> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.eat-now.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Shifts Overview

> A shift is a service period customers can book online — lunch, dinner, brunch, or a one-off event. This is the heart of your online reservations. Start here.

A **shift** is a service period your customers can book online — your lunch service, your dinner service, a weekend brunch, or a one-off New Year's Eve dinner. Almost everything about how online booking behaves — opening hours, group sizes, capacity, deposits, how far ahead people can book — is configured on a shift.

<Note>
  Find your shifts under **Settings → Opening days → Shifts**. Click a shift to edit it, or **+ New shift** to create one.
</Note>

## Shift, block, or activity?

These three are often confused. Here's the difference:

| You want to…                                             | Use                                       |
| -------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------- |
| Set up an ongoing service customers book (lunch, dinner) | A **Shift** (this section)                |
| Temporarily close for a holiday or private event         | A [Block](/shifts/block-reservations)     |
| Hide a service from customers but keep it for staff      | [Visibility settings](/shifts/visibility) |
| Sell a ticketed experience (spa, tasting, workshop)      | An [Activity](/activities/setup)          |

A shift is your **permanent schedule**. A block is a **temporary exception** to it.

## How a shift is organized

When you open a shift, the settings are split across two tabs:

* **General** — the day-to-day basics: name, schedule, booking hours, group size, capacity, and payments.
* **Advanced** — fine-tuning: visibility, walk-in hours, booking lead times, pacing, approvals, and seating rules.

This guide groups those settings by **what you're trying to do**, not by tab.

## Pick your topic

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Create your first shift" icon="rocket" href="/shifts/create">
    The handful of settings you need to go live today.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Schedule & hours" icon="calendar" href="/shifts/schedule">
    Which days you run, and when customers can book.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Event shifts" icon="calendar-star" href="/shifts/events">
    Special nights and seasons that override your normal schedule.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Group size & booking window" icon="users" href="/shifts/booking-rules">
    Party-size limits and how far ahead people can book.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Capacity & rooms" icon="layout-grid" href="/shifts/capacity-and-rooms">
    How many you can seat, and where.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Pacing" icon="wave-sine" href="/shifts/pacing">
    Smooth out arrivals so the kitchen isn't overwhelmed.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Approvals & confirmations" icon="circle-check" href="/shifts/approvals">
    Auto-accept or review bookings, and reduce no-shows.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Deposits & card holds" icon="credit-card" href="/shifts/payments-deposits">
    Secure bookings against a card.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Prepayment" icon="cash" href="/shifts/payments-prepayment">
    Sell set menus and tickets paid at booking.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Extras" icon="plus" href="/shifts/payments-extras">
    Optional add-ons like wine or dessert.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Visibility" icon="eye" href="/shifts/visibility">
    Public, internal-only, or inactive shifts.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Block reservations" icon="lock" href="/shifts/block-reservations">
    Temporarily close for holidays or events.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Settings reference" icon="list-details" href="/shifts/reference">
    Every shift setting in one table.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>