Packages

Created OnJune 3, 2021

Last Updated OnAugust 12, 2021

Packages Addon allows you to combine two or more services (each of them is called a job) and sell them as if a single service, for example hair cut + manicure package consisting of hair cut and manicure services.
Jobs can start at the same time, can be back-to-back or separated with preselected time in minutes or days. To do so, a delay setting is provided for each job that will be used to wait for the next job to start.
Delay value is calculated from starting of the current job. Therefore in a package “hair cut – 60 minutes delay – manicure” where both services have duration of 60 minutes, hair cut and manicure will be served back-to-back.
Entering zero delay means current and next job will be served at the same time. Hair cut – no delay – manicure will result in two services being booked for the same time slot.
If in minutes, delay time should be multiple of the Time base. If it is not set so, it will be automatically rounded during save.
You may want to use internal services in packages. An internal service is a service which cannot be directly booked on the front end. For example, a hair dying package may consist of two internal services: just dying and dye processing. These two services cannot be ordered separately and should be set as internal. Note: Extended Service Features addon is required to define a service as internal.
Delay setting in packages allows micro-managing working hours. In hair dying example in between dying and dye processing there is a one hour waiting time when client is in the machine. Then we can define a package as: Dying (internal) – 120 minutes delay – Dye Processing (internal). In the 60 minutes gap, service provider is available for another client.
Some or all of the jobs can be the same service. For example for a training course (T) and 1 day delay (1DD), you can define such a package (TP/1W): T-1DD-T-1DD-T-1DD-T-1DD-T. Please note that this makes a 5 courses package lasting for 5 days and if service provider does not work at the weekends, booking for only Mondays is possible.
Other packages can be selected as jobs. For example we can create a 2 weeks training course from the above example: TP/2W = TP/1W-7DD-TP/1W. This may be further used for a 4 weeks package: TP/4W = TP/2W-14DD-TP/2W
Packages as jobs have a default maximum nesting depth of 2. This means Package 1 may include Package 2 as a job including Package 3 as a job, but Package 3 cannot include any package further. This also prevents circular referencing: Package 2 cannot include Package 1 and Package 3 cannot include 1 or 2. Obviously, a package cannot include itself as a job.
Sequence is the order of the jobs. In the first example, WP BASE will search for availability of first hair cut and then manicure, but we may actually accept that manicure is served first. Then, we should define this as a second sequence: Manicure – 60 minutes delay – hair cut.
For each possible and desired combination of the order of jobs, you need to define a sequence. In theory you can add as many sequences as you wish, however, each sequence means an additional execution time. Therefore avoid unnecessary combinations. For example, there is no need to add a sequence if jobs are served at the same time.
In hair dying example we would not want another sequence, because dye processing cannot be earlier than dying.
The order of sequences may be important. During creating free time slots on the front end, WP BASE will start checking availability of the first sequence and only proceed to the next sequence if current one is not available. As a result, you should place the sequences according to the preferred job order. You can change the ordering of sequences as explained below.
First of all create your services that will make the package (which will be jobs of the package), because only saved services can be selected when configuring a package.
Then you should add a sequence: A package must have at least one sequence. To create a sequence, click “Add Sequence” button. A new row with “Add Job” button will be inserted.
Click “Add Job” button to add a new job to the sequence. Select the service and desired delay for the job.
Continue adding jobs and setting them as much as required. At least two jobs are required per sequence. Tip: Recently added job copies adjustments of the previous job. Therefore if the jobs are identical as in the first training courses example above, setting the first job correctly will make creating the package quite easy.
Continue adding sequences and jobs for them as long as required.
You can set packages for other services in the same manner in parallel.
To activate the packages feature, check the “Enable” checkbox.
Click “Save Services” button.
To make a custom sorting (moving a sequence to an upper or lower position), select the sequence row with your mouse and move it to the new position.
You can delete a job by selecting “Delete job” selection (or leave as “Select Service” before save) and saving services.
A sequence is automatically cleared when there are no jobs or one job left, because at least 2 jobs are required to make a package.
When a service is enabled and correctly configured as a package, a “P” will be seen on top-right of service ID in the List of Services.
Selectable duration is not possible for packages. If Packages is active, durations cannot be selected on the front end.
Time & SP Variant Durations selection is not meaningful for a package, because the duration of a package is determined by its jobs. You can use time variant duration settings directly in the services making the jobs of a package, however.
Packages and Recurring Appointments can be used in combination. For the 5 days training package example, you can let the client pick week as repetition unit and client can book for 1, 2, 3,… weeks of the package. Regular price will be number of repeats multiplied by package price.
Packages cannot be edited using Front End Edit.
Other application examples: Packages is a powerful tool that can be used in various applications for which other similar plugins will fail to manage. One example is assigning more than one service provider to a single client for a single booking. This can also be variable: Imagine a cleaning service which is preferably done with 3 workers, but you do not want to lose the client if you have only 2. Then you can configure sequence 1 for 3 workers and sequence 2 for 2 workers. WP BASE will show time slots free when there is only 2 workers available, but assign 3 if possible.
Another real life example: Sometimes dentists call another expert dentist for delicate operations. Packages addon can manage such an arrangement: Dentist A and his assistant starts a 2-hours operation and prepares the patient. After 30 minutes an expert dentist B joins and he stays for 1 hour. The last 30 minutes is completed by assistant alone. Dentist B is not full time working for A, but system knows his availability because he integrated his Google Calendar with WP BASE of Dentist A’s website. Dentist B can also login to website and change his working hours as he wishes.
Services longer than 24 hours: You can combine jobs of the same service to create a package lasting more than 24 hours. For example, by adding 3 jobs of a 12 hourse service back to back you can have a package of 36 hours. However, time slots generated for such a package may be slightly different from a single 36 hours service, depending on the Booking View used.
Packages do not have their own working hours, holidays, capacity and padding settings.
While real duration of a package comes from its jobs and delays you can still set duration for a package which determines its availability per day. For the training course example setting 24 hours (all day) will make it available once a day. If you have morning and afternoon classes, you can set 12 hours.