Getting Started with Dojo Bookings

The Dojo help centre covers everything you need to know to get started with Dojo Bookings. Explore each section below and follow the links to learn more - or use the search bar at the top of the screen. If you are looking to sign up for Dojo bookings, please follow the link to our website here

Create your Dojo Bookings account

After signing your contract for Dojo Bookings, you’ll be able to set up your account. To do so:

With your restaurant created, you’ll be taken to the Dojo Bookings restaurant management system (RMS) where you can start getting your restaurant ready to take bookings.

Set your opening hours

Your opening hours are listed on the Dojo app. They don’t limit when diners can make bookings (this is controlled by booking schedules, which you’ll set up below), but let prospective diners know at a glance when you’ll be open.

1. In the Dojo Bookings RMS, click Settings  in the sidebar and select Opening Hours
   
   
2. Click the toggle to the right of each day to specify which days your restaurant is open
   
   
3. Click the green plus on each day to add opening hours for each day. You can add multiple opening hours for each day if, for example, you have multiple services through the day
   
   Note: Use the red minus to remove opening hours
   
   Click ‘Save’ when you’re done.

4. Add any specific days where your restaurant will be closed, such as national holidays.
   
   Note: This will not prevent bookings from being taken on these dates. This is managed under Booking availability and is covered later in this article.
   Click ‘Save’ when you’re done.

Create restaurant areas and tables

Areas are the different spaces in your restaurant that customers where your tables are organised, such as ‘Inside,’ ‘Outside’ and ‘Bar.’

1. In the Dojo Bookings RMS, click Settings in the sidebar and select Areas and Tables
   
   
2. Click ‘Get started’
   
   
3. In the popup, select a name for the area from the dropdown or enter your own, then click ‘Create’
   
   Important: The names you choose for your areas are visible to customers if you enable area selection
4. On the next page, click ‘Add a table’
   
   
5. In the popup, enter a table number and select the minimum and maximum party sizes . Then, click ‘Save’

6. Repeat steps 4-5 as required to add all your tables in the area. Then click the area’s name in the top-left of the tab to return to the areas page
   
   
7. Click ‘Create an area’ and repeat steps 2-7 until you’ve added all your restaurant’s areas and tables.
   
   
8. If you would like your areas and tables filled in a particular order, set Dojo's auto-allocation rules to do so. Learn more about auto-allocating tables.

Set your booking schedules

Dojo Bookings allows you to set multiple booking schedules so you have maximum flexibility and control over when diners can make bookings for.

Follow the instructions below to make your first booking schedule:

1. In the Dojo Bookings RMS, click Settings in the sidebar and select Bookings
   
   
2. In the Schedules tab, click Create a schedule
   
   
3. On the next page, enter a name for the schedule.
   
   
4. Select the days the schedule applies to using the checkboxes and select the available hours from the drop down menus.
   You can add multiple times for each day. Click the plus icon on the right to do so.
   
   
5. At the bottom of the page, set your flow controls by setting a limit on the number of covers per booking interval. This can either be unlimited or a number of your choice.
   
   
   For example: a cover limit of 5 and a booking interval of 30 minutes means you will have a maximum number of 5 new diners every 30 minutes
   
   Then, click ‘Continue’
   
   

6. Select the tables that customers can book on this schedule using the checkboxes
   
   
7. Select the parties sizes that can book during this schedule using the checkboxes, and select how long they can be seated for from the dropdown menu. Then, click ‘Continue’
   
   
8. Select the booking interval. This sets the times at which parties can book tables.
   
   For example: a booking interval of 30 minutes means customers can book at 18:00, 18:30, 19:00. 19:30 etc.
   
   Then, click ‘Continue’
   
   
   
   
   

9. Select experiences that you want to apply to this booking schedule

   Experiences allow you to create different types of bookings for your diners, such as bottomless brunch, afternoon tea, or set menu events.
   This means you can take bookings with different seating and deposit arrangements within a single booking schedule.
   
   Learn more about creating Experiences here

   
   In the Additional booking types tab:
   Use the dropdown under Experience to select the experience you'd like to use.
   
   Customise the dates and times that you want the experience to apply:

   Under Booking Availability:
   Select Use the same days and times set in this schedule to allow the Experience to be bookable at any time within the schedule you've created

   Select Set custom availability for this experience to further tailor the specific dates and times that you want this experience to be bookable on

   
   

   
   Under Areas and tables:
   Customise which areas and tables you'd like to be available for standard bookings within this schedule.

   
   
   
   

   Under Party sizes and seating durations:
   Customise which party sizes you'd like to be available for standard bookings within this schedule as well as the seating duration for each.
   
   

   
   
   
10. You can now disable standard bookings from being bookable while an experience is running.
    
    This is useful for any dedicated seasonal events in which you only want to offer experiences during this time. 
    
    To do this, simply tap the toggle on: Disable standard bookings when this experience is running
    
    
    
    

11. When you’re finished, click Save schedule
    

    Your schedule is complete!
    
    If you need to add other schedules, click ‘Add a schedule’ and repeat steps 2-10 as needed.

Set booking intervals and windows

Set additional controls to your booking schedules to make sure your staff aren’t overwhelmed by large numbers of customers arriving at the same time, or booking at short notice:

1. In the Dojo Bookings RMS, click Settings in the sidebar and select Bookings
   
   
2. Select ‘Settings’ in the toolbar at the top of the screen
   
   
3. Click ‘Edit’ next to Booking intervals. These are the time intervals that parties can make a booking for.
   Select a time and click ‘Save’
   
   
4. Click ‘Edit’ next to Booking window. This is how soon and far in advance a party can make a booking.
   Set a limit to how close to the booking time customers can make a booking.
   Set a limit to how far in advance customers can make a booking.
   Then, click ‘Save’
   
   
5. Select any days where you don’t accept bookings. You can also select whether your bookings are closed off all day, or only available at certain times.
   
   Then, click ‘Done.’

You can edit your booking availability even further:

• Enable booking enquiries to allow diners to request party sizes outside your usual booking schedule
• Enable area selection to allow diners to request a table in a specific area when they make a booking

Set up booking policies

Booking policies help reduce the likelihood of no-shows. Dojo allows you to both request deposits from parties when they make a booking, or hold their payment card on file so they can be charged in the event of a no-show or late cancellation:

• Card on file policies require a party to enter their payment information when they make a booking. The customer is only charged if they don’t show up for their booking or cancel outside the cancellation window
• Deposit policies also require a party to enter their payment information when they make a booking. However, the party is required to pay upfront. The amount is deducted from their final bill or refunded if they cancel within the cancellation window

Set up booking policies.

Enable bookings

Once your areas, tables, and booking schedules have been set up, you’re ready to start taking customer bookings!

Congratulations! Your restaurant will now start taking bookings through Dojo Bookings. Customers will be able to make bookings through your website, the Dojo app, and Google Reserve.

Import bookings from your old booking system

With Dojo Bookings enabled and your old system closed for new bookings, you will need to export future bookings from your old booking system into Dojo.

This puts all your bookings in one place so you can cancel your old provider.

Export your data as a spreadsheet from your old system and reformat it for Dojo bookings - we’ll take care of the rest.

Import your bookings. 

Customise booking emails

Dojo bookings automatically emails customers when:

• A booking is created
• A booking is edited
• A booking is cancelled
• A booking is deleted

View and edit these emails in Settings under ‘Guest communications.’

Select the email you wish to edit and use the text editor to change the email. Please note that information such as restaurant and booking details cannot be changed.

The sample email at the bottom of the page will update as you make changes.

Click ‘Save’ when you’re happy with your changes.