Appearance
Work Settings
Configure how your business handles scheduling, including arrival time windows shown to customers and your team's default work schedule.
Accessing Work Settings
- Click Settings in the sidebar
- Select Work Settings
Arrival Windows
Arrival windows let you show customers a time range instead of an exact appointment time. This gives your team flexibility while setting clear expectations.
Arrival Window Duration
Choose how much buffer time to show customers:
| Option | What Customers See |
|---|---|
| Exact time | "9:00 AM" |
| 15 minutes | "9:00 AM – 9:15 AM" |
| 30 minutes | "9:00 AM – 9:30 AM" |
| 1 hour | "9:00 AM – 10:00 AM" |
| 2 hours | "9:00 AM – 11:00 AM" |
| 3 hours | "9:00 AM – 12:00 PM" |
| 4 hours | "9:00 AM – 1:00 PM" |
Choosing the Right Window
- 15-30 minutes: Good for time-sensitive services or when you need to meet the customer
- 1-2 hours: Standard for most field service work
- 3-4 hours: Better for busy days or when travel times vary
Window Style
Choose how the arrival window is calculated relative to the scheduled time:
After (Default)
The window starts at the scheduled time:
- Scheduled: 9:00 AM
- 30-minute window
- Shown as: 9:00 AM – 9:30 AM
Best when you aim to arrive at or after the scheduled time.
Centred
The window is centred around the scheduled time:
- Scheduled: 9:00 AM
- 30-minute window
- Shown as: 8:45 AM – 9:15 AM
Best when you might arrive slightly early or late.
Roster Mode
Choose how YardPilot calculates your team's availability for scheduling.
Automatic Mode
Uses a fixed weekly schedule template. Best for:
- Solo operators
- Teams with consistent weekly hours
- Simple scheduling needs
In automatic mode, every week follows the same pattern you define in the work schedule below.
Manual Mode
Uses individual roster entries for each day. Best for:
- Teams with varying schedules
- Part-time staff with different days
- Businesses with seasonal changes
Using Manual Mode
When you select manual mode, you'll need to create roster entries for each team member via Schedule > Roster. The work schedule template below won't be used.
Work Schedule
Define your default weekly working hours. This schedule is used when roster mode is set to Automatic.
Setting Up Your Week
For each day of the week, you can:
- Enable/disable the day - Toggle whether it's a working day
- Set capacity hours - How many hours of work can be scheduled
| Capacity Option | Minutes | Typical Use |
|---|---|---|
| 4 hours | 240 | Half days |
| 6 hours | 360 | Short days |
| 8 hours | 480 | Standard day |
| 10 hours | 600 | Long days |
| 12 hours | 720 | Extended days |
Example Schedules
Standard 5-Day Week
| Day | Enabled | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Yes | 8 |
| Tuesday | Yes | 8 |
| Wednesday | Yes | 8 |
| Thursday | Yes | 8 |
| Friday | Yes | 8 |
| Saturday | No | - |
| Sunday | No | - |
Total: 40 hours/week
6-Day Week with Short Saturday
| Day | Enabled | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Yes | 8 |
| Tuesday | Yes | 8 |
| Wednesday | Yes | 8 |
| Thursday | Yes | 8 |
| Friday | Yes | 8 |
| Saturday | Yes | 4 |
| Sunday | No | - |
Total: 44 hours/week
4-Day Week
| Day | Enabled | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Yes | 10 |
| Tuesday | Yes | 10 |
| Wednesday | Yes | 10 |
| Thursday | Yes | 10 |
| Friday | No | - |
| Saturday | No | - |
| Sunday | No | - |
Total: 40 hours/week
Total Weekly Capacity
The total is calculated automatically and shown at the bottom of the schedule. This helps you understand your weekly capacity at a glance.
How These Settings Affect Scheduling
Arrival Windows
- Client Portal: Customers see the arrival window when viewing scheduled visits
- Emails & SMS: Appointment confirmations show the window
- Quote Follow-ups: Service times display with the window
Work Schedule / Roster
- Schedule View: Shows available capacity vs booked time
- Capacity Warnings: Alerts when you're overbooked
- Visit Scheduling: Helps prevent scheduling beyond capacity
Team vs Individual Capacity
In automatic mode, the work schedule applies to your total company capacity. In manual mode, each team member has individual roster entries that determine their personal availability.
Saving Changes
After making changes:
- Click Save Changes
- Wait for the confirmation message
- Changes take effect immediately for new scheduling
Existing Appointments
Changes to arrival windows affect how times are displayed but don't change actual scheduled times. Existing appointments remain at their scheduled times.
Common Configurations
Solo Operator
- Roster Mode: Automatic
- Arrival Window: 30 minutes to 1 hour
- Schedule: Your actual working days and hours
Small Team (2-5 people)
- Roster Mode: Automatic (if similar schedules) or Manual (if varied)
- Arrival Window: 1-2 hours
- Schedule: Combined team capacity
Growing Business
- Roster Mode: Manual
- Arrival Window: 1-2 hours
- Schedule: Managed via Roster for each team member
Permissions
| Role | View | Update |
|---|---|---|
| Owner | Yes | Yes |
| Admin | Yes | Yes |
| Office | Yes | Yes |
| Field | No | No |
Troubleshooting
Schedule not showing correct capacity
- Check if you're in Automatic or Manual mode
- In automatic mode, verify the work schedule is saved
- In manual mode, check roster entries exist for the dates in question
Customers seeing exact times instead of windows
Verify that Arrival Window Duration is not set to "Exact time".
Can't edit work schedule
If the work schedule section is hidden, you may be in Manual mode. Switch to Automatic mode to edit the weekly template.
Next Steps
- Creating Rosters - Set up individual schedules in manual mode
- Scheduling Visits - Schedule work within your capacity
- Capacity Planning - Plan ahead for busy periods