How to Build an Appointment Booking Chatbot [2025]

Upload static business information

Start by uploading a simple, structured document that covers the most common questions customers ask. This could be a PDF, Word doc, or spreadsheet — just make sure it’s organized clearly.

Your document should include:

• Branch locations and addresses
• Services available at each location
• Pricing, discounts, and membership options
• Operating hours and contact details

Each topic should have its clear section, so the chatbot can easily find and return relevant answers.

Tip: Use headers and bullet points in your document to keep things scannable for both the bot and your team.

You can upload this document by heading to the Knowledge Base section:

1. From your project, open the left-hand menu.
2. Click Knowledge Base.
3. Select Upload document and add your file.

Give the document a clear name (e.g., Branch Details – March 2025) so you can reference it later in workflows or queries.

Once uploaded, the chatbot can instantly start using the document to answer user questions — no extra training or coding is needed.

Using tables for dynamic information

For things like upcoming events, seasonal offers, or rotating schedules, it’s better to use a table instead of uploading a static document. Tables let you update just one row without touching the rest of your data — making it faster to maintain.

Here’s how to create a table in your knowledge base:

1. Go to the Knowledge Base section from the left-hand menu.
2. Click Create New, then select Table.
3. Name your table (e.g., Event Schedule).
4. Add columns for the types of info you want the chatbot to retrieve, like:
   
   • event_name
   • date
   • location
   • price
   • description
5. Start adding rows for each event or item you want the bot to reference.

Once your table is saved, you can use it to power dynamic responses. For example, when a user asks, “What events are happening next weekend?”, the bot can pull the relevant row and give them a direct answer.

Optimizing costs with cached FAQs

One of the biggest challenges with AI-powered bots is cost — especially if the bot hits the LLM every time someone asks a common question.

The knowledge base helps reduce this by automatically caching answers to frequently asked questions. That means if five people ask, “What’s the gym’s weekend schedule?”, the platform only queries your knowledge base or LLM once — then reuses that answer instantly the next time.

You don’t need to configure anything. Caching kicks in automatically if:

• The answer comes from structured content (a document, table, or FAQ)
• The bot is connected to an LLM or RAG pipeline
• The user stays in the same topic thread

This keeps your bot fast — and cuts down on token usage without compromising the experience.

Install the Calendly integration

Start from your project dashboard:

1. Go to the Hub from the left-hand menu.
2. Search for Calendly and click Install.
3. Once installed, open the Calendly Integration settings from your project.

Generate and add your Calendly API key

Next, you’ll need to generate a personal API key from Calendly and add it to the workflow:

1. Log in to your Calendly account.
2. Click Integrations & Apps from the left-hand menu.
3. Scroll down to API & Webhooks and click Get a token now.
4. Name the token (e.g., Access) and complete two-factor authentication if prompted.
5. Copy the API key — you won’t be able to view it again later.
6. Return to Botpress and paste the key into the Calendly Integration settings.
7. Click Save to finalize the connection.

Once connected, your chatbot will be able to fetch availability data and generate scheduling links based on the user’s location or preferences.

1. Capturing the User’s Branch Selection

Since your business likely has multiple locations, the bot needs to know which branch the user wants before showing availability.

1. Add a single-choice node to ask the user to pick a location.
2. Create a variable (e.g., workflow.branch) to store their selection.
3. You’ll use this later to send the right Calendly link based on the chosen branch.

This ensures that all scheduling links and responses are tailored to the right branch.

2. Using the Calendly Event Workflow

The Hub also provides a prebuilt workflow that connects directly to your Calendly setup.

1. In the Workflows section, search for Calendly Event Workflow.
2. Click Clone to create your editable version.
3. Customize the flow if needed — it’s already set up to generate a booking link tied to the user’s session using the conversationId.

By passing the conversation ID, the chatbot generates a unique booking link that can be tracked to individual users. This prebuilt workflow saves time and ensures your scheduling logic is already wired up correctly.

3. Setting Up the Calendly Event Trigger

Once a booking link is sent, you want the chatbot to detect when the user has scheduled their appointment.

1. Right-click inside the workflow and add a Calendly Event Trigger node.
2. In the settings, pass the conversation ID using:
   {{event.payload.conversation.id}}
3. This allows the chatbot to listen for the user’s specific booking.
4. When triggered, the bot can send a confirmation message automatically.

This makes the bot feel smart and responsive — and ensures users know their appointment was booked.

4. Handling Business Information and FAQs

Not everyone will jump straight into booking. Some users might ask about pricing, hours, or services first. You can handle this by connecting your knowledge base.

1. Add an autonomous node that’s linked to the knowledge base.
2. Enable knowledge search so the bot can pull responses from uploaded documents or tables.
3. Use this node as a fallback when users ask general questions.

This way, your bot stays helpful — even for users who aren’t ready to book yet.

1. What types of businesses benefit most from appointment booking chatbots?

Any business that books time with people — think gyms, clinics, salons, law firms, and multi-location service providers — can save time and boost efficiency with a chatbot.

2. How does a chatbot improve customer show-up rates for appointments?

By sending reminders, answering last-minute questions, and making rescheduling super easy, chatbots reduce no-shows and keep customers more engaged.

3. How does this chatbot compare to traditional booking forms?

Unlike static forms, chatbots feel like talking to a real assistant. They guide users, answer questions, and help book appointments all in one smooth conversation.

4. How scalable is this solution for a business with dozens of branches?

Very scalable. You can upload all your branch info once, and the chatbot can instantly tailor responses and booking links based on the user’s location or choice.

5. What are the key limitations of appointment chatbots?

They can struggle with really complex edge cases or unusual questions unless well-trained and if your integrations (like calendars) go down, that’s a blocker too.