The Dog Walker Diary is a simple yet powerful tool to help you keep track of your dog walking business. With it, you can manage your daily schedule, keep a record of your repeat clients, and track important details about each walk. This guide will walk you through each part of the diary and explain how to make the most of it. 1. Select the Day What it is: At the top of the diary, you’ll find a dropdown menu labeled "Select Day". How to use it: This allows you to choose which day of the week you want to manage your dog walking slots for. Simply click on the dropdown and select the day you are working on. 2. Add and Manage Repeat Clients Repeat clients are customers that you walk regularly. You can add their details here to make it easier to book them for walks. What it is: Below the "Select Day" section, you’ll find the "Repeat Clients" area. To Add a Repeat Client: Fill in the client details: Client Name: The name of the client (e.g., "John Doe"). Owner Name: The name of the dog's owner (if different from the client). Address: The address where you pick up the dog. Key Code / Access: If you have a key or specific access details for the home. Click the "Save Client" button: This will save the client's details so that you can quickly access them later. To Delete a Repeat Client: In the Repeat Clients list, you will see each client listed with their details. Click "Delete" next to the client’s name to remove them from the list. This action will also update any related bookings. Why is this useful? This allows you to easily re-book clients without having to input their details every time. You can select them from a dropdown menu when booking a walk. 3. Manage Your Daily Slots Each day of the week has specific time slots (e.g., First, Second, Third, etc.) where you can book dog walking sessions. This section is used to input the client details and dog information for each time slot. What it is: The "Daily Slots" section appears once you’ve selected a day from the dropdown menu. How to Use the Slots: Select a Client for the Slot: For each time slot (e.g., "First Slot", "Second Slot"), you can choose an existing Repeat Client from the dropdown menu. If the client is not listed or if it’s a one-off (ad-hoc) booking, you can input the client’s name manually in the field provided. Enter Details: Owner Name, Address, Key Code: If you’ve selected an ad-hoc client, you can enter these details manually in the fields that appear once you click on "Show Ad-Hoc Fields". Number of Dogs: You can select the number of dogs from a dropdown (1 to 6). If there are multiple dogs for the walk, you will have separate fields to input each dog’s name. Dogs' Names: Enter the name of each dog that you are walking. You can add as many dogs as the slot allows. Notes: Any additional details, special instructions, or important information about the walk can be added in the "Notes" section. Save the Information: After filling out the details for each slot, the information is automatically saved to your diary, so you don't have to worry about losing any data. Why is this useful? This section helps you organise your daily dog walking schedule. You can track exactly who you're walking, when, and any special notes or requirements for each session. 4. Toggle Ad-Hoc Fields for New Clients For new clients who aren’t in your Repeat Clients list, you can still book them by filling out the ad-hoc fields: Click the "Show Ad-Hoc Fields" button to reveal fields for entering the Owner Name, Address, Key Code, Number of Dogs, and Notes. Fill in the details as you would for a regular repeat client. This feature ensures that even if a client is not a regular, you can still manage their bookings and details effectively. 5. Export Your Schedule You can export your schedule in CSV format for the selected day, week, or month. This feature is handy for keeping records or sharing your schedule with other team members or clients. What it is: There are three buttons to export the schedule: Export Day: Exports the current day's schedule. Export Week: Exports the schedule for the entire week. Export Month: Exports the schedule for the entire month. How to Use: Click on the "Export Day", "Export Week", or "Export Month" button. A CSV file will be generated and downloaded to your computer, which can be opened in Excel or any other spreadsheet software. 6. Saving Your Work The diary automatically saves all your changes to localStorage in your browser, so you don’t have to worry about losing any information. However, it’s a good practice to periodically export your schedule to keep a backup. Tips for Effective Use: Regularly update your repeat clients: As your client base grows, keep the Repeat Clients section updated for easy booking. Use the "Notes" section to document any special instructions, such as the dog’s behaviour or any other relevant information. Export your schedule regularly to keep an offline copy and share it with your team or clients.