Instead of creating a new event manually, you can share your or your team's availability and allow the candidate to choose a time that works best for both sides.

Event templates

All existing and new Event templates have the option to be used to send scheduling requests to book the respective events. For this reason we have added the default availability settings to all existing and new event templates.
These settings, as it is with any other template settings, can be customised on a company, stage, and individual event level.
If the availability settings are not changed on any of the mentioned levels, the scheduling requests are sent with the default values.

Who can be included

Candidates

Scheduling requests can only be sent to candidates, therefore it’s not possible to create scheduling requests for candidates without an email address, nor is it possible to remove candidates from a scheduling request.
In a fixed date Event, including candidates is optional, and you can also use this option in the stage template. When this template is used for scheduling requests, the candidate will be added automatically, and it cannot be removed.

Attendees

Note: Only users that have connected their calendar to Homerun can be included in scheduling requests

Attendees are not notified when they are a part of a scheduling request, they are notified once the event is booked.

Img: here show a screenshot with all the settings instead of just the general availability

Sending a scheduling request

In the candidate's profile, click 'Schedule' at the top, just below their name.
Select 'Send a scheduling request' instead of creating a new event:
Choose whether to:
- Create an event from scratch, or
- Use an existing event template.
If you and your team have connected your calendars to Homerun, you’ll see each person’s availability.

Availability settings

Note: If you are using an event template: availability settings from that template are applied. If you are not using an event template: the default availability settings are applied.

Default availability settings

No buffer time set for before or after the event.
Slots can start every 30 minute interval (9:00, 9:30, 10;00, 10h30, etc..)
Candidate can book 12 hours before minimum, up until 10 days in advance maximum,
Booking window is Monday to Friday, from 9am to 5pm;
60 minute duration

When creating a scheduling request, you can configure:

General availability – Choose when you or your team are available for interviews
Scheduling window – Set the minimum and maximum time in advance the candidate can book.
Start time intervals – Define how often time slots start (e.g. every 30 minutes)
Buffer time – Add time between scheduled interviews

Click ‘Edit’ next to Scheduling details to adjust these settings:

Preview

Click ‘Next: Preview’ to see what the self-scheduling invite will look like for the candidate:

When you're happy with the setup, click ‘Send’.

Managing scheduling requests

Once sent, you’ll see in the candidate profile and the job overview that a scheduling request has been sent:

Editing a scheduling request

This option is not available, if you need to make changes to a scheduling request you need to cancel it and create a new one.
But, you can still restrict availability without cancelling: as long as all attendees keep their calendars connected, their availability will keep being updated accordingly, so events can be added to everyones calendar to restrict certain times.
- eg: if you forgot to restrict a lunch hour from being booked, if you add an event in to your calendar everyday from 12:00 to 13:00, this will be updated for the candidate’s view, and those times will no longer be available.

Canceling a scheduling request

This can be done by going to the stage detail and clicking on 'Cancel request'
The candidate is not notified about the cancellation.
The previously sent link will no longer be usable, an error page will be shown to the candidate:

How the candidate can schedule the event

Candidates will receive an email that links to a scheduling page. There, they’ll see available time slots based on the calendars of all attendees.

As long as everyone involved keeps their calendar connected to Homerun, the availability will always be up to date.

After choosing the date and time

Once the candidate books an event, an RSVP for the event is sent to their email account.

Candidates cannot reschedule after confirming the date and time. If they try to reopen the scheduling link, the page shows that the event has already been booked and that if they want to change it, they’d need a new scheduling request:

Once the event is booked

Once the candidate books the event, this becomes an event like any other in Homerun, it can be edited, rescheduled, cancelled, etc.

The interview will automatically be added to everyone’s calendar.
The event will appear in Homerun.
The organizer of the scheduling request (if included in the event) is marked as having accepted the invite by default.
All the other included attendees – as it is for any other event – get an RSVP in their emails to confirm their attendance.
Attendees in Homerun also receive an in-app notifications–provided they have their calendar notifications active in Homerun: