Cobot supports plans that limit when members can access your space and the amount of time they can work there. Adding Time Passes to a plan turns it from unlimited access (with no time restriction) into a limited access plan.
You can create different types of Time Passes for each plan, such as hourly, full-day, and half-day passes. Add multiple passes to a single plan so members have total flexibility when they work. You can choose how many of these passes are included per week or month. Once members use their included passes, they are prompted to purchase more.
Check out the following guides if you are looking for hourly or daily time passes, or recurring monthly plans. Keep in mind you can mix and match any kind of pass within a single plan:
To allow non-members (visitors) to book a one time day pass, set these up in your External Bookings Portal instead.
Setting up Time Passes
To enable Time Passes go to Setup » Plans » 'Edit' an existing plan or create a new one. Click on Time Passes » Add Time Pass .
Basic Settings
You will see multiple fields for the following information:
The name of the pass
This is a required field. Choose something that reflects the length of validity, like Full Day Pass or Half Day Pass.
Price of the pass
This is a required field. See below on how to provide free passes to your members.
Expiry of pass
If filled out, purchased passes automatically expire after the given number of days. If there are passes included in the plan, this will not impact them. It only affects passes that the member purchases.
If the field is left blank, Time Passes will not expire. If you add a number, for example, 30, the Time Passes will expire 30 days after their date of purchase. Let us know if you want us to turn this feature off so that all free, unused passes remain on your member's account.
Timespan
A Time Pass can be valid for a particular time of day, such as 8 am to 12 pm, or for a duration, like 2 hours. If adding time spans to your Time Passes, we recommend using the Wifi integration to optimize tracking and usage. The Wifi integration will only allow your members to access your Wifi if and when they have a valid pass on their account.
When a time span is added, that specific pass can only be used during that time and will expire at the given end time. Passes with multiple timespans can only be used once in one of the given timespans.
Hourly passes
The simplest form is a Time Pass with a duration (e.g., 1h). This Time Pass will be valid for one hour from the time the member checks in, so if your member gets checked in at 11:35, the pass will be valid until 12:35.
Check out this guide for more details on hourly time passes and how they work.
Fixed Time Span
Alternatively, you can use a fixed timespan, limiting the member's access to just those times.
Cobot understands both standard and military time, so you can enter 2 pm - 4 pm or 14 - 16 if you want the pass to be valid between 2 pm and 4 pm.
If the member tries to check in before or after your valid time span, they will be unable to.
You can add multiple validity times to a pass.
Free Passes
There are a few ways you can give your members free Time Passes:
Include free passes in the plan by adding them to the 'Free Passes Included' field. Free Time Passes will not accrue/roll over to the next month. Any unused passes are deleted, and new ones are populated weekly or monthly.
Offer 'Vouchers' so members can enter a code in their member portal and get a free Time Pass. Check out this guide to learn how these work and how to set them up.
You can assign free Time Passes directly to the member's profile. Go to Manage » Members » Click on the member name » Time Passes » Assign Time Pass. Passes assigned in this way will never expire.
The member must have Time Passes on their plan before doing any of the above.
Volume Discounts
To offer packages of passes or discounts for passes when the member purchases more than one at a time, add a Volume Discount.
Click on 'Add Discount' and input the price and number of passes the member can purchase. You can set multiple types of discounts per Time Pass, e.g., five passes for $100 and 10 passes for $180.
Discounts are applied to each type of pass.
You can add multiple kinds of Time Passes by clicking the Add Time Pass link again to repeat this process.
Checking Members in on a Time Pass
Cobot offers multiple ways to check members into your space:
Members check themselves in
Admins check members in
Wifi integration
"Members checked in" add-on
You can read more about the specifics of each method here; regardless of the method, when the member checks in, a Time Pass is deducted automatically. When no more Time Passes are left, they cannot check-in and are prompted to buy more.
We recommend using the wifi integration to optimize tracking and usage. The wifi integration will only allow your members to access your wifi when they have a valid pass on their account. Access to the wifi is cut off when their time pass runs out.
This setting can be disabled on request, resulting in members' wifi access being disabled until they check in with a Time Pass again. Members can override this disabled setting by setting up automatic connection and password remember functions on their specific devices.
Cobot will first deduct the least expensive pass when a member has multiple Time Passes. Cobot will return and deduct the more expensive pass when applicable.
e.g., The member has half and full day passes on their plan. The member is checked in on a half-day pass. They stay longer than the half-day. The pass is returned and the full day deducted instead.
How Members Interact With Time Passes
Members with Time Passes on their plans manage them via their member portal. They have an overview on their dashboard of what type of passes they have available, how many passes they have on account, and whether or not they can check in.
Paying for Time Passes
You can decide wether or not members must pay you in advance for Time Passes or if they can pay on invoice on their monthly billing cycle.
Paying in advance
Go to Customize » Features » Payments » Activate 'Must pay for time passes instantly.'
Members must add their payment method to their account before purchasing a pass. You must have at least one automated payment method set up for this to work. Check out this guide for more information on how to do this.
If they do not have a payment method on their account, Cobot will block them from purchasing a pass until they do so.
Paying and selecting on signup
New members can also select a number of Time Passes they want during signup with your space, however, they will only be able to select a quantity if you have setup automated payment methods.
Paying on invoice
Members can select Time Passes via their admin portal and use them right away. The charge for these passes will be added to their recurring monthly invoice. This is Cobot's default, so no steps need to be taken for this to happen.
Member Guide
Send this handy guide to your members if they are unsure how to purchase and use Time Passes.
Additional Information
Time Pass Proration
Time Passes prorate when the member starts on a plan mid-billing cycle. We apply the same logic to the plan fee to the Time Passes.
Example: A 1/3 of the month has already passed when the member registers for a membership. They will pay 2/3 of the monthly fee on their prorated invoice and be assigned 2/3 of the Time Passes by Cobot.
To give your member all Time Passes regardless of when they start, you must add the missing passes manually. To do this, go to their Member Profile » Time Passes » Assign Time Passes. Be sure to mark them as 'Don't Charge' so they are not added to their next invoice.
Manually Assigning and Deleting Time Passes
Assign Time Passes As Admin
To assign Time Passes manually, go to Manage » Members » Click on their Member Profile » Time Passes » Assign Time Passes.
There are three options to charge for Time Passes you assign:
Charge - the member will be charged on their next invoice.
Don't Charge - the Time Passes won't appear on any invoice.
Already Paid - the Time Passes will appear on the next invoice but will be marked as paid (payable amount will be zero).
Delete Time Passes And Time Pass Purchases As Admin
You can delete Time Passes and Time Pass purchases from a member's next invoice.
Deleting Time Passes
Go to Manage » Members » Click on their Member Profile » Time Passes » Delete Time Passes. Enter the number of Time Passes you want to delete, then click Delete Time Passes. If you are deleting the Time Pass because you don't want to charge the member, you will need to delete the Time Pass purchase.
Deleting Time Pass purchases from an upcoming invoice
Go to Manage » Members » Click on their Member Profile » Time Passes » Recent Purchases. Click Remove next to the Time Pass purchase you wish to delete from the upcoming invoice. Once you delete a Time Pass purchase, the Time Passes will also be removed from the member's account.
Next Step
Let's set up your recurring monthly extras.
✨
Want expert help learning how to set up and maintain
a frictionless member experience?