Appointment Scheduler (Built-in Mode)

Last updated: June 1, 2026

This guide walks through setting up and using the JakBot appointment scheduler feature. The scheduler transforms any JakBot chat widget into an automated booking assistant that collects visitor details and schedules appointments from your predefined availability slots.

Integration Modes

Choose between two integration approaches based on your bot’s purpose:

Option A – Dedicated Scheduler: The bot exclusively handles appointments. Best for dedicated “Book a Call” widgets.

Option B – Mixed Mode: The bot starts as a normal chat but transitions to scheduling when visitors express booking intent. Best for multi-purpose bots.

Setting Up a Dedicated Scheduler Bot (Option A)

  1. Navigate to JakBot → Manage Bots and click Edit on the bot you want to configure
  2. Scroll to the Appointment Scheduling section
  3. Change the Scheduler Mode dropdown from Disabled to Built-in
  4. Configure the scheduler settings that appear below (see configuration options below)
  5. Click Update Bot to save your changes

Configuring Scheduler Settings

  1. Set the Appointment Duration (default: 30 minutes) – this determines the length of each booking slot
  2. Configure the Booking Window (default: 30 days) – how far ahead visitors can book
  3. Set Minimum Notice (default: 60 minutes) – the earliest time visitors can book relative to now
  4. Choose your Timezone – all appointment times will display to visitors in this timezone
  5. Enter an Admin Notification Email address (defaults to WordPress admin email if blank)
  6. Check Confirmation Email if you want visitors to receive booking confirmations

Creating Availability Slots

  1. Go to JakBot → Appointments → Availability
  2. Click any day on the monthly calendar to view existing slots or add new ones
  3. To add a single slot, choose a date and start time – the end time calculates automatically based on your configured duration
  4. For recurring availability, use the Bulk Add feature:
    • Specify a date range
    • Check the days of the week
    • Set the time and repeat interval
    • Click Add Slots
Slots have two status flags: is_booked (automatically set when confirmed) and is_blocked (manually set to prevent booking without deleting).

Setting Up Intent Detection (Option B)

  1. Configure your bot with Scheduler Mode set to Built-in (same as Option A)
  2. Add availability slots as described above
  3. Embed the bot using the standard shortcode: [jays_chat_assistant]
  4. The bot will automatically detect scheduling phrases and transition to booking mode
The system detects phrases like “book an appointment”, “schedule a call”, “reserve a slot”, “set up a meeting”, and “arrange a call” automatically.

Embedding the Scheduler Widget

  1. Use the standard JakBot shortcode on any page or post: [jays_chat_assistant]
  2. If using Option A, the widget will start in scheduler mode immediately
  3. If using Option B, the widget starts as normal chat and switches to scheduler mode when triggered
  4. No additional shortcode attributes are required – the mode is determined by your bot settings

Managing Appointments

  1. Go to JakBot → Appointments → Appointments to view all confirmed bookings
  2. Use the filters to search by bot, status, or date range
  3. Select appointments and use bulk actions to cancel or delete them
  4. Export filtered results to CSV using the export button
  5. Change individual appointment statuses between confirmed, cancelled, and no_show
Cancelling an appointment does not automatically re-open the time slot. You must manually unblock the slot in the Availability section if needed.

Understanding the Booking Flow

The booking conversation follows this progression:

  1. Bot presents available time slots to the visitor
  2. Visitor selects a preferred slot
  3. Bot collects required information: name, email address
  4. Bot requests optional information: phone number, notes
  5. Bot summarizes the booking details and asks for confirmation
  6. Upon confirmation, the appointment is saved and emails are sent
Visitor sessions persist for 24 hours using IP address identification. If a visitor returns within this window, their conversation resumes exactly where they left off.

Email Notifications

The system sends two types of emails:

  1. Admin Notification – Always sent to the configured admin email when a booking is confirmed
  2. Visitor Confirmation – Optionally sent to visitors when the confirmation email setting is enabled

Both emails include the appointment details formatted in your configured timezone.

Maintenance and Cleanup

The system includes automatic maintenance:

  1. Expired booking sessions are cleaned up hourly
  2. Past availability slots are removed weekly (slots older than 7 days)
  3. Both processes run automatically via WordPress cron

Summary

You have successfully configured the JakBot appointment scheduler, which provides:

  • Automated appointment booking through AI-powered conversation
  • Flexible integration as dedicated scheduler or mixed-mode chat
  • Admin-defined availability slots with booking window controls
  • Automatic email notifications for both admins and visitors
  • Complete appointment management interface
  • Session persistence and automatic cleanup processes