Zip Code Filters makes it so that if you have a large number of staff or locations, clients can enter in filter criteria to find the one closest or most relevant for what they're looking for.
You can choose to add a zip code filter to either the Location or Staff panel of your scheduler (but not both). Applying a filter to locations will allow your client to find your closest location to them based on zip code. Applying a filter to your staff will allow clients to search by either zip code or any other criteria you'd like to set.
Zip Code Filters are only intended to adjust the options displayed to help a client choose the right option from the list. It will NOT block a user from selecting the incorrect option. The Zip Code Filter is also not connected with the Variable Location functionality, so it cannot prevent a user from submitting an appointment address that doesn't match the zip code filter used.
In this documentation page, we'll cover:
Enable the Location Filter
To enabled location filter, first select Settings > Scheduler Rules & Logic:
Next, click Edit to the right of the Configuration heading:
Once in edit mode, scroll down until you see Zip Code Filter and click anywhere inside the text box to the right of it:
The Zip Code Filter selection box has four options:
- Do not apply zip code filter
-
Apply zip code filter to location and manually enter filters
- Manually add the zip codes associated with each location (Settings > Locations > Location Filters)
-
Apply zip code filter to location and auto detect address
- Automatically use the zip code from the Address field on each location's profile
- Apply zip code filter to staff
If you choose to apply your filter to location and manually enter filters, you will need to configure those filters on the Location page. If you choose to apply your filter to location and auto detect address, you can specify the radius around each location for it to be included in search results on that same page below:
Helpful Conversions
- 1 mile = 1,609 meters
- 5 miles = 8,047 meters
- 10 miles = 16,093 meters
- 25 miles = 40,233 meters
- 50 miles = 80,467 meters
- 75 miles = 120,700 meters
- 100 miles = 160,934 meters
You can customize what your clients will see when the Zip Code Filter is added to your scheduler using these additional settings.
Filter Label: the label that shows next to the filter and allows you to give clients a better ides as to what they can type into search your list
Filter Search Button: change the label of the button that appears next to the filter input field on your scheduler
Filter Hint: add a description underneath the filter search field to give clients greater context as to what they're searching or how to search
Here's what your clients will see:
These additional customizations can also be made to the Zip Code Filter:
Filter Minimum Characters: the minimum characters needed before search will execute
Filter Maximum: the maximum characters allowed in the filter search
Hide Results: hide results of the selected filter panel until search data is entered
Limit Search Characters: turn on the Filter Maximum Characters for Search setting
Remove Spaces from Filter: remove spaces from filter text when searching
Filter Maximum Characters for Search: sets the maximum amount of characters the search will consider to return results
Now that you're Location Filter is activated, and your scheduler text is customized, you can add your filtering criteria.
Adding Location Filtering Criteria
If you've selected to manually enter location filters, you can add that filtering criteria under Settings > Locations > Location Filters:
Select Add New Filter. You'll see a selection box under the heading Filter applies to, where you can select which location to apply your filter to. And the middle section, titled Accepted filters is where you enter the text you want to filter for:
In a Zip Code Location Filter for example, this is where you'd enter the zip code of your office location and any surrounding area zip codes.
One easy and free method to do this is to use the freemaptools.com radius search. This tool will provide a list of surrounding zip codes that you can copy and paste into the Accepted filters text box.
Values entered into the Accepted filters text box must be separated by commas.
After you've entered your zip code values into the Accepted filters text box, click Save and you're all done:
How it looks on the Client Scheduler
This is what your clients will see on the booking site:
When they click Search, the closest location to the zip code they entered will be displayed:
Adding a Staff Filter
Adding a Staff Filter is very similar to adding a Zip Code Filter for a location, and the functionality will be similar. Instead of finding the closest location to them, your clients can find the closest staff. Adding a Staff Filter will also be helpful if your scheduler flow is set to show Staff before Location.
There is one key difference between Staff and Location Filters however. With Staff Filters, you aren't limited to filtering for zip codes. With a Staff Filter, you can filter based on any criteria that suits the needs of your business.
To enable the staff filter, select Settings > Scheduler Rules & Logic:
Next, click Edit to the right of the Configuration heading:
Once in edit mode, scroll down until you see Zip Code Filter and click anywhere inside the text box to the right of it:
The Zip Code Filter selection box has four options:
- Do not apply zip code filter
- Apply zip code filter to location and manually enter filters
- Apply zip code filter to location and auto detect address
-
Apply zip code filter to staff
- Filters could be zip codes, or any other criteria you wish to use (Settings > Staff > Staff Filters)
You can customize what your clients will see when the Zip Code Filter is added to your scheduler using these additional settings.
Filter Label: the label that shows next to the filter and allows you to give clients a better ides as to what they can type into search your list
Filter Search Button: change the label of the button that appears next to the filter input field on your scheduler
Filter Hint: add a description underneath the filter search field to give clients greater context as to what they're searching or how to search
Here's what your clients will see:
These additional customizations can also be made to the function of the Zip Code Filter:
Filter Minimum Characters: the minimum characters needed before search will execute
Filter Maximum: the maximum characters allowed in the filter search
Hide Results: hide results of the selected filter panel until search data is entered
Limit Search Characters: turn on the Filter Maximum Characters for Search setting
Remove Spaces from Filter: remove spaces from filter text when searching
Filter Maximum Characters for Search: sets the maximum amount of characters the search will consider to return results
Now that you're Staff Filter is activated, and your scheduler text is customized, you can add your filtering criteria.
Adding Staff Filter Criteria
Adding Staff Filter criteria is similar to adding Location Filter criteria, with the key difference that you are not limited by filtering for zip codes. You can add any text filters you want to the Staff Filter.
For example, if a company has a large staff of financial advisors with different certifications, you could use the staff filter to allow clients to search for staff with specific certifications.
To get started adding Staff Filter criteria, go to Settings > Staff > Staff Filters:
Next, choose Add New Filter, select the Staff member our Filter applies to, and enter the actual text we want to filter for in the Accepted filters text box. Click Save to confirm your Staff Filter:
How it looks on the Client Scheduler
This is what your clients will see on your scheduler:
The text for Filter Label, Filter Search Button, and Filter Hint is customized for the specific context we want our clients to be able to search for. Typing CFP (in either upper or lower-case) into the search box, and pressing Search will display all employees who are Certified Financial Planners: