Your online booking rules are in Papalocal under Rentals, then Online booking, then Settings. Set how many days ahead people must book and a same-day cut-off. Set the longest online rental and your delivery and pickup windows. Then set how long an unpaid booking waits for its deposit, and save.
0:00Open Settings. In Rentals, open Online booking. The rules are under Settings.
0:08Set your booking lead time.Book at least is how many days ahead people must book. Zero means they can book for today.
0:14Set a same-day cut-off. With zero, Same-day bookings until is the cut-off. After that time, the earliest day they can pick is tomorrow.
0:22Cap the length.Longest online rental is how many days one booking can last. For longer, the form asks them to call you.
0:29Set your windows. The Delivery window and Pickup window are when you drop off and pick up. Customers see them when they book.
0:36Hold unpaid bookings.Hold unpaid bookings for is how long a booking waits for its deposit. Unpaid in time, it's cancelled and the items are free to book again.
0:45Save. Click Save settings. The page says Saved.
Good to know
Two count days, one counts hours.Book at least and Longest online rental count days. Hold unpaid bookings for counts hours.
The cut-off only works at zero.Same-day bookings until applies when Book at least is 0. Set 1 or more, and the earliest day is never today.
The video's settings. Book 0 days ahead, until 10:00 AM for the same day, and 3 days at most. Delivery is 8 to 11 AM, pickup is 6 to 8 PM, and the hold is 24 hours.
Not covered here. The same Settings card holds more, like the phone shown to customers and terms shown before booking. This video covers the six rules above.
Pinewood Party Rentals and its settings are made up.
Written with AI from this video's script and screens.
Booking rules are one part of running your rental company on Papalocal.
The everything app. As simple as you want it, or as complete as you allow it to be.
Looking for party rental software? The rules sit beside your items, deposits, delivery fees and website.
The plan holds, in one place:
Your customer list: each lead and customer, with their quotes and jobs on one page
Quotes, jobs and schedule
Invoices and pay links
Your website, on a domain you own
Google Business Profile sync, for your first location
Reviews: links, QR codes and an embed
Time clock, team chat and training
The same account holds your own side too: music, books, messages, your money and your people. Some of it has paid upgrades.
Free to sign up, no card. Your account and your business page have no monthly charge. One thing is on from the start: AI replies to your reviews, $0.15 each plus AI usage. You can pause them.
Once you turn the plan on: $30 a month (one person; each added employee is $10 a month), plus 1.25% of payments your customers make through Papalocal, plus Stripe's processing fee. It's billed daily from a prepaid balance. Once your card is saved, it's charged a top-up within the hour, and again each time the balance falls under a month's charges plus 15%. You choose the top-up amount ($25 or more; $100 until you change it). You can cancel the plan online after its first 30 days; cancel any add-ons on it first.
Papalocal's founder, Garret Merkley, has started 7 local service businesses in 16 years. He bought one, sold one and closed some.
How do I set a booking cut-off time for same-day parties?
Set Book at least to 0, then set Same-day bookings until. After that time, the earliest day a customer can pick is tomorrow.
How do I set a minimum booking notice?
Use Book at least. It's how many days ahead people must book online. Zero allows same-day bookings.
What happens to a booking that isn't paid?
It waits for its deposit as long as Hold unpaid bookings for says. If it isn't paid in time, the booking is cancelled and the items are free to book again.
What if someone wants a longer rental?
Past the Longest online rental, the form asks them to call you.
What does it cost?
It's free to sign up, with no card. Your account and your business page have no monthly charge. One thing is on from the start: AI replies to your reviews, $0.15 each plus AI usage. You can pause them. The plan starts only when you turn it on: $30 a month (one person; each added employee is $10 a month), plus 1.25% of payments your customers make through Papalocal, plus Stripe's processing fee.
How is it billed, and can I cancel?
It's billed daily from a prepaid balance. Once your card is saved, it's charged a top-up within the hour, and again each time the balance falls under a month's charges plus 15%. You choose the top-up amount ($25 or more; $100 until you change it). You can cancel the plan online after its first 30 days; cancel any add-ons on it first.
Will Papalocal find me customers?
No. Papalocal gives you the tools. Finding customers is your work.
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