Multi-Location Appointment Booking & Staff Scheduling – Next Open

FAQ

I only have one location. Is Next Open right for me?

Absolutely. Next Open works perfectly for a single location — your customers see a clean booking form with your available times, no map or location picker needed. The setup wizard gets you live in about 2 minutes. If you ever open a second location, Next Open grows with you automatically.

How does multi-location appointment booking work?

Customers see all your locations in one booking form. When they select a location, the calendar shows availability based on that specific location’s business hours, existing appointments, and holiday calendar. Each location operates completely independently — different hours, different staff, different services.

Can I manage 20, 30, or more locations from one WordPress site?

Absolutely. Next Open supports unlimited locations with no performance penalty. Each location has its own schedule, staff, holidays, and settings.

Do I need separate booking forms for each location?

No. One shortcode — [next_open_booking] — handles everything. If you have one location, customers see your availability. If you have multiple locations, they choose their preferred branch first.

Can each location receive only their own booking notifications?

Yes, with Pro. When a customer books at Location A, only the staff assigned to Location A receive the notification email. Other locations are not notified. This is essential for businesses with many locations.

Do staff get notified when a booking is confirmed or cancelled?

Yes, with Pro. Staff receive instant email alerts when a customer confirms or cancels. Cancellation alerts let staff know the time slot is available again.

Are appointment reminder emails sent automatically?

Yes, with Pro. Both customers and location staff receive automatic reminder emails the day before each appointment. This reduces no-shows and keeps staff prepared.

Can customers book appointments with a specific staff member?

Yes, with Pro. Staff members are assigned to locations with individual availability schedules. Customers can optionally choose their preferred staff member during booking.

What appointment time slot intervals are available?

You can choose 15-minute, 30-minute, or 60-minute intervals. Each location can have its own interval setting.

Can each location have different business hours?

Yes. Each location has completely independent business hours. You can set different hours for every day of the week, and each location has its own holiday calendar.

How does the customer booking process work?

Customers select a location, choose a date from the calendar, pick an available time slot, and fill out their contact information. They receive an instant email confirmation with a link to confirm the appointment.

What happens if two customers try to book the same time slot?

Next Open checks availability in real-time. The first customer to complete the booking gets the slot. The second customer is told the slot is no longer available and asked to choose another time.

Can I accept payments when customers book?

Yes, with Pro. Stripe integration lets you accept credit card payments or deposits at booking time. You can set per-location pricing and choose whether payment is required or optional.

Can customers cancel or reschedule their own appointments?

Yes, with Pro. Customers receive a secure magic link in their confirmation email that gives them access to a self-service portal. No account creation required.

Does Next Open work with my theme?

Yes. The booking form inherits your theme’s styling and is fully responsive on mobile, tablet, and desktop. It works with all major page builders including Elementor, Divi, and Beaver Builder.

Can I import appointments and staff from a spreadsheet?

Yes, with Pro. The CSV import/export feature lets you bulk import staff members, appointments, and customer data.

Is Next Open GDPR compliant?

Next Open stores only the minimal customer data required for appointment bookings (name, email, phone). No data is sent to external services unless you enable Stripe payments.

What if my confirmation emails aren’t being received?

Check spam folders first. If emails are still not arriving, install an SMTP plugin like WP Mail SMTP for reliable email delivery. This is a common WordPress issue not specific to Next Open.

How do I upgrade to Next Open Pro?

Visit oiopublisher.com/next-open to purchase Pro. Install it alongside the free version — your existing data stays intact and Pro features activate immediately.

Do I need to keep the free version installed with Pro?

Yes. Pro is an add-on that extends the free version. Both plugins work together.

Is there a money-back guarantee?

Yes. We offer a 30-day money-back guarantee on Pro.