Duplicate Clients and Double Bookings

Two different problems that get reported the same way.

Duplicate clients

The same person exists twice: once from an online booking, once added at the desk. Their history is split, their rewards do not accumulate, and their card on file is on the wrong record.

Fixing it. Perceny surfaces likely duplicates and lets you merge them. Keep one record and move the history onto it.

Before you confirm:

• Keep the record with the cards on file, or you will have to re-collect them.
• Check which record carries the memberships and gift cards.
• Check the contact details on the survivor are the current ones.

A merge is not reversible. Deleting one of the pair instead is worse — it removes history rather than combining it.

Preventing it. Two things help:

• Require Client Details in Ticket — every ticket attaches to a client, so records stay complete and searchable.
• Search before you create. Most duplicates are created by someone typing a new client without checking.

Double bookings

Two appointments in one slot. Three causes:

1. Somebody used the override. The "Allow Create Appointment Regardless of Availability" permission lets a member book over an existing appointment. That is deliberate — it is how you fit a regular in — but check who has it.

2. The service durations are wrong. If a cut is set to 20 minutes and actually takes 40, the calendar will keep offering the overlap. Fix the duration; add a per-stylist override where one person is slower or faster. See Per-stylist service overrides.

3. Gap filling is on. Fill Schedule Gaps offers short gaps between bookings as bookable slots. With Prefer Aligned Gap Slots off, it offers the earliest gap time rather than an aligned one, which packs the day tighter and leaves less room for overrun.

Fixing the immediate problem. Reschedule one of the two, or change the professional on it — the calendar supports dragging an appointment to another stylist when Drag for Change Stylist is on, and there is an explicit Change Professional action.

Preventing it. Set Appointment Buffer Time (Minutes) so there is padding after each appointment, and get durations honest. Buffers cost you a little capacity and buy back a day that runs on time.

The same client booked twice

Occasionally it is neither: the client booked twice themselves, forgetting the first. Their record shows both. Cancel one, and consider whether your confirmation message is clear enough about what was booked.