Some appointments take longer than others. A new patient visit might need 40 minutes, a quick follow-up 10. A full haircut is 45 minutes, a kids' trim is 20. Same calendar, different lengths. This guide shows how to set up multiple appointment types (sometimes called services, booking types, or appointment durations) so your AI receptionist picks the right length every time.
What appointment types solve
Before, you could only pick one default duration per calendar. A medical practice that both sees new patients (40 min) and existing patients (10 min) had to choose. A barber with haircuts, beard trims, and kids' cuts had to pick one length.
With appointment types, you can add several booking lengths to the same calendar. When someone calls, the AI matches what they say to the right type and books a slot of the right length. One calendar, many durations.
How it works — the 30-second version
You add one or more appointment types to a calendar. Each has a name and a length.
When a caller describes what they want ("Hi, I'm a new patient" or "just a trim"), the AI matches their words to the type that fits.
It books a slot of the right length on your real Google, Outlook, or Apple calendar.
If the caller's request is unclear, the AI asks a short question before booking — it never silently guesses.
You don't teach the AI anything extra. The names you pick are enough. Use everyday words your callers would say.
Step-by-step: set up multiple appointment types
1. Open your agent's calendar settings
Go to app.skipcalls.com and log in.
Click Agents in the left-hand menu.
Open the agent you want to configure.
Click the Calendar tab.
You'll see your connected calendar(s) with a duration (for example "30 min appointments"). That's your existing setup.
2. Add a second appointment type
Next to your calendar, you'll see a button labelled + Add appointment type.
Don't see the button? Check the Limitations section below — it's only available for Google, Outlook, and Apple calendars.
Click it. A window opens with two fields:
Name this appointment type — write what a caller would say. Examples:
New patient visit,Follow-up,Haircut,Initial consultation,Kids' trim.How long does it take? — the length in minutes. Minimum 5.
Click Create appointment type. That's it. The AI picks it up on the very next call.
3. Repeat for each type
If you offer three kinds of appointments, add three types. They all share the same underlying calendar (so bookings never overlap), but each blocks its own length of time.
Real-world examples
Psychiatrist or doctor's office
Appointment type | Duration |
New patient visit | 40 min |
Follow-up | 10 min |
Medication check | 15 min |
When a caller says "I'm a new patient", the AI books 40 minutes. When they say "I just need a med refill", the AI books 15.
Barber shop or hair salon
Appointment type | Duration |
Full haircut | 45 min |
Beard trim | 15 min |
Kids' cut | 20 min |
Color and cut | 120 min |
Family lawyer or consultant
Appointment type | Duration |
Initial consultation | 60 min |
Document review | 30 min |
Quick question call | 15 min |
Home-services contractor
Appointment type | Duration |
On-site estimate | 30 min |
Repair visit | 90 min |
Install | 240 min |
Tips for naming appointment types
The quality of the name directly controls how well the AI picks the right type. A few rules of thumb:
Use caller language, not internal jargon. "New patient visit" works. "Type A", "Level 1", "Category 3" don't.
Keep names distinct. "Consultation" and "Initial consultation" sound similar — the AI may have to ask. "First-time consultation" vs "Follow-up consultation" is clearer.
Avoid abbreviations. "NPV" means nothing to a caller and therefore nothing to the AI's matching logic. Spell it out.
Match how your callers speak. If people call asking for "a trim," name the type "Trim," not "Short Haircut Service Variant 2".
Editing and removing
Edit an appointment type — click the pencil icon next to the type. You can change the name, duration, buffer time, or working hours for that type.
Remove an appointment type — click the trash icon. The underlying calendar stays connected. Only that one booking type goes away.
Disconnect the whole calendar — toggle the switch at the top of the calendar card. You'll need to remove all appointment types first (so the AI doesn't keep booking on an orphaned variant).
What the AI does when a caller's request is unclear
If a caller just says "I'd like an appointment," the AI won't silently guess. It asks a short clarifying question:
"Sure. Is this a new patient visit or a follow-up?"
This is a deliberate design choice: the cost of booking a 10-minute slot for a 40-minute appointment (or vice versa) is higher than the cost of one extra question.
Limitations
Appointment types work on Google Calendar, Outlook Calendar, and Apple Calendar — the calendars where we calculate availability ourselves.
For Calendly, Cal.com, Square, and GoHighLevel, appointment durations are set inside those platforms. You'll see a label saying Managed by {provider name} on the calendar row, and you'll need to create different services or event types inside that platform directly.
You can have up to 10 appointment types per calendar.
Troubleshooting
The AI keeps picking the wrong type
Look at the names you gave each type. Callers use natural language. "New patient" works; "Type A" doesn't. Rename the type to match what a caller would actually say. See the naming tips above.
Two bookings landed at the same time on my calendar
All appointment types share the same underlying calendar, so they respect each other's availability. If you're seeing overlaps, contact support — that's a bug, not expected behaviour.
I added a type but the AI doesn't seem to know about it
Changes take effect on the very next call. If a call is already in progress when you click save, it continues with the old setup — that's the only exception. New calls always see the current setup.
Can I use the same appointment types on multiple agents?
Yes. Each agent has its own independent list of appointment types, even if they share the same underlying calendar. You need to add the types on each agent separately.
Can I have different work hours per appointment type?
Yes. Click the pencil icon on any type and adjust its work hours. For example, you could offer follow-ups any time during the day but limit new patient visits to mornings only.
Still stuck?
Reply to this article or reach out at [email protected]. Tell us what you're trying to set up and we'll help you configure it.