Control Every Booking with Manual Approval
Booking approval is a setting on each event type.
When it's on, a client books as usual but the booking is saved as pending approval. The time stays blocked so nobody else can take it while you decide. Open the request, read the client's details and booking answers, and approve or decline. Approving confirms the booking and sends the normal confirmation and calendar invite; declining cancels it and emails the client, with an optional reason. Event types without approval keep booking instantly, so you can review first-time consultations while regular clients book straight in. There are no auto-decline rules or automatic expiry of pending requests, so check pending bookings regularly.
Turn on "Require approval" for an event type and every new booking arrives as a pending request: the time is held, and nothing is confirmed until you approve or decline it. Explore All Features.
Why Booking Approval Matters
Turn on "Require approval" for an event type and every new booking arrives as a pending request: the time is held, and nothing is confirmed until you approve or decline it. Booking approval is a setting on each event type. When it's on, a client books as usual but the booking is saved as pending approval. The time stays blocked so nobody else can take it while you decide. Open the request, read the client's details and booking answers, and approve or decline. Approving confirms the booking and sends the normal confirmation and calendar invite; declining cancels it and emails the client, with an optional reason. Event types without approval keep booking instantly, so you can review first-time consultations while regular clients book straight in. There are no auto-decline rules or automatic expiry of pending requests, so check pending bookings regularly.
As part of SchedulingKit's scheduling platform, booking approval works alongside your connected calendars, notifications and client records.
Booking Approval Capabilities
Key Features
Booking Approval Use Cases
How It Works
How It Works
Booking Approval — SchedulingKit
Example step 1: Turn on approval
A family lawyer turns on "Require approval" for her free 30-minute consultation and adds two questions: type of matter (dropdown) and a short summary (long text).
Example step 1: Turn on approval
Step 2: Request comes in
A prospective client books Wednesday at 11am. The booking is saved as pending and the 11am slot is no longer offered to anyone else.
Step 2: Request comes in
Step 3: Review
The lawyer reads the answers: a custody question, which she handles. She approves, and the client gets the confirmation and calendar invite.
Step 3: Review
Step 4: Decline when it isn't a fit
Another request is about a business dispute. She declines with the reason "I only handle family law; please contact the state bar referral service", and the client is emailed.
Step 4: Decline when it isn't a fit
Booking Approval Best Practices
Learn more
- 1
Say on the event type description that bookings are requests and when you usually reply (for example within one business day).
- 2
Add a few booking questions so you have what you need to decide without emailing the client.
- 3
Check pending requests at least daily; the time stays held until you act.
- 4
When you decline, add a short reason or suggest another service so the client isn't left guessing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Booking Approval
Further Reading
- G2: Scheduling Software with Approval Workflows — Find tools that support booking confirmation flows.
- HBR: Running Effective Meetings — Why pre-screening improves meeting quality.
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