How to setup recurring Diary Templates

Diary Template Sets let you define a repeating schedule of appointment slots and apply it to the diary for future months. This article covers creating and managing template sets in the Diary Template Manager.

Access the Diary Template Manager

Navigate to Admin > Diary & Booking > Diary Template Manager.
The first time you open this screen, you are prompted to create a template set. After that, the template manager opens to the screen below.

Create a new template set

Click Manage.
Click New in the New Template Set screen.
Enter a Template Set Name.
Set the Cycle Length (e.g. 14 for fortnightly).
Select the Mode as Location or Staff.
Tick Restart Cycle on New Month if you want each new month to begin on the first day of the cycle.
Click Save, then Close. The template diary is now ready to populate.

Keep the number of template sets as low as possible - multiple overlapping sets are difficult to manage.

Add templates to the cycle

The template diary displays the full cycle. Each day column shows the time slots for that day.
In the Template section on the left, select the details for the template slot you are about to add:
- The required fields are dependent on the Mode selected when creating the Template Set.

Mode	Required fields
Location	Booking Type and Doctor
Staff	Booking Type, Location, and Room

Double-click a time slot in the template diary to add a template.
Repeat for all slots, changing the Template section settings as needed.
To copy a completed day to other days, select the Copy Templates button in the Actions section.

Templates appear as transparent coloured blocks - similarly to a booking, but without patient details.

Apply templates to the diary

Select the Diary Actions button to push templates to the diary for a specific date range.

Action	What it does
Delete Applied Templates and Apply Template Set	Removes existing templates for this set in the date range, then applies the current template set. Use this when applying or updating a template set.
Delete Applied Templates	Removes existing templates for this set in the date range only - does not apply new templates.
Power Delete	Removes all templates (regardless of set) for a location or doctor, in the date range. Irreversible - use with caution.

Select Delete Applied Templates and Apply Template Set.
Set the From Date and To Date.
Click Delete and Insert.
Confirm the prompt. A message confirms when templates have been added.

Power Delete is irreversible. Verify the location, doctor, and date range before clicking Power Delete.

Edit a template set

To edit a template set, open the Diary Template Manager and select the set from the drop-down list at the top.
Make the required changes, then re-apply the set using Diary Actions > Delete Applied Templates and Apply Template Set.

Applying an updated template set deletes existing templates for that set in the selected date range and replaces them. Bookings are not affected.