Hide a time window from online booking

Applies to non-integrated practices only.

Sometimes you need a window of time to not be bookable, even though it falls inside a practitioner's normal availability — a staff meeting, training, an off-site emergency callout, or a single-day closure. Use a Hidden schedule to mask the window.

In the portal this is called a "Hidden session" — it makes the chosen time window invisible to patients. It's the override on top of Availability and Exclusive blocks.

What you'll need

• The practitioner(s) the block applies to (or leave empty to apply practice-wide).
• The date and times.
• Optionally: a note explaining what it's for.

Steps

1. Go to Availability.
2. Click Add Schedule in the top-right.
3. Switch to the Hidden tab.
4. Practitioners — pick one or more. Leave empty to apply practice wide.
5. Pick the Date.
6. Set From and To times.
7. Optional Notes — a short reason (visible to staff only, e.g. "Team training").
8. Set the Repeat rule if needed.
9. Click Add Schedule.

The block appears on the calendar in red — across all practitioners' columns if practice-wide, or just on the selected practitioners.

When to use Hidden vs other tools

• Hidden — temporary, in-day blocks like meetings, training, off-site emergencies. Practice-wide or per-practitioner.
• Profile → Opening Hours → Exceptions — for one-off closures or different hours that should also affect your public listing display (e.g. public holidays). Hidden blocks don't change what's shown on your public profile; exceptions do.
• Reduce or change Availability blocks — for ongoing schedule changes (e.g. a practitioner now starts at 10:00 instead of 9:00 every day). Editing the Availability block is cleaner than layering Hidden blocks.

Tips & things to watch for

• Existing bookings inside a Hidden block aren't cancelled — Hidden only prevents new bookings being made there.
• Hidden blocks can repeat. Set up a recurring weekly meeting once and the portal handles every week thereafter.
• The notes field is for your team's reference — patients never see it.

Related articles

• Add a regular availability block
• Restrict a time block to certain appointment types
• Add a public holiday or one-off closure