Your First Bookable Session: 10-Minute Setup

Create your first bookable session in 10 minutes and start accepting athlete bookings today

What you’ll accomplish

By the end of this guide, you’ll have a fully functional bookable session that athletes can book on their own. No technical knowledge required—just follow these steps and you’ll be accepting bookings in about 10 minutes.

Success criteria: Athletes can visit your booking page, see available times, and book your session—all without you lifting a finger.

New to scheduling? If you haven’t read the overview yet, that’s okay. This guide walks you through everything step-by-step. You can learn the “why” later—right now, let’s get you operational.

Before you begin

Make sure you have:

• CoachIQ account created and logged in
• At least one athlete added to your system (optional, but helpful for testing)
• 10 minutes of uninterrupted time

First-timer recommendation: Create a free session for your first setup. You can always add payment or credits later. This lets you focus on the mechanics without worrying about payment configuration.

Step 1: Navigate to the Scheduler Builder

1. Access the Schedule section

   From your CoachIQ dashboard, click Schedule in the main navigation menu on the left side.

   
2. Open Schedulers

   Click on Schedulers from the Schedule submenu. This is where you’ll create and manage all your bookable session types.

   
3. Start creating a new scheduler

   Click the Create button in the top-right corner, then select Create Scheduler from the dropdown options.

   

   This opens the Scheduler Builder—your control panel for configuring this session type.

Step 2: Configure basic session details

Now you’ll set up the fundamental information about your session.

1. Name your session (what athletes see)

   In the Session Name field, enter a clear, descriptive name for your session.

   Good examples:

   • “60-Minute Private Training”
   • “Small Group Hitting Session”
   • “Free Assessment Session”
   • “Technique & Form Check”

   Avoid:

   • Generic names like “Session 1” or “Training”
   • Internal codes like “PT-60-A”
   • Overly long descriptions

   Naming tip: Include the duration in the name so athletes know what they’re booking: “30-Min Quick Session” is clearer than just “Quick Session”

2. Add a description (optional but recommended)

   Click Add Description to explain what athletes can expect in this session.

   What to include:

   • What you’ll work on during the session
   • What athletes should bring or wear
   • Any prerequisites or skill level requirements
   • What makes this session valuable

   Example description:

   “Work one-on-one with Coach Mike on batting technique, swing mechanics, and approach at the plate. Perfect for players looking to improve their hitting consistency and power. Bring your bat and batting gloves.”

   Athletes see this description when deciding whether to book, so make it compelling and informative.

3. Set the session duration

   Choose how long this session will last:

   • 15 minutes - Quick check-ins, brief consultations
   • 30 minutes - Standard training sessions, focused skill work
   • 45 minutes - Extended training sessions
   • 60 minutes - Full training sessions (most common)
   • Custom - Any duration you need

   For your first session, 60 minutes is a safe choice—it’s the most common duration for private training.

   

Step 3: Set your availability

This is where you tell CoachIQ when you’re available to coach this session.

1. Choose your availability approach

   You have two options for your first session:

   Option A: Quick Weekly Pattern (Recommended for first session) Set recurring weekly hours like “Every Monday/Wednesday/Friday 3-7 PM”

   Option B: Specific Dates Manually select specific dates you’re available

   For this guide, we’ll use Option A (weekly pattern) since it’s faster to set up.

2. Select your available days

   Check the boxes for the days you’re available to coach this session.

   For example, if you coach Monday, Wednesday, and Friday:

   • ✅ Monday
   • ✅ Wednesday
   • ✅ Friday

   
3. Set your available hours

   For each day you selected, set your start and end times.

   Example:

   • Monday: 3:00 PM - 8:00 PM
   • Wednesday: 3:00 PM - 8:00 PM
   • Friday: 3:00 PM - 8:00 PM

   Pro tip: CoachIQ automatically breaks your availability into bookable slots based on your session duration. If you set 3:00 PM - 8:00 PM with 60-minute sessions, athletes will see slots at 3:00, 4:00, 5:00, 6:00, and 7:00 PM.

4. Add buffer time (optional but recommended)

   Buffer time adds a break between back-to-back sessions. This gives you time to:

   • Reset your training area
   • Use the restroom
   • Review notes for the next athlete
   • Handle sessions that run slightly over

   Recommended buffer: 10-15 minutes

   Athletes don’t see buffer time—they just see properly spaced available slots.

   

Step 4: Configure payment settings

First session recommendation: Start with a FREE session to learn the system. You can create paid sessions after you’re comfortable with the basics.

Free Session (Recommended First)

1. Select 'Free' payment option

   In the Payment section, select Free.

   No additional configuration needed—athletes can book without payment or credits.

2. When to use free sessions

   Perfect for:

   • Your very first session while learning
   • Free trial sessions for new athletes
   • Makeup sessions after cancellations
   • Team practices or meetings
   • Assessment sessions before selling packages

Direct Payment

1. Select 'Paywall' payment option

   In the Payment section, select Paywall.

2. Connect to a product

   Click Select Product and choose which one-time payment product athletes must purchase to book.

