How to take group bookings on Bookem

Bookem supports group bookings such as family and couples consultations, and group classes with multiple participants. Each of these scenarios have a slightly different setup process.

1. Family and Couples Consultations

You can take bookings for more than one client at a time.

Here’s how:

• Set up the service in Settings > Services
• Create a new service for a Family and/ or Couples Consultation
• Add the appropriate booking form that supports multiple clients. 
• If you haven’t created a specific booking form yet, go to Settings > Services > Booking forms to set it up 

💡Pro tip:

Setting up separate booking forms for Couples and another for Family consultations allow you to collect the main client’s details, along with their partner and/ or child’s information.

• Once the booking is created for a client, you will have to add their partner or family as clients to the booking
• Open the booking from your calendar and click '+ Add client' to create and link the partner or family members to the booking

This ensures the appointment is recorded under all clients' profile and supports separate invoicing and note keeping.

2. Group Classes, Events, or Sessions with Multiple Spots

Group bookings for classes or workshops require a more advanced setup. You’ll need to contact Bookem support to help finalise the setup for your account.

Use case: Nadine is a physiotherapist who offers pilates every morning at 08:00-09:00 at her Sea Point practice studio. The maximum capacity is 6 people. We'll set up Nadine's group service as an example in each step.

Step 1: Create resources for participant spots

For this type of service, each participant has to reserve a physical item (e.g. mat, chair, bike) as a resource. 

Here’s how to create and group these resource:

• Go to Settings > Resources
• Create individual resources (e.g. Mat 1, Mat 2, Mat 3)
• • Use a clear naming convention
  • Associate each resource with the correct location
  • Toggle on ‘Can be booked’
• Group these into a resource group (e.g. Pilates mats)
• Make sure to toggle off 'Don't show the dropdown for this group to clients'

• Set up availability for the resource (eg. 08:00-09:00 every morning)

Step 2: Create the group service

• Go to Settings > Services
• Create a new service for the group session or class
• Under ‘Team member and/or resources required’, only link the resources group, not the team member (e.g. Pilates mats)

💡Pro tip:

Make sure the team member is associated with the correct location and has availability set up for that location.

• Add a price and the duration

Step 3: Enable online bookings

To allow clients to book into group sessions online:

• Open the service settings
• Toggle on ‘Online bookings’

Use case example complete setup: Nadine's group pilates classes at her Sea Point studio (max 6 people) every morning 08:00-09:00 is now available for bookings on her online booking page:

💡Pro tip:

Remember to block out time on the team member's calendar who is running the group session.

Learn more

• How to use resource groups
• Manage more complex multi-location booking setups