Service Filter Setup

Create your step 1 service filter for the online scheduler

Written By Christopher Scott

Last updated 3 months ago

Overview

The Service Filter is a guided questionnaire that helps customers find the right services without overwhelming them with choices. Instead of seeing a long list of every service you offer, customers answer a few simple questions that narrow down options relevant to their needs.

These questions can be set for each company to match the specifics of different services offerings.

What the service filter does:

  • Guides customers through a series of questions (like "What type of property?" or "What are you concerned about?")

  • Each answer leads to more specific questions or service recommendations

  • Filters out irrelevant services based on customer responses

  • Ensures customers are matched with appropriate contact roles for their needs

Benefits:

  • Reduces customer confusion and decision fatigue

  • Increases booking completion rates

  • Matches customers with the right services faster

  • Qualifies customers into appropriate contact roles automatically without explicitly asking them.

  • Improves customer experience with personalized guidance

How it works:

You build a tree of filter options. Each option can either:

  • Lead to more specific sub-questions (branch node)

  • End with assigned services and roles (terminal node)

When a customer answers questions, they follow branches until reaching a terminal node, which reveals the services they can book.

Setup

Accessing the Filter Builder

  1. Navigate to /settings/scheduling

  2. Scroll to the Service Filter Configuration section

  3. Click Configure Filter

  4. This opens the filter builder at /settings/scheduling/online-service-filter

Permissions required: You need settings-admin or scheduler-admin access.

Two Ways to Build Your Filter

Option 1: AI Generator (Recommended for first-time setup)

  • Click the AI generation button

  • AI analyzes your services and creates a complete filter tree

  • Review and adjust the generated structure

  • Fastest way to get started

Option 2: Manual Creation

  • Build your filter tree from scratch

  • Complete control over questions and structure

  • Best for unique workflows or specific customer journeys

Usage

Understanding Filter Structure

Filter Tree Hierarchy:

Root Question (e.g., "What type of property?")
├── Residential
│   ├── Single Family Home
│   └── Condo/Townhome
│       └── [Services: Condo Inspection] [Roles: Homeowner, Buyer]
└── Commercial
    └── [Services: Commercial Inspection] [Roles: Business Owner]

Node Types:

Branch Node (gray/white background)

  • Has sub-options beneath it

  • Leads customers to more specific questions

  • Cannot have services/roles assigned directly

  • Example: "What type of property?"

Terminal Node (green background with checkmark)

  • Has both services AND roles assigned

  • Final destination in the customer journey

  • Cannot have sub-options

  • Example: "Single Family Home" with services and roles

Orphaned Node (red/orange background with warning)

  • Incomplete - missing services or roles or has no terminal descendants

  • Will not appear to customers until completed

  • Needs either services+roles OR complete terminal children

Using AI to Generate Your Filter

Step 1: Click the AI Generator button

  • Located at the top right of the filter page

  • Opens the AI generation modal

Step 2: AI generates the filter

  • Analyzes your company's services

  • Creates logical question flow

  • Assigns services to appropriate endpoints

  • Assigns contact roles based on service categories

Step 3: Review the generated filter

  • Expand all branches to see the full structure

  • Check that service assignments make sense

  • Verify contact roles are appropriate

  • Make adjustments as needed

When to use AI generation:

  • First-time filter setup

  • You have many services and need a starting point

  • You want a standard, logical structure

  • Rebuilding from scratch

Important: AI generation replaces your existing filter. Export or document your current filter if you want to preserve it.

Creating Filter Options Manually

Adding a Root Option

Root options are the first questions customers see.

  1. Click Add Root Option at the bottom of the filter list

  2. Fill in the option details (see below)

  3. Click Save

Example root options:

  • "What type of property do you have?"

  • "What service are you interested in?"

  • "What brings you here today?"

Adding Sub-Options

Sub-options appear after customers select a parent option.

