Flexible Buffer Scheduling Within Your Availability

Flexible buffer scheduling allows your meeting buffers to respect your availability schedule instead of blocking time immediately before or after meetings. This advanced option gives you more control over when buffer time is placed while still protecting your schedule from being overbooked.

How to Enable Flexible Buffer Scheduling

1. Open your meeting type settings
2. Set your desired buffer before and buffer after times
3. Look for the "Flexible Buffer Scheduling" option
4. Enable this setting
5. Set your maximum delay period (default is 2 days)
6. Save your changes

With this enabled, your buffers will only be placed during your available hours, even if that means scheduling them on a different day than your meeting.

How Flexible Buffers Find Available Time

Unlike standard buffers that attach directly to meetings, flexible buffers search for the next available slot within your schedule. The system looks for buffer time starting from the meeting and works forward (for after-buffers) or backward (for before-buffers) until it finds suitable time within your availability.

The buffer will skip over your unavailable hours, weekends (if you don't work weekends), and blocked time, but it respects the maximum delay limit you've set. If no suitable time is found within the delay period, the meeting slot becomes unavailable for booking.

Real-World Examples of Flexible Buffer Behavior

• Weekend Carryover Example: You have a 1-hour meeting booked Friday at 5:00 PM with a 1-hour after-buffer, and your availability is 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM weekdays. The buffer can't fit Friday (only 1 hour left), so it automatically moves to Monday 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM, assuming your maximum delay allows it.
• Blocked Time Navigation: If you have a dentist appointment Monday 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM, and a Friday meeting needs to place its after-buffer, the system will find the next available slot after 11:00 AM on Monday instead of being blocked entirely.
• Availability Respect: With availability set to 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM, a Friday 5:00 PM booking with a 1-hour after-buffer will place that buffer Monday 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM rather than Friday 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM (which falls outside your available hours).

Benefits of Flexible Buffer Scheduling

This approach maximizes your bookable time slots while still ensuring you get the buffer protection you need. Instead of losing potential meeting slots because buffers would extend beyond your availability, the system finds creative ways to place buffers when you're actually available to use them.

Flexible scheduling is particularly valuable for professionals with strict availability windows, those who don't work evenings or weekends, or anyone who wants to pack more meetings into their prime hours without sacrificing buffer benefits.

Understanding Maximum Delay Settings

The maximum delay determines how far into the future the system can place a buffer. The default 2-day setting works well for most situations, allowing buffers to carry over weekends or navigate around short unavailable periods.

7-day delays are useful for professionals who need longer buffer periods or work with more complex schedules. 1-day delays keep buffers close to meetings but may reduce booking availability when your schedule is tight.

Consider your workflow and how important it is to have buffer time close to your actual meetings when choosing your delay period.

Important Limitations to Understand

Flexible buffers cannot jump over existing calendar events or confirmed meetings. If your desired buffer time conflicts with something already scheduled, the original meeting slot becomes unavailable for booking. The system prioritizes protecting your existing commitments over placing buffers.

This means that a heavily booked calendar may result in fewer available meeting slots, even with flexible buffer scheduling enabled. The system will always err on the side of protecting your time rather than compromising your existing schedule.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens if no suitable buffer time is found within the maximum delay?

The original meeting slot becomes unavailable for booking. The system won't allow a meeting to be scheduled if it can't place the required buffer within your specified timeframe and availability.

Can I see where my buffers are placed on my calendar?

Flexible buffers appear as blocked time on your calendar just like regular buffers, but they may be on different days than your actual meetings. They'll show up as unavailable time to prevent other bookings.

Will this affect meetings I've already scheduled?

No, enabling flexible buffer scheduling only affects new bookings. Existing meetings keep their current buffer arrangements, whether those were placed immediately adjacent to meetings or using the flexible system.

Can I use different maximum delays for different meeting types?

Yes, each meeting type can have its own maximum delay setting. You might want longer delays for important client meetings but shorter delays for quick internal check-ins.

What if I change my availability schedule after enabling flexible buffers?

The system will respect your current availability settings when placing new buffers. However, existing buffers placed under previous availability settings will remain where they are until those meetings conclude.

Updated on: 11/07/2025