Scheduling

FretTrack includes scheduling tools to help repair shops track intake appointments, due dates, pickup times, follow-ups, shop blocks, and other repair-related events.

Scheduling is designed around repair-shop workflow. It helps answer practical questions like:

• What jobs are due soon?
• Who is coming in for intake?
• Which repairs need follow-up?
• What pickups are scheduled?
• When is the shop blocked off?
• What work needs attention this week?

The goal is not to replace every calendar system in existence. The goal is to keep repair-related timing visible inside the same system that tracks customers, jobs, instruments, photos, and parts.

Scheduling Overview

The Scheduling module lets shops create and manage events connected to shop workflow.

Events may include:

• Intake appointments
• Pickup appointments
• Due dates
• Follow-ups
• Shop blocks
• Other repair-related reminders

A schedule event can help connect time-sensitive work to the rest of the repair process instead of leaving it buried in text messages, sticky notes, or the ancient human ritual of “I think that was supposed to be Tuesday.”

Common Scheduling Uses

FretTrack scheduling can be used for:

• Customer drop-off appointments
• Customer pickup appointments
• Repair due dates
• Promise dates
• Follow-up reminders
• Parts arrival follow-up
• Estimate approval follow-up
• Shop closed blocks
• Bench time blocks
• Internal reminders
• High-priority job tracking

Event Types

FretTrack supports different event types so the shop can understand what kind of appointment or reminder is on the schedule.

Common event types include:

Intake

Use Intake for customer drop-offs or scheduled evaluations.

Examples:

• Customer bringing in a Stratocaster for refret estimate
• New setup appointment
• Acoustic bridge inspection
• Electronics diagnosis drop-off

Pickup

Use Pickup when a customer is scheduled to collect a completed instrument.

Examples:

• Customer picking up completed setup
• Finished refret pickup
• Repaired acoustic ready for return

Due

Use Due for repair deadlines or promised completion targets.

Examples:

• Setup promised by Friday
• Refret due before weekend gig
• Electronics repair needed before customer tour date

Follow-Up

Use Follow-Up when the shop needs to contact a customer or review a job later.

Examples:

• Follow up for estimate approval
• Check whether parts arrived
• Ask customer about pickup availability
• Confirm whether additional work is approved

Shop Block

Use Shop Block for times when the shop should not schedule repair activity.

Examples:

• Closed day
• Personal appointment
• Bench blocked for large repair
• Inventory day
• Vacation
• Shop maintenance

Other

Use Other for events that do not fit the main categories.

Because software categories are never complete and reality enjoys being rude.

Creating a Schedule Event

To create a schedule event:

1. Open the Scheduling area.
2. Choose the date and time.
3. Select the event type.
4. Add a clear title.
5. Connect the event to a job if applicable.
6. Add notes if needed.
7. Save the event.

A useful event title should quickly explain what the event is.

Good examples:

• “Morales Strat pickup”
• “J-45 bridge inspection”
• “Follow up: Les Paul estimate”
• “Shop block: refret bench time”
• “Pickup: Telecaster setup”

Less useful examples:

• “Guitar”
• “Call”
• “Thing”
• “Customer maybe”

The schedule should help the shop think less, not create a puzzle box.

Connecting Events to Jobs

When possible, connect schedule events to the related job.

This helps keep timing information tied to:

• Customer
• Instrument
• Job status
• Promise date
• Work notes
• Photos
• Parts
• Pickup or follow-up needs

For example, a pickup event connected to a job makes it easier to open the job record and review what was done before the customer arrives.

Promise Dates and Due Dates

A promise date is the date the shop expects or promises to have the job ready.

A due event can help keep that date visible on the schedule.

Use promise dates and due events carefully. A promised date should mean something. If every job is marked urgent, then nothing is urgent, which is how calendars become decorative lies.

Weekly View

The weekly schedule view helps shops see upcoming work across several days.

A weekly view is useful for:

• Planning bench time
• Spotting overloaded days
• Seeing upcoming pickups
• Reviewing due jobs
• Checking follow-ups
• Avoiding overbooking

For busy shops, reviewing the week at the start of each day can help prevent surprises.

