Calendar Availability Settings in Sparkforge: A Complete Guide

By Sparkforge Support Team ·Last reviewed May 3, 2026

Calendar availability is controlled by slot duration (length), slot interval (cadence), buffer (gap after each appointment), appointments per slot and per day (capacity), notice (lead time), date range, and office hours. Each can be tuned to match how your business actually books.

Sparkforge calendar availability is governed by a small set of settings. Tune them to match how your business actually books — back-to-back appointments, group sessions, advance-only scheduling, or anywhere in between.

The eight availability settings

Slot Duration

The length of one appointment. A 30-minute consult sets Slot Duration to 30 minutes.

Slot Interval

How often a new slot opens. A 30-minute interval starts slots every 30 minutes; a 15-minute interval starts them every 15.

Buffer

Time blocked off after each appointment. Use it for prep, cleanup, or travel. A 15-minute buffer after a 10:00–10:30 booking means the next slot opens at 10:45.

Appointments per Slot

How many bookings can stack into the same slot. Useful for group classes, workshops, or webinars where one slot serves many attendees.

Appointments per Day

Daily ceiling. Caps total bookings per day on this calendar to prevent overload.

Minimum Scheduling Notice

Lead time required before a booking. Set 24 hours and contacts cannot book anything within the next day.

Date Range

How far into the future bookings are allowed. A range of 4 weeks blocks anything farther out.

Office Hours

The window each day when slots can exist. Bookings cannot be made outside these hours.

Worked examples

Slot duration vs. slot interval

Availability 9 AM to 11 AM, 30-minute Slot Duration, 30-minute Slot Interval — slots are 9:00, 9:30, 10:00, 10:30.

Same window, 30-minute Slot Duration, 15-minute Slot Interval — slots are 9:00, 9:15, 9:30, 9:45, 10:00, 10:15, 10:30, 10:45, 11:00. (Bookings overlap unless capped by Appointments per Slot.)

Buffer

10:00–10:30 booking with a 15-minute buffer pushes the next slot to 10:45.

Common patterns by use case

  • Coach with mixed session lengths: create separate calendars per service type — 60-minute deep dive, 30-minute follow-up, 15-minute check-in.
  • Doctor with high turnover: shorter Slot Interval to fit more patients per day; longer interval for paperwork breathing room.
  • Consultant or trainer: Buffer for cleanup, transit, or running long.
  • Group class: Appointments per Slot set to room capacity (e.g., 10 for a yoga studio).
  • Mental health or massage: Appointments per Day to protect attention and energy.
  • Private dining or custom cake order: Minimum Scheduling Notice of several days to allow prep.
  • Wedding venue: Date Range up to 24 months out.
  • Tax professional: Date Range that closes after the filing deadline.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I set different buffers for different appointment types?
No. Buffer is calendar-wide. To use different buffers, create a separate calendar for each appointment type with its own buffer.
How do Appointments per Slot and Slot Interval interact?
Slot Interval sets how often a new slot opens. Appointments per Slot sets how many bookings can fit inside that slot. With Interval = 30 min and Per Slot = 2, two appointments can be booked every 30 minutes.
Do existing appointments break if I change Slot Duration?
No. Changes apply to new bookings only. Existing appointments keep their original duration.
Does Appointments per Day limit across multiple calendars?
No. The cap is per calendar. To enforce a daily cap across multiple calendars, you have to track totals manually.
What if I shorten Office Hours after appointments are already scheduled outside them?
Existing bookings outside the new hours stay on the calendar. New bookings will only be allowed inside the updated window.

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