How does time flow work ?

Flow time enables to count down a certain number of units according to the time the client spent at the club. For example, if the member arrives at 10.00 am and leaves at 1.00 pm, we take two units but if the member arrives at 10.00 am and leaves at midday, we take only one unit. This article helps you to configure time flow and highlights the priorities to remember when using this feature.

Prerequisite

• The club should be equipped with two access points : one to manage the inputs, another one to manage the outputs. Without these two points, it is not possible to know how long the member stayed, and time flow cannot be calculated.
• The time flow feature is not activated by default, please contact the customer service if you want to activate it.

STEP 1 : DETERMINE THE ENTRY RULES

The first thing to do is to define three durations which are essential in the configuration, from the entry rules of the targeted zone by time flow.

First, please tick the box 'Output units flow'. Then fill in the fields below, according to your needs.

• The '... minutes offered' field

On a marketing view, you can decide not to charge the member for the time spent in the locker room at the end of the training for example. So these fields enable you to define the number of minutes offered to the member. These first two rules will enable to define the schedule basis which will be referred for time flow : time flow start time and time flow end time. 

• The ' ...minutes : flow interval' field 

The flow interval corresponds to the number of minutes which will be used to calculate the units flow. For example, 60 minutes.

Advantage of the field once the configuration finalised

In step 2 of this article, you will see that the unit flow is possible in different ways on this 60-minute basis.

To understand better, here are two examples of configuration made possible on the basis of the information given in Flow Interval :

- Case #1 : 60 minutes spent at the club (except the time offered at the start and at the end) take one unit.

- Case #2 : 60 minutes spent at the club between 8.00 am and midday (except the time offered at the start and at the end) take two units while 60 minutes spent at the club between midday and 2.00 pm (except the time offered at the start and at the end) take only one unit.

To finalise your configuration, please go to Step 2.

STEP 2 : CONFIGURE THE OUTPUT  FLOW UNITS MENU

From the 'Output flow (units)' menu, you also have to configure the hours according to your needs. To lead you at best, let's consider two examples. In the first example, the day time does not influence the number of units taken and, in the second example, according to the hour, the number of units taken from the member's pack will not be the same. The first 5 minutes and the last 5 minutes are always offered to the client.

Example #1 - One hour spent at the club takes one unit.

Let's take a first example : whatever the hour of the day, one unit will be taken for one hour spent at the club. From the menu 'Output (unit) flow, for each weekday, we add the expected times and the cost for 60 minutes configured beforehand.

Case of a member who arrived at 8.00 am and left at 10.00 am.

The member arrives at 8.00 am, the first 5 minutes are offered so we consider that time flow starts at 8.05 am. The member leaves the gym at 10.00 am, s/he was offered the last 5 minutes so we consider that time flow ends at 9.55 am. So, 110 minutes were spent on the session by the member who will be taken two units.

Example #2 - One hour spent at the club between 6.00 am and midday takes one unit and one hour spent at the club between midday and 11.00 pm takes two units.

Case of a member who arrived at 11.00 am and left at 2.00 pm.

The member arrives at 11.00 am, the first 5 minutes are offered so we consider that time flow starts at 11.05 am. The member leaves the gym at 2.00 pm. S/he was offered the last 5 minutes, so we consider that time flow ends at 1.55 pm. So 170 minutes were spent on the session by the member, among which the first 60 minutes (a flow interval) end in the timeslot 12.00 am/11.00 pm, so the 170 minutes will take 6 units.

ARE THE MEMBER'S UNITS CHECKED WHEN ENTERING THE ZONE?

To be able to enter, a member should have enough units to pay the 1st interval flow (60 minutes in the example). For instance, if the interval flow is 60 minutes and 60 minutes cost 2 points, a member who has only 1 point at the entrance will be blocked and will not be allowed to enter, but will have to go to the club reception and buy units.

WHAT ABOUT A MEMBER WHO DOES NOT ENOUGH UNITS WHEN LEAVING?

The member will be blocked and will not be allowed to leave, and s/he will have to buy units at the club reception.

WHAT ABOUT THE MEMBER WHO FORGETS PRESENTING THEIR ENTRY PASS WHEN LEAVING?

Please contact your support or implementation manager to set and configure the consideration of badging out. An output can automatically be recorded and a blocking alert can be set on a member who would have entered without badging out. Every night around 2.00 am, an alert will be created for any member who would not have presented their badge out the day before. If you have defined that the automatic output should be one hour after the input and the member arrives at 7.00 pm, as in the example, so s/he will be debited  2X1 hours spent at the club so 2 units.

ANY OTHER LIMITS?

There will never be any restriction on the number of outputs.