Evolve

Pricing

Recurring Classes

Master your class schedule

Complete Guide to Managing Recurring Classes

Recurring classes are the backbone of your fitness studio. This guide teaches you everything you need to know about creating, managing, and modifying recurring class schedules.

Table of Contents

  1. Understanding Recurring Classes
  2. Creating Recurring Sessions
  3. Common Schedule Patterns
  4. Editing Recurring Sessions
  5. Handling Schedule Changes
  6. Safety System & Client Protection
  7. Advanced Scenarios
  8. Best Practices

Understanding Recurring Classes

What Are Recurring Sessions?

A recurring session is a class that repeats on a schedule:

  • Every Monday at 9 AM
  • Monday, Wednesday, Friday at 6 PM
  • Every Saturday at 10 AM
  • First Tuesday of each month

Instead of creating each session manually, you set up the pattern once and the system generates all occurrences automatically.

Benefits

For You:

  • Set up your entire schedule in minutes, not hours
  • Consistent schedule that's easy to manage
  • Automatic session generation
  • Bulk editing capabilities

For Your Clients:

  • Predictable schedule they can plan around
  • See weeks or months of availability at once
  • Build routine and habits
  • Easy to book in advance

One-Time vs. Recurring

One-Time Sessions:

  • Special workshops
  • Guest instructor events
  • Holiday specials
  • One-off additions to schedule

Recurring Sessions:

  • Regular weekly classes
  • Ongoing programs
  • Permanent schedule items
  • The core of your business

Creating Recurring Sessions

Basic Steps

  1. Create or select a class
  2. Click Add Session
  3. Choose Recurring Session
  4. Set up your pattern
  5. Define start date and time
  6. Set end date (or leave unlimited)
  7. Click Create Sessions

Pattern Options

Daily

  • Repeats every day
  • Or every X days (e.g., every 2 days, every 3 days)
  • Use for intensive programs or daily classes

Weekly

  • Repeats on selected days of the week
  • Most common pattern for fitness studios
  • Choose multiple days (e.g., Mon, Wed, Fri)

Biweekly

  • Repeats every 2 weeks on selected days
  • Useful for specialized classes
  • Less frequent than weekly

Monthly

  • Repeats once per month
  • Choose specific day (e.g., "15th") or relative day (e.g., "First Saturday")
  • Good for workshops or special events

Common Schedule Patterns

Pattern 1: Standard Weekly Classes

Morning Pilates - Mon/Wed/Fri

Pattern: Weekly
Start Date: Next Monday
Start Time: 9:00 AM
Days: Monday, Wednesday, Friday
End Date: (leave blank for unlimited)

Result: Class every Mon, Wed, Fri at 9 AM, ongoing indefinitely

When to Use:

  • Your main class offerings
  • Established schedule
  • Ongoing programs

Pattern 2: Weekend Workshops

Saturday Workshop Series

Pattern: Weekly
Start Date: This Saturday
Start Time: 10:00 AM
Days: Saturday
End Date: 3 months from now

Result: Every Saturday at 10 AM for 3 months (about 12 sessions)

When to Use:

  • Limited-time programs
  • Seasonal offerings
  • Trial classes

Pattern 3: Evening Classes (Multiple Times)

Evening Power Hour - Mon/Wed

Pattern: Weekly
Start Date: Next Monday
Start Time: 6:00 PM
Days: Monday, Wednesday
End Date: (leave blank)

Then create a second session:

Pattern: Weekly
Start Date: Next Tuesday
Start Time: 6:00 PM
Days: Tuesday, Thursday
End Date: (leave blank)

Result: Classes Mon-Thu at 6 PM (two separate session series)

Why Separate? Different instructors or different class types on different days.

