In this article
There are three types of hours that can be stored:
Primary Hours
Alternate Hours
Exception Hours
Hours Types and Descriptions
Hours Type | Description | Example | |
Primary Hours | The entity’s primary operating hours. | Appear as primary hours on Google. | Everyday hours. |
Alternate Hours | The entity’s hours for specific days, weeks, or seasons, which will overwrite Primary Hours. | Appear as primary hours on Google (replaces normal primary hours). | Summer, Thanksgiving week. |
Exception Hours | The entity’s hours for specific Holidays, which will overwrite Primary Hours and Alternate Hours. | Appear as confirmed Special Hours on Google and overwrite primary hours. | Christmas, New Year’s Eve. |
Difference between Alternates and Exceptions
Exceptions overwrite primary hours and appear on Google as green, verified Holiday Hours.
Alternates overwrite primary hours, but do not appear as verified holiday hours.
Why use Alternate hours?
If your entities operate on different schedules throughout the year, you can keep your primary hours the same and just add Alternates. Alternates will overwrite your primary hours until you specify an end date. Once the Alternates expire, the system automatically resumes using primary hours. This ensures that you don’t have to make multiple updates to primary hours throughout the year.
Note: You should still use Exceptions to mark your entity as closed for specific holidays.
Adding and Editing Primary Hours
To add and/or edit primary hours, follow these steps:
Navigate to the entity and click to expand its details.
Click on the “Hours” subtab.
Toggle between the different hours sets by selecting the Primary Hours drop down.
Click the pencil icon underneath the days of the week to add or edit hours.
Specify the times the entity is open that day.
Click the Save button.
Toggle the green open bar to mark the entity as open or closed.
Select the Open 24 Hours checkbox if the entity is open 24 hours.
Click on the arrows or type in the boxes to specify the times.
Click on the trashcan to discard hours.
Click the blue Add hours button if the entity will close at lunchtime and re-open later that day.
Click the Cancel button to discard your changes
Note: If your entities have multiple departments that open at various times, the option to add primary hours sets can be discussed with your Account Director.
Adding Alternative or Exception Hours
Under the Hours tab, click the blue +New button or click on the day of the week in the calendar view.
Select the Alternate or Exceptions (Holiday) hours sets via the drop-down.
Specify the date by using the calendar or typing it in:
Open Bar: Toggle the green open bar to mark the entity as open or closed for that day.
Open 24 hours: Select the Open 24 hours checkbox if the entity is open 24 hours that day.
Apply to all Locations: Select this checkbox if you would like to apply the Alternate/Exception hour change to all entities that you have access too. For example, if all stores for your brand are closed on Christmas (12/25), you can use the “Apply to all Locations” feature to quickly set a close Exception for all locations. Note that once applied to all entities, this will override any current Exception hours in place. Therefore, it is best to be certain of your change before utilizing this feature.
Select an optional end date: Select this checkbox if you would like to apply your change for multiple days. The “end date” will be the last day that your Alternate/Exception hours will be in effect.
Begin typing in the opening time box, in which time options will appear.
Select the opening time.
Note: If you need to add Alternates or Exceptions for more than a handful of entities, please reach out to your Account Director.
Updating or Deleting Alternative or Exception Hours
Navigate to the day in the calendar on the left.
Find the blue (alternate) or green (exception) rectangle on the enlarged calendar view.
Click on the colored shaded rectangle.
Click the pencil to edit the hours or delete to remove the hours.