How to Set Up Buffer Time – Your Booking Platform
Step-by-step guide

How to Set Up Buffer Time

Add preparation and clean-up time between appointments — customised per employee and per service — so your calendar runs smoothly without rushed transitions.

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What is Buffer Time?
Extra time added after a service for clean-up, preparation, or slower processes. It appears on the calendar as a separate "Buffer" slot between appointments.
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Per Employee, Per Service
Buffer time is set individually for each employee and each service — so Medewerker 1 can have 10 mins buffer on BIAB while Medewerker 2 has none.
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Not Counted in Payroll
Buffer time is excluded from payroll calculations. It's for operational purposes only — not billable hours.
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Visible on the Calendar
Once set, buffer slots appear on the calendar between appointments, giving a clear visual of preparation time and preventing double-bookings.
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Set Up Buffer Time

Buffer time is configured per employee, inside their service assignment panel. You access it from the Employees section — not from the Services page.

1
Navigate

Go to the Employees section

From your YBP dashboard, navigate to Employees in the sidebar. You'll see a list of all your staff with their details, status, and action buttons.

yourbookingplatform.com/employees
Employees
EmployeeRoleStatusActions
VVera Senior Master Active
MMedewerker 1 Nail Technician Active
2
Open Services Panel

Click the green "SERVICES" button for the employee

Find the employee you want to configure and click their green SERVICES button. This opens the Assign Service panel showing all services assigned to that employee.

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Each employee has their own buffer times. You need to set buffer time individually for each staff member — there's no global setting that applies to everyone at once.
3
Set Buffer Time

Enable buffer time for each service

In the Assign Service for Employee panel, you'll see two columns — Assign Service and Buffer Time. For each service where you want buffer time, tick the Buffer Time checkbox on the right and enter the number of minutes.

yourbookingplatform.com/employees
Assign Service for Employee: Vera
Assign Service Buffer Time ℹ
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+ Free Foot / Neck Massage (30min + -)
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10 mins
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Russian Manicure & BIAB on Natural Nails – Full Care Package
✓
10 mins
✓
Russian Manicure & BIAB Refill – Full Care Package
Enter Buffer Time
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Manicure and Pedicure with Biab on natural nails
Enter Buffer Time
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Tick the checkbox first — the buffer time field only becomes active once you check the box next to it. If the checkbox is unticked, the minutes field is ignored.
4
Save

Click Save to apply the buffer times

Once you've set all the buffer times for this employee's services, click the Save button at the bottom of the panel. The buffer times will immediately take effect on the calendar for all future appointments.

Buffer times apply to future appointments immediately
Each service can have a different buffer duration
Leave buffer unchecked for services that don't need it
Buffer time is not included in payroll calculations
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How Buffer Time Appears on the Calendar

Once set, buffer time shows up as a distinct slot on the calendar between appointments — so you and your team always have a clear visual of the gap.

1
Calendar View

Buffer slots appear between appointments

After saving buffer times, open your Calendar. You'll see each service appointment followed immediately by a yellow Buffer slot. The next appointment can only start after the buffer ends.

yourbookingplatform.com/calendar
Vera — Tuesday
Russian Manicure & BIAB – Full Care Package
10:00 – 11:00 AM (60 mins)
⏱ Buffer
11:00 – 11:10 AM (10 mins)
Free Foot / Neck Massage
11:10 AM – 11:40 AM (30 mins)
⏱ Buffer
11:40 – 11:50 AM (10 mins)
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Prevents double-booking: YBP automatically blocks the buffer slot so no client can be booked into that time — whether booking online or manually by staff.
2
Important

Buffer time cannot be edited from the calendar

You cannot adjust buffer times directly on the calendar view. To change them, you must go back to Employees → SERVICES for that employee, update the minutes, and click Save again.

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Remember: Buffer adjustments must be made in Employees → SERVICES. Changes apply to all future appointments for that employee-service combination.
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Best Practices

How to use buffer time strategically to improve your schedule efficiency, reduce stress for employees, and maintain service quality.

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Skill-Level Based Buffers
Assign higher buffer times for less experienced employees to reduce stress and ensure quality. As they improve, gradually reduce the buffer.
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Complex Services Need More Buffer
Intricate services like nail art, BIAB with extensions, or long hair treatments benefit from higher buffers — e.g. 15 mins instead of 5.
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Review Buffers Regularly
Check buffer times monthly. Overly long buffers create unnecessary gaps in the schedule — reduce them as your team gets faster and more confident.
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Don't Buffer Everything
Only add buffer to services that genuinely need clean-up or prep time. Simple services like a basic gel polish removal may not need any buffer at all.
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Use Buffer for Cleaning Time
Buffer time is perfect for workstation clean-up between clients, especially for hygiene-sensitive services like pedicures or medical treatments.
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Train to Minimise Buffer Reliance
Use buffer as a safety net while training new staff, with the goal of reducing it over time as they become more efficient and confident in the service.
❓ FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Buffer Time.
Can I apply buffer time to all employees at once?
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No — buffer time must be set individually per employee. Go to Employees → SERVICES for each staff member and configure their buffer times separately. This gives you the flexibility to give different buffers to different skill levels.

Why isn't buffer time included in payroll?
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Buffer time is considered preparation or clean-up time — operational overhead rather than billable service hours. YBP excludes it from payroll calculations to keep earnings accurate and fair.

Can I change buffer times directly from the calendar?
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Not yet. Buffer times must be adjusted through Employees → SERVICES. Open the employee's service panel, update the buffer minutes for the relevant services, and click Save.

What happens if buffer time overlaps with another appointment?
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YBP prevents this automatically — buffer slots are blocked from booking just like appointment slots. If a conflict arises, a warning will appear allowing you to adjust the schedule accordingly.

Can clients see the buffer time when booking online?
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No. Buffer time is invisible to clients on the booking page — they only see available appointment slots. The buffer simply prevents them from booking into that time window, keeping the schedule clean behind the scenes.

Buffer time is set up! ⏱️

Your employees now have breathing room between appointments — keeping service quality high and the schedule running smoothly.

  • Navigate to Employees
  • Open SERVICES panel
  • Enable & set buffer minutes
  • Save to apply
  • Visible on calendar
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