Using Timeline View to Manage Tables and Guests
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      3. Using Timeline View to Manage Tables and Guests

      Using Timeline View to Manage Tables and Guests

      Learn how to use the Timeline View in SpotHopper’s Table Management App to seat guests, track table usage, manage future reservations, and assign tables using the Next in Line feature.

      Contents

      Timeline View & Seating Overview

      1. Switching to Timeline View
         After adding tables, switch to Timeline View to see them listed vertically. 

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        • The center line in the Timeline indicates the current time.

        • Swiping to see past or upcoming reservations will move the center line to the left or right side of the screen.
          No matter how far you scroll in either direction, you can easily return to the current day and time by tapping the center line.


          (Swiping forward lets you see future table assignments.)


          (Swiping back shows past bookings.)
        • You can also return to the current day and time by clicking the Today button next to the date.

        • Navigating the new sidebar navigation
            • You can now easily switch between Reservations and the Waitlist without ever leaving the timeline: 
              1. Open the Timeline
              2. Click on either Waitlist Waitlist or Reservations Resrvations to expand the sidebar.

          • Understanding Table & Guest Indicators

            The Table and Guest icons in the bottom-left corner show the total table capacity and guest count for that specific room.


          • In this example, 5 out of 17 tables are occupied, with 11 guests assigned to them.

            Table capacities are listed vertically on the right to help you track the seating status of each table.


            In this example, one table that seats two is unoccupied. Another table is occupied by a party of two, and a third is occupied by a solo guest.

          • Real-Time Updates
            When a guest is assigned or seated, the table and guest counts update in real time. You can also view vacancy history by swiping to the right.

            In this example, 5 out of 17 tables are currently occupied by 11 guests. An hour earlier, only 3 tables were occupied by 6 guests.



          • Navigating the Timeline
             To check upcoming reservations:
            • Tap the right arrow to move to the next day.



            • Or swipe left to skip ahead. If you swipe too far, the Timeline will automatically refresh to show the most accurate data for that day.
          • Guest Count & Overlapping Reservations (Reservation Conflicts)
            The guest count automatically updates when overlapping reservations create table conflicts.
            In this example, the system updates both the guest count and table occupancy for the room in real time, even when reservations overlap.

            It’s up to you to determine how you’ll handle these conflicts: by moving the conflicting party to a different table, changing the desired reservation time or duration, or freeing the table of a reservation.

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            One solution: Move the conflicting party to a different table (shown below).
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          • Seating Future Reservations Immediately
             To seat a future reservation immediately:
            • Select the reservation.
            • Tap "Seat Now" from the new window.

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            • The app will update the reservation time to the current time.
            • Clicking Party Seated sends the guest to their assigned table.

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              Currently marked as 'assigned', the party has been notified but not seated yet.

            • Clicking Party Seated will mark the guest as officially seated.

              The seated party is labeled with a plate-and-utensils icon, indicating that the guests are actively dining.NEW VERSION.00_22_28_03.Still041
          • Reservation Status Icons
            • Reservation Icon – Reservation with assigned table only.

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              Meaning: The reservation is confirmed and linked to a specific table.
              Status: No arrival or seating action yet.
              Appears when: The reservation is scheduled and a table has been assigned, but no further action has been taken.

            • Pre-Seated Icon – Assigned (Pre-Seated)

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              Meaning:               The party has been notified and is on their way to the table.
              Status: Assigned, but not yet officially seated.
              Appears when: After tapping “Seat Now,” but before tapping “Party Seated.

            • Seated Icon – Seated

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              Meaning: The party has been seated and is currently dining. 
              Status: Fully seated. 
              Appears when: After tapping “Party Seated.” 

            • In-focus parties are highlighted in orange, no matter their current status.
              To help draw your attention, the entire row will also have a light purple background.

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            • If a party is assigned to multiple tables, all cards will display the same status icon.
              However, only the original card—the one created first—will show the party size (e.g., "8").

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          • Reserving tables
              • A table can be reserved ahead of time for any given reservation party. Simply expand the party tab and select the table you’d like to reserve.

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                A selection menu will appear, allowing you to select from the tables inside the room.
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                You always have a clear view of which tables have been reserved for the specific party.
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                Additionally, you can assign multiple reserved tables.
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                The selected tables will show up in the Reserved Tables section after confirmation.
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                • Once a party is marked as seated, it behaves just like any party with multiple tables assigned—except now a seating status icon is also shown.
                  All related table blocks for that party will be highlighted in bright orange, making it easy to see exactly where they are and make any necessary adjustments in real time.

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            • Next in line
              • When more than one party reserves the same table, they’ll show up in your Next in line section.

              • How the Next in line works: Let’s focus our attention to Table 6. You’ve had a party seated there since 5:28pm:

              • About an hour has passed and they’re ready to leave. You can Free the table:

              • Great! Now you can select the party next in line:

              • … and seat them instead:

                • You have now seated a party without having to expand the info of each individual party card to find who’s up next for Table 6.

                                     Using Timeline View to Manage Tables and Guest