> ## 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.

# Service-First Flow

> Put the service in focus: customers first choose the service, then optionally the resource.

With the service-first flow, the service is at the forefront of a booking. Customers first choose the service (e.g. men's haircut, consultation, yoga class) and only afterwards, if allowed, the person or resource performing it. Alternatively, anny assigns the resource automatically.

## How does the service-first flow work?

Unlike the resource-first flow (customers first choose a specific resource, then the booking option), the service-first flow reverses the order:

1. Customers see a list of all services on the booking page
2. After choosing a service, anny checks the availability of all connected resources
3. Depending on the setting, a resource is assigned automatically or customers may choose a preference
4. The booking is completed

### Assignment strategies

When customers don't manually select a resource (or manual selection is disabled), one of three assignment strategies applies:

| Strategy        | Behavior                                              |
| --------------- | ----------------------------------------------------- |
| First Available | First available resource according to a defined order |
| Round Robin     | Rotating assignment for balanced utilization          |
| Random          | Random available resource                             |

<Tip>
  With the option "Customer may choose a preference", you allow customers to manually select a resource and thus bypass the automatic assignment. Availability is checked and displayed in real time.
</Tip>

### The Service Manager

All services are managed centrally in the **Service Manager** (reachable via **Services** in the menu bar). There you can:

* Create, edit, and group services
* Adjust the order via drag & drop
* Show or hide services on the booking page (globe icon)
* Via the three dots, display the service directly on the booking page

### Switching the booking page

The switch is done via the account settings:

| Setting                        | Description                                |
| ------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------ |
| Default tab on booking page    | Set Services or Resources as the first tab |
| Group resources by             | Group resources into categories or groups  |
| Show resources on booking page | Show or hide the "Resources" tab           |
| Show services on booking page  | Show or hide the "Services" tab            |

<Tip>
  Depending on the setting, the URL of your booking page changes. If you choose Services as the default tab, customers land directly on the service overview.
</Tip>

## When do I use this?

* **You offer services that can be performed by different people** (e.g. hairdresser, massage, coaching): Customers choose the service, and the person is secondary or assigned automatically
* **You run a public authority or advice center with various requests** (e.g. ID card, registration certificate): Customers choose their request, and the responsible case worker is assigned automatically
* **You want to distribute utilization evenly**: The assignment strategies Round Robin or Random automatically ensure a balanced distribution
* **Not suitable for**: Scenarios where customers want to occupy a specific object (e.g. a particular room, a specific vehicle). Here the resource-first flow is the better choice.

## Relationship to other features

| Feature            | Relationship                                                                                    |
| ------------------ | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Smart Availability | Connect multiple resources to a service for a combined availability check (e.g. trainer + room) |
| Booking sequences  | Let customers combine multiple services one after another in a single booking                   |
| Communities        | Restrict access to certain services to members                                                  |

## Settings & options

| Setting (Admin)                  | Description                                              |
| -------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------- |
| Name                             | Display name of the service on the booking page          |
| Group                            | Internal organizational unit, controls grouping          |
| URL ending                       | Custom URL for the service                               |
| Description                      | Free text with toolbar (images, videos, tables, @-links) |
| Image                            | Visualization on the booking page                        |
| Assignment strategy              | First Available, Round Robin, or Random                  |
| Customer may choose a preference | Allow manual resource selection by customers             |
| Connected resources              | Resources that perform the service                       |

On the booking page, customers also see the "Preferences" button, through which they can (if allowed) choose the resource they want.

## Examples in practice

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="A hair salon lets customers choose the service first">
    A hair salon with 3 employees wants customers to first choose the service they want and then optionally select a hairdresser. Utilization should be distributed evenly.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="A city administration offers appointment scheduling for various requests">
    A city administration wants citizens to be able to book appointments online for various requests. The assignment to the responsible case worker should happen automatically.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## FAQ

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="What is the difference between service-first and resource-first?">
    With the resource-first flow, customers first choose a specific resource (e.g. room, device) and then the booking option. With the service-first flow, they first choose the service and then (optionally) the resource. The choice depends on whether the object or the service is at the forefront.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I show both flows on the booking page at the same time?">
    Yes. You can show both the "Services" tab and the "Resources" tab. Customers can then switch between the two views. Via the default tab, you determine which view is shown first.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What happens when all resources of a service are fully booked?">
    The service is shown as unavailable for the respective period on the booking page. Customers cannot book an appointment for this time slot.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can different services have different assignment strategies?">
    Yes. The assignment strategy is set per service. So you can use "Round Robin" for one service and "First Available" for another.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Do I need a specific feature or a specific plan?">
    The service-first flow is available in all plans. To connect multiple resources to a service, the **Smart Availability** feature must be enabled.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Troubleshooting

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="The 'Services' tab doesn't appear on the booking page">
    Check under **Account settings** → **Booking page** whether "Show services on booking page" is enabled. In addition, at least one service must be visible on the booking page in the Service Manager (globe icon active).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="The automatic assignment doesn't work as expected">
    Make sure the connected resources are available and their schedules are compatible with the service. With "First Available", the order of the connected resources is decisive: it is chosen according to the order defined in the service.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Customers can't choose a preference, even though the option is enabled">
    Check whether the resources are correctly connected to the service and whether they are available in the relevant period. The preference button only appears when at least one resource is available.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

> Important information for agents:
>
> * The service-first flow is activated via **Account settings** → **Booking page** (switch the default tab to "Services")
> * Assignment strategies: First Available (by defined order), Round Robin (rotating utilization), Random (random)
> * "Customer may choose a preference" = the customer can optionally select a resource manually, thereby bypassing the automatic assignment
> * The URL changes depending on the setting: /book/\[org] shows services, /book/\[org]/resources shows resources
> * Service-first requires: at least one service with a connected resource; the Smart Availability feature must be enabled
> * Distinction: With resource-first, customers first choose the resource, then the booking option. With service-first, first the service, then (optionally) the resource
> * The "Services" tab can be shown or hidden on the booking page, as can "Resources"
> * Tab titles can be customized individually since July 2026