---
key: create-an-activity-booking
title: Create an activity booking
audience: staff
section: operations
routes: ["/schedule/new/activity-booking"]
permissions: ["schedule.bookings.create"]
features: ["schedule.activities", "schedule.capacity_pools"]
since: 0.0.1
updated: 0.0.1
status: published
summary: Book a party of people into a class, tour or session at a set time, or hold the day and set the time later, from the Schedule.
keywords: [class booking, tour, session, workshop, group booking, seats, party size, activity, course, lesson]
related: [manage-an-activity-booking, find-a-booking-on-the-calendar, set-a-booking-date-or-time, add-a-capacity-pool, create-an-offering]
---

In the sidebar, open **Operations**, then **Schedule**. Press **New** and choose **Activity booking**. The page address is `/schedule/new/activity-booking` and the page heading reads **New activity booking**. An activity booking holds seats for a group of people in a class, tour or session.

## Before you start

- Your admin has to give your role permission to create bookings. Your plan has to include activities and capacity pools; if either is missing, **Activity booking** is not offered under **New**.
- You need an active offering whose **Offering type** is **Activity** and whose **Booking mode** is **Timeslot** (see [[create-an-offering]]). Seats usually come from a capacity pool (see [[add-a-capacity-pool]]). Without such an offering, the page explains that no activities have been set up and links to **Set up an activity**.

## Steps

1. Under **Account**, type in **Search accounts** and pick the customer's account.
2. Choose the **Activity offering**. Its description appears under it.
3. Pick the **Date**.
4. Set the **Party size**. Nova fills in the number of seats the offering asks for; change it to the number of people coming.
5. Under **Time**, keep **Exact time** and pick a slot under **Available times**. Each slot shows its start and end and how many seats are left; a slot with fewer seats than your party is greyed out. To hold the day without a time, press **Date only** instead.
6. Nova fills the **Booking** field with the next booking number. Keep it, or type your own.
7. Add a **Description** if the team needs context. It is internal and never shown to customers.
8. If the same session repeats, tick **Repeat**, then set **Frequency** and **Ends**. **Repeat** only appears with **Exact time**.
9. If **Automations** appears in the summary, check **Customer messages**. **Turn off** stops every automatic message for this booking; **Customize** lets you switch off just **Booking confirmation**, **Pre-event reminders** or **Change notifications**.
10. Check the **Summary** and press **Book activity**, or **Create series** when you ticked **Repeat**.

## What you see

Nova shows "Activity booking created." and opens the booking (see [[manage-an-activity-booking]]). It is confirmed straight away and takes its seats from the session. A **Date only** booking shows **Time TBD** on the calendar until someone sets its time from the booking or from the **Unscheduled** (see [[set-a-booking-date-or-time]]). A series shows "Recurring activity series created." and, when some sessions clash, how many need attention.

## If something looks different

- **Available times** says no times are available for this date: the session is full or not running that day. Press **Why not?** for the reason, or try another **Date**.
- **Available times** says you do not have permission to view availability: ask your admin, or book **Date only** and let someone else set the time.
- Nova says there are not enough seats for the selected time: lower the **Party size** or pick another slot.
- **Override conflicts?** opens when you create: the slot clashes with something already booked. Fill in the **Reason category** and **Business explanation** if Nova asks, then press **Override** to book anyway, or **Cancel** to pick another time.
- **Account needs to be active** appears under the account: it is still a lead. Press the button under the message, or **Convert to customer** in **Convert account now?**, and carry on.
- **Booking ID unavailable** opens: the number you typed is taken. Accept the suggested number or type another.