initiated" until the customer acknowledges or accepts it.
(Examples of Statuses that would fall into the "Initiated" category)
- Scheduled
- Created
- Contacted
- Pending
Accepted
The category for the status describes the appointment once the recipient has been accepted and confirmed.
- Example: After receiving a notification, the recipient confirms their availability for the consultation. The appointment status is now in the "Accepted" category.
(Examples of Statuses that would fall into the "Accepted" category)
- Confirmed
- Scheduled
- Booked
- In-Progress
- Rescheduled
Fulfilled
The category for the status that describes that appointment has been completed.
- Example: The consultation occurs as scheduled, and the appointment is completed and moved into the "Fulfilled" category.
(Examples of Statuses that would fall into the "Fulfilled" category)
- Completed
- Closed
- Accomplished
- Resolved
- No-Show (With Charge)
Unfulfilled
The category for the status that describes that appointment was not completed or fulfilled.
- Example: The scheduled consultation is canceled, due to customer availability. The appointment status is considered "Unfulfilled."
(Examples of Statuses that would fall into the "Unfulfilled" category)
- Canceled
- Unavailable
- Blocked
- Deleted
- No-Show (No-Charge)
How to Effectively Use These Categories
Best Practices
- Monitor the progress of your appointments by regularly checking the status of each. This helps in identifying pending, completed, or missed engagements.
- Utilize the status updates to communicate effectively with all involved parties. For example, a status change to "Accepted" can trigger automatic notifications to confirm participants.
Reporting and Analytics
Leverage the categorized statuses for insightful reporting and analytics. Identify trends, track completion rates, and analyze the efficiency of your scheduling process.
By understanding and actively utilizing the "Initiated," "Accepted," "Fulfilled," and "Unfulfilled" categories, you can enhance the organization, communication, and overall efficiency of your appointment management.
Utilizing Categories for Billing Purposes
Fulfilled Category
Appointments marked as "Fulfilled" are the designated category for charging customers for services rendered.
- Example: A consultation that successfully takes place and is marked as "Fulfilled" triggers the charging process.
Accepted and Unfulfilled Categories
Appointments left in the "Accepted" or "Unfulfilled" categories do not trigger charges.
- Example: No charges are applied if an appointment is accepted but not fulfilled or is marked as unfulfilled.
No-Show Consideration
A "No-Show" appointment, although not physically completed, might still be categorized as "Fulfilled" if charges are applicable.
- Example: If your company policy involves charging for no-shows, an appointment marked as "Fulfilled" could include charges.
Best Practices
By understanding and implementing these practices, you can optimize your appointment organization and ensure a seamless and transparent billing process.
- Regularly check and update appointment statuses to ensure accurate billing.
- Communicate your charging policies to customers during the scheduling process.
- Use the reporting and analytics features to track completed appointments, identify trends, and manage billing efficiently.