Pattern 4: Monthly Workshop

Advanced Techniques Workshop

Pattern: Monthly
Start Date: First Saturday of next month
Start Time: 2:00 PM
Occurrence: First Saturday
End Date: 1 year from now

Result: First Saturday of each month at 2 PM for one year (12 sessions)

When to Use:

  • Special workshops
  • Advanced training
  • Continuing education

Pattern 5: Intensive Programs

30-Day Challenge

Pattern: Daily
Start Date: First day of next month
Start Time: 7:00 AM
Days: Every day (or Mon-Fri only)
End Date: 30 days later

Result: Daily class for 30 consecutive days

When to Use:

  • Challenges and intensive programs
  • Boot camps
  • Special events

Editing Recurring Sessions

When you edit a recurring session, you'll be asked how to apply your changes:

Edit Scopes Explained

"This Occurrence Only"

  • Changes only affect the selected date
  • All other sessions in the series remain unchanged
  • Creates an "exception" to the recurring pattern

Example Use Cases:

  • Substitute instructor for one day
  • Special holiday pricing for one session
  • Increase capacity for one popular date

"This and Future"

  • Changes apply from selected date forward
  • Creates a new session series starting from that date
  • Past sessions remain unchanged
  • The original series ends the day before the change

Example Use Cases:

  • Permanent time change starting next month
  • New instructor takes over starting next week
  • Price increase effective from a certain date

"All Sessions"

  • Changes apply to the entire series
  • Past, present, and future sessions all updated
  • Use carefully if there are already bookings

Example Use Cases:

  • Update class description
  • Change instructor name across all (if it's a correction)
  • Adjust capacity uniformly

What Can You Edit?

Session Details:

  • ✅ Start time
  • ✅ Duration
  • ✅ Instructor
  • ✅ Price
  • ✅ Capacity
  • ✅ Recurring pattern (for future sessions)

What You Can't Edit:

  • ❌ Change to a different class entirely
  • ❌ Change past session dates

Handling Schedule Changes

Scenario 1: Time Change (Permanent)

Situation: Your Monday 9 AM class needs to move to 10 AM permanently, starting next month.

Steps:

  1. Click on any Monday 9 AM session
  2. Click Edit
  3. Select "This and Future"
  4. Choose the first Monday of next month
  5. Change time to 10:00 AM
  6. System shows affected bookings (e.g., "12 bookings affected")
  7. Enter notification message: 
    Hi! Starting next month, Monday Pilates moves from 9 AM to 10 AM.
Your current bookings remain at 9 AM. New times start [date].
  8. Click Confirm Changes
  9. Contact affected clients using the notification list

Result:

  • All Mondays through end of this month stay at 9 AM
  • Starting next month, all Mondays are at 10 AM
  • Existing bookings preserved
  • Clients notified

Scenario 2: Substitute Instructor (One Day)

Situation: You're sick on Wednesday. Sarah will substitute.

Steps:

  1. Click on this Wednesday's session
  2. Click Edit
  3. Select "This Occurrence Only"
  4. Change instructor from your name to "Sarah"
  5. System shows affected bookings (e.g., "8 bookings")
  6. Enter notification message: 
    Class update: Sarah will be teaching Wednesday's class.
Looking forward to seeing you!
  7. Click Confirm Changes
  8. Send WhatsApp messages to booked clients

Result:

  • Only this Wednesday changed
  • All other sessions unchanged
  • Clients know about the substitution

Scenario 3: Price Increase (Future)

Situation: You're raising prices by $5, effective in 2 weeks.

Steps:

  1. Select any session 2 weeks from now
  2. Click Edit
  3. Select "This and Future"
  4. Change price from $25 to $30
  5. System shows affected bookings (may be 0 if no advance bookings)
  6. Enter notification message: 
    Price increase to $30 per session effective [date].
Your existing bookings remain at current price.
  7. Click Confirm Changes
  8. Post announcement to members

Result:

  • All future sessions (2+ weeks out) now $30
  • All sessions in next 2 weeks still $25
  • Existing bookings honored at old price
  • Clear communication about change

Scenario 4: Capacity Increase (All Sessions)

Situation: You moved to a bigger studio and can fit 15 people instead of 10.

Steps:

  1. Select any session
  2. Click Edit
  3. Select "All Sessions"
  4. Change capacity from 10 to 15
  5. No bookings affected (capacity increase is always safe)
  6. Click Confirm Changes

Result:

  • All past, present, and future sessions now have capacity 15
  • More spots available for booking
  • No client notification needed

Scenario 5: Capacity Decrease (Dangerous!)

Situation: You need to reduce capacity from 15 to 10.

