Dynamic resource selection with placeholders

Modified on Fri, 23 Jan at 2:14 PM

Dynamic resource selection with placeholders

Learn how to dynamically control which resources are bookable in a booking form using placeholders and conditional logic. This powerful feature allows you to show different resources based on customer choices, lead data, or any custom criteria.

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Dynamic resource selection with placeholders

What is dynamic resource selection?

Dynamic resource selection allows you to control which calendar resources are bookable using placeholder expressions instead of static selections. This means you can show different resources based on:

Customer selections – Different services, departments, or options in the booking form
Lead data – Customer type, location, tags, or custom fields
Business logic – Resource capacity, availability, specialization, or any custom criteria

Instead of creating multiple booking forms for different scenarios, you can use one form with dynamic resource selection to handle all cases.

When to use dynamic resource selection

Service-specific resources

Only certain team members can handle specific services (e.g., "Premium installations can only be handled by certified installers").

Department or location routing

Route customers to the right team based on their location or department selection (e.g., "North region customers → North team").

Customer type differentiation

Show different resources for business vs. residential customers (e.g., "Commercial installations → Commercial team").

Capacity-based filtering

Exclude resources that are at capacity or unavailable based on custom logic (e.g., "Skip resources with more than 5 events today").

Complex business rules

Any scenario where bookable resources depend on multiple conditions that can be evaluated programmatically.

How to configure dynamic resource selection

To set up dynamic resource selection in a booking form:

Open the booking form you want to configure
Navigate to the Bookable resources section
Find "Or, enter bookable resources using placeholders:"
Enter your placeholder expression in the text field
Save the booking form

Note: Dynamic resource selection works independently from static resource selection. If you enter a placeholder expression, it will override the static "Bookable resources" dropdown selection when the form is used.

Placeholder expression formats

The placeholder field accepts several formats for specifying resources:

Resource IDs, names, or emails

You can specify resources using their IDs, names, or email addresses:

1, 2, 3

["john@example.com", "sarah@example.com"]

John Smith, Sarah Johnson, Mike Davis

Resource tag names

You can reference resource tags (groups) by their name:

Installation Team - North

Team A, Team B

Fallback to default

Use the string "default" to fall back to the resources selected in the static dropdown:

default

No bookable resources

Return an empty string to make no resources bookable:

This can be useful for blocking bookings under certain conditions.

Using conditional logic

The most powerful use of dynamic resource selection is combining it with @if/@else conditional logic to show different resources based on conditions.

Example: Department-based routing

Show different resource teams based on a department selection in the booking form:

@if(@select[department,slug] == north){Installation Team - North}@endif
@if(@select[department,slug] == south){Installation Team - South}@endif
@if(@select[department,slug] == east){Installation Team - East}@endif

How it works:

Customer selects a department in the department field
System evaluates which condition matches
Shows the corresponding resource tag (e.g., "Installation Team - North")
Only resources in that tag are bookable

Example: Service-specific resources

Show specific resources for specialized services:

@if(@select[service_type,slug] == premium){John Smith, Sarah Johnson}@endif
@if(@select[service_type,slug] == commercial){Mike Davis}@endif
@if(@select[service_type,slug] == standard){default}@endif

Result: Premium services only show John Smith and Sarah Johnson, commercial services show Mike Davis, and standard services show all default resources.

Example: Customer type filtering

Route based on custom lead fields:

@if(%lead_customer_type% == business){Commercial Team}@else{Residential Team}@endif

Finding resource IDs and tag names

To use dynamic resource selection, you need to know the IDs, names, or tag names of your resources.

Method 1: Via Calendar Settings (UI)

Navigate to Calendar → Calendar settings → Teams and tags
Click Resource tags
View all your resource tag names (e.g., "Installation Team - North", "Service Team - South")
Use these names directly in your placeholder expressions

Method 2: Programmatically (for developers)

Use the <hh-data.calendar-resource-groups> component to retrieve resource tags programmatically:

<hh-data.calendar-resource-groups pluck="name,id"/>

Output example:

{
  "176": "Installation Team",
  "177": "Installation Team - North",
  "178": "Installation Team - South",
  "179": "Service Team - East",
  "485": "Service Team - West"
}

This JSON output shows all resource tag IDs and their names, which you can use in your expressions.

