> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.elationhealth.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Scheduling Capabilities Overview

> This article provides an overview of Elation's scheduling capabilities, helping you understand the available tools for managing appointments and provider schedules.

## Overview

### What are Elation's scheduling capabilities?

Elation offers a comprehensive suite of scheduling tools designed to help practices efficiently manage patient appointments, provider availability, and patient self-scheduling. These tools work together to streamline scheduling workflows, reduce administrative burden, and improve patient access to care.

### Why are scheduling capabilities important?

Effective scheduling capabilities help practices:

* **Reduce administrative workload** - Automate appointment booking and reminders to free up staff time.
* **Improve patient access** - Allow patients to self-schedule appointments online at their convenience.
* **Optimize provider time** - Manage availability across multiple locations and appointment types.
* **Minimize no-shows** - Send automated reminders to confirm appointments.
* **Support care continuity** - Schedule recurring appointments for patients who need ongoing care.

## Key Scheduling Features

### Calendar

The Calendar is the central scheduling tool in Elation, used to manage provider availability and patient appointments.

| **Feature**                | **Description**                                                    |
| -------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| **Standard View**          | View a single provider's daily schedule.                           |
| **Expanded View**          | View multiple days or multiple providers side by side.             |
| **Appointment Management** | Create, edit, and delete appointments.                             |
| **Patient Check-in**       | Update appointment status as patients arrive.                      |
| **Virtual Visit Support**  | Distinguish virtual from in-person appointments with a video icon. |

For detailed instructions, see the [Calendar Guide - Using the Calendar for appointments & events](/articles/how-to-use-elation-calendar) article.

### Patient Booking Site

The Patient Booking Site is a personalized web page where patients can self-schedule appointments based on provider availability.

| **Feature**                   | **Description**                                             |
| ----------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Online Self-Scheduling**    | Patients can book appointments 24/7 from any device.        |
| **Real-Time Availability**    | Shows only available time slots based on provider settings. |
| **Customizable URL**          | Personalize your booking site link for your practice.       |
| **Multi-Location Support**    | Patients can select their preferred practice location.      |
| **Patient Forms Integration** | Automatically send intake forms when patients book.         |

<Note>
  To enable the Booking Site, each provider must configure their availability in the **Calendar & Booking** settings.
</Note>

For setup instructions, see the [Patient Booking Site Guide](/articles/Patient-Booking-Site) article.

### Provider Availability

The Provider Availability settings allow you to define when each provider is available for appointments, by practice location and appointment type.

| **Feature**                        | **Description**                                                                                |
| ---------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Location-Specific Availability** | Set different hours for each practice location.                                                |
| **Appointment Type Filtering**     | Specify which appointment types are available during each time block.                          |
| **Time Zone Management**           | Assign time zones to each location for accurate patient communication.                         |
| **Visual Indicators**              | Gray vertical bars on the calendar show availability; diagonal stripes show unavailable times. |

For configuration instructions, see the [Calendar & Booking Site Guide - Enhanced Provider availability by Practice Location & Appointment Type](/articles/Calendar-Booking-Site-Guide-Enhanced-Provider-availability-by-Practice-Location-Appointment-Type) article.

### Appointment Types

Appointment Types define the different kinds of appointments your practice offers, such as office visits, physicals, or telehealth consultations.

| Setting                     | Description                                                           |
| --------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Name & Color**            | Customize the name and color for easy identification on the calendar. |
| **Default Duration**        | Set how long each appointment type typically lasts.                   |
| **Visit Note Template**     | Automatically apply templates when starting a visit note.             |
| **Patient Forms**           | Link forms to send to patients when they book.                        |
| **Booking Site Visibility** | Choose which appointment types appear on your Patient Booking Site.   |

For setup instructions, see the [Calendar Guide - How to set up the provider calendar](/articles/calendar-and-booking-settings) article.

### Recurring Appointments

The Recurring Appointments feature lets you schedule a series of ongoing patient visits in a few steps, ideal for patients who need regular care.

| **Feature**              | **Description**                                                                                       |
| ------------------------ | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Flexible Intervals**   | Schedule weekly or monthly recurring appointments.                                                    |
| **Up to 52 Recurrences** | Create a series up to 18 months in advance.                                                           |
| **Conflict Detection**   | Review scheduling conflict alerts when creating a series of recurring appointments.                   |
| **Individual Editing**   | Edit or delete individual appointments without affecting the entire series of recurring appointments. |

<Note>
  Patients cannot book recurring appointments through the Booking Site. Only staff can create recurring appointments.
</Note>

For detailed instructions, see the [Calendar Guide - Scheduling recurring patient appointments](/articles/recurring-patient-appointments) article.

### Quick Reschedule

Quick Reschedule lets you instantly move an appointment to a new time slot based on provider availability.

| **Feature**                  | **Description**                                                                      |
| ---------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| **Suggested Times**          | Displays the next six available slots based on location, duration, and availability. |
| **One-Click Rescheduling**   | Select a new time and save without leaving your workflow.                            |
| **Single Appointments Only** | Works on individual appointments, not a series of recurring appointments as a whole. |

<Info>
  **Exception:** The appointment must have a **Location** assigned to use Quick Reschedule.
</Info>

For instructions, see the [Calendar Guide - Using the Calendar for appointments & events](/articles/how-to-use-elation-calendar#quick-reschedule) article.

