Set Up Auto-Expire

Auto-expire lets you set a deadline on a booking. When the deadline passes without payment, Resytech automatically changes the booking status. This is useful for holding time slots while waiting for a deposit or invoice payment, without the risk of indefinitely blocking your calendar.

Prerequisites

• An existing booking in draft or pending status.
• The booking's location must have a configured time zone (used to calculate the exact expiration moment).

Set Up Auto-Expire on a Booking

1. Open the booking from Dashboard > Bookings or the calendar.
2. Click the Auto-Expire option (or navigate to the auto-expire settings for the booking).
3. Configure the expiration:

4. Click Save.

Valid Booking Statuses for Expiration Target

How It Works

When you set an auto-expire:

1. Resytech calculates the exact UTC expiration time using the date, time, and the location's time zone.
2. A background job is scheduled for that exact moment.
3. If a previous auto-expire was set on this booking, the old job is canceled and replaced.
4. When the job fires:
   • The booking status is changed to the specified target status.
   • An expired event is logged in the booking's audit trail.
   • If notification is enabled, the customer receives an email.

Modify or Remove Auto-Expire

Change the Deadline

Simply set a new expiration date and time. The old scheduled job is automatically canceled and replaced with the new one.

Remove Auto-Expire

To remove auto-expire entirely, clear the expiration settings on the booking. The scheduled background job is deleted.

Combining Auto-Expire with Invoices

A common workflow:

1. Create a booking in Draft status.
2. Send an invoice for a deposit with Confirm on Pay enabled.
3. Set auto-expire for 48 hours from now with target status Canceled and customer notification enabled.

If the customer pays the invoice within 48 hours:

• The payment updates the balance.
• The booking is confirmed automatically (because Confirm on Pay is set).
• The auto-expire is still technically scheduled but has no effect since the booking is already confirmed.

If the customer does not pay:

• The booking is canceled at the deadline.
• The time slot is freed for other customers.
• The customer receives a notification that their booking has expired.

Combining Auto-Expire with Down Payments

Activities can be configured with down payment settings:

When down payments are enabled, you can use auto-expire to enforce the collection deadline. For example, if the remaining balance is due 14 days before the activity date, set the auto-expire to that date.

Audit Trail

Auto-expire actions are recorded in the booking's event log:

• auto_expire_change: Logged when auto-expire is set or modified. Includes the scheduled expiration date.
• expired: Logged when the booking actually expires and the status changes.

Tips

• Always set the expire time to business hours so that if a customer tries to call to make payment just before the deadline, your team is available.
• Use customer notifications so the customer is aware their booking was canceled. This avoids surprises and potential disputes.
• Auto-expire does not process refunds. If the booking had partial payments, those remain on the booking after expiration. You may need to issue a refund separately.
• Time zone matters. The expiration is calculated using the location's time zone. A booking in a New York location set to expire at 5:00 PM expires at 5:00 PM Eastern, regardless of where the staff member is.

What to Do Next

• Create an Invoice -- pair auto-expire with an invoice for a deposit workflow.
• Issue a Refund -- refund partial payments on expired bookings if needed.