Scheduling & appointments · 3 min read · Intermediate
Provider hours and blackout dates
Tell Amy when each provider works and when the office is closed, and she only ever offers times that are truly available — no bookings on a day off, a holiday, or outside a provider's hours.
Updated Jul 9, 2026
Amy is only as good as the hours you give her. When your office hours, each provider's schedule, and your closed days are set correctly, Amy books with confidence — she'll never offer a Friday afternoon when you close early, a slot with a hygienist who's off that day, or an appointment on the day you're closed for a holiday.
Tip
Getting hours and closures right is the highest-value setup you can do for scheduling. It's the difference between Amy filling your day perfectly and Amy booking someone into a time nobody's there.
Three layers Amy checks before offering a time
Amy looks at all three of these together on every booking:
- Office hours — the days and times your practice is open at all.
- Provider hours — when each specific provider works, which can differ from the office and from each other.
- Closures and blackout dates — one-off days the office is closed or a provider is out.
If any layer says "not available," Amy skips that time. A slot has to clear all three to be offered.
Set your office and provider hours
- Open Settings → Hours and set your regular weekly office hours — the days you're open and the time you open and close each day. Add a midday break if you close for lunch.
- Open Settings → Providers and set each provider's working hours. Maybe a hygienist is in Monday through Thursday, or a dentist takes Wednesdays off — enter what's true for each person.
- Save. Amy uses the new hours immediately, so the very next caller only hears times that actually work.
Add closures and blackout dates
- Open Settings → Holidays & time off. This is where one-off closures live.
- Add office closures — holidays, a team offsite, or a day you shut down for training. Amy won't book anyone on those dates.
- Add provider time off — vacations, conference days, or a doctor out sick. Amy keeps booking other providers, but stops offering the one who's away.
- Save. Blackout dates take effect right away.
Note
A blackout date beats the regular schedule. Even if a provider normally works Tuesdays, marking a Tuesday as time off means Amy won't book them that day. Recurring hours are your default; closures are the exceptions that override them.
Why this matters more than it looks
Every time Amy offers a slot that isn't really open, your team has to clean it up — call the patient back, apologize, and find a new time. Accurate hours and blackout dates prevent that entirely. They also make your waitlist smarter: when Amy knows exactly who's working when, she can fill an opening with the right provider automatically. See Waitlist and fill a gap.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between blocking a time and a blackout date? A blackout date closes a whole day (or a provider's whole day). Blocking is for shorter, recurring holds like lunch or a weekly huddle. For those, see Block times so Amy never books them.
If a provider is out, can Amy still book the rest of the office? Yes. Provider time off only stops bookings for that one provider. Everyone else keeps their normal schedule.
Do my hours in my PMS carry over automatically? Your existing schedule and provider setup come across during onboarding. It's still worth reviewing your hours and closures in Settings so Amy has the clearest possible picture.
What happens to appointments already booked on a day I later close? Existing appointments stay put — closing a day stops new bookings, it doesn't erase what's already scheduled. Your team can reschedule those, and Amy will help patients who reach out. See Rescheduling and cancellations.
How far ahead can I set closures? As far as you like. Add next year's holidays whenever you want — Amy respects them the moment you save, no matter how far out they are.
Still need a hand?
Reach the Valian team any time at help@valiansystems.com, or open a ticket from the Help Center inside your dashboard. During onboarding, your onboarding contact is at onboarding@valiansystems.com.