Upcoming Events

The upcoming events list gives a quick view of what is next.

This is useful when the shop needs to answer:

• Who is coming in next?
• What pickups are today?
• Which jobs need attention soon?
• What follow-ups are pending?

The upcoming list is especially helpful for counter work or daily planning.

All-Day Events

Some events do not need an exact time.

Examples:

• Job due today
• Shop closed
• Inventory day
• Waiting on parts follow-up
• General repair deadline

Use all-day events when the date matters more than the exact hour.

Event Status

Schedule events may include status information so the shop can tell whether something is planned, completed, cancelled, or still pending.

Common status ideas include:

• Scheduled
• Completed
• Cancelled
• Pending
• Rescheduled

Use status updates to keep the calendar clean. Completed pickups and cancelled appointments should not continue looking like active work.

Scheduling and Customer Communication

Scheduling helps the shop stay organized internally, but it can also support customer communication.

Examples:

• Confirming drop-off appointments
• Reminding customers about pickup
• Following up on estimates
• Confirming due dates
• Planning repair completion around customer needs

Customer-facing appointment confirmations, email reminders, SMS reminders, and calendar invites may be expanded over time. For now, scheduling should be treated as the shop’s internal repair calendar unless customer notifications are explicitly enabled.

Scheduling and Inventory

Scheduling can help with inventory-related timing.

Examples:

• Follow up when ordered parts are expected
• Schedule work after parts arrive
• Block bench time for a repair once parts are received
• Follow up with a vendor if a PO is delayed

This is useful for repairs that cannot move forward until parts arrive.

Scheduling and Work Logs

Work logs record what happened on a job.

Schedule events record when something is planned or expected to happen.

Use both together:

• Schedule the pickup.
• Log the completed work.
• Schedule follow-up if needed.
• Keep the job status updated.

That keeps the repair record honest instead of letting the calendar and job notes drift into separate fictional universes.

Permissions

Scheduling actions may depend on shop role and permissions.

Depending on access, users may be able to:

• View schedule events
• Create events
• Edit events
• Delete or cancel events
• Link events to jobs
• Manage shop blocks

Owners and admins usually have broader scheduling access. Technicians may have limited scheduling access depending on shop settings. Viewers may be able to see the schedule but should not be able to change it.

If a scheduling action is unavailable, the current user may not have permission for that action.

Best Practices

Use scheduling consistently for time-sensitive repair work.

Recommended practices:

1. Add intake appointments when customers are expected.
2. Add pickup events when jobs are ready.
3. Use due events for promised completion dates.
4. Use follow-ups when waiting for customer approval.
5. Use shop blocks for unavailable time.
6. Connect events to jobs when possible.
7. Review upcoming events at the start of the day.
8. Mark completed or cancelled events clearly.

A clean schedule helps the shop avoid missed pickups, forgotten follow-ups, and the timeless repair-shop sentence: “I thought that was next week.”

Suggested Screenshot Placement

For this wiki page, useful screenshots include:

• Scheduling week view
• Event creation form
• Upcoming events list
• A job-linked schedule event
• Shop block example

Three to five screenshots are enough.

Troubleshooting

I cannot create a schedule event

Check your shop role and permissions. You may not have scheduling write access.

I do not see an event I created

Refresh the schedule and check the selected week or date range.

A job is due, but it is not on the schedule

A promise date and a schedule event may be separate depending on the workflow. Create a due event if the job needs to appear on the schedule.

I cannot edit or cancel an event

Your role may not have permission to edit scheduling records.

The schedule looks too busy

Use event types and statuses consistently. Completed, cancelled, and old events should be updated so the schedule stays useful.

Summary

FretTrack scheduling helps repair shops manage the timing side of repair work.

Use it for intake appointments, pickups, due dates, follow-ups, shop blocks, and internal reminders. Connect events to jobs when possible so the schedule stays tied to the customer, instrument, and repair record.

A good schedule keeps the shop moving without relying on memory, sticky notes, or the ancient chaos engine known as “I’ll remember.”