NOTE: This feature is available in the Standard, Professional, and Enterprise versions of myStratus Desktop. Spectra does not include this feature.

ATTENTION! Online booking must be set up in myStratus Desktop. If you don't have the desktop app installed, check out Installing myStratus Desktop for more information.

Activate the Online Booking Feature

1. In myStratus Desktop, go to Maintenance > Preferences > Online Booking Preferences.

2. Activate the feature by checking the Activate Online Booking checkbox.

Choose your Preferences

ATTENTION!                                            If a setting says it is shared with the Referral Program Preferences, then if the setting is modified in one menu it will also change in the other. See also: Referral Program Preferences

GENERAL TAB 

Complete the following items on the General tab:

Section 1:  Web Page

• Online Booking Style - Choose one of the following options:  iFrame or Link , for more info on making the page appear correctly on your site, click here, and see the section "How do I get the online booking page to appear right on my website?"

Section 2:  Sessions and Appointments

• Get HTML Code - In the Sessions and Appointments sections, click Get HTML Code and we will construct the HTML link or iFrame code for you and copy it to your clipboard. You will need to paste the code into your website HTML code. If generating an iFrame, the code created is ready as-is. It simply needs to be pasted into your site.
  

• Location Display Name (Enterprise Version only)- Enterprise clients will also have an option to enter a display name for their location. Customers visiting your online booking page will be presented with a list of locations to choose from. Here you can choose how you want to display the name of this location.

• Time Zone  Use this option if you'd like to display the Time Zone for the Time Slots.  Most studios will not use this feature, it's designed for studios that may have different time zones they shoot in (Enterprise version).  This option will use the Time Zone location for the clients computer is in.  So if they are on vacation in Pacific Time Zone, but your Studio is in Eastern Time Zone, for any correspondence about the session time, Stratus will adjust the time to the Time Zone the client was in when they booked the Session or Appointment.

• Logo Use this option if you'd like your logo to appear on the booking page.

CLIENTS TAB 

Section 1:  New Client Defaults

 Set default values for new client records we create in your database, including:

• Disable New Account Creation Online - If you don’t want Clients to have the ability to create a new account during the online booking process, then click the checkbox to Disable New Account Creation Online.  For example, a school photographer who already has the students set up in his/her system may not want new accounts created.

• Default Client Status - Sets the default values for new client records we create in your database.  You may want to choose a unique status to show this is an online booking client and also allows you to follow up accordingly (i.e. "Client - Booked Online").   To create a client status, go to Maintenance > Client > Client Status. See also: Client Statuses

• Default Lead Source - Sets the value for new client records we create in your database.  The lead source will allow you to follow up accordingly (i.e. "Online Booking").  To create the lead source, go to Maintenance > Client > Lead Sources. See also: Lead Sources

Section 3:  Web Forms (For more info on Web Forms, click here.)

• New Clients - If you have a Web Forms created to gather more info from new clients, select it here.
• Existing Clients - If you have a Web Forms created to gather more info from existing clients, select it here.

SESSIONS TAB

Section 1:  New Session Defaults 

• New Session Defaults - Enter a Default Description for these sessions. For example, "Session booked online." 

• Default Booked By -  Choose a staff member to be noted as the Default Booker.

• Session Notes - This field, if it's not Hidden, will allow the client to add notes to the Session record created by the booking.

• Why are you booking? - This field, if not hidden, will allow the client to select from any of the Session Promotions that are flagged "Show Online".  For more info on Session Promotions, click here.

• Promo Code -  This field, if not hidden, will allow the client to enter a Promo Code with a code that will offer a discount, for a session fee, or an item. From more info on offering promotional discounts, click here.

• These options offer the ability to prevent clients from booking, rescheduling, or canceling too close to the Session date; and limits the number of times a session can be rescheduled. For example, if it is all right for a Client to book a Session for the same day, then leave that box blank.

• If set to 0, show  today +1 day (show tomorrow)
  
• If set to 1, show today + 2 days (show the day after tomorrow)
• And so on

APPOINTMENTS TAB

Set the defaults for any new appointments we create in your database, including:

Section 1:  New Appointment Defaults 

• New Appointment Defaults - Enter a Default Description for these appointments. For example, "Appointment booked online." 

• Default Booked By -  Choose a staff member to be noted as the Default Booker.

Section 2:  New Appointment Options

• Hidden column – Check this box for a field to be hidden from a client's view.
• Required column -  Check this box for a field to be required from a client's view

Section 3:  Scheduling Options

• These options offer the ability to prevent clients from booking, rescheduling, or canceling too close to the Appointment date.

INVOICES TAB

Set the default values for new invoices and payment records we create in your database, including:

• Default Description - Enter a description for invoices created through online booking.
• Default Status - Choose a default status for online booking invoices.
• Default Classification - Choose a default classification (if desired).
• Default Sales Rep - Choose the sales rep who should be listed on these invoices.
• Default Payment Method - Choose a default method for paying clients.  This option can only take clients if TSYS is utilized. See Also: TSYS Credit Card Processing

TIME SLOTS TAB

Set up the Time Slot tab in order to have the Control Center handle creating your Time Slots. See also: Scheduling Time Slots



Go to Maintenance > Preferences > Online Booking Preferences > Time Slots (tab).

• Dates – Select the Source Week (choose the week that already has Time Slots created as a “template” for the creation of future Time Slots). Next, determine the first week to create the Time Slots.
• Schedule – Schedule the day for the job to be run.
• Options – Check boxes to prevent a time slot from being created, i.e. if a Session/Appointment is already created or if the studio is closed.
• Notification  – Select preference for the job notification to describe whether the job was a Success/Failure. Notification: a notification will appear on the home screen of selected User.
• Email – An email will be sent to the selected email address describing whether the job was successful/failed.