> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.coachiq.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Creating and Managing Recurring Bookings

> Set up recurring booking patterns for athletes who train on a regular schedule and manage individual session occurrences

<Info>
  **Quick navigation**: Schedule → Calendar → Book Session → Enable "Recurring" toggle
</Info>

## What are recurring bookings?

Recurring bookings allow you to schedule multiple sessions for an athlete automatically by defining a repeating pattern (weekly, daily, monthly). Instead of manually booking "Tuesday at 6pm" 12 separate times, you create one recurring pattern and CoachIQ generates all 12 sessions instantly.

**Real-world example**: Sarah trains with you every Tuesday at 6:00 PM and Thursday at 5:00 PM for 12 weeks. Instead of creating 24 individual bookings, you create 2 recurring patterns and you're done in 2 minutes.

<Warning>
  **Critical limitation**: Only coaches can create recurring bookings. Athletes using the booking portal can only book single sessions at a time.
</Warning>

## When to use recurring bookings

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Perfect for">
    **Ideal scenarios for recurring bookings:**

    * **Standing appointments**: Athlete trains same day/time weekly
    * **Committed long-term clients**: Athletes with 8+ week programs
    * **Team practices**: Scheduled team training sessions
    * **VIP/Priority clients**: Premium athletes with consistent schedules
    * **Subscription-based training**: Monthly unlimited or package deals

    **Why it works**: Predictable schedules, athlete commitment, easy to plan around
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Not recommended for">
    **When recurring bookings create problems:**

    * **Trial/new athletes**: Uncertain commitment level
    * **Unpredictable schedules**: Athletes with frequently changing availability
    * **One-off sessions**: Single assessment or consultation
    * **High no-show rates**: Athletes who frequently reschedule
    * **Short-term goals**: 2-4 week programs (manual booking faster)

    **Why avoid**: Creates unnecessary booking overhead, harder to modify, commitment pressure
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Hybrid approach">
    **Best practice for most coaches:**

    1. **Start with manual bookings** for first 4-6 sessions
    2. **Evaluate commitment** and schedule consistency
    3. **Switch to recurring** once athlete proves reliable
    4. **Communicate clearly**: "I'll set you up on recurring schedule—more convenient for both of us!"

    **Result**: Reduced no-shows, better athlete retention, protected time slots
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

***

## Creating a recurring booking pattern

<Steps>
  <Step title="Access the Booking Builder">
    Navigate to your calendar and initiate a new booking:

    1. Go to **Schedule → Calendar**
    2. Click **Book Session** (or the **+** button)
    3. The Booking Builder modal opens

    <Note>
      **Alternative access**: You can also access Booking Builder from Schedule → Schedulers → Create → "Manually Book an Athlete" option.
    </Note>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Select client and scheduler">
    **Step 1: Choose the athlete**

    * Search by name or email
    * Filter by tags if needed
    * Select the athlete who will receive recurring sessions

    **Step 2: Choose the scheduler**

    * Select which session type to book (e.g., "60-Min Private Training")
    * Pricing and duration are determined by the scheduler you choose

    <Tip>
      **Credit-based sessions**: If using credit-based schedulers, recurring bookings do NOT automatically deduct credits. You'll handle credits separately per your configuration.
    </Tip>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Enable the Recurring toggle">
    In the **Date & Time** section, you'll see a toggle labeled **"Recurring"**.

    1. **Toggle it ON** to reveal recurring options
    2. **Toggle it OFF** to book just a single session

    **What happens when enabled**: Additional configuration options appear:

    * Repeat pattern (daily, weekly, monthly)
    * Repeat interval (every 1 week, every 2 weeks, etc.)
    * Days of the week (for weekly patterns)
    * Ending options (ongoing vs specific end date)

    <Frame>
      <img src="https://mintlify.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/coachiq/recurring-booking-ui.png" alt="Recurring toggle enabled in Booking Builder" />
    </Frame>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Configure the repeat pattern">
    **Choose your repeat frequency:**

    <Tabs>
      <Tab title="Weekly (Most Common)">
        **Use for**: Standard training schedules

        **Configuration**:

        1. Select **"Weekly"** from dropdown
        2. Choose **"Repeat every: 1 week"** (or 2 weeks, 3 weeks, etc.)
        3. **Select days**: Check Monday, Wednesday, Friday, etc.
        4. **Set time**: Choose session start time

