Availability Settings

Availability is a function in OnCourse that allows a user to determine specific time slots that they want to be available for appointments. By setting up availability, users can determine what types of appointments and services they offer to students. 

Setting Up Availability 

On the Staff homepage is the My Availability tab. To add availability to your schedule, you will select the Actions drop-down menu and then Add Time.

• In the popup menu for setting up availability, select the day or days of the week you will be available. Then select the general times you’ll be available. To be available for appointments the same time each day (Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM, for example), create one availability. To have varying times available, (for example, Tuesday to be 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM) instead, create this schedule as a separate availability.
• Define how long you want to keep this availability pattern. For this you will have three options:
  • The first is the current term. If you select this option, students will be able to schedule during these hours until the day after graduation for that term. They will not be able to schedule for break periods between terms, or for the next term
  • The second option is a range of dates. This would allow students to start scheduling appointments on the start date you select and then prevent students from scheduling after the end date that you select. Both the first and second options require staff to be proactive in updating their availability regularly
  • The last duration option is "Forever" which means the time slots you select will be open for students to schedule indefinitely. Front desk staff would be able to schedule student appointments a week, month, or semester out. However, students using self-scheduling will only be able to schedule as far out as your office allows (this is a location-level setting, so feel free to submit a technical ticket or ask an OnCourse Admin or Superuser to adjust this setting, keeping in mind changing this setting will affect everyone in your office). We recommend selecting "Forever" so that students can schedule during breaks and for the next term, and so you do not have to add new availability after each term. Availability can be changed after you submit it.
• Check the next box if you want to add this availability to your personal availability link (PAL). See below section for more information.
• Next, select Appointments, Drop-ins, and/or Campaigns:
  • Appointments will allow students to schedule with you at a specific time, for a specific service
  • Drop-in availability will allow students to check in at a kiosk during drop-in times and will be visible in the student app
  • Campaigns allow you to invite students to schedule with you. You can find out more in the Appointment Campaigns section of the handbook (coming soon)
• Then, select Care Unit and Location.
  • Care Unit represents the first thing students choose to meet with you, and the type of office you work in (for instance, Advising, or Tutoring). You may only have one option, or more than one, if you work across multiple units
  • For Location, select the location of your physical office space, or another location applicable to your Care Unit
  • Some staff have multiple Care Units and/or Locations. You will need to create separate availabilities for each and ensure you have selected the correct Care Unit or Location for the times listed.  
• Now determine the services that students or front desk staff are able to select when they schedule appointments with you.
  • You can select multiple services at once, or you can make separate availability options for each individual service. For example, if you only see "Explore/Declare a Major" appointments on Mondays, after choosing Monday and your time, select the rest of your settings, and then only "Explore/Declare a Major" appointments for services.
  • We recommend that you choose to keep virtual or phone appointments as separate availability from your in-person appointments so that you can add a phone number or zoom link and specific contact instructions in the "Special Instructions for Student" text box, as well as adding office information for in-person appointments.
• In the next box, you can add a zoom link or phone number for virtual appointments. Otherwise, leave this blank. Students can directly click on this link from their email or text reminder.
• In the Special Instructions for Student text box, add any information a student needs to know at scheduling or for their appointment. The contents of the "Special Instructions" box will be sent in the appointment confirmation and reminder emails to the student.
• The last option on this page is to select how many students you can meet with during these appointments. The default is 1 student.
• After you select "Save" you will see the availability show up in your "Available Times" section.