To organize the sessions you offer, you may create your own session types in Spectra/myStratus. For example, you may offer different types of wedding coverage: "Standard," "Royal," "Deluxe," and so on. Each type of wedding coverage could be created as a unique session type. You can create as many session types as you need. Session types are linked to a specific price list for invoicing purposes and only items on the price list you've selected will be available for ordering.

HERE'S A FLASH FOR YOU! Session types help you keep your sessions organized. Here are several reasons you may want to set up multiple session types in the software: Each session type can be a different color on the calendar. Each session type can have a default primary and secondary user. Each session type can have a unique default duration. Each session type can display a different price list (not available in the Express version). Each session type can have a unique workflow. Report on session trends by using session types.

Setting up Session Types

Before you can use the powerful session type features to organize your sessions, you will need to create your session types in the software. Note: Although you may have entered your session types in the Preferences Wizard when you set up the software, there are more options to choose from in the Session Types Maintenance list. Follow these steps to add additional details to the session types you've already created, as well as to add new ones. See also: Setting up the Software with the Preferences Wizard

1. Go to Maintenance > Session > Session Types to open your list of session types.
   
   

2. Click New to add a type or double-click on a type to change one. This will open a window where you can set up or modify a session type. Note: You can also make some quick edits right in the grid (i.e., changing or choosing a price list).

3. Complete the following on the General tab:
   
         

• General Properties 

  • Description - Enter the name for the session type.

  • Price List - Choose the price list that should be associated with this session type. When invoicing, only items on the selected price list will be available. Users with the Enterprise version can choose to select specific price lists for each location.  Setting which price list goes with each location can be set on the Location Info tab. This tab is only visible when the Specify by Location option is selected. See also: Setting up a Price List

  • Color - Choose the color you want these sessions to be on the calendar. Open the drop-down list and select one of the displayed colors or "mix" your own with the Custom Color option.

  • Default Length - Enter the default length (in minutes) for sessions of this type. The length of a session may be modified when scheduling.

  • Default Primary and Secondary User - Select a default primary and secondary user from the drop-downs. Only users checked as Photographers and Assistants will show up in the drop-downs, respectively. See also: Setting up Users

  • Default Resource - Select a default resource (i.e., room, camera, special equipment, etc.) that should also be reserved/booked with this session type.

  • Inactive - If you no longer use this session type, check this box and it will no longer appear on your drop-down lists throughout the software.
• Session Style (available in ) - Session styles are used to "turn on" additional features in the software related to social events (such as weddings) or organizations (such as senior sessions). The software will automatically add "pages" to the Scheduling Wizard and additional tabs to the client and session records to track information specific to social event or organizations. See also: Client Reference and Session Reference

  • Social Events/Weddings - Choosing this session style will enable features in the software specifically related to tracking information for weddings and other events, including alternate contacts, suppliers, and other details. Here's a look at the Social Event tab on a session. Note: This tab will only appear on session types with the Social Event session style. See also: Session Reference
    
    

  • Organization/School - Choosing this session style will enable features in the software specifically related to tracking information for organizations and schools, including yearbook selection, student number, deadlines, and more. You can also choose whether to require the user to choose an organization and graduation year when scheduling a session by checking Require Organization and/or Require Graduation Year.
    
    Here's an example of the Organization tab on a session. Note: This tab will only appear on session types with the Organization session style.  See also: Organizations, Session Reference, Client Reference  
    

    

• Accounting Properties  (available in )

  • G/L Sales Account - Select the specific general ledger account you want sales of this session type posted to. If blank, sales will post to the default sales account listed on the Accounting page in Company (Studio) Preferences under General Sales. If an accounting link is chosen, the software will export data to the sales account listed here; otherwise, the account number or label will merely print on all posting reports. See also: Company (Studio) Preferences - Accounting and Setting up the Accounting Link

  • G/L Discount Account - Select the specific general ledger account you want any discounts on this session type posted to. If blank, discounts will post to the default discount account listed on the Accounting page in Company (Studio) Preferences under Discounts. If an accounting link is chosen, the software will export data to the discount account listed here; otherwise, the account number or label will merely print on all posting reports. See also: Company (Studio) Preferences - Accounting and Setting up the Accounting Link

• InSpiredByYou.com 

  • Web Price List - If you use InSpiredByYou.com for online orders, select the price list that should be used online for this session type. Note: This price list must be enabled for online use. See Setting up a Price List  and Setting up InSpiredByYou for more information.

