Shortcode Guidelines
WpBookingly provides shortcodes to display booking forms, service listings, staff availability, and category grids on any page or post.
Main Booking Form
Renders the full multi-step booking form with service selection, date picker, time slots, and checkout.
[wpbookingly_booking]
| Parameter | Values | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
layout | inline, horizontal, vertical | inline | Form layout style |
show_progress | true, false | false | Enable multi-step progress indicator |
show_summary | true, false | true | Display booking summary before checkout |
guest_checkout | true, false | false | Allow booking without registration |
redirect | URL | (empty) | Custom URL after successful booking |
date_format | String | site default | Override date display format |
time_format | String | site default | Override time display format |
first_day | 0, 1 | 0 | Starting day of week (0=Sun, 1=Mon) |
min_date | Date string | today | Earliest selectable booking date |
Service List
Displays a browsable service catalog with name, description, price, and duration. Supports category filtering and search.
[wpbookingly_services]
| Parameter | Values | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
columns | 1 – 4 | 2 | Number of grid columns |
layout | inline, horizontal, vertical | inline | Display layout style |
show_search | true, false | true | Enable or disable search bar |
show_filter | true, false | true | Show or hide category filter tabs |
category | Slug | (empty) | Filter by specific category slug |
limit | Integer | -1 | Maximum number of services to display (-1 = all) |
Staff Availability
Shows staff profiles and real-time availability for the current week with direct booking via staff selection.
[wpbookingly_staff]
| Parameter | Values | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
staff_id | Integer | (empty) | Show availability for a specific staff member |
layout | inline, horizontal, vertical | inline | Display layout style |
Category Grid
Renders a visual category grid with name, image, and service count. Clicking a category filters the service list.
[wpbookingly_categories]
| Parameter | Values | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
columns | 1 – 4 | 2 | Number of grid columns |
Usage Examples
Practical examples showing how to use shortcodes in different scenarios.
Basic Booking Form
[wpbookingly_booking]— Full booking experience[wpbookingly_booking layout="horizontal"]— Horizontal layout[wpbookingly_booking show_progress="true"]— With progress bar[wpbookingly_booking guest_checkout="true"]— Guest only
Filtered Displays
[wpbookingly_services category="consultation"]— Single category[wpbookingly_services columns="3" show_search="true"]— Grid with search[wpbookingly_staff staff_id="5"]— Specific staff availability[wpbookingly_categories columns="4"]— 4-column category grid
Embedding & Placement Tips
Best practices for placing shortcodes on your WordPress site for optimal user experience.
Page Placement
- Place the main booking shortcode on a dedicated, uncluttered page
- Use the service list shortcode on category landing pages
- Embed staff availability on team or about pages
- Avoid placing multiple booking forms on the same page
Widget Areas
- Add the booking form to a sidebar using a WordPress text widget
- Use Gutenberg shortcode blocks for easy placement in FSE themes
- Elementor users can use the Shortcode widget
- Test mobile rendering after embedding in widget areas