Safety Check: If any session has more than 10 existing bookings, the system will:

  • ⚠️ Block the change
  • Show you which sessions would be overbooked
  • List the conflicted sessions and booking counts

Your Options:

  1. Don't reduce capacity - Keep it at 15
  2. Cancel excess bookings first - Contact clients, cancel bookings, then reduce capacity
  3. Reduce capacity for future only - Edit "This and Future" starting from a safe date

Safe Approach:

  1. Check which sessions have >10 bookings
  2. Contact those clients and offer alternatives
  3. Cancel excess bookings
  4. Then reduce capacity using "This and Future" from a safe date

Safety System & Client Protection

How the Safety System Works

Whenever you edit or cancel sessions with existing bookings:

Step 1: Impact Detection

  • System scans all sessions in edit scope
  • Counts total affected bookings
  • Lists affected clients

Step 2: Warning Display

⚠️ Warning: This change affects 15 bookings

Affected bookings:
- Monday, Jan 15 at 9:00 AM (5 bookings)
- Monday, Jan 22 at 9:00 AM (4 bookings)
- Monday, Jan 29 at 9:00 AM (6 bookings)

Affected clients: Jane Smith, John Doe, Sarah Johnson...

Step 3: Notification Request

Enter notification message for affected clients:
[Text box for your message]

Step 4: Confirmation Required

  • You must check "I understand and want to proceed"
  • Changes don't apply until you confirm

Step 5: Audit Trail

  • All changes logged
  • Who made the change
  • When it was made
  • How many bookings affected
  • What notification was provided

Dangerous Changes That Trigger Warnings

  • ⚠️ Reducing capacity below current bookings
  • ⚠️ Canceling sessions with bookings
  • ⚠️ Changing time significantly (more than 1 hour)
  • ⚠️ Changing price (if it increases)
  • ⚠️ Changing date (if editing pattern)

Safe Changes (No Warning)

  • ✅ Increasing capacity
  • ✅ Minor time adjustments (within 30 minutes)
  • ✅ Reducing price
  • ✅ Editing description
  • ✅ Changing instructor (if same quality)

Advanced Scenarios

Splitting a Class into Two Time Slots

Situation: Your 9 AM class is too popular. You want to add a 10 AM session too.

Approach 1: Keep Original, Add New (Recommended)

  1. Keep existing 9 AM class as is
  2. Create new sessions at 10 AM
  3. Both times available going forward

Approach 2: Split Existing

  1. Edit half the days to move to 10 AM using "This occurrence only" repeatedly
  2. Not recommended (too manual)

Best Practice: Always add new sessions rather than modifying existing ones when possible.

Seasonal Schedule Changes

Situation: Summer schedule (Jun-Aug) is different from regular schedule.

Approach:

  1. Edit current schedule using "This and Future" to end on May 31
  2. Create new summer sessions starting June 1
  3. Set summer sessions to end August 31
  4. Create fall sessions starting September 1

Timeline:

Jan-May: Regular schedule
Jun-Aug: Summer schedule (new series)
Sep-Dec: Regular schedule (new series)

Communication:

  • Announce seasonal changes 1 month in advance
  • Post new schedule prominently
  • Send reminder 1 week before change

Permanent Schedule Change Mid-Series

Situation: You want to drop Fridays and add Thursdays instead.

Steps:

  1. Cancel Friday sessions

    • Select a Friday session
    • Click Cancel
    • Choose "This and Future" starting next Friday
    • Notify affected clients with alternatives

  2. Add Thursday sessions

    • Create new recurring session
    • Pattern: Weekly, Thursday
    • Same time as old Friday
    • Start next Thursday

  3. Communication

    Schedule change: Replacing Friday classes with Thursday
starting [date]. Friday clients: Please rebook for
Monday, Wednesday, or new Thursday slot.

Holiday Closures

Approach 1: Cancel Individual Dates For known holidays:

  1. Find session on holiday date
  2. Click Cancel
  3. Select "This occurrence only"
  4. Notify booked clients
  5. Offer reschedule or credit

Approach 2: Seasonal Closure For longer breaks (e.g., Christmas week):

  1. Cancel all sessions that week
  2. Use date range if available
  3. Or cancel each day individually
  4. Announce closure well in advance

Best Practice:

  • Announce holiday closures 2-4 weeks in advance
  • Offer make-up sessions
  • Consider hosting special events on days off

Best Practices

Planning Your Schedule

Do:

  • ✅ Plan 2-3 months ahead
  • ✅ Create consistent weekly patterns
  • ✅ Leave buffer time between classes
  • ✅ Consider instructor availability
  • ✅ Align with client demand (survey members)

