Pets at a Time

The 3-Second Version

Pets at a Time = How many pets your team member can handle AT THE SAME TIME.

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│  ✓ Pets at a Time IS            ✗ It Is NOT        │
│  ────────────────────────       ────────────        │
│  3 dogs AT ANY MOMENT     →     3 dogs per day     │
│  "I can groom 2 at once"  →     "I only do 2"      │
│  Simultaneous handling    →     Daily limit        │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

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Quick Setup (1 Minute)

Step 1: Open Team Member

Navigate to Team Members → Click the team member → Capacity tab

Step 2: Set Pets at a Time

Ask: "How many pets can this person handle at the same time?"

Step 3: Save

Click Save Changes. Done!

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This Is For You If...

✓ Your team handles multiple pets at once
✓ You want to prevent overbooking team members
✓ Different team members have different capabilities
✓ You run daycare, group classes, or walking services

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How Pets at a Time Works (Visual)

Example: Groomer Sarah (Capacity: 2)

Sarah's Day — Pets at a Time: 2

Time        Dog 1       Dog 2       Status
─────────   ─────────   ─────────   ─────────
9:00 AM     🐕 Max      🐕 Bella    ← 2 at once ✓
10:30 AM    🐕 Rocky    [prep]      ← 1 at once ✓
12:00 PM    🐕 Charlie  🐕 Duke     ← 2 at once ✓
2:00 PM     🐕 Luna     🐕 Cooper   ← 2 at once ✓

TOTAL DOGS GROOMED: 8
(Not limited to 2—that's just how many at a time!)

Key insight: Capacity 2 means 2 at any moment. Sarah served 8 dogs throughout the day.

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Common Scenarios

Scenario 1: Solo Groomer

Setup:

• Works alone at 1 table
• One dog at a time

Pets at a Time: 1

Result: System ensures only 1 booking at a time. No overlaps.

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Scenario 2: Daycare Supervisor

Setup:

• Supervises play area
• Can safely watch 12 dogs

Pets at a Time: 12

Result: System allows up to 12 simultaneous daycare bookings assigned to this person.

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Scenario 3: Dog Walker

Setup:

• Group walks in the park
• Can handle 5 dogs safely

Pets at a Time: 5

Result: Each walking slot can have up to 5 dogs.

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Scenario 4: Trainer (Mixed)

Setup:

• Private sessions: 1 dog
• Group classes: 8 dogs

Solution: Set base capacity to 1, use session-level pets at a time for group classes.

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Pets at a Time + Sessions = Complete Control

Team member capacity works within sessions. You can vary capacity by time of day:

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│  SARAH'S SCHEDULE: Monday 9am–5pm                           │
│                                                              │
│  SESSION 1: Morning (9am–12pm)   SESSION 2: Afternoon (1–5pm)│
│  ├─ Capacity: 2 dogs             ├─ Capacity: 3 dogs        │
│  └─ Full grooms only             └─ All services            │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Why this works:

• Morning: 2 large dogs when Sarah is fresh
• Afternoon: 3 smaller dogs for faster services
• Each session has its own rules

👉 Learn more: Scheduling Fundamentals

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Setting Different Capacity Per Team Member

Each team member is unique. Set capacity based on:

Example Team Setup

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Automatic Overbooking Prevention

When customers book online:

1. System checks team member capacity for requested time
2. If at capacity → Time slot not offered
3. Customer only sees available team members
4. Workload automatically balanced

Result: No team member gets overbooked.

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Real-Time Visibility

The calendar shows capacity status at a glance:

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Quick Reference: Where to Configure

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Troubleshooting

"Only one team member is eligible" / no daycare times while a stay is on

You do not need another team member. That message means the service is assigned to one person.

If daycare or another service shows no times because that person already has a stay or booking:

1. Open Team Members → [Person] → Capacity
2. Set Pets at a Time to how many pets they can have at once
3. If some days stay empty, open the assigned resource → Blocked Times

"Team member getting too many bookings"

Check: Is their pets at a time set correctly?

Fix: Team Members → [Person] → Capacity Tab → Lower the capacity number

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"Need different capacity at different times"

Solution: Use sessions with different pets at a time.

1. Schedules & Sessions → Edit team member
2. Create sessions for different time blocks
3. Set capacity per session

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"Team member should handle more during group classes"

Solution: Session-specific pets at a time.

1. Create a "Group Class" session (e.g., 6pm–8pm)
2. Set that session's pets at a time to your class size (e.g., 8)
3. Leave other sessions at normal capacity

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FAQ

What's the difference between team member capacity and resource capacity?

Both are checked. A booking needs available capacity from team member AND resource.

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Can I set capacity to 0?

Yes—this means the team member can't be booked for services. Useful for:

• Admin-only roles
• Staff on limited duties
• Temporarily unavailable

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What if team member is also using a resource?

System checks both. Example:

• Sarah's capacity: 2
• Grooming room capacity: 3 (3 tables)
• Another groomer using 2 tables

Result: Sarah can only book 1 dog (room has 1 table left).

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Related Guides

• Scheduling Fundamentals — How Schedule + Sessions + Capacity work together
• Working Hours & Leave Management — Set when team members work
• Service Assignment & Skills — Which services each team member provides

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Need help? Click the chat icon in the bottom-right corner or email support@petboost.com.au