Skip to main content
Event buffers are a great way to maintain a breathing space between multiple events in a day. Buffers are taken into consideration while booking a Cal event, if that Cal event has a buffer time selected. This simply means that buffers cannot overlap Cal events and thus a Cal event with buffer time can only be booked respecting the buffer time (before event, after event or both). Event buffers automatically block time before and/or after your meetings so you don’t get booked back-to-back. You can configure buffers per event type. For example:
  • Add buffer before meetings to prepare
  • Add buffer after meetings to take notes, travel, or follow up
When buffers are enabled, Cal.com treats that extra time as busy, so new bookings cannot overlap it.

​
How to set a buffer time

You can either set a before event buffer time, an after event buffer time, or both. Here’s how to do that:
1
Select your event type where you wish to add the buffer time
2
To add a buffer time, click on the Limits & buffers tab of the event type settings.
3
Then, click on the before event, or after event select box to view the buffer time options in minutes and select the buffer time of your choice
4
Click on Update to save your changes. Your event type should now consider the newly added buffer time

​
How buffers work

Every meeting creates a protected time window around it.
Other meetings cannot be scheduled inside this protected window.

​
Buffers can stack

When someone tries to book a new meeting near an existing one, Cal.com considers:
  • Buffers of the existing meeting
  • Buffers of the new meeting being scheduled
This ensures both meetings get the space they require. This is why you may sometimes see more time blocked than the buffer value itself.