Look Busy in Sparkforge Calendar Settings

By Sparkforge Support Team ·Last reviewed May 3, 2026

Look Busy hides a configurable percentage of your available slots from the booking widget so prospects feel urgency, while every slot stays bookable internally.

Look Busy hides a percentage of your real availability from the booking widget. Bookers see fewer slots and feel urgency to grab one. Inside the app, your full schedule stays visible and bookable.

How it works

You set a percentage to hide. Sparkforge randomly conceals that share of slots from the widget. As bookings fill in, the visible count holds steady until actual availability matches the visible count, then the widget reveals the truth.

Examples:

  • Four slots in a day with 50% hidden — bookers see two.
  • Ten slots in a day with 50% hidden — bookers see five.

Turn on Look Busy

  1. Open Calendar Settings and select the calendar.
  2. Go to the Availability tab.
  3. Toggle Look Busy on.
  4. Enter the percentage of slots to hide.
  5. Click Save.

Supported calendar types

  • Event
  • Personal
  • Round Robin
  • Collective
  • Service

Edge cases

  • Class booking and service menu: Look Busy does not apply.
  • In-app appointment modal: always shows every slot regardless of the setting.
  • Recurring appointments: a slot may look hidden on a future date but the recurrence still books based on the original date and time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Look Busy actually block availability?
No. It only hides slots from the public booking widget. Every slot stays bookable through the in-app appointment modal and recurring schedules.
What percentage should I set?
Most teams start at 30-50%. Set it high enough that the widget feels scarce but low enough that prospects can find a workable time.
Which calendars support Look Busy?
Event, Personal, Round Robin, Collective, and Service calendars. Class bookings and service menus do not support it yet.
What happens to recurring appointments under Look Busy?
The recurrence books off the first slot's date and time. Future occurrences may appear hidden in the widget but the booking still completes.
Can my staff still see real availability?
Yes. The in-app appointment modal shows every slot regardless of Look Busy. The setting only affects what external bookers see.

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