Advanced use cases

Combining multiple conditions

Use nested or sequential conditions to handle complex scenarios:

@if(@select[location,slug] == north && @select[service,slug] == installation){Installation - North}@endif
@if(@select[location,slug] == north && @select[service,slug] == service){Service - North}@endif

Blocking bookings conditionally

Return an empty string to prevent bookings under certain conditions:

@if(%lead_approved% == false){}@else{default}@endif

This blocks bookings for unapproved leads.

Using any placeholder or expression

You can use any placeholder or expression that evaluates to resource identifiers, including:

Lead custom fields: %lead_custom_field%
Booking form fields: @select[field,slug], @input[field]
Lead properties: %lead_tags%, %lead_campaign_id%
Custom logic: Calculations, comparisons, string operations

Relationship with other booking form settings

Static resource selection (dropdown)

The static "Bookable resources" dropdown serves as a fallback when dynamic selection is not used or when the expression returns "default".

Resource profile (transit criteria)

Resource profiles and dynamic resource selection are independent features:

Resource profile – Controls driving criteria and transit rules (how far resources can travel)
Dynamic resource selection – Controls which resources are bookable

Both settings work together: transit profiles filter resources by travel time, while dynamic selection filters by business logic.

Best practices

Start simple

Begin with basic conditions and test thoroughly before adding complex logic. Use one booking form to verify expressions work as expected.

Use descriptive tag names

Name your resource tags clearly (e.g., "Installation - North Region" instead of "Team A") so expressions are easy to read and maintain.

Always include a fallback

Ensure your logic always returns valid resources or "default". Avoid scenarios where the expression returns nothing unintentionally, as this would prevent all bookings.

@if(@select[department,slug] == team_a){Team A}
@elseif(@select[department,slug] == team_b){Team B}
@else{default}@endif

Test with real scenarios

Test your dynamic resource selection with real customer data and selections to ensure it behaves as expected across all use cases.

Document your logic

Keep notes on what each expression does, especially for complex forms with multiple conditions. This helps when troubleshooting or updating the form later.

Consolidate forms when possible

Instead of maintaining separate booking forms for different departments or services, use one form with dynamic resource selection to reduce maintenance overhead.

Troubleshooting

No available times showing

If customers don't see any available times:

Check that your expression returns valid resource IDs, names, or tag names
Verify the resources exist and are active in Calendar settings
Test the expression by temporarily using default to see if static resources work
Check browser console for errors or invalid syntax

Wrong resources are showing

If incorrect resources appear:

Verify the field names in your @select or @input references match exactly
Check that resource tag names are spelled correctly (case-sensitive)
Ensure your conditional logic covers all expected scenarios
Test each condition individually to isolate issues

Expression not evaluating

If the expression doesn't seem to work:

Ensure you're using correct placeholder syntax (e.g., @select[field,slug] not @select[field])
Check for typos in field slugs or resource names
Verify the field exists and has a value when the booking form loads
Try simplifying the expression to identify syntax errors

Fallback not working

If "default" doesn't show expected resources:

Verify you have resources selected in the static "Bookable resources" dropdown
Check that the word "default" is spelled correctly (lowercase)
Ensure the expression actually reaches the "default" return path

? Common searches

dynamic resource selection • conditional resource booking • placeholder booking forms • resource filtering by selection • booking form conditional logic

? Also known as

conditional resources • smart resource assignment • dynamic booking • resource routing • context-based availability

Creating and managing booking forms
How do I filter resources or options in booking forms?
Understanding @if/@else conditional logic
Understanding placeholders and dynamic content
Calendar resources and teams