  1. Find the parent option in the tree

  2. Click the + (plus) icon next to it

  3. Fill in the option details

  4. Click Save

Example sub-options:

Under "What type of property?":

  • Residential

  • Commercial

  • Multi-Family

  • Land/Lot

Option Details Form

When creating or editing an option, you'll fill in:

Label (required)

  • The text customers see

  • Keep it short and clear

  • Examples: "Residential Property", "Pre-Purchase Inspection", "I need a radon test"

Description (optional)

  • Additional context shown to customers

  • Use for clarification when needed

  • Example: "For properties being bought or sold"

Services (optional)

  • Select which services apply to this endpoint

  • Only add services if this is a terminal node

  • Can select multiple services

Contact Roles (optional)

  • Select which contact roles apply

  • Only add roles if this is a terminal node

  • Can select multiple roles

  • Examples: Homebuyer, Real Estate Agent, Property Manager

Business Segments (optional)

  • Tag this option with business segments for reporting

  • Helps track which customer types use which paths

Understanding Ending Nodes

A terminal node has both services AND roles assigned. This is where the customer's journey ends and they see available services.

Creating a terminal node:

  1. Add or edit an option

  2. Select at least one service

  3. Select at least one role

  4. Save

  5. The option turns green with a checkmark

  6. Cannot add sub-options to terminal nodes

If a role/service is selected in a node prior, then that will set it in future questions.

Why both are required:

  • Services = What the customer can book

  • Roles = How the customer should be categorized in your system

  • Both are needed for a complete booking and to end the branch.

Example terminal node:

  • Label: "Single Family Home Inspection"

  • Services: Home Inspection, Radon Test, Sewer Scope

  • Roles: Homebuyer, Homeowner

Avoiding Orphaned Branches

An orphaned branch is incomplete and won't show to customers.

What makes a branch orphaned:

  • Has no services or roles assigned

  • Has sub-options, but none of them reach a terminal node

  • Dead-end path with no resolution

How to identify orphaned branches:

  • Red/orange background color

  • Warning triangle icon

  • Tooltip explaining the issue

How to fix orphaned branches:

Option 1: Make it terminal

  1. Edit the orphaned option

  2. Add services and roles

  3. Save

  4. It becomes a terminal node (green)

Option 2: Add terminal children

  1. Add sub-options beneath it

  2. Make those sub-options terminal (with services + roles)

  3. The branch becomes valid once it has terminal descendants

Option 3: Delete it

  1. If the branch isn't needed, delete it

  2. Deleting removes it and all its children

Reordering Filter Options

Root-level reordering:

Root options can be dragged to reorder how they appear to customers.

  1. Click and hold the grip icon (⋮⋮) on the left

  2. Drag the option up or down

  3. Release to drop in new position

  4. Order saves automatically

Why order matters:

  • Customers see options in this order

  • Put most common paths first

  • Logical flow improves completion rates

Note: Sub-options cannot be reordered by drag-and-drop. To change their order, delete and recreate them in the desired sequence.

Editing Existing Options

  1. Click the pencil icon next to any option

  2. Modify the details in the modal

  3. Click Save

What you can edit:

  • Label and description

  • Services assigned (converts between terminal/branch)

  • Roles assigned

  • Business segments

Restrictions:

  • Cannot make terminal nodes into branches (remove services/roles first)

  • Cannot add sub-options to terminal nodes (remove services/roles first)

Deleting Filter Options

  1. Click the trash icon next to the option

  2. Confirm deletion in the modal

  3. The option and ALL its children are deleted

⚠️ Warning: Deletion is permanent and removes the entire branch. Make sure you want to delete all sub-options too.

When to delete:

  • Removing outdated service paths

  • Cleaning up duplicate options

  • Simplifying an overly complex filter

  • Starting fresh with AI generation

Expanding and Collapsing the Tree

Expand/Collapse individual branches:

  • Click the chevron (▶ or ▼) next to any option

  • Opens to show sub-options

  • Closes to hide sub-options

Default behavior:

  • All branches with children start expanded

  • Makes it easy to see the full structure at a glance

Testing Your Filter

Preview the Customer Experience

  1. Go to /settings/scheduling

  2. Generate a scheduler URL

  3. Open it in a new tab

  4. Go through the service selection as a customer would

No Filter = Search/List Only

What happens without a filter:

If you don't configure a filter (or delete all options), customers will see:

  • A list of all available services, and

  • A search box to find services by name

  • Services that are primary only

When this works well:

  • You have a small number of services (5-10)

  • Services are self-explanatory by name

  • Customers know exactly what they need

When a filter helps:

  • You have many services (15+)

  • Services need explanation

  • Customers may not know what they need

  • You want to guide customers to appropriate options