  • Default Duration Online - Also related to InSpiredByYou.com, set the default online duration for this session type.
• Miscellaneous Properties

  • Session Confirmation Description - Making changes in this field will change what is printed on the top of session confirmations for this type (i.e., Booking Confirmation, Wedding Confirmation. etc.).
    
    
    

  • Primary User Descriptor - Use this field to alter the default "Photographer" label for sessions of this type. For example, a session type of "Videography" may use a videographer instead of a photographer. In this case, entering "Videographer" as the Primary User Descriptor would change how the field is labeled for videography type sessions.

  • Secondary User Descriptor - Use this field to alter the default "Assistant" label for sessions of this type. For example, some studios may find it helpful to change "Assistant" to "Makeup Artist" for certain session types.

  • Default Resource Descriptor - Use this field to change the default "Camera Room" label for sessions of this type.

  • Auto-Remove conflicting timeslots upon booking -  Use this box if you want Stratus to automatically remove any conflicting time slots if one time slot is booked. For example, let's say the you have one 60 minute time slot with two 30 minute time slots in the same time period. If a client books the 60 minute time slot, then the two 30 minute time slots should now get deleted. If later the session is cancelled, all three time slots should reappear.  
4. Use the Session Confirmation Terms tab to modify what appears on session confirmations produced for sessions of this type. See also: Invoice Terms 




5. Likewise, use the Invoice Terms tab to change what is included at the bottom of invoices for this session type. See also: Invoice Terms 
   
   
6. Next, use the Descriptions on Calendar tab to customize the session and client information that is shown on the calendar for this session type. A default description is provided but you can insert additional fields, rearrange the information, and/or delete things you don't need. See also: Session and Appointment Descriptions
   
   
   

7. The Online Booking tab (available in myStratus ) is where you choose online settings for a session type so you can offer it for online booking. Enabling a session type for online booking will include it in your list of sessions on your online booking page. It will NOT allow people to book a session until you choose specific time slots that can be scheduled. For detailed setup information, see Setting Up Online Booking and Scheduling Time Slots. 
   
         

8. The Online Booking 2 tab (available in myStratus ) is for you to upload a marketing image that will be displayed as an example of the session during online booking. You can also use this tab to add any promotional items clients are allowed to use during the online booking process. See also: Online Booking Promotions
   
   
   

9. The Price List Items tab helps you simplify the process of creating a session fee invoice by automatically adding certain items to the invoice during the booking process, depending on the session type. For example, if you choose the setting below for your Deluxe Portrait session type, the appropriate session fee will automatically be added to the invoice when a deluxe portrait session is booked with the Scheduling Wizard or Online Booking. 
   
   

10. The Production tab (available in ) includes options for creating preproduction orders for sessions of this type. See also: Managing Preproduction Orders
    
    
    
    
11. The Digital Delivery tab offers the options for delivering images to clients digitally.  For more info about Digital Delivery, please follow this
    link.




12. The Location Info tab (Enterprise version only) is only visible when the option Specify by Location is selected as the price list on the General tab. Use this tab to select which price list should be selected as the default for each location.




13. Click OK to save the session type.


14. Close the list when finished.

Organizing your Session Types

You may want your session types to appear in a certain order for efficiency. Here's how to customize the order:

1. Go to Maintenance > Session > Session Types.

2. Use the Move Up, Move Down and Insert tools on the ribbon to customize the order of the list.

3. If you prefer alphabetical order, click Auto-Sort and the software will arrange them for you.

4. Close the window when finished.

Session Type Triggers

NOTE: This feature is available in the Professional and Enterprise versions of both Spectra and myStratus Desktop.


For each session type you can also set up various triggers to automatically send emails and SMS text messages, print letters, generate phone calls, or create tasks based on the primary session date or the date the session was created. See also: Triggers