# Block Bookings in Go Operator (Centre Management)

HTML version: [Block Bookings in Go Operator (Centre Management)](https://support.gladstonesoftware.cloud/gooperator/block-bookings-in-go-operator-centre-management)

## Problem
You need to understand how Block Bookings in Go Operator Centre Management work, how they differ from Plus2 hosted reservations, and where each set-up, booking and troubleshooting task is covered.

## Resolution

1. **[Setting Up Block Bookings in Go Operator](setting-up-block-bookings-in-go-operator.md)**
   - Before first use: enabling, prerequisites, what still needs Plus2 and rollout phases.

2. **[Fixing "Payment method Cash is not an invoicing account"](payment-method-cash-is-not-an-invoicing-account-error.md)**
   - When every create attempt fails with that error.

3. **[Block Booking Permissions in Go Operator](block-booking-permissions-in-go-operator.md)**
   - When deciding who can view, create, edit or cancel block bookings.

4. **[Creating a Block Booking in Go Operator](creating-a-block-booking-in-go-operator.md)**
   - When booking a recurring series for a customer.

5. **[Editing a Block Booking in Go Operator](editing-a-block-booking-in-go-operator.md)**
   - When changing one date, a date and all future, the whole series, or an invoiced date.

6. **[Cancelling a Block Booking in Go Operator](cancelling-a-block-booking-in-go-operator.md)**
   - When removing one date, the rest of a series, or invoiced dates.

7. **[Block Booking Invoicing and Credit Notes in Go Operator](block-booking-invoicing-and-credit-notes-in-go-operator.md)**
   - When checking how occurrences are invoiced and whether a change raises a credit note.

8. **[Block Booking Worked Scenarios in Go Operator](block-booking-worked-scenarios-in-go-operator.md)**
   - When choosing the right option for a common request.

9. **[Troubleshooting Block Bookings in Go Operator](troubleshooting-block-bookings-in-go-operator.md)**
   - When something doesn't work as expected.

10. **[Creating Booking Exceptions in Centre Management](creating-booking-exceptions-in-centre-management.md)**
    - When blocking a court or area for maintenance or unavailability rather than booking it for a customer.

11. **[Configuring Access to Centre Management](configuring-access-to-centre-management.md)**
    - When giving staff access to Centre Management only, without full Operator access.

## Notes

- Block Bookings creates, edits and cancels a recurring booking for one customer from a drawer over the Centre Management booking sheet. It launched as a joint release with the Invoicing Module ([Invoicing Module and Pay by Link (GladstonePay)](invoicing-module-and-pay-by-link-gladstonepay.md)).
- **Which block-booking product is the customer using?** Two different things are called "block bookings". Ask where the booking was created before troubleshooting.

  | | Legacy Plus2 hosted reservation | Go Operator Block Bookings |
  |---|---|---|
  | Where | Plus2 `Configuration > Bookings > Reservations`, **Hosted** tab | Go Operator **Centre Management** booking sheet, **Block Booking** drawer |
  | Billing options | Per booking, monthly, bi-monthly, whole reservation | Whole Reservation, Monthly, Quarterly, Yearly; Itemised or Grouped |
  | After saving | Can't be changed; only sessions can be removed | Edit one date, a date and all future, or the whole series |
  | Date clashes | Plus2 lists clashing dates and asks whether to book around them (but see the caveat in the Plus2 article) | Clashing dates are silently left out; editing blocks Save until resolved |
  | Invoicing | Plus2 **Invoicing statement run** | One sales invoice per occurrence, grouped by the Invoicing Module |
  | Article | [Block Bookings (Plus2 Hosted Reservations) and Invoicing](block-bookings-plus2-hosted-reservations-and-invoicing.md) | This set of articles |

