Automatically detecting bookers timezone

This feature is available on All Plans (Free, Individual, Professional, and Teams)

How do you manage bookings when your clients are spread all over the world? By automatically detecting their timezone and displaying your availability relative to their location.

In this article:

• How booker timezone detection works
• Turning off auto detect
• Displaying timezone on booking page
• My bookers timezone was detected incorrectly

How booker timezone detection works

Booker timezone detection uses the timezone of your visitor's IP address on the device used to access your booking page. Based on that timezone, your available booking times are translated into their relative to their location.

By default, this setting is turned on for all booking pages and can be found in Language & timezones under Additional options. 

If your calendar is based in US/Eastern and your booker is in US/Pacific, the booking times will display three hours earlier. Your booker can always select a different timezone from the dropdown if they plan to take the meeting in a different location.

Turning off auto detect on your booking page

How do you decide if you should keep this feature on?

All of your clients are in the same timezone as you

If you anticipate that all of your bookers will be in the same timezone as you, you can safely uncheck this feature. With this box unchecked, everyone will view your availability based on your timezone, no matter their location. All confirmation emails will also reflect your timezone.

You have clients from all over the world

If you will have bookers in different timezones, keep this feature checked. With this box checked, they will book times convenient for them, based on their own location. All confirmation emails to the booker will reflect the booking time in the timezone they've been detected in. 

In a few cases with the  Automatically detect bookers timezone feature turned on, the booker's timezone can be detected incorrectly. This could be the case if they are using a VPN, location masking services, or booking from a mobile device. 

To avoid any confusion, include instructions in your booking page for the booker to select their correct timezone before booking. Add the shorthand code {TIMEZONE-BOOKER} in the Booking page Intro box in your General settings to show your booker what timezone they are viewing your page. 

Displaying timezone on booking page

When bookers are on your booking page, you can refer to the shorthand code {TIMEZONE-BOOKER} so they know what time they are booking in. 

My bookers timezone was detected incorrectly

There may be times when you or your booker visit your live booking page and the timezone is different than the one you are actually in.

• The IP address may throw the wrong time zone if you or the booker is using a VPN 
• The internet provider is using an IP masking filter
• The booking happens on a mobile device connected to a different cell tower
• If you or the booker recently came back from a trip, make sure you delete your browser cache.

To verify that your page is detecting the right time zone, go to your mobile device, turn wifi OFF, and then visit your booking page from your mobile device. If it displays correctly here, you'll need to manually select your time zone. 

To resolve any issues with the timezone on an existing booking, cancel the booking and rebook the appointment on their behalf. 

For further questions, contact our team at support@youcanbook.me.

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