### Calendar Blocks and Non-Blocking Events

Elation offers two types of events to help manage your schedule:

| **Event Type**                  | **Blocks Calendar?** | **Blocks Booking Site?** | **Use Case**                           |
| ------------------------------- | -------------------- | ------------------------ | -------------------------------------- |
| **Calendar Block**              | Yes                  | Yes                      | Lunch breaks, meetings, time off       |
| **Non-Blocking Calendar Event** | No                   | No                       | Scheduling preferences, internal notes |

Calendar Blocks prevent appointments from being scheduled during that time, both in the EHR and on the Booking Site. Non-Blocking Calendar Events (also called non-blocking placeholders) display preferences on the calendar without restricting scheduling.

For detailed instructions, see the [Calendar Guide - Using the Calendar for appointments & events](/articles/how-to-use-elation-calendar#blocks-vs-nonblocking) article.

### Automated Appointment Reminders

Automated Appointment Reminders help reduce no-shows by notifying patients about their upcoming appointments.

| **Feature**                    | **Description**                                                   |
| ------------------------------ | ----------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Up to 3 Reminders**          | Send multiple reminders before each appointment.                  |
| **Multi-Channel Delivery**     | Send via text, email, or phone call based on patient preferences. |
| **Patient Confirmation**       | Patients can confirm or cancel directly from the reminder.        |
| **Virtual Visit Instructions** | Include video visit details for virtual/telehealth appointments.  |

For setup instructions, see the [Calendar Guide - Using automated appointment reminders](/articles/appointment-reminders) article.

## Feature Comparison

| **Feature**            | **Staff Can Use** | **Patients Can Use** | **Requires Setup**                           |
| ---------------------- | ----------------- | -------------------- | -------------------------------------------- |
| Calendar               | Yes               | No                   | Appointment Types, Display Settings          |
| Patient Booking Site   | Yes               | Yes                  | Provider Availability, Booking Site Settings |
| Recurring Appointments | Yes               | No                   | Provider Availability (recommended)          |
| Quick Reschedule       | Yes               | No                   | Location assigned to appointment             |
| Calendar Blocks        | Yes               | No                   | None                                         |
| Non-Blocking Events    | Yes               | No                   | None                                         |
| Appointment Reminders  | Automatic         | Receives             | Reminder Settings                            |

## Getting Started

To set up scheduling for your practice, follow these steps:

| 1 | **Configure Practice Locations** - Add your practice locations and assign time zones. See the [Practice Locations Guide](/articles/adding-a-second-practice-location) article.                                                                                                               |
| - | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| 2 | **Set Up Appointment Types** - Create the appointment types your practice offers. See the [Calendar Guide - How to set up the provider calendar](/articles/calendar-and-booking-settings) article.                                                                                           |
| 3 | **Configure Provider Availability** - Define when each provider is available for appointments. See the [Calendar & Booking Site Guide - Enhanced Provider availability](/articles/Calendar-Booking-Site-Guide-Enhanced-Provider-availability-by-Practice-Location-Appointment-Type) article. |
| 4 | **Enable the Patient Booking Site** (optional) - Allow patients to self-schedule appointments online. See the [Patient Booking Site Guide](/articles/Patient-Booking-Site) article.                                                                                                          |
| 5 | **Set Up Appointment Reminders** - Configure automated reminders to reduce no-shows. See the [Automated Appointment Reminders Guide](/articles/appointment-reminders) article.                                                                                                               |

## Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

### Can patients book recurring appointments online?

No, patients cannot book recurring appointments through the Booking Site. Only staff can create a series of recurring appointment in Elation.

### Can I double-book appointments?

Yes, staff can book multiple appointments in the same time slot when needed. However, the Booking Site does not allow patients to double-book the same time slot.

### How do Calendar Blocks differ from Non-Blocking Events?

Calendar Blocks remove time from availability on both the calendar and the Booking Site. Non-Blocking Calendar Events display scheduling preferences without blocking availability—patients can still book during those times via the Booking Site if provider availability allows. [Click here for more information about these two features](/articles/how-to-use-elation-calendar#calendar_block_vs_placeholder).

### Can I use the Calendar without the Patient Booking Site?

Yes, you can use the Elation Calendar without enabling the Patient Booking Site. The Calendar functions independently for internal scheduling.

### How far in advance can I schedule recurring appointments?

The latest possible end date for a recurring appointment series is **18 months** from the date it is created, or a maximum of **52 recurrences**.

### Do appointment reminders work for all appointments?

Yes, appointment reminders are sent for all scheduled appointments, whether booked through the Booking Site or manually by staff.

## Related Articles

* [Calendar Guide - Using the Calendar for appointments & events](/articles/how-to-use-elation-calendar)
* [Calendar Guide - How to set up the provider calendar](/articles/calendar-and-booking-settings)
* [Calendar Guide - Scheduling recurring patient appointments](/articles/recurring-patient-appointments)
* [Patient Booking Site Guide](/articles/Patient-Booking-Site)
* [Calendar & Booking Site Guide - Enhanced Provider availability by Practice Location & Appointment Type](/articles/Calendar-Booking-Site-Guide-Enhanced-Provider-availability-by-Practice-Location-Appointment-Type)
* [Calendar Guide - Using automated appointment reminders](/articles/appointment-reminders)
* [Practice Locations Guide - Listing your service locations](/articles/adding-a-second-practice-location)
* [Calendar Guide - Setting practice location for appointment reminders](/articles/using-multi-location-scheduling)