Must-have features for education appointment scheduling software

Online scheduling is one of the few educational apps for teachers that can be used across departments. From academic advisors and admissions teams, to office hours and student support services, every role in higher education can use appointment scheduling software.

So what are the must-have features that universities and colleges should look for?

 

1. Customizable booking forms 

Our Higher Education online scheduling survey for 2022 showed that being able to customize the booking forms is the clear favorite of all features available in scheduling software for higher education. 

Flexibility is the key to its success since it can provide solutions for different needs.

“The booking form questions tell me the problem beforehand. So when we do meet, I already understand the issue and how to solve it. “ - Jeremy Hommowun, Illinois College Case Study


YCBM customized booking form

 

2. A choice of appointment options on one page

Your students don’t all have the same needs, so choose college scheduling software that lets you offer them a choice of meeting types

Appointment types with YouCanBook.me

Being able to offer more than one kind of appointment on the same booking page is a huge efficiency boost. 

“Appointment types help us make things really straightforward for the student. Different pages offer different options depending on what is required.”  - Brittany Wise, Missouri State University Case Study


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3. Customizable notifications

Having tailored, automated email and SMS messages is a game-changer for universities. They let faculty and staff

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“Reminders have decreased no-shows all across campus. The ability for students to reschedule and for it to be effortless and for them to do it on their own has been a game-changer for sure.”  - Jaime Ross, Missouri State University Case Study

 

4. Easy cancel & reschedule options

“I can’t make my advising appointment. I’ll just wait until tomorrow. I’m sure I’ll remember. And I’m happy to hang on hold until they can answer the phone”. 

Said no student ever! 

A primary reason why universities love using online scheduling software is that it empowers students to manage their time and their meetings. One-click canceling and rescheduling is a big part of that.

“The reminders and option to cancel/reschedule meetings allows us to focus on what we are doing rather than managing a calendar.” - Education Administrator 

 

5. Mobile-friendly, customizable booking pages 

Our research shows that the majority of bookings made through YouCanBook.me are created on mobile. So it’s critical that your scheduling software works flawlessly when students view it on their phones. 

And booking pages are an extension of your department and your brand, so you should be able to customize them with images and logos.

“We can embed YouCanBook.me right in our LMS. Students don't have to leave their course page to book an appointment. They’re staying engaged in the content and see what we want them to see.” - Jeremy Hommowun, Illinois College Case Study

 

6. Easy-to-manage availability  

Schedules can change often and at short notice. So being able to easily adjust the availability that shows on your booking page is key to preventing double bookings. 

  • Simply drag and drop in your calendar to update your online booking page.
  • Easily manage hybrid or frequently changing schedules without leaving your calendar.
  • Individual team members can manage their availability directly in their own work calendar. No need to log in to the main account to make an update.  

EDU Feature: custom availability (dark)

 

7. Integration with video conferencing tools

In our hybrid world, being able to offer both in-person and virtual appointments is a new requirement.

Has your higher education scheduling software got what it takes?

Must_have_features_checklist

If outstanding scheduling software is already one of your educational apps for teachers, we’ve got a bonus for you!

Kick your scheduling up a notch with Zapier & webhooks 

If you’re already the campus expert for your college’s scheduling software, try these slightly more advanced features that will put a rocket under your productivity and give you oodles of impact evidence for your team.  

  • Automatically send booking data into your CRM, project management tool, marketing automation software, or any other database you use  
  • Eliminate manual tasks and human error; update data across multiple systems at the same time
  • Easily analyze booking trends and data
  • Use booking data to trigger automated workflows

“If you can use webhooks, they’re a game-changer. That was a big part of our decision to use YouCanBook.me.”  - Danny Ryel, Portland State University


💡 Pro-tip: webhooks are a powerful feature that helps YCBM work seamlessly with all the tools you use: automatically update your CRM, notify stakeholders, and create a bespoke reporting database. They’re easy to set up with minimal programming ability. Find out more here.

 

The real must-have is scheduling software for higher education

“YouCanBook.me inspires confidence in our team: confidence that we have time for our staff, and that the issue will be fixed. Confidence, transparency, ease of access. It really helps to break down the barriers.” - Jeremy Hommowun, Illinois College Case Study


So there you have it. The 7 most valued, must-have features when you’re looking for higher education appointment scheduling software

Start with these and you can’t go wrong. You’ll soon be on your way to friction-free scheduling that saves you time and creates an awesome student experience.

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