Setting and Managing Blackout Dates

Overview #

Blackout dates let you mark specific days when you are unavailable for performances. Whether you have a vacation planned, a personal commitment, or just need a day off, blackout dates ensure you will not receive booking requests or be assigned to performances on those days.

Creating a Blackout Date #

You can create blackout dates from your Home Calendar or Settings.

From the Home Calendar #

1. Navigate to your Group Home Dashboard
2. Click on any empty date in the calendar
3. Or click the + button and select Blackout Date
4. A dialog will appear to configure your blackout

Configuring a Single Date Blackout #

1. Use the date picker to select the date
2. The date will display in a friendly format (e.g., “Saturday, June 6th, 2025”)
3. (Optional) Add a reason in the text field (e.g., “Family wedding”)
4. Click Save to create the blackout

Creating a Date Range Blackout #

For vacations or extended unavailability:

1. Toggle the Date Range option
2. Select your Start Date
3. Select your End Date
4. All dates in the range will be marked as unavailable
5. (Optional) Add a reason
6. Click Save

Blocking an Entire Weekend #

When you select a date that falls on a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday:

1. A checkbox appears: Blackout entire weekend
2. Check this box to automatically block Friday through Sunday
3. This is useful for wedding weekends or family events

Adding a Reason (Optional but Recommended) #

The reason field helps you remember why you blocked a date:

• Reasons are visible only to you and group leaders
• Examples: “Vacation”, “Anniversary”, “Doctor appointment”, “Out of town”
• Reasons appear in tooltips when hovering over blackout dates on the calendar

Viewing Your Blackout Dates #

Blackout dates appear on your Home Calendar:

• Color: Gray background
• Label: “Unavailable”
• Hover: Shows the reason if you added one

Deleting a Blackout Date #

If your plans change and you become available:

1. Click on the blackout date in your calendar
2. The blackout date dialog will open in edit mode
3. Click Delete or the trash icon
4. Confirm the deletion

The date will immediately become available for bookings again.

How Blackout Dates Affect Auto-Contracting #

When a bandleader uses auto-contracting to fill a performance:

• The system checks each musician is blackout dates
• Musicians with blackout dates on the performance date are automatically skipped
• The skip reason is logged: “Artist has a blackout date”
• The next available musician in the personnel list is contacted instead

Best Practices #

• Block dates early – Add blackout dates as soon as you know about conflicts
• Always add a reason – Helps you remember why you blocked the date
• Use date ranges for vacations – Easier than creating individual blackouts
• Check before accepting gigs – Review your blackout dates before committing
• Remove outdated blackouts – Delete old blackouts to keep your calendar accurate

Troubleshooting #

I cannot see my blackout dates on the calendar #

• Check if the date is in the currently visible month
• Use the date picker to navigate to the correct month
• Verify the blackout was saved successfully (you should have seen a confirmation)

I was still offered a gig on a blackout date #

• Check if the blackout date was created AFTER the gig was offered
• Existing proposals are not affected by new blackout dates
• Create blackout dates proactively to prevent future offers

Related Articles #

• Understanding Auto-Contract Conflict Detection
• Connecting Google Calendar for Automatic Syncing
• Navigating the Group Home Dashboard