        **Example**: "Every Tuesday and Thursday at 6:00 PM"

        <Check>
          **Most coaches use this**: 80% of recurring bookings are weekly patterns for consistent training schedules.
        </Check>
      </Tab>

      <Tab title="Daily">
        **Use for**: Intensive training camps, daily check-ins, tournament prep

        **Configuration**:

        1. Select **"Daily"** from dropdown
        2. Choose **"Repeat every: 1 day"** (or every 2 days, 3 days, etc.)
        3. **Set time**: Choose session start time

        **Example**: "Every day at 7:00 AM for 1-week training camp"

        **Use case**: Mike runs a 2-week intensive basketball camp and needs to schedule 30 athletes for daily sessions—recurring bookings save hours of manual work.
      </Tab>

      <Tab title="Monthly">
        **Use for**: Monthly check-ins, assessments, progress reviews

        **Configuration**:

        1. Select **"Monthly"** from dropdown
        2. Choose **"Repeat every: 1 month"** (or every 2 months, etc.)
        3. **Set day of month**: First Tuesday, 15th, last Friday, etc.
        4. **Set time**: Choose session start time

        **Example**: "First Monday of every month at 10:00 AM for progress assessment"

        **Use case**: Sarah schedules monthly body composition assessments with all her nutrition clients—one recurring pattern per athlete.
      </Tab>
    </Tabs>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set the ending (ongoing vs specific date)">
    Choose how long the recurring pattern continues:

    <AccordionGroup>
      <Accordion title="Ongoing (infinite)">
        **What it means**: Bookings continue indefinitely until you manually stop them

        **When to use**:

        * Long-term committed athletes (6+ months)
        * Monthly subscription clients
        * Athletes with unlimited session packages
        * When end date is uncertain

        **How to stop later**:

        * Click any session in the recurring series
        * Delete the entire recurring pattern
        * Or skip/change individual sessions as needed

        **Example**: "Jake has an annual training package—set his sessions as ongoing, adjust as his schedule changes"

        <Warning>
          **Watch out**: Ongoing bookings can fill your calendar far into the future. Review and adjust monthly to prevent over-scheduling.
        </Warning>
      </Accordion>

      <Accordion title="Set an end date (recommended)">
        **What it means**: Recurring sessions stop automatically on the date you specify

        **When to use**:

        * Defined training programs (8-week, 12-week, etc.)
        * Season-specific training (pre-season, in-season)
        * Athletes with package deals (20-session package = \~10 weeks)
        * Trial recurring periods

        **How to set**:

        1. Select **"Set an end date"** radio button
        2. Choose end date from calendar picker
        3. System calculates total number of sessions based on pattern + end date

        **Example**: "Chris wants 12 weeks of training. I create recurring bookings from Sept 1 - Nov 24 (12 weeks), resulting in 24 sessions (Tuesday/Thursday)."

        <Tip>
          **Best practice**: Always start with a defined end date for first-time recurring bookings. You can extend later if athlete continues.
        </Tip>
      </Accordion>
    </AccordionGroup>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Use CoachIQ Copilot for quick setup (optional)">
    **Time-saving feature**: Instead of manually clicking through options, use natural language.

    **How it works**:

    1. Find the **"CoachIQ Copilot"** panel (right sidebar)
    2. Type your desired schedule in plain English
    3. Click **"Generate Availability"**
    4. Copilot automatically fills out the recurring configuration

    **Examples of what to type**:

    * "Every Tuesday at 5pm"
    * "Monday Wednesday Friday at 6:00 AM"
    * "Every other Thursday at 7pm for 12 weeks"
    * "Daily at 8am for 2 weeks"

    <Frame>
      <img src="https://mintcdn.com/coachiq/Yb11c8fRZsw0XQu6/images/copilot-ui.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=Yb11c8fRZsw0XQu6&q=85&s=dfddd2f0108ef88e2cc26e76c420eaac" alt="CoachIQ Copilot panel for generating recurring booking schedules" width="740" height="542" data-path="images/copilot-ui.png" />
    </Frame>

    **Result**: Copilot translates your text into:

    * Repeat pattern (weekly, daily, etc.)
    * Days of week
    * Time
    * Interval

    You can then fine-tune manually if needed.

