How to manage class scheduling and capacity
To manage class scheduling without wasting capacity, bookings need a cancellation window and a waiting list that is contacted automatically. In Jestor, a class is a record with its capacity, bookings connect to it, and a released place can be offered immediately.
Why fully booked classes run half empty
A class fills, a waiting list forms, and on the day several booked people do not attend. The waiting list was never contacted because nobody knew a place had opened.
Capacity is therefore wasted while demand was available, which is the most avoidable loss in the model.
What structured booking fixes:
- Released places discovered too late to offer
- Waiting lists that exist but are never used
- No consequence for repeated no-shows
- Popular times invisible in the data
- Capacity decisions made on impression
Rules worth defining
| Rule | Purpose | Consideration |
|---|---|---|
| Cancellation window | Time to refill the place | Long enough to contact the list |
| Waiting list | Demand ready to take a place | Contact automatically, not manually |
| No-show tracking | Identifies repeat behaviour | Needs a consistent consequence |
| Booking limit | Prevents hoarding of places | Depends on your model |
| Capacity per class | The constraint itself | Review against actual attendance |
Step by step to implement it
- Create classes as records with date, time, instructor and capacity.
- Connect bookings to the class, so occupancy is a count.
- Define the cancellation window, long enough to refill.
- Maintain a waiting list per class.
- Contact the list automatically when a place is released.
- Record attendance, distinguishing it from booking.
- Review attendance against capacity, and adjust the schedule.
Why recording attendance separately from booking matters
Booking data tells you what people intended. Attendance data tells you what happened, and the gap between them is where scheduling decisions should be made. Classes that book out and run half full are a different problem from classes nobody books.
Why choose Jestor
In Jestor, classes and bookings are connected records so occupancy is calculated rather than counted manually, automatic contact with a waiting list is an automation, attendance is recorded against the booking, and dashboards show attendance against capacity by time slot and instructor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do full classes run half empty?
Because released places are not offered to the waiting list in time. See jestor.com.
How long should the cancellation window be?
Long enough to contact the waiting list and have someone arrive.
Should attendance be tracked separately from bookings?
Yes. The gap between them is what drives scheduling decisions.
Video Tutorial: Step by Step
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