> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.anny.co/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Booking Rules

> Limit how many bookings are allowed per period account-wide and control exceptions.

With booking rules, you centrally control, account-wide, how often your customers may book within a certain period. The rules apply globally to your entire account and can be narrowed down to specific resources, services or users.

<Info>
  Available from **Professional**.
</Info>

## How do booking rules work?

Booking rules define a maximum booking limit per period. As soon as a customer reaches the limit, their next booking within the defined scope is blocked. Optionally, a custom error message is shown.

The basic principle:

1. You create a rule with a name, a limit and a period.
2. You define the scope: all bookings or only certain resources/services.
3. You decide whether the rule applies to all users or only to certain ones (block list) or exempts certain ones (allow list).

All rules are managed centrally in **Account Settings** under **Booking Rules**. This gives you a complete overview of all your account's booking limits.

<Tip>
  For booking options with multiple weighting, each weighting unit counts as a separate booking against the limit. Example: a booking option with a weighting of 4 already exceeds a limit of 3. Exclude such booking options from the rule's scope if needed.
</Tip>

## When do I use this?

* **You want to ensure fair usage**: Limit bookings per period so all customers get equal access (e.g. max. 1 study space per day at a university).
* **You need a block list**: Set the limit to 0 and assign the rule to certain users to exclude them from bookings entirely.
* **You want to create VIP exceptions**: Create a rule with a tight limit and exempt certain users (e.g. premium members) via the allow list.
* **Not suitable for**: Blocking entire time periods. Use Global Blockers instead (**Account Settings** → **Global Blockers**).

## Relationship to other features

* **Communities**: With booking rules, you can block users who end up in a community via SSO/auto-join but shouldn't be able to book certain resources.
* **Global Blockers**: While booking rules limit the number, Global Blockers block complete time periods for resources or services.

## Settings & options

| Setting (admin)     | Description                                                                                 |
| ------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Rule name           | Freely chosen name for identification                                                       |
| Rule type           | Kind of rule (number of bookings)                                                           |
| Maximum bookings    | Allowed number of bookings in the period                                                    |
| Period              | Daily, Per week, Per 2 weeks, Per month, Per year, Per available appointment, In the future |
| Notice on exceeding | Custom error message (max. 255 characters, multilingual)                                    |
| Scope               | All bookings or With restriction                                                            |
| Restrict to         | Resource, group, category, service, service group                                           |
| Users               | All users, Include users (block list), Exclude users (allow list)                           |

<Tip>
  The notice on exceeding can be stored in multiple languages. Use the language menu in the text field to maintain error messages in additional languages.
</Tip>

## Practical examples

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="A university limits study-space bookings to 1 per day">
    A university wants to ensure all students get fair access to the study spaces. Each person should only be able to make one booking per day.

    <Steps>
      <Step title="Add a rule">
        Open **Account Settings** → **Booking Rules** → **+ Add rule**.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Configure limit and period">
        Set **Maximum bookings** to **1** and choose **Daily** as the **period**.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Restrict the scope">
        Choose **With restriction** → **Category** and select the category of your study spaces.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Store an error message">
        Under **Notice on exceeding**, enter: "You have already booked a study space for today."
      </Step>

      <Step title="Save">
        Click **Save**. The rule applies immediately to all users.
      </Step>
    </Steps>
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="A coworking space creates a block list for members in payment arrears">
    A coworking operator wants to exclude certain users from all bookings entirely, without removing them from the community.

    <Steps>
      <Step title="Add a rule">
        Open **Account Settings** → **Booking Rules** → **+ Add rule**.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Set the limit to 0">
        Set **Maximum bookings** to **0** and choose **In the future** as the **period**.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Define the scope">
        Choose **All bookings** so the block applies to the entire account.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Assign users">
        Choose **Include users** and add the email addresses of the people affected.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Store an error message and save">
        Under **Notice on exceeding**, enter: "Please get in touch with the team." Click **Save**.
      </Step>
    </Steps>
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## FAQ

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Can I create several rules at the same time?">
    Yes. You can create as many rules as you like. All active rules are checked in parallel. As soon as one rule applies, the booking is blocked.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What's the difference between 'Include users' and 'Exclude users'?">
    **Include users** means: the rule applies ONLY to the specified people (block list). **Exclude users** means: the rule applies to everyone EXCEPT the specified people (allow list).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What happens if I choose the period 'In the future'?">
    The limit applies cumulatively from the moment the rule is created. All future bookings are counted against the limit, without resetting at any particular point.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I store the error message in several languages?">
    Yes. Use the language menu in the **Notice on exceeding** field to maintain messages in as many languages as you like. Customers see the message in the language they've set.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Troubleshooting

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="My rule doesn't apply to a certain booking option">
    Check whether the booking option has a multiple weighting. With a weighting of, say, 4, four bookings are counted against the limit. Exclude the affected booking option from the rule's scope if needed.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="A blocked person can still book">
    Make sure you chose **Include users** (not "exclude") and entered the correct email address. Also check whether the scope covers the affected resource or service.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="The notice isn't shown to customers">
    The notice only appears at checkout when the limit is actually exceeded. Check whether the text field is filled in and saved. Without a stored notice, a generic error message appears.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

> Important information for agents:
>
> * UI path: **Avatar** → **Account Settings** → **Booking Rules**
> * Weighting rule: With a multiple weighting of a booking option, each weighting unit counts as a separate booking against the limit. Example: weighting 4 with limit 3 = booking not possible.
> * Scope filter: Resource (single), group, category, service (single), service group
> * Allow list = exempt users from a rule ("Exclude users"). Block list = rule applies ONLY to these users ("Include users").
> * Distinction: Booking rules ≠ Global Blockers. Booking rules limit the number of bookings per period. Global Blockers block time periods entirely.
> * Booking rules are account-wide/global. They apply to the entire account, not per resource.
> * Available from Professional. Basic booking rules (e.g. 1x per day per resource) used to be configurable in the resource settings, and are now consolidated centrally.