    <Check>
      **Time saved**: Copilot reduces recurring setup from 2 minutes to 15 seconds. Use it!
    </Check>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Preview occurrences before creating">
    **Before you hit "Create"**, use the **Occurrences preview calendar** to verify your pattern.

    **What you'll see** (right sidebar):

    * Calendar showing all future session dates
    * Visual confirmation of your recurring pattern
    * Dates highlighted for each occurrence

    **Why this matters**: Catch mistakes before creating dozens of bookings.

    **Common things to verify**:

    * ✅ Correct days of week selected
    * ✅ Sessions land on expected dates
    * ✅ No conflicts with known athlete vacations
    * ✅ End date is correct (if using set end date)
    * ✅ Total number of sessions makes sense

    **Example**: "I set up 'every Tuesday and Thursday for 12 weeks'—preview shows 24 total sessions, last one on Nov 21. Perfect!"

    <Tip>
      **Double-check before creating**: Once you create recurring bookings, there's no "undo" button. You'd need to delete and recreate.
    </Tip>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Click Create and confirm">
    Once everything looks correct:

    1. Click the **"Create"** button
    2. CoachIQ generates all recurring bookings instantly
    3. All sessions appear on your calendar
    4. Athlete receives notification (if notifications enabled)

    **What happens next**:

    * Each session appears as individual booking on calendar
    * No special "recurring" indicator visible to athletes
    * You can manage each session individually

    <Check>
      **Success!** Your athlete is now scheduled for all sessions in the recurring pattern. Calendar confirms all bookings created.
    </Check>
  </Step>
</Steps>

***

## Managing individual occurrences after creation

Once recurring bookings are created, you have full control over each individual session.

### Accessing the Occurrences calendar

**To view and manage all occurrences in a recurring series:**

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="From Calendar">
    1. Go to **Schedule → Calendar**
    2. **Find any session** from the recurring series
    3. **Click on that booking**
    4. The **Occurrences view** opens, showing:
       * Calendar with all recurring dates
       * "Change" and "Skip" buttons for each occurrence
       * Full visibility into the entire pattern

    **Use case**: Quick access when you're already viewing calendar
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="From Athlete Profile">
    1. Go to **People → Clients**
    2. Find and open the athlete's profile
    3. Navigate to **"Upcoming Bookings"** section
    4. **Click any recurring session**
    5. The **Occurrences view** opens

    **Use case**: When managing athlete-specific schedules or reviewing multiple recurring patterns for one athlete
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

<Frame>
  <img src="https://mintlify.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/coachiq/occurrences-ui.png" alt="Occurrences calendar with Change and Skip options" />
</Frame>

***

### Changing one occurrence

**Scenario**: Athlete requests a time change for just one session (e.g., Oct 15 needs to move from 6pm to 8pm).

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open Occurrences view">
    Click any session in the recurring series (from calendar or athlete profile).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Find the specific date">
    In the Occurrences calendar, click the date you want to change (e.g., Oct 15).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Click 'Change'">
    The **"Change"** button appears for that specific occurrence.

    **What happens**: Opens date/time picker for that one session only.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Select new date/time">
    1. Choose the new date and/or time
    2. Confirm the change
    3. **Only that one session updates**—all other recurring sessions remain unchanged

    <Check>
      **Result**: Oct 15 session moved to 8pm. Oct 22, Oct 29, etc. still at 6pm as scheduled.
    </Check>
  </Step>
</Steps>

**Important notes**:

* Changes affect ONLY that specific occurrence
* No impact on other sessions in the series
* Athlete receives notification of the time change
* Calendar reflects the updated time

***

### Skipping one occurrence

**Scenario**: Athlete is traveling on Oct 22 and needs to skip that session.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open Occurrences view">
    Click any session in the recurring series.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Find the date to skip">
    In the Occurrences calendar, click Oct 22.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Click 'Skip'">
    The **"Skip"** button appears.

    **What happens**: That occurrence is removed from the recurring series.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Confirm the skip">
    System removes that booking—Oct 22 session is gone.