  Plus2-created block bookings still show in Centre Management, but deliberately degraded (see [Troubleshooting Block Bookings in Go Operator](troubleshooting-block-bookings-in-go-operator.md)).
- **Key rules**:
  1. The **contact (Member) can never be changed** by any edit flow. Fix: cancel (with a reason) and recreate against the right contact, re-entering products, prices and invoicing options.
  2. **Billing grouping period** and **itemisation** are set once, at creation. A wrong choice needs cancel-and-recreate. Confirm both with the customer first.
  3. **Cancellation is final.** No restore for any scope. To bring a date back, create a new block booking.
  4. Every cancellation needs a **Cancellation Reason**. The comment is optional, maximum **300 characters**.
  5. Cancelling **All bookings in the series** removes current and future dates only. Past occurrences always stay on the booking sheet.
  6. If **any** occurrence in range is invoiced (paid **or** unpaid-but-invoiced), Operator blocks the bulk edit and cancel scopes. Invoiced dates are handled one at a time.
  7. Rule 6 applies to the Operator screens, **not the API**. A bulk update through the API keeps paid/collated bookings and returns them in `retainedBookings`.
  8. Editing a single occurrence **permanently detaches** it. Later series-level changes never reach it.
  9. A **credit note is not always issued**. It depends on the invoice state.
  10. At **create**, proceeding past a conflict silently drops the conflicted dates (no error). At **edit**, Save is blocked until every conflict is resolved.
  11. Legacy Plus2 bookings are **deliberately degraded** in Centre Management. Not a defect.
  12. Price, VAT, conflicts, invoicing and status are calculated **per occurrence**, never per series.
  13. Only customers with an **invoicing account** on their contact appear in the customer search.
  14. The **Invoicing** payment method must be **Default for Hosts** in Plus2, or every create fails.
  15. **Currency** (GBP or EUR) is inherited from site configuration at creation and stored on the invoice. It isn't set per booking.
  16. The **Note** is staff-only: never shown to the customer, on the invoice or in the confirmation email.
  17. **Cancel** removes the whole booking; **edit** amends what's on it. To remove one product line, edit.
  18. Use **Exclude Date** (not a single-date edit) to drop a date such as half term. Editing changes what's on a date; it doesn't remove it.
- **In scope**: recurring bookings with configurable recurrence; edit one date, a date and all future, or the whole series; cancel one date, a date and all future, the series, or an invoiced date; custom code (Reservation ID), unit price and VAT; member status in the customer search; multi-currency (GBP/EUR); Block Booking emails with custom placeholders; conflict visibility while choosing dates; Pay-by-Link with configurable expiry.
- **Out of scope**: single (non-recurring) bookings, courses, classes and reservations, participant lists, and standalone invoicing (handled by the Invoicing Module).
- **Who uses it**: staff who currently manage recurring bookings in Plus2, mostly Centre Managers, bookings administrators and Finance.
- **Glossary**:

  | Term | Meaning |
  |---|---|
  | **Occurrence** | One date within a recurring series. |
  | **Series** | All occurrences created together under one recurrence pattern. |
  | **Anchor date** | The date selected for "selected date and all future". The change applies from here forwards. |
  | **Recurrence schedule ID** | System-generated ID for a series, returned on creation (API: `scheduleId`). |
  | **Invoice status** | Paid, unpaid, credited or pending, tracked per occurrence. |
  | **Area** | Where the booking is held. Called a **resource product** in Plus2 (see [Plus2 Products, Calendars and Booking Sheets](../plus2/plus2-products-calendars-and-booking-sheets.md)). |
  | **Conflict** | A date/time/area already booked, shown inline so it can be resolved. |
  | **Exception** | A separate **New Exception** tab in the same create drawer, next to **New Block Booking**. It's a different booking type; selecting it by mistake is a common error. |

- **API**: block bookings can also be created and updated through the Bookings API: [Create a block booking schedule with recurring reservations](../reference/bookings/create-a-block-booking-schedule-with-recurring-reservations.md), [Update an existing block booking schedule](../reference/bookings/update-an-existing-block-booking-schedule.md) and [Delete all linked reservations from a block booking schedule](../reference/bookings/deletes-all-linked-reservations-from-a-block-booking-schedule.md).
- Invoicing and payment are covered in [Using the Invoicing Module](using-the-invoicing-module.md), [Invoicing Module and Pay by Link (GladstonePay)](invoicing-module-and-pay-by-link-gladstonepay.md) and [Taking Telephone Payments with Pay by Link](taking-telephone-payments-with-pay-by-link.md).
- Related: [Gladstone 360 – Permissions and GMC Configuration](../gladstone360/gladstone-360-permissions-and-gmc-configuration.md); [Naming Conventions for Plus2 IDs and Descriptions](../plus2/naming-conventions-for-plus2-ids-and-descriptions.md); [Configuring Multiple Sites in One Plus2 Database](../plus2/configuring-multiple-sites-in-one-plus2-database.md).