How do I manage bookings in WordPress?
You manage bookings in WordPress by reviewing new booking requests, confirming or rejecting them, updating availability when needed, and communicating with customers through email notifications. In WP Booking System, bookings are typically managed from the plugin’s Bookings area, where you can filter by calendar/resource, date range, and booking status (pending, accepted, cancelled). A good workflow is to respond quickly to new requests, keep your calendar availability accurate, and regularly check for conflicts when you accept bookings from multiple channels.
On this page
- What “managing bookings” includes
- What you’ll need
- Step 1: Find your bookings in the WordPress dashboard
- Step 2: Understand booking statuses (pending vs accepted)
- Step 3: Review a booking and contact the customer
- Step 4: Accept, reject, or cancel a booking
- Step 5: Keep availability accurate (block dates correctly)
- Step 6: Search, filter, and export bookings
- Step 7: Manage multiple calendars (rooms/services)
- Step 8: Avoid double bookings across channels
- Common issues (and quick fixes)
- Best practices
- Mini FAQ
What “managing bookings” includes
- Checking new booking requests and responding quickly
- Accepting or rejecting bookings based on availability and rules
- Making sure dates are blocked/unblocked correctly
- Sending confirmations, reminders, and follow-ups
- Handling changes (date changes, cancellations, refunds)
- Keeping multiple resources organized (one calendar per room/service)
What you’ll need
- WP Booking System installed and activated
- At least one calendar embedded somewhere on your site (example: [wpbs id="1" form_id="1"])
- Admin access to manage bookings and calendar availability
- Email notifications configured (recommended)
Step 1: Find your bookings in the WordPress dashboard
Bookings are managed inside the WP Booking System area in your WordPress admin. This is where you see incoming requests, booking details, and booking status changes.
- Log in to your WordPress dashboard.
- Go to WP Booking System → Bookings.
- Use filters to find the calendar/resource and date range you need.
Tip: If you manage multiple properties, always filter by calendar first so you do not mix bookings between resources.
Step 2: Understand booking statuses (pending vs accepted)
Status is the foundation of booking management. Your workflow should clearly define when a booking is confirmed and when dates are blocked.
- Pending: the booking request was submitted but is not confirmed yet (common for manual approval).
- Accepted/Confirmed: the booking is approved and should be treated as final.
- Cancelled/Rejected: the booking will not happen and should not block dates.
Tip: Decide whether your calendar blocks dates on pending requests or only after acceptance, then keep that consistent so you avoid double bookings.
Step 3: Review a booking and contact the customer
When you open a booking, review the dates, the resource name, and the customer details. If something is unclear, contact the customer before accepting.
- Check start/end dates and number of nights (if relevant).
- Check customer contact details and any notes.
- Check payment status if you accept payments or deposits.
- Reply to the customer using the email address provided in the booking form.
Tip: If customers often ask the same questions, add those answers to the booking page above the calendar to reduce repetitive support.
Step 4: Accept, reject, or cancel a booking
Once you review the details, update the booking status based on your decision. Status updates should trigger the correct emails (confirmation, rejection, cancellation).
- Accept: approve the booking and send confirmation instructions.
- Reject: decline the booking if the dates are not possible or the request does not fit your rules.
- Cancel: cancel an accepted booking if needed and communicate next steps (refund, rebooking).
Tip: If you cancel, make sure the dates are unblocked (or inventory is restored) so your calendar remains accurate.
Step 5: Keep availability accurate (block dates correctly)
Availability management is part of booking management. Even with automatic blocking, you will sometimes need to block dates manually for maintenance, owner stays, or external reservations.
- Block dates for maintenance and private use.
- Verify automatic blocking works when bookings are submitted or accepted.
- Clear cache after changes so the front-end calendar shows the latest availability.
Tip: If you manage multiple resources, do a quick weekly availability check for each calendar to catch mistakes early.
Step 6: Search, filter, and export bookings
As bookings grow, you need a fast way to find specific customers or date ranges. Use filters and exports to keep your workflow efficient.
- Filter bookings by calendar/resource.
- Filter by booking status (pending, accepted, cancelled).
- Filter by date range (this week, next month, specific dates).
- Export bookings if you need offline tracking (accounting, reporting, team coordination).
Tip: If you work with a team, use a shared process (for example: “pending must be processed within 2 hours”) so nothing is missed.
Step 7: Manage multiple calendars (rooms/services)
If you have multiple rooms or units, use one calendar per resource. This keeps bookings separate and prevents one booking from blocking the wrong resource.
- Create clear calendar names (Room 1, Room 2, Apartment A).
- Embed the correct calendar on the correct page (example: [wpbs id="2" form_id="1"]).
- Keep a simple internal map of calendar IDs to resource names.
Step 8: Avoid double bookings across channels
If you accept bookings in more than one place (WordPress plus Airbnb/Booking.com), you need a consistent availability strategy to avoid conflicts.
- Block dates immediately when you accept a booking (or on submission, if you need stricter protection).
- Sync external calendars if you use other booking platforms.
- Make a habit of checking your calendar before accepting a booking request.
Tip: The safest workflow is to treat your WordPress calendar as the “source of truth” and sync other channels to it where possible.
Common issues (and quick fixes)
Bookings are coming in, but I do not see them in the dashboard
- Confirm you are checking the correct calendar/resource (filters can hide bookings).
- Check user permissions; your account must have access to manage bookings.
- Confirm the booking form is connected to the correct calendar embed on the page.
Customers say they submitted a booking but did not get an email
- Check the booking exists in the admin area; if it exists, the form submission worked.
- Set up SMTP and retest email delivery, because WordPress default mail often fails.
- Check spam folders and confirm the From address is on your domain.
Accepted bookings are not blocking dates
- Review your auto-blocking settings and when dates should become unavailable (pending vs accepted).
- Check if inventory/capacity rules are enabled and configured correctly.
- Clear cache and confirm the front-end calendar updated.
I made a change but the front-end calendar still shows old availability
- Clear cache and any CDN cache, then retest in an incognito/private window.
- Disable minification/optimization temporarily to confirm it is not delaying updates.
Best practices
- Set a clear rule for when a booking becomes “confirmed” and make your emails match that rule.
- Respond quickly to pending requests to reduce double bookings and lost conversions.
- Use one calendar per resource and keep naming consistent.
- Use SMTP for reliable emails and test after updates.
- Keep a private test page with an embed like [wpbs id="1" form_id="1"] for quick checks.
Mini FAQ
Should I accept bookings automatically or manually?
If you want maximum automation and faster conversions, use automatic confirmation. If you need to screen requests or confirm availability manually, use pending requests and accept bookings manually, but respond quickly to avoid losing customers.
How do I edit a booking after it is created?
Open the booking in the admin area and update the details allowed by your setup (status, notes, customer info). If you change dates, always confirm availability updates correctly.
How do I manage bookings for multiple rooms?
Create one calendar per room and embed each calendar on its own room page. This keeps availability and bookings separate and reduces mistakes.