    **All other sessions remain**: Oct 15, Oct 29, Nov 5, etc. still scheduled as normal.

    <Check>
      **Result**: Oct 22 skipped. Recurring pattern continues for all other dates.
    </Check>
  </Step>
</Steps>

**Important notes**:

* Skipped sessions are permanently removed (not "paused")
* No credit refund triggered (recurring bookings don't involve automatic credit deductions)
* Athlete receives cancellation notification
* Cannot "un-skip" later—you'd need to manually book that date if athlete wants it back

***

## Making changes to the entire recurring pattern

### The limitation: No "edit all" function

<Warning>
  **Critical restriction**: CoachIQ does not support editing all future occurrences at once. You cannot change the entire pattern (e.g., move all from Tuesday 6pm → Thursday 7pm) after creation.
</Warning>

**Why this matters**: If an athlete's schedule permanently changes, you'll need to delete and recreate.

***

### Deleting the entire recurring pattern

**When to delete**:

* Athlete's schedule permanently changes
* Athlete discontinues training
* You need to recreate pattern with different settings
* Mistake made during initial setup

**How to delete all occurrences**:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open Occurrences view">
    Click any session in the recurring series (from calendar or athlete profile).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Delete the pattern">
    Look for the **"Delete"** option within the Occurrences view.

    **What happens**: Deletes the entire recurring booking pattern—all future sessions removed.

    <Warning>
      **This action is permanent**: All remaining sessions are deleted. Cannot be undone.
    </Warning>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Confirm deletion">
    System asks for confirmation—click **"Delete All"** to proceed.

    All recurring sessions disappear from calendar instantly.
  </Step>
</Steps>

**After deletion**:

* Create a new recurring pattern if needed
* Or switch to manual booking going forward
* Or athlete stops training entirely

***

### Workaround: Recreating the pattern

**Scenario**: You need to change recurring pattern (e.g., Tuesday 6pm → Thursday 7pm for all remaining sessions).

**The process**:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Note the existing pattern">
    Before deleting, record:

    * Original pattern details (days, times)
    * How many sessions remain
    * Any already-completed sessions

    **Example**: "Chris has 18 sessions left, currently Tuesday/Thursday 6pm, wants to switch to Wednesday/Friday 7pm."
  </Step>

  <Step title="Delete existing recurring pattern">
    Follow the "Delete all" process above.

    **Result**: All 18 remaining sessions removed from calendar.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Create new recurring pattern">
    Open Booking Builder and create new recurring bookings:

    1. Select same athlete (Chris)
    2. Select same scheduler
    3. Enable Recurring toggle
    4. Configure NEW pattern (Wednesday/Friday 7pm)
    5. Set end date to capture remaining sessions (\~9 weeks)
    6. Click Create

    **Result**: New 18-session recurring pattern created with updated schedule.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Communicate with athlete">
    **Critical step**: Let athlete know their schedule changed.

    **Template message**: "Hey Chris, I've updated your recurring sessions to Wed/Fri 7pm as requested. All 18 remaining sessions are now on the new schedule. Let me know if you have any conflicts!"

    <Tip>
      **Notification best practice**: Even though system sends automatic notifications, personally confirm major schedule changes with athletes to prevent confusion.
    </Tip>
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Note>
  **Time commitment**: Deleting and recreating can take 3-5 minutes. Factor this into your process when athletes request pattern changes.
</Note>

***

## Best practices for recurring bookings

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Always Use Preview" icon="eye">
    **Before clicking Create**, review the Occurrences preview calendar. Catch mistakes before generating dozens of bookings.

    **Check**: Days of week, times, total sessions, end date.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Start with End Dates" icon="calendar-times">
    **For first-time recurring clients**, always set a specific end date (8-12 weeks). You can extend later.

    **Why**: Prevents over-commitment and gives natural check-in points.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Communicate Schedule Changes" icon="comment">
    **When you Change or Skip** sessions, personally confirm with athlete (don't rely solely on auto-notifications).

    **Template**: "FYI, moved your Oct 15 session to 8pm. See you then!"
  </Card>

  <Card title="Review Monthly" icon="calendar-check">
    **First of each month**, review all recurring patterns. Check for:

    * Patterns ending soon (extend if needed)
    * Athlete vacations/conflicts
    * Your own availability changes

    **Result**: Proactive management prevents last-minute chaos.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Use Copilot for Speed" icon="robot">
    **Save time** by using natural language in Copilot panel: "Every Tuesday and Thursday at 6pm"

    **Result**: 15 seconds vs 2 minutes of manual clicking.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Delete vs Skip Strategy" icon="trash-alt">
    **Skip individual sessions** for one-off exceptions.