   If you don’t have a product yet, click Create Product to set one up quickly with your session price.

3. Set your price

   Enter the price athletes pay to book this session (e.g., $75).

When to use: Drop-in sessions, one-time bookings, new clients who haven’t purchased packages yet.

Credit-Based

1. Enable credit payment

   In the Payment section, toggle Enable Credit Payment to ON.

2. Set credit price

   Enter how many credits this session costs (e.g., 1 credit, 2 credits, etc.).

3. Athletes must have credits first

   For credit-based sessions, athletes need credits in their account before they can book. Credits come from:

   • Credit packages you sell them
   • Subscriptions that issue recurring credits
   • Manual credit grants from you

When to use: Ongoing training relationships, monthly memberships, session packages, subscription-based coaching.

Coming back later: If you want to set up credits properly, see our Credit System Guide after completing this first session setup.

Step 5: Set capacity and booking rules

These settings control how many athletes can book and when they can book.

1. Set maximum capacity

   Max Athletes Per Session: How many athletes can book the same time slot?

   • 1 athlete = Private 1-on-1 sessions (most common for first session)
   • 2-10 athletes = Small group training
   • 10+ athletes = Large group classes or team training

   For your first session, set this to 1 for simple 1-on-1 training.

   
2. Set booking window (optional)

   Control how far in advance athletes can book:

   Minimum notice: How soon before a session can it be booked?

   • Example: “24 hours” prevents last-minute bookings

   Maximum future booking: How far ahead can athletes book?

   • Example: “30 days” means athletes can only book sessions in the next month

   For your first session: Leave these empty to allow booking anytime. You can add restrictions later as needed.

3. Review other settings (leave defaults for now)

   You’ll see other options like:

   • Cancellation policies
   • Multiple bookings per athlete
   • Daily/weekly booking limits

   For your first session: Leave these at their default settings. You can fine-tune them later once you understand how they work.

Step 6: Save and activate your scheduler

1. Click 'Save' or 'Create Scheduler'

   Look for the save button (usually top-right or bottom-right of the screen).

   Success! Your scheduler is now created and active. CoachIQ has automatically generated bookable time slots based on your availability.

2. View your scheduler

   You’ll be taken back to the Schedulers page where you should see your newly created session listed.

   

   Notice the information displayed:

   • Session name
   • Duration (60 min)
   • Capacity (1/1 or group size)
   • Credit cost or price
   • Active date range

Step 7: Test the athlete booking experience

Critical step: Always test your session BEFORE sharing it with athletes. This catches configuration issues, confusing wording, or availability problems.

1. Find your scheduler's booking link

   From the Schedulers page, click on your newly created scheduler to open its details.

   Look for the Share or Booking Link button—this is the URL athletes use to book.

   Copy this link.

   
2. Open the booking link in a new browser tab

   Paste the link into a new browser tab (or private/incognito window to see exactly what athletes see).

   You should see:

   • Your session name and description
   • Available time slots
   • Duration clearly displayed
   • Booking button or payment information

   
3. Test book a session (if possible)

   If you have a test athlete account or can create one:

   1. Click on an available time slot
   2. Go through the booking process
   3. Confirm the booking goes through successfully
   4. Check that you receive a confirmation
   5. Verify the booking appears on your calendar

   If you can’t test book, at minimum verify that:

   • Available times are showing correctly
   • Your description is clear and compelling
   • The payment/credit information is accurate
   • Times match your intended availability
4. Check your calendar

   Navigate to Schedule → Calendar and verify:

   • Your availability windows appear (if showing empty slots)
   • Test bookings appear on the correct dates/times
   • Session information displays properly

   

Step 8: Share with athletes

Once you’ve tested and verified everything works, you’re ready to start accepting real bookings!

Share the Direct Link

Best for: Quick sharing, social media, direct messages

Copy the booking link from your scheduler and share it directly:

• Text/SMS to athletes: “Book your session here: [link]”
• Email: Include link in your email signature or newsletters
• Social media: Post to Instagram, Facebook, or other platforms
• WhatsApp/messaging apps

Pro tip: Create a short, memorable custom link using a URL shortener like bit.ly if your booking link is long.

Embed on Your Website

Best for: Professional presentation, integrated booking experience

CoachIQ lets you embed schedulers directly on your website.

1. Go to Website & App → Website Builder
2. Add a “Scheduling” section to your page
3. Select which schedulers to display
4. Publish your website

Athletes can now book without leaving your site.

Through Your CoachIQ App

Best for: Athletes who use your mobile app

If athletes use your CoachIQ-powered mobile app, your schedulers automatically appear in their Sessions or Book section.

No additional setup needed—athletes already have access.

Manual Booking (Coach Initiated)

Best for: VIP clients, standing appointments, special situations

You can book athletes directly without them self-booking:

1. Go to Schedule → Calendar
2. Click Book Session button
3. Select the athlete, your scheduler, and time
4. Confirm the booking

The athlete receives a confirmation notification automatically.

