Group & Class Bookings
6 min read
Configure capacity-based group services where multiple customers can book the same time slot until the maximum number of participants is reached.
Overview
Group and class bookings are ideal for yoga classes, workshops, group training sessions, or any service where multiple people attend the same slot. Unlike one-on-one appointments, group services allow a time slot to accept multiple bookings up to a defined capacity. Features include:
- Configurable maximum participant capacity per time slot
- Optional minimum participant threshold before a class runs
- Real-time remaining spots display on the booking form
- Automatic slot closure when capacity is reached
- Admin participant list view for each session
- Waitlist support when slots are full (optional)
Step 1: Set Service Type to Group
Open a service in WordPress Admin → Bookings → Services and change the service type.
Change service type
In the Service Details meta box, change the Service Type dropdown from “One-on-One” to “Group / Class”. The capacity fields will appear.
Set maximum participants
Enter the maximum number of people who can book a single time slot. For example, set this to 20 for a yoga class with 20 mats.
Optional: Set minimum participants
If you require a minimum number of bookings before the class runs, set the minimum participants. If the threshold is not met by a configurable cutoff time, the system can auto-cancel the session and notify all registrants.
Toggle “Show remaining spots”
Enable this to display the number of remaining spots on the public booking form. This creates urgency and helps customers see availability at a glance.
Step 2: How the Booking Form Works
When customers view a group service on the booking form, the experience differs from one-on-one services:
Remaining Capacity
Each time slot shows the number of remaining spots (e.g., "8 of 20 spots left"). Fully booked slots are greyed out.
Slot Selection
Customers pick a date and time slot just like a normal booking. Multiple customers can select the same slot.
Capacity Enforcement
If someone tries to book a slot that fills up between page load and submission, they receive a friendly error and are asked to choose another slot.
Waitlist (Optional)
If enabled, fully booked slots show a "Join Waitlist" button instead of being disabled. Waitlisted customers are notified when a spot opens.
Step 3: How Slots Fill Up
The capacity system counts confirmed bookings against the maximum participant limit:
Pending (unpaid) bookings are counted toward capacity by default to prevent overbooking. You can change this in Settings → General → Capacity Counting to only count confirmed bookings.
Step 4: Admin Participant View
Admins can view and manage participants for each group session:
- Navigate to Bookings > Calendar and click on a group session to see the full participant list.
- Each participant row shows their name, email, phone, booking status, and payment status.
- Use the "Export Participants" button to download a CSV of all attendees for a specific session.
- Mark individual participants as "attended" or "no-show" after the session.
- Cancel individual participants without affecting other bookings in the same slot.