Processing Time for Services

In MyTime, processing time is any free time in an appointment when the client waits, but no active service is being performed. For example, in a salon, this could be the 30 minutes a client waits for hair color to develop. This time counts as part of the appointment but is also marked as bookable, allowing better scheduling and use of staff time.

Things to know:

• The ability to configure processing time for services is governed by the "Assigning Service Duration" access control setting.
• Processing times without any resources will be shown as a gap on the schedule (or completely open in the case of processing at the start or end of an appointment). 
• If you try to create a service with only processing time, you will receive the following error: "Non-processing time is required."
• If you are using processing times at the start or end of a service, it is recommended that you assign a resource to those processing times to ensure they are shown as blocking off calendar times. 
• In order to make it easier to view the availability of staff members on the schedule, this will be consistent across all views (day, agenda, week, month), all platforms, and on accounts with multi-staff enabled and disabled.
• In all views, sequential segments of an appointment in a calendar column are combined into a single event tile. Sequential means the end time of one segment equals the start time of the next.
• Ignore Final Processing Time for Multi-Service Appointments: When an appointment includes multiple services, the final service processing time can sometimes extend the total duration unnecessarily. You can choose to disregard the processing time for the final service, however this option is controlled by a hidden setting that can be enabled by the MyTime team. To enable this setting, please contact support@mytime.com. Example, if a client books a Haircut service followed by a Hair Color service and the Hair Color has a 15 minute processing time at the end, enabling this setting will remove that final processing time, shortening the overall appointment duration. 
• Allow Booking with Zero-Duration Add-Ons Near Closing Time: When a service with processing time is booked online alongside a zero-duration add-on, it may appear as unavailable if the add-on is scheduled near the end of the business hours. You can prevent this by enabling a hidden setting that allows the system to ignore zero-duration add-ons, keeping the service bookable online. To enable the "Remove zero duration add-on" hidden setting, please contact support@mytime.com. Example, if you offer a 45-minute Sauna service with a 15 minutes of processing time, booking it with a zero-duration add-on, (e.g., Aromatherapty) near closing time will remain available once this setting is enabled. 

CONTENTS

• Configure Processing Time for Services
• Processing Times Without Resources
• Processing Times With Resources
• Processing Time Online

Configure Processing Time for Services

To set up the processing time for a service:

1. Navigate to Business Setup > Services Menu

2. Click on edit next to the appropriate service. In this example, we will be editing the Mud Facial service

3. Next, hit the Advanced button in the top right-hand corner of the screen

4. Next, click on +Add time and then select the Processing Time option. The processing time can be at the beginning of the service, the middle, or at the end of the service. 

You can also assign a resource to the processing time by using the Add Resource link. A resource is any item necessary for a service that must be booked in conjunction with that service. For example, a room is a resource if a service requires a room.  

5. Once you are satisfied, remember to save your changes! 

Now let's look at how processing time is shown on your schedule.

Processing Times Without Resources

Processing Times With Resources

Processing Time Online

A service with processing time will display the processing time as part of the total service duration on the booking widget.

Example

Service with processing time online

Related Articles:

• Buffer Time for Services 
• Service Pricing & Duration Same for all Locations and Staff Members 
• Service Pricing & Duration by Location / Staff Member 
• Service Pricing & Duration by Title / Location Group 
• Service Pricing & Duration by Location Group (without titles)