Quick answers about automatic cancellation when underbooked (low occupancy), where Zenamu cancels a class session or event that too few people have booked. The check time you set for this feature isn't a cancellation deadline for clients. To set how late clients can cancel their own booking, see Cancellation deadline and cancellation fees for class and appointment bookings.
Why wasn't a session cancelled even though occupancy was low?
The most common reasons:
The check hasn't run yet. Evaluation happens at the time you set (say, 24 hours before the start), not continuously.
The session is set to "Do not cancel this session automatically". Check its Advanced booking settings section.
Global cancellation is off and the session has no custom settings.
The session was created after the check time (see below).
Occupancy reached the minimum. Remember that the minimum is rounded up, so even a low number can meet it.
Why was a session cancelled when someone booked right afterwards?
The check runs only once, at the time you chose before the start. If someone books after that, it doesn't undo the cancellation. In the same way, a later cancellation won't trigger a new check.
A client booked at the last minute, just after the check. Does that count?
No. What counts is the number of people booked at the moment of the check. Bookings after that moment don't change the result. If this keeps happening, set the check closer to the start so it catches later bookings.
Does "Hours before start" limit how late clients can cancel?
No. Hours before start (on a single session) and How many hours before the start to run the check (in the studio-wide settings) only set when automatic cancellation counts the bookings. Clients can still cancel their own booking until the Cancellation deadline, which you set under Settings › Bookings and rules › Booking cancellation › Sessions.
How do I take one session out of automatic cancellation?
Open the class session or event, expand the Advanced booking settings section, and choose Do not cancel this session automatically. The session then won't be cancelled, even if global cancellation is on.
What do booked clients see when a session is cancelled?
They get the same cancellation notification as for any other cancelled class or event, and they get their money back. You don't have to tell them yourself. For details on refunds, see the article on payments and refunds for automatic cancellation.
I created a session at the last minute. Will it be cancelled automatically?
If a session is created after its check time would have run (say the check is meant to be 24 hours ahead, but you're setting up the session just a few hours before the start), it won't be cancelled automatically. Last-minute sessions are protected from an unexpected cancellation.
If you turn on a custom rule for an existing session and its check time has already passed, the check runs right after you save instead — Zenamu will let you know.
I just turned the feature on. Will sessions that start soon be cancelled too?
No. Turning on global cancellation doesn't apply retroactively to sessions that are already inside their check window. Only sessions whose check time falls after you turn the feature on are evaluated. So you won't cancel sessions that are about to start just by turning the feature on.
Does the waitlist count toward the minimum occupancy?
No. Only confirmed bookings count toward the minimum. Waitlisted clients aren't included. If the session is cancelled, waitlisted clients get a notification too, and any blocked payment is released.
Does a session's custom setting apply even when global cancellation is off?
Yes. A specific session's custom setting always takes priority. It applies even when global automatic cancellation is off. And the other way round — you can take a specific session out of cancellation even while the global setting is on.
Does automatic cancellation apply to sessions hidden from the public schedule?
Yes. The system also evaluates class sessions and events that aren't on the public schedule — bookings on them (made by the studio directly, for instance) are just as binding as any other, so clients get refunded and notified as usual. If a hidden session with no bookings at all is cancelled, you'll get an info email about it.
I changed the check lead time. Does it affect sessions that were already checked?
No. Each session is evaluated at most once. The new setting applies to sessions whose check is still to come; sessions that have already been checked aren't evaluated again. This also holds for last-minute sessions — shortening the lead time later won't pull them back into a check.
Do you automatically cancel courses too?
No. Automatic cancellation works for class sessions and for events (workshops). Courses don't have this feature.
Which plan does automatic cancellation need?
Automatic cancellation when underbooked is available on the current Expert and Ultimate plans and during the trial. Superseded plans such as Expert 2024 don't include it, and neither do Free, Lite, Standard or Professional; on those plans the settings are greyed out. If you move from a paid plan down to a lower one, automatic cancellation stops running, even though your settings are saved.