What's the Difference Between Availability and Capacity?

Understanding the difference between Capacity and Availability is essential for managing your bookings effectively in TripWorks.

Written By Melanie Gannone (Administrator)

Updated at December 2nd, 2025

The Short Answer 

Term Definition Example
Capacity The maximum number of spots you can sell "We have 2 helicopters with 6 seats each = 12 capacity"
Availability The number of spots remaining after bookings "We sold 5 seats, so availability is 7"

Capacity

Capacity is the total number of spots that can be sold for a timeslot.

  • Set when you configure your timeslot
  • Remains unchanged unless you take specific actions (see below)
  • Represents your maximum selling potential
  • Customers do not see this number directly

Example:
Your sunset kayak tour has 10 kayaks. Your capacity is 10.

When Capacity Changes

Capacity is set at the time you configure your timeslot and remains unchanged unless you:

  • Add or remove blackouts
  • Add or remove resources from a resource pool
  • Manually change capacity for a specific timeslot

Availability

Availability is the number of spots remaining after bookings and blackouts that customers can still book.

  • Calculated automatically by the system
  • Updates in real-time as bookings are made or cancelled
  • This is what customers see when booking
  • Formula: Availability = Capacity - Booked - Blackouts - Holds

Example:
Your kayak tour has 10 capacity. 3 people have booked and 1 person has a hold in their cart. Availability is 6.

What Reduces Availability

  • Confirmed bookings
  • Blackouts
  • Holds (items in customer carts)
  • Pending reservations

Frequently Asked Questions

Why would Capacity and Availability ever be the same?

When no one has booked yet! A fresh timeslot with zero bookings will show Capacity = Availability.

Can Availability ever be higher than Capacity?

No. Availability can never exceed Capacity. If you see this, contact support.

What happens if I change Capacity after people have booked?

Availability recalculates automatically. If you reduce capacity below the number already booked, you may end up oversold.

Where do I see Capacity vs Availability?

  • Calendar View Modes: Toggle between Capacity and Availability views to see each
  • Timeslot Details: Click any timeslot to see both numbers
  • Availability Diagnostic: Run a full diagnostic report to see the calculation breakdown

What are "Holds"?

Holds are temporary reservations - typically when a customer has added tickets to their cart but hasn't completed checkout. Holds temporarily reduce availability but aren't confirmed bookings yet.

How do I increase Availability?

You can:

  1. Cancel existing bookings
  2. Increase Capacity (add resources or set a capacity override)
  3. Wait for holds to expire