Success checklist

Before you move on, confirm you’ve completed these steps:

• Created your first scheduler with a clear name
• Set your availability (days and times)
• Configured payment settings (free, paid, or credits)
• Set capacity to match your training style (1-on-1 or group)
• Saved and activated the scheduler
• Tested the booking link as if you were an athlete
• Verified bookings appear correctly on your calendar
• Shared the booking link or embedded on your website

Congratulations! You now have a fully functional booking system. Athletes can book sessions 24/7 without any back-and-forth coordination from you.

What to do next

Create More Session Types

Now that you’ve created one, add more schedulers for different durations, prices, or training types. Most coaches have 3-5 different session types.

Set Up Payment or Credits

If you started with a free session, learn how to add payment processing or credit-based booking to start generating revenue.

Add Buffer Time & Limits

Fine-tune your scheduler with buffer time between sessions, booking limits, and cancellation policies.

Organize with Programs

As you add more schedulers, group them into logical categories so athletes see “Private Training” vs “Group Classes” vs “Assessments.”

Common issues and quick fixes

I don't see any available times when I test the booking link

Most common causes:

1. You haven’t set availability yet—go back and add your available days/times
2. Your availability is in the past—check that your end date is in the future
3. You set minimum notice too high—athletes can’t book within that notice period
4. You have blackout days blocking all your availability

Quick fix: Edit your scheduler, verify availability is set correctly, and save again.

Athletes see times I don't want to be available

Cause: Your availability window is too broad, or you haven’t set blackout days for specific dates you’re unavailable.

Quick fix:

• Edit your scheduler and narrow your availability hours
• Add blackout days for dates you’re unavailable (vacation, holidays, etc.)
• Consider adding buffer time so sessions aren’t too close together

The booking link isn't working or shows an error

Most common causes:

1. Scheduler isn’t saved/active yet—verify it appears in your Schedulers list
2. You’re using an old or incorrect link—get a fresh link from the scheduler
3. Date range has expired—check your scheduler’s start/end dates

Quick fix: Re-save your scheduler and copy a fresh booking link.

I want to change the session after athletes have booked

Good news: You can edit schedulers at any time. However:

• Existing bookings are NOT automatically updated
• Future available slots will use the new settings
• If you need to change existing bookings, you’ll need to manually reschedule them

Quick fix: Edit the scheduler for future bookings, manually adjust existing bookings from your calendar if needed.

Can I delete this test session and start over?

Yes, but understand what happens:

• Deleting a scheduler removes all future available slots
• Existing bookings remain on your calendar but become “orphaned”
• Better approach: Just edit the existing scheduler rather than deleting and recreating

Quick fix: Click the three-dot menu on your scheduler and select Edit rather than deleting.

Pro tips for your first session

Start conservative with availability: It’s easier to add more available times later than to cancel bookings when you’ve opened up too much availability.

Use descriptive names: “60-Min Hitting Lesson with Video Analysis” is more compelling than “Hitting Session”

Add a compelling description: Athletes are more likely to book when they understand exactly what they’ll get from the session.

Test on mobile: Many athletes will book from their phones—make sure your booking link works well on mobile devices.

Monitor your first bookings closely: After your first few bookings, check that everything works smoothly (confirmations sent, calendar updated, etc.) before scaling up.

Real coach examples

Jake (Solo Trainer): Simple 1-on-1 Sessions

Setup:

• One scheduler: “60-Minute Private Training - $75”
• Availability: M/W/F 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM
• Payment: Direct payment via CoachIQ
• Capacity: 1 athlete per session
• Buffer: 15 minutes between sessions

Why it works: Simple, straightforward, easy to manage as a solo operation.

Sarah (Youth Coach): Mix of Free and Paid

Setup:

• Scheduler 1: “Free 30-Min Assessment” (free)
• Scheduler 2: “60-Min Skills Development - $60” (paid)
• Scheduler 3: “30-Min Follow-Up - $40” (paid)
• Availability: T/Th 3:00 PM - 7:00 PM, Sat 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM

Why it works: Free assessments convert to paid ongoing training, multiple price points serve different needs.

Mike (Facility Owner): Team Practice Schedule

Setup:

• Scheduler: “Rising Stars Team Practice” (free for team members)
• Availability: M/W 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM
• Capacity: 20 athletes per session
• Manually books entire team into recurring Monday/Wednesday slots

Why it works: Tracks attendance, sends automatic reminders, manages large group efficiently.

You’re ready to coach

You now have everything you need to start accepting athlete bookings. Your scheduling system works 24/7, handles confirmations automatically, and keeps your calendar organized.

Next time an athlete asks “When are you available?” → Send them your booking link and let CoachIQ handle the rest.

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Related articles

Understanding Scheduling

Learn the complete CoachIQ scheduling system

Set Up Your Availability

Master availability templates and patterns

What Are Schedulers?

Deep dive into schedulers and when to create multiple types

Payment Options

Configure free, paid, or credit-based sessions

Calendar Basics

Navigate and manage your booking calendar

Manual Booking

Book athletes directly into sessions

Questions about your first session? Our support team is here to help you get set up successfully. Contact Support