Block times so Amy never books them

Not every open slot on your schedule should be bookable. You need time for lunch, the morning huddle, admin work, or a provider stepping out for an hour. Blocking those times tells Amy they're off-limits, so she treats them exactly like a booked appointment and never offers them to a patient.

Three ways to block time

Different holds call for different tools. Here's when to use each.

1. Recurring holds — lunch, huddles, admin

For time you protect every week, use your hours settings.

2. One-off holds — a closed afternoon, an offsite, a provider out

For a single date or a provider's day away, use closures.

3. A single slot — block it in your schedule

To hold one specific slot — say a provider needs 2:00 to 2:30 today for a callback — mark that time as blocked or busy right on your PMS schedule the way you always have. Because Amy reads your live book, anything marked as unavailable there is invisible to her.

Which method should I use?

• Happens every week? Put it in Hours so it repeats.
• A specific date? Put it in Holidays & time off.
• One slot, right now? Block it on your PMS schedule.

Mixing these is fine and expected — most practices use all three.

How to confirm a block is working

After you set a hold, do a quick check: call your own number and ask Amy for that time, or watch your schedule and confirm the slot doesn't appear as offered. If Amy still tries to book it, the time probably isn't fully held in all the right places — double-check your hours and that the slot reads as busy in your PMS.

Frequently asked questions

Will Amy tell a patient why a time isn't available? No. Amy simply doesn't offer blocked times — she moves on to the next real opening without explaining internal reasons like "that's our lunch." Patients just see the times that work.

Can I block time for one provider but not the others? Yes. Use provider time off in Holidays & time off for a single provider, or block that provider's slot in your PMS. Everyone else keeps booking normally. See Provider hours and blackout dates.

What if I block a time that already has an appointment? Blocking stops new bookings; it doesn't cancel what's already there. Existing appointments stay on the schedule until you move or cancel them.

Do blocks affect the waitlist? Yes, in the right way. Amy only offers waitlisted patients times that are truly open, so a blocked slot won't be handed out. See Waitlist and fill a gap.

I blocked a time but Amy still offered it — what happened? Usually the hold is only in one place. Make sure the time is closed in your Hours or Holidays & time off settings, or clearly marked busy in your PMS. If it still happens, submit a ticket from the Help Center or email help@valiansystems.com.