    **Delete entire pattern** when permanent schedule change needed.

    **Rule**: 3+ skips in a row = consider deleting and recreating pattern.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

***

## Credit handling with recurring bookings

<Warning>
  **Important clarification**: Recurring bookings in CoachIQ do NOT automatically deduct credits when sessions are created. Credit handling depends on your specific scheduler configuration.
</Warning>

**What this means**:

* Creating recurring bookings doesn't immediately consume athlete credits
* Credit deduction happens per your scheduler's credit settings
* Skipping a session doesn't trigger credit refunds

**Recommendation**: If a client is only on a recurring booking then credits are not necessary. Instead just collect payment and set up there recurring schedule once.

<Note>
  **For detailed credit system information**, see [Credit System Explained](/scheduling/credit-system-overview) and [Credit Usage Limits](/scheduling/credit-usage-limits-restrictions).
</Note>

***

## When NOT to use recurring bookings

<Warning>
  **Recurring bookings aren't always the answer.** Sometimes manual booking is better.
</Warning>

**Use manual booking instead when**:

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Unpredictable Schedules">
    **Athlete situation**: Shift worker, travel-heavy job, inconsistent availability

    **Problem with recurring**: Constant Changes and Skips = admin overhead

    **Better approach**: Client book sessions 2-4 weeks in advance as athlete confirms availability

    **Example**: "Maria's nursing schedule changes monthly. She book her sessions 3 weeks out once her shifts are posted."
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Trial Period">
    **Athlete situation**: New client, trying you out for first month

    **Problem with recurring**: Over-commitment pressure, higher dropout risk

    **Better approach**: They book first 6-8 sessions, then switch to recurring if they commit

    **Example**: "Jake books 4 trial sessions. After session 3, I say 'You're doing great—want to lock in recurring Tuesdays?'"
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Short Programs">
    **Athlete situation**: 4-week pre-season prep, 2-week intensive

    **Problem with recurring**: Setup time exceeds benefit (only 8 sessions total)

    **Better approach**: Client book all sessions in 5 minutes

    **Example**: "Chris wants 3x/week for 3 weeks (9 sessions). Manual booking = faster than recurring setup."
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Frequent Reschedulers">
    **Athlete situation**: Chronic reschedulers, high change rate

    **Problem with recurring**: You'll spend more time managing Changes than you saved with automation

    **Better approach**: They book 2-3 sessions at a time and can adjust as needed

    **Example**: "Sam reschedules 50% of sessions.He books 2 weeks out, adjusts as needed"
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

***

## Next steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Manual Booking Guide" icon="user-plus" href="/scheduling/manually-booking-athletes">
    Learn the complete manual booking process for non-recurring sessions
  </Card>

  <Card title="Canceling Bookings" icon="times-circle" href="/scheduling/canceling-bookings">
    Understand cancellation policies and how to handle booking cancellations
  </Card>

  <Card title="Calendar Management" icon="calendar-alt" href="/scheduling/calendar-overview-and-navigation">
    Master calendar navigation and filtering for managing all your bookings
  </Card>

  <Card title="Credit System Guide" icon="coins" href="/scheduling/credit-system-overview">
    Deep dive into how credits work with bookings and schedulers
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Related articles

<CardGroup cols={3}>
  <Card title="Creating Schedulers" icon="sliders" href="/scheduling/creating-your-first-scheduler">
    Set up bookable session types before creating recurring bookings
  </Card>

  <Card title="Scheduler Settings" icon="cog" href="/scheduling/scheduler-settings-limits-and-permissions">
    Configure capacity, limits, and permissions for schedulers
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

***

<Check>
  **You now understand**: How to create recurring booking patterns, manage individual occurrences, and decide when recurring bookings are the right solution vs manual booking.
</Check>

<Info>
  **Questions about recurring bookings?** Our support team can help you design the optimal scheduling strategy for your athletes. [Contact Support](https://support.coachiq.com)
</Info>