The school you work for has chosen to automate and digitize bookings and scheduling as much as possible using Viking Bookings software! This manual describes how instructors can best work with Viking.
Benefits for the school and instructor:
- Automatic scheduling
- Automatic email and SMS notifications to students
- Personal instructor dashboard and integration with Google Calendar/iCal
How Viking Works:
Viking is built around instructor availability. Customers can only book online when an instructor is available, so it's essential to set your availability accurately and in a timely manner. The system knows which lessons each instructor is allowed to teach. The booking form on the website only displays available times, automating the scheduling process. However, to make this work effectively, precise instructor availability is required.
Account:
You will receive a username (email) and password to log in to the instructor's dashboard. Change your password in your profile (edit profile).
Login at: schoolname.vikingbookings.com
Username: <email address>
Password: <provided by the school>
Instructor's Dashboard:
- Schedule View
- Availability
- Reporting
1. Schedule View
After logging in, you will see an overview of future lessons scheduled for you.
- Click on a lesson to see more details about the participants.
- You can also leave notes about the lesson and the students, such as progress and tips for the next lesson (in case another instructor takes over). Note: Depending on the checkboxes you select, the student may also see this message in their dashboard.
- By syncing with Google Calendar or Apple Calendar, the lessons will also appear in the calendar app on your phone. However, note that there may be a delay of up to several hours in synchronization. For last-minute changes (e.g., a day in advance), always rely on the information from the instructor's dashboard.
2. Availability:
The calendar displays days with possible lesson start times, which are configured by the school.
- Indicate your availability for teaching by enabling the toggle for a time slot.
- The earlier you set your availability, the higher the chance of getting bookings and being able to work.
- You don't have to click on each time individually. With "Set recurring availability," you can open up an entire week or month with just a few clicks, or specify certain days/times each week.
- Some time slots may be unavailable for selection. This occurs for time slots used for lesson types you don't teach (rentals, other sports, etc.).
- Conversely, there may be times you can select where no lessons can be scheduled (yet). Always make sure you know the times assigned to the lessons you teach!
3. Reporting:
This section provides an overview of the lessons you have taught, which helps with payment arrangements and estimating your earnings.
- The date range can be adjusted to show lessons within specific dates.
- Check the "payable" hours. In the case of a lesson that was interrupted midway or ran longer, the lesson time can be manually adjusted by the planner.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Can I change/revoke availability?
The school may have different settings for this. Discuss with each other to determine the desired workflow!
Normally, as an instructor, you can always enable your availability. Revoking availability is only possible for days more than 2 weeks in the future (this timeframe may vary). If you need to revoke availability within these 2 weeks, you should consult with the planner to avoid sudden shortages of instructors.
Do you have an app?
Viking Bookings does not require an app. The system works through the browser and is also optimized for mobile phone use (in the browser). You can create a shortcut on your home screen to quickly access the Viking Bookings dashboard in your browser and view your schedule.
Can I set up notifications on my phone?
This can be done through integration with Google Calendar.
For specific calendars
You can change notification preferences for specific calendars you own.
- On your computer, open Google Calendar.
- In the top right, click Settings > Settings.
- On the left, under "Settings for other calendars," click the calendar you want to change > Calendar settings.
- Under "Event notifications" or "All-day event notifications":
- To edit a notification, choose if you'd like to receive a notification or an email.
- Select how long in advance you'd like to get the alert.
- To add another notification, click Add notification.
- To delete a notification, click Remove notification.