Don't:

  • ❌ Create sessions too far in advance (beyond 6 months)
  • ❌ Change schedule frequently
  • ❌ Overlap sessions with same instructor
  • ❌ Overbook yourself

Making Changes

Do:

  • ✅ Give at least 48 hours notice for changes
  • ✅ Use "This and Future" for permanent changes
  • ✅ Always notify affected clients
  • ✅ Offer alternatives when canceling
  • ✅ Log your reasons in system notes

Don't:

  • ❌ Make last-minute changes unless emergency
  • ❌ Change sessions with bookings without notifying clients
  • ❌ Reduce capacity if sessions are full
  • ❌ Delete recurring series with bookings

Client Communication

For Time Changes:

Hi [Name]! Quick update: [Class Name] is moving from [old time]
to [new time] starting [date]. Your current bookings remain
at [old time]. See you soon!

For Cancellations:

Hi [Name], we need to cancel [Class Name] on [date] due to
[reason]. We'd love to see you at [alternative]. Or we can
credit your package. Let me know!

For Instructor Changes:

Hi [Name]! [New Instructor] will be teaching [Class Name]
starting [date]. [He/She] is wonderful and I know you'll
love the class!

For Price Increases:

Hi [Name], starting [date], [Class Name] will be $[new price].
Your existing bookings and packages remain at current pricing.
Thanks for your understanding!

Timing of Notifications

  • Immediate: Emergency cancellations (illness, facility issue)
  • 48 hours: Last-minute schedule changes
  • 1 week: Minor adjustments (time, instructor)
  • 2-4 weeks: Major changes (price, permanent schedule change)
  • 1-2 months: Seasonal schedule changes

Troubleshooting

Problem: Can't Delete a Recurring Session

Cause: Sessions have bookings

Solution:

  1. Cancel all sessions in the series first
  2. Wait for those dates to pass
  3. Then delete the class definition if needed

Or: Just stop creating future occurrences by setting an end date

Problem: Edited Wrong Session

If Just Happened:

  1. Immediately edit again
  2. Change back to original values
  3. Use same scope as original edit

If Noticed Later:

  1. Check audit log for original values
  2. Edit back to those values
  3. Notify any affected clients

Problem: Too Many Sessions Created

Cause: Set end date too far in future

Solution:

  1. Edit session using "This and Future"
  2. Select date where you want series to end
  3. In the edit form, set end date to that date
  4. Confirm changes
  5. Future sessions beyond that date won't be created

Problem: Clients Confused by Schedule Changes

Prevention:

  1. Minimize changes to established schedule
  2. Give plenty of notice
  3. Communicate clearly and repeatedly
  4. Post prominently in studio
  5. Send reminder day before first changed session

Response:

  1. Apologize for confusion
  2. Clarify new schedule
  3. Offer one-on-one explanation
  4. Provide printed schedule card

Quick Reference

Edit Scope Decision Tree

Do you want to change just one session?
└─ YES → Use "This Occurrence Only"

Do you want to change from a certain date forward?
└─ YES → Use "This and Future"
    └─ Are there bookings before that date you want to preserve?
        └─ YES → Perfect, use "This and Future"

Do you want to change every single session ever?
└─ YES → Use "All Sessions"
    └─ WARNING: Check for bookings first!

Common Patterns Quick Reference

PatternUse CaseExample
DailyIntensive programs30-day challenge
WeeklyRegular classesMon/Wed/Fri mornings
BiweeklyLess frequent specialtyEvery other Saturday
MonthlyWorkshopsFirst Sunday advanced training

Safety Checklist Before Major Changes

  • Check how many bookings will be affected
  • Review affected client list
  • Prepare notification message
  • Identify alternative options for clients
  • Update website/social media with new schedule
  • Print new schedule for studio display
  • Brief any staff about the change

Summary

Recurring sessions are powerful but require careful management:

  • Create wisely: Plan patterns that match your business
  • Edit carefully: Choose the right scope to minimize disruption
  • Communicate clearly: Always notify affected clients
  • Use safety features: Pay attention to warnings
  • Think ahead: Give clients plenty of notice

Master recurring sessions and you'll save hours every week while providing a professional, predictable experience for your clients.

For more help, see the Main User Guide or Quick Start Guide.