How Availability Is Calculated

Your AI receptionist quotes availability in real time. Understanding how that availability is calculated helps you ensure callers always get accurate slot options.

The two types of availability

For restaurants (venue availability): Available tables are determined by:

  • The operating hours for the day.
  • The tables and zones configured in your Tables settings.
  • Existing confirmed bookings that occupy tables at the requested time.
  • Party size limits for each table.

For service businesses (staff availability): Available appointment slots are determined by:

  • The operating hours for the location.
  • The roster for each staff member (their working hours for that day).
  • The services each staff member is assigned to.
  • Existing bookings that occupy that staff member's time.
  • Service duration (how long each appointment takes).

The availability cache

Availability is not calculated from scratch every time a caller asks for a slot. Instead, Speako pre-calculates and caches available slots for upcoming days. This allows the AI to respond instantly with accurate options, rather than querying every booking in real time on each call.

The availability cache covers a rolling window of upcoming days. When a new booking is made, the relevant slots are removed from the cache. When a booking is cancelled, those slots may become available again.

When the cache updates

The availability cache updates automatically when:

  • A new booking is created (removes the booked slot).
  • A booking is modified (adjusts the affected slots).
  • A booking is cancelled (restores the slot if applicable).
  • Operating hours change and are saved.
  • Staff roster changes are saved.
  • The AI is published with configuration changes.

💡 Tip: If a caller reports they were told there were no slots available when there should have been, check that the relevant dates haven't been set to a holiday closure or date-specific closed day, and that the staff member or tables haven't been accidentally deactivated.

⚠️ Important: After significant configuration changes (e.g. adding a new staff member, changing opening hours), publish the AI to ensure the availability cache is regenerated with the latest settings.