Why does the trainer have two separate sessions at the same time?

This is by design. Each member has their own booking, so they can book, pay for and cancel their session independently.

Why can a member not book a group service in the app?

Members cannot create group sessions with a group size of 2 or more. A trainer must schedule the session first; the member can then join it, or the trainer can add them. To let members book their own times, use a shared service.

Why can a second member not book the same time with the same trainer?

Check the location's Max capacity and any sub-location limit. Also check the service is set to Yes, for only other shared services.

Why can a member with a 1:1 package not see shared session times?

They need credits for the shared service. Add it to their package, or sell them a package that includes it.

Why was a shared booking declined?

The trainer already has a standard (not shared) session at that time.

Why was the trainer booked for a 1:1 during a shared session?

The shared service is set to Yes, for any service. Change it to Yes, for only other shared services.

Why does a member with credits see "Not enough credits"?

Their package does not include the shared service, or the overnight update has not run yet. Check the package, then check again the next day.

Why can a member not hold two bookings at the same time?

This is controlled by the Conflicting Bookings club setting, which applies to members, not trainers.

Setting up shared sessions

What are shared sessions?

Shared sessions let one trainer deliver sessions to two or more members at the same time, while each member keeps their own booking.

A typical example is an EMS studio where a trainer runs two members in suits side by side. Each member books, pays for and cancels their own session, but the trainer is only in one place.

Who this article is for: club managers and administrators who set up services, packages and locations in Fisikal.

In this article you will learn how to:

Choose the right way to set up a shared session.
Configure a service so the trainer stays available for other shared bookings.
Set capacity so the right number of members can book at once.
Switch an existing group service to shared sessions safely.

Choosing how to set up shared sessions

We recommend shared services for sessions that members should book themselves through the web or the app.

Feature	Group size service	Shared service (recommended)
Set-up	One service with a group size of 2 or more.	One service with a group size of 1, marked as shared.
Bookings	All members share one session.	Each member has their own session.
Booking on the web or app	A trainer must create the session first. Members can only join a session that is already scheduled, or be added by the trainer.	Members book any available time themselves.
Cancelling	Changes the shared session.	Only affects that member's booking.
Number of members at once	Set by the group size on the service.	Set by the location and sub-location capacity.

Tip: if your members want to pick their own times in the app, use a shared service.

Understanding Trainer Remains Available

Every service has a Trainer Remains Available setting. It decides whether the trainer can take another booking at the same time.

Setting options

Option	What it means	Use it for
No, not shared	The trainer is fully busy for this session.	Standard 1:1 sessions.
Yes, for any service	The trainer can still be booked for any other service at the same time.	Light-touch sessions where the trainer can supervise anything else.
Yes, for only other shared services	The trainer can only be booked for another shared service at the same time.	Shared sessions, such as EMS.

Which bookings can overlap?

When a member books a time where the trainer already has a session, these rules apply.

Trainer's existing session	New booking: No, not shared	New booking: Yes, for any service	New booking: Yes, for only other shared services
No, not shared	Not allowed	Allowed	Not allowed
Yes, for any service	Allowed	Allowed	Allowed
Yes, for only other shared services	Not allowed	Allowed	Allowed

In short: with Yes, for only other shared services selected, two shared sessions can run at the same time, but a shared session will not be booked on top of a normal 1:1 session.

Good to know: the Conflicting Bookings club setting is different. It controls whether a member can hold two bookings at the same time. Trainer Remains Available controls the trainer.

What your members see

Members book shared sessions themselves in the app or on the web, just like any other session.
Members only see times that are available for the specific service they are booking.
Members need credits for the shared service itself. A 1:1 package alone will not let them book a shared session.
Once the location reaches its Max capacity, that time is no longer shown to other members. If you raise the capacity, it appears again.

How to set up a shared service

1. Configure the service

Go to Services, then create a new service or open an existing one.
Set the group size to 1.
Set Trainer Remains Available to Yes, for only other shared services.
Save the service.

Updating several services? Use Bulk Edit on the services list to set the Trainer Remains Available option on all of them at once.

2. Link your trainers

Make sure each trainer who delivers the session is linked to the service at the right location.

3. Set location capacity

On the location, set Max capacity to the number of members a trainer can run at once, for example the number of EMS suits. If you use sub-locations, set their limit too.

Important: if the location is full, members will not see that time, even if the trainer is free.

4. Add credits to your packages

Open each package members use for these sessions and add credits for the shared service. New services are not added to existing packages automatically.

5. Test the booking experience

Set up a test location that your members cannot see, and use three test members.

Book the first two test members with the same trainer at the same time, from the app or web. Both bookings should go through.
Log in as the third test member. That time should no longer be shown, because the location is full.
Try a standard 1:1 service with that trainer at that time. It should not be offered.

Switching an existing group service to shared sessions

Warning: do not reduce the group size on a service that already has bookings. Sessions with two or more members booked would be left over capacity and may not work correctly.

Instead, create a new shared service and manage the switch in stages.

1. Review existing bookings

Run the Daily Sessions report for the service. Look for sessions with more than one member booked with a status of Attended, Not Attended or Scheduled.

2. Prepare the new shared service

Create a new shared service using the set-up steps above.
Link your trainers.
Keep the new service invisible to trainers and managers for now, so no one books it by mistake during the switch.
Add credits for the new service to every package that currently includes the old service.

3. Wait for credits to update

Some packages update straight away. Packages with many members update overnight, so members may not see the new credits until the next day.

Check a few members on each package and confirm they have the new credits before going live.

4. Go live and retire the old service

Go live the day after the credits are applied. Turn off the old service and make the new shared service visible.
Tell your members they can now book shared sessions themselves in the app.
Once the old service's remaining group sessions have taken place, retire it by making it inactive.

What you see	Why it happens and what to do
The trainer has two separate sessions at the same time	This is by design. Each member has their own booking, so they can book, pay for and cancel their session independently.
A member cannot book a group service in the app	Members cannot create group sessions with a group size of 2 or more. A trainer must schedule the session first; the member can then join it, or the trainer can add them. To let members book their own times, use a shared service.
A second member cannot book the same time with the same trainer	Check the location's Max capacity and any sub-location limit. Also check the service is set to Yes, for only other shared services.
A member with a 1:1 package cannot see shared session times	They need credits for the shared service. Add it to their package, or sell them a package that includes it.
A shared booking was declined	The trainer already has a standard (not shared) session at that time.
The trainer was booked for a 1:1 during a shared session	The shared service is set to Yes, for any service. Change it to Yes, for only other shared services.
A member with credits sees "Not enough credits"	Their package does not include the shared service, or the overnight update has not run yet. Check the package, then check again the next day.
A member cannot hold two bookings at the same time	This is controlled by the Conflicting Bookings club setting, which applies to members, not trainers.

Still need help?

Contact the Fisikal support team at support@fisikal.com