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Set cutoffs, prep time and blackout dates
To control lead time, open the location's calendar, set a same-day cutoff and prep time, add blackout dates for closed days, then check the earliest date the cart offers.
Steps
Step 1: Set prep time
Prep time is the notice you need between an order and its delivery or pickup. Open Shipping calendar, choose the location's calendar and method tab, and set prep time in minutes, hours or days. Slots that start sooner than that aren't offered.
Step 2: Set a same-day cutoff
Set the time after which you stop taking orders for today, for example 2 pm. Orders placed after the cutoff can book the next open day.
Step 3: Add blackout dates
Add the dates the location is closed, such as public holidays or a stocktake day. Nothing can be booked for delivery or pickup at that location on those dates.
Step 4: Set holiday hours instead of closing (optional)
If you open on a holiday with shorter hours, set holiday hours for that date rather than a blackout date.
Step 5: Check the location's time zone
Cutoffs, prep time and blackout dates all follow the location's time zone. If the location is set to the wrong zone, every cutoff moves with it.
Step 6: Check the earliest date in your cart
Save, then open your storefront in a private window and look at the earliest date and slot the cart offers. It should match your prep time and cutoff.
Features in this article
- Date and slot calendarLive
- Dashboard languages and per-location time zonesLive
What this is for:
See the setup for ShopifyBefore you start
Set up the location's days and slots first: see Set up delivery date and time slots or Set up pickup time slots.
Good to know
- Cutoffs and prep time are checked on our servers when the calendar loads, not on the shopper's device.
- For holiday rushes, set blackout dates and extra slots weeks ahead. The holiday capacity planning guide has the dates for the season.
Related articles
Troubleshooting
If it doesn't work.
Check the location's time zone and the cutoff time on the tab for the method they booked. Delivery and pickup have separate settings, so a cutoff on one doesn't apply to the other.
Prep time, the same-day cutoff and blackout dates add up. Check prep time units (hours or days), remove blackout dates you no longer need, and check that the days in between have slots with capacity left.
Some calendar settings depend on your plan. Check your plan in the app's billing settings, or ask us in the in-app chat.
Not necessarily. Delivery and pickup each have their own tab on the location's calendar, with their own prep time and cutoff, so a store can keep same-day pickup open after delivery has closed for the day.