Set availability rules
Create rules that limit guests, booking length, turnover time, notice and online bookings, and apply them to days.
A rule is a named set of limits. You can apply a rule to a weekday or to a single date to control how guests can book.
Where to find rules
Open Reservation in the top menu, then Availability. Open the Rules section. You see each rule with its Name, number of Criterias and Next in use.
Click New to create a rule, or the pencil to edit one.
Create a rule
Name the rule
Fill in Name. Use something your team will recognise, for example "Friday evening".
Add criteria
Click Add criteria. Choose a Criteria type (see the table below) and fill in its fields. Add as many criteria as you need.
Save
Click Save changes. You see Rule was created.
To remove a rule, open it and click Delete.
Criteria types
Most criteria let you limit who or when it applies with Min guests, Max guests, From and To. Leave the times empty to apply it to the whole day.
| Criteria type | What you set |
|---|---|
| Booking duration online | The Duration that online bookings get. |
| No show | A Fee per guest for a no show. Guests must register a card when booking online. See No-show fees and pre-payments. |
| Block "à la carte" online | Blocks online bookings without a menu for the times you choose. |
| Max total guests online | The most guests that can book online. |
| Max total guests (all) | The most guests in total. |
| Max guests at a time | The most guests at the same time, online and booked by staff. |
| Max bookings online | The most online bookings. |
| Guests per booking online | The smallest and largest party that can book online. |
| Custom message | A Message shown to the guest. |
| Booking notice hours | How many hours ahead a guest must book. |
| Ignore other rules | Makes the other rule for the same day not apply. |
| Limit tables to time | From, To and the Tables that are limited to those times. |
| Turnover before | Turnover minutes kept free before a booking. |
| Turnover after | Turnover minutes kept free after a booking. |
| Allow same day online bookings until | The time of day after which guests can no longer book for the same day (Until). |
If you add two criteria of the same type, a priority number shows next to each. Drag them to change the order. Priority 1 is the highest.
Apply a rule to a day
- Every week: pick the rule for a weekday in the opening hours. See Opening hours for bookings.
- One date: open Monitor, go to the date, click Settings, then Booking settings and choose the Rule. See Close online bookings or change one day.
If a date has both a weekday rule and a date rule, both apply. A rule with Ignore other rules switches the other one off.
Events don't use these day rules. An event follows only the rules you pick on the event. See Create an event.