simpleERB's card/payment booking rules are enforced to assist restaurants in eliminating no shows.

If a customer does not supply the bookings card/payment rule requirement within the rules designated 'due date' time period, this will be cancelled in the system. This means on the day of service, only confirmed bookings with a card or payment will be listed in your Diary.

As there are different types of bookings and variables, each booking may have a different 'due date' for the auto cancellation process. Please see outlined below and from the workflow diagram how each booking's 'due date' will be determined.

Helpful tip: Remember when making a phone booking, you can always 'manager override' the card/payment request to stop the booking 'due date' cancellation rule.

Online widget bookings

The card/payment rule requirement is within the widget booking process, therefore, a customer cannot confirm a booking and receive the booking confirmation email, unless the rule requirement is met at the time of making the booking.

In the simpleERB diary, a provisional online widget booking will be placed and held for around 20 mins for the customer to complete the booking. If not completed successfully, this will be cancelled. Customers are not aware a provisional booking is being made and no email notifications are sent.

Phone & Google Integrated bookings

These booking types differ, as the card/payment is not supplied when making the booking. The customer receives an email requesting the card/payment to be supplied by a set 'due date', which is outlined on the email. The customer is also advised the booking will be cancelled if they don't supply the card/payment prior to this 'due date'.

Bookings made for the same-day that are due to arrive within 4 hours of being placed, a card/payment email will be sent, however, if not met the booking will remain in the system. The auto cancellation action is disabled due to the short window between booking and arriving.

Bookings being made for the same-day or due to arrive within less than 24 hours, are auto cancelled 2 hours after being created if the card/payment rule is not supplied.

For any future advance booking made, the auto cancellation will be dependent on the rules set ' due date'. If the 'due date' is far in advance, the customer will also receive a reminder email about the card/payment requirement 1 day before the 'due date'.

Auto cancelled bookings have the action recorded on the booking, so restaurants are aware of the reason this was cancelled. Customers will also receive a cancellation email if they are a phone/Google integrated booking.

You can monitor your card/payments reports here and view the live cancellations being made from the Managers Day Book.

How are the due date rules actioned for advance future bookings?

These are the 'due date' rules set up in the card/payment setting here and only apply to phone and Google integrated bookings.

What happens to an auto cancelled booking if the customer attempts to use the payment link?

The payment link will disable a few minutes prior to the booking being triggered to auto cancel in simpleERB.

The customer will be directed to attempt the booking again if they try to add in payment/card via the link after its cancelled in the system.

*We currently integrate with the following payment providers to securely process and manage the payment process; Stripe and takepayments. Please be aware that the payment provider will charge you a transaction service fee on all payments processed.