Introduction

In this comprehensive guide, we explore a powerful and customizable feature that enables you to replace traditional scheduling tools like Calendly with a fully integrated, chatbot-driven appointment booking system.

This innovative approach leverages the Air Charity CRM API v2 to fetch available calendar slots, format them for user-friendly display, and seamlessly create appointments—all within your chatbot environment.

The process involves fetching free slots, formatting dates, saving data dynamically, and creating appointments programmatically, offering a flexible alternative to third-party scheduling tools.

In this video we are using some JS nodes. The link to the codes can be found here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vqm7sBrW2jSwPPIY5F067vN-_xEQLwf-/view?usp=share_link

Step-by-Step Breakdown of the Booking System

1. Fetching Available Calendar Slots

• Prerequisites:

  • Integration of your CRM with the chatbot.

  • Access to the CRM Version 2 API actions.

• Key Actions:

  • Get Calendars: Retrieve all calendars to identify the relevant calendar ID.

  • Get Users: Fetch user IDs associated with calendars, especially if multiple users are involved.

• Implementation:

  • Use the "Get Calendars" action to obtain calendar IDs.

  • Use the "Get Users" action to fetch user IDs, possibly filtering by name.

  • Map these IDs into variables or bot fields for subsequent use.

• Data Inputs Needed:

  • Calendar ID

  • User ID

  • Start Date & End Date: Can be static or dynamic (e.g., current date + 7 days).

  • Time Zone: Critical for international bookings; defaults to calendar's timezone if left blank.

• Sample Request:

  calendar_get_free_slots {
    calendar_id: "your_calendar_id",
    user_id: "user_id",
    start_date: "2024-01-28",
    end_date: "2024-02-04",
    timezone: "Europe/Budapest"
  }

• Outcome:

  • Returns a list of available time slots within the specified date range, adjusted for the specified timezone.

2. Dynamic Date Range and Time Zone Handling

• Adjusting Date Range:

  • Use system variables like "now" or "today" for dynamic start dates.

  • Add days programmatically (e.g., +10 days) to set the end date.

• Time Zone Considerations:

  • Default to calendar's timezone if none specified.

  • For international users, request timezone info dynamically.

  • The API automatically adjusts slots based on the provided timezone.

• Example:

  • Fetch slots for 3 days starting from today.

  • Adjust timezone to America/New_York or Asia/Tokyo as needed.

• Sample Output:

  • Slots from 28th January to 30th January, with times adjusted to the user's timezone.

3. Storing and Formatting Free Slots

• Saving Slots:

  • Store the fetched free slots in a JSON custom field (e.g., calendar_free_date_time).

  • Example JSON structure:

    [
      {"date": "2024-01-28", "times": ["10:00", "11:00", "14:00"]},
      {"date": "2024-01-29", "times": ["09:00", "13:00"]}
    ]

• Formatting Dates for User Display:

  • Use JavaScript libraries like Day.js to convert raw date strings into readable formats (e.g., "27th of January").

  • Implement a small script (provided in the video description) to format dates dynamically.

• Implementation:

  • Map the formatted dates into a choice block for user selection.

  • Display options like:

    • "27th of January"

    • "28th of January"

• User Selection:

  • Save the selected date in a custom field (e.g., calendar_date_selected).

4. Fetching and Displaying Available Time Slots

• Based on User's Date Choice:

  • Use the selected date to filter the stored JSON.

  • Fetch available time slots for that specific date.

• Formatting Times:

  • Use JavaScript to format times into more readable formats (e.g., "10:00 AM" instead of "10:00").

  • Save formatted times in a JSON field (e.g., calendar_free_times).

• Display Options:

  • Present the user with a list of formatted times:

    • "10:00 AM"

    • "11:00 AM"

    • "2:00 PM"

• User Choice:

  • Save the selected time in a custom field (e.g., calendar_time_selected).

5. Confirming and Saving the Appointment

• Combine Date & Time:

  • Concatenate the selected date and time into a single datetime string.

  • Save this in a custom field (e.g., calendar_selected_date_time_format).

• Create Contact if Needed:

  • Check if the contact exists via system contact ID.

  • If not, create a new contact and store the contact ID.

• Create the Calendar Appointment:

  • Use the "Create Appointment" API action.

  • Map:

    • Contact ID

    • Calendar ID

    • Start Time: The unformatted date-time string.

    • End Time: Based on default event duration (e.g., 30 mins).

    • Title & Status: e.g., "New Appointment".

    • User ID

    • Additional details: Address, meeting link, etc.

• Outcome:

  • The appointment is scheduled directly in the CRM calendar.

  • The system returns a meeting ID for future modifications.

Summary

This innovative approach transforms your chatbot into a fully functional scheduling assistant, capable of fetching real-time availability, formatting data for user-friendly interaction, and creating appointments seamlessly within your CRM.

By leveraging API actions, dynamic date handling, and JavaScript formatting, you can replace third-party tools like Calendly with a custom, integrated solution tailored to your needs.

Key Benefits:

• Full customization of booking flow.

• International support via timezone adjustments.

• Enhanced user experience with formatted dates and times.

• Automated appointment creation reduces manual effort.

• Flexibility to adapt to various scheduling scenarios.

Final Tips

• Test thoroughly with different date ranges and time zones.

• Secure API keys and sensitive data.

• Optimize user prompts for clarity.

• Maintain data consistency across custom fields.

• Iterate and improve based on user feedback.

By implementing this system, you empower your chatbot to handle bookings 24/7, reduce no-shows, and streamline your scheduling process—all within your existing CRM infrastructure.

If you have questions or want more tutorials, stay tuned for future updates, and don't hesitate to share your feedback!