Exception Dates

Exception dates allow you to override your regular business hours for specific dates. You can set special opening hours or mark days as completely closed for holidays, special events, or maintenance.

Accessing Exception Dates

1. Log in to your BeSeat account
2. Navigate to Settings → Exception Dates
3. View your existing exception dates or add new ones
4. Click Save All Changes to save your configuration

Note: Only account owners and administrators can access exception dates settings. Staff members do not have permission to view or modify these settings.

Understanding Exception Dates

Exception dates are useful for:

• Holidays - Mark your business as closed on public holidays
• Special Events - Set extended hours for special occasions or events
• Maintenance Days - Close your business for maintenance or renovations
• Seasonal Hours - Adjust hours for specific dates during peak or off-peak seasons
• Temporary Closures - Handle unexpected closures or reduced hours

Adding Exception Dates

Step 1: Click Add Exception Date

Click the Add Exception Date button to open the inline form.

Step 2: Select a Date

• Use the date picker to select the date you want to set as an exception
• The date must be in the future (past dates cannot be selected)
• Date format: DD/MM/YYYY

Step 3: Set Time (Optional)

You can optionally set special hours for this date:

• Start Time - Enter the opening time in HH:MM format (e.g., 09:00)
• End Time - Enter the closing time in HH:MM format (e.g., 18:00)

Note: If you leave both start and end times empty, the date will be treated as closed (no bookings allowed).

Step 4: Add a Note (Optional)

Add a note to describe why this exception date exists:

• Examples: “Christmas Day”, “New Year’s Eve - Extended Hours”, “Maintenance Day”
• This helps you remember the reason for the exception later

Step 5: Confirm or Cancel

• Click the ✓ (check) icon to add the exception date
• Click the ✗ (X) icon to cancel without adding

Step 6: Save Changes

After adding all your exception dates, click Save All Changes to save them to your account.

Managing Exception Dates

Viewing Exception Dates

Your exception dates are displayed in a list showing:

• Date - The exception date in DD/MM/YYYY format
• Start Time - Opening time (or ”—” if not set)
• End Time - Closing time (or ”—” if not set)
• Note - Your custom note (or ”—” if not set)

Removing Exception Dates

To remove an exception date:

1. Find the exception date in the list
2. Click the 🗑️ (trash) icon on the right
3. The exception date will be removed from the list
4. Click Save All Changes to confirm the removal

Note: Changes are not saved until you click Save All Changes. You can remove multiple dates and save them all at once.

How Exception Dates Work

Override Behavior

Exception dates completely override your regular business hours for that specific date:

• If you set start and end times, bookings will only be allowed during those hours
• If you don’t set times (leave them empty), the date will be completely closed
• Regular business hours for that day of the week are ignored when an exception date exists

Booking Availability

When a customer tries to book on an exception date:

• With times set: Bookings are only available during the specified time range
• Without times: No bookings are available (date is closed)
• The booking widget will automatically reflect these restrictions

Examples

Example 1: Holiday Closure

• Date: 25/12/2024
• Start Time: (empty)
• End Time: (empty)
• Note: “Christmas Day”

Result: Business is completely closed on Christmas Day.

Example 2: Extended Hours for Event

• Date: 31/12/2024
• Start Time: 10:00
• End Time: 23:00
• Note: “New Year’s Eve - Extended Hours”

Result: Business is open from 10:00 AM to 11:00 PM instead of regular hours.

Example 3: Reduced Hours

• Date: 15/01/2025
• Start Time: 12:00
• End Time: 16:00
• Note: “Staff Training Day”

Result: Business is only open from 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM.

Best Practices

Plan Ahead

• Add exception dates well in advance, especially for holidays
• Review your exception dates regularly to ensure they’re still relevant

Clear Notes

• Always add descriptive notes to exception dates
• This helps you and your team understand why the exception exists
• Makes it easier to manage and review later

Regular Review

• Periodically review your exception dates list
• Remove dates that have passed or are no longer needed
• Update dates if your plans change

Communication

• Inform your customers about upcoming closures or special hours
• Use the note field to track the reason for each exception

Troubleshooting

Date Already Exists

If you see an error “This date is already added”:

• Each date can only have one exception date entry
• Check your existing list to see if the date is already there
• Remove the existing entry if you want to update it

No Changes to Save

If the Save All Changes button is disabled:

• This means you haven’t made any changes since the last save
• Add, remove, or modify an exception date to enable the button

Time Format

When entering times:

• Use 24-hour format (HH:MM)
• Valid range: 00:00 to 23:59
• Examples: 09:00, 13:30, 18:45

Past Dates

• You cannot add exception dates for past dates
• Only future dates can be selected in the date picker
• This prevents accidentally blocking past bookings

Need Help?

• Contact our support team