Set a Custom Cancellation Policy with Square Appointments

Protect against no-shows with a customized cancellation policy. You can require that clients add their payment card when requesting an appointment with you online. If your client doesn’t show up, or cancels outside of your cancellation window, you can choose to enforce your cancellation policy.

Cancellation Policy Setup

First, you’ll need to set a cut-off time for cancellations:

1. Head to the Settings tab of your Appointments dashboard > click Calendar & Booking.

2. Scroll down to Cut-off time for allowing clients to cancel or reschedule > set a cut-off window.

3. Click Save

Note: Your cancellation policy will show in your online booking flow and at the bottom of the confirmation emails your clients receive.

Hold Card for No-Show Protection

When you enable this feature, your clients will be required to add a payment card to complete their booking. This card can be charged if your client violates your cancellation policy. If you want to save your client’s card on file for future payments, you will need to ask them to select Save Card when booking the appointment.

You can also enable No-Show Protection when creating an appointment from your calendar on Dashboard. You can use your client’s card on file or manually input a card. Note that this feature is not yet available in the Appointments app.

Note: If you are not activated to accept card payments with Square, you will be required to verify your identity before you can enable this feature. This process should be completed by the account holder. Learn more about what’s required to sign up for Square Point of Sale.

You’ll have two options with No-Show Protection: choose to either charge per service, or charge a flat fee per appointment.

Note: Clients have the option to cancel an appointment at anytime while the appointment is still pending.

Note on Per-Service No-Show Protection

Services Created In-App

There is not a field to add the No-Show fee in the Appointments app, when you enable per-service No-Show Protection for items created in-app.

Services Created Online

If you create a service from your Appointments dashboard, you’ll see the option to enter the per-service No-Show fee. To update, just enter in the amount to charge your customers from the Services tab in the event they cancel or reschedule outside of the allotted window.

Enable No-Show Protection

To enable No-Show Protection online:

1. Visit the Settings tab of your Appointments dashboard > click Payments & Cancellations.

2. Select Booking with No-Show Protection.

3. Set a flat cancellation fee per appointments, or enable to for individual services. To update, head to your Service Library tab to add the cancellation fee amount.

4. Click Save.

Note: There is a $500 limit if you set your cancellation fee per appointment.

To enable No-Show Protection from the Square Appointments app:

1. Tap the three horizontal lines pull up your navigation bar.

2. Tap Settings > Appointments > Payments & Cancellations.

3. Tap Hold Card for No-Show Protection.

 To enable No-Show Protection when using Square Appointments on Square Register:

1. Navigate to Online Booking.

2. Select Square Booking Site.

3. Select Accept Online Payments.

4. Tap Hold Card for No-Show Protection.

You can change your cut-off time settings from the Calendar & Booking section of your Square Appointments dashboard. To make changes to the cancellation fee, head to the Payments & Cancellations section.

At this point, customers will need to enter payment details in order to complete booking their appointment. Their billing information will be held solely for No-Show Protection and will not be saved for payment or future bookings.

Note: customers will not be allowed to use a prepaid debit card as their payment method, even if the prepaid debit card is saved as Card on File. You can override this block by using a prepaid debit card as the no-show payment card when you book an appointment on Dashboard.

Visit Square’s blog for tips on reducing no-show appointments.

Update Cancellation Fee Per Item

If you choose to charge a cancellation fee for each service, You can update the cancellation fee at any time.

To do so:

1. Login to your Appointments dashboard > Service Library.

2. Click on the service to update.

3. Under Pricing, enter in your new Cancellation Fee.

4. Click Save.

Canceling Appointments and No-shows

If a client requests to cancel or modify an appointment outside of your cancellation window, you’ll be given the option to enforce your cancellation policy.

Even if you have a cancellation policy enabled, policy enforcement will be at your discretion. You have two weeks (14 calendar days) to choose to charge your customer. If you do so, they will receive an email notification, including any note you add, informing them of the appointment cancellation and any resulting fee. Your client will also be reminded of your policy if they attempt to cancel outside of your cancellation window.

Note: Changing services or the cancellation fee after an appointment has been created will not change the cancellation fee on that appointment (e.g. if I book a service with a $10 cancellation fee, then change my service to one with a $20 cancellation fee, the $10 cancellation fee remains).

Payment cards are charged when you choose to enforce your cancellation policy. Should the card be declined, you’ll need to contact your customer for a new payment method.

Cancellation fees will be charged a processing rate of 2.9% + $0.30 and will be deposited to your linked bank account according to your deposit schedule.

Note: Canceled appointments are labeled in gray and appointments marked no-show are labeled in red in the client’s record.