To organize the sessions you offer, you may create your own session types in Stratus. 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 may create as many session types as you find helpful. 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.

Why do I need different session types? Session types help you keep your sessions organized. Here are several reasons you may want to set up multiple session types in Stratus: Each session type can be a different color on the calendar. 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. Track session trends by using multiple session types.

Setting Up Session Types

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

2. Click New to add a new type.
   
   

3. Complete the following fields in General Information section:

   • 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. 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 Resource - Enter 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.
   • 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.
     
   • 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.
     
   • 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 Accountingpage in Company 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.

     • 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 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.

   • 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. 

     • 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.

4. Complete the following fields on the Session Confirmation Terms and Invoice Terms tab:

• Session and Invoice Terms - The terms that appear at the bottom of your session confirmations (Session Terms) and your invoices (Invoice Terms) are both set up in Maintenance > Invoice > Invoice Terms. For instructions on setting up your terms, see the Invoice Terms topic.
  
  

5. Complete the following fields on the Calendar Description tab:
• Descriptions on the Calendar - Stratus has been set up to include a default set of information on the calendar for each session and appointment. These descriptions can be customized to include just the information you find helpful. For instructions on modifying the calendar descriptions see the Changing Event Descriptions topic.
  
  
6. Complete the following fields on the Online Booking tab 

   NOTE: This feature requires the Standard, Professional, or Enterprise version of myStratus Web.

   :
   • 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.
     
     
   
   
7. Complete the following fields on the Price List Items tab:
   • 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 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. 
   
   
   
8. To maintain your session type list, you may also want to:

   • Delete a Session Type -  Highlight the type and click Delete on the ribbon.

   • Rearrange the List - Highlight a session type and use the Move Up and Move Down tools on the ribbon.

   • Hide Inactive Types - Click Hide Inactive on the ribbon to hide (or reveal) any inactive session types.

   • Print the List - Click Print on the ribbon to generate a printed report of your session types.

   • Export the List to Excel - Click Export to Excel to export an Excel file that you can download.

Using Session Types

After you have created your session types, you can easily sort your sessions and customize your workflows by session type. This section is short at the moment, but check back later as there are lots of great features being added that use session types.


Search for Session Types

1. Go to the Sessions hub.
2. Choose "Session Types" as the Search By option.
3. Choose one of your session types from the list.

Create Session Statuses based on Session Types

You can create session statuses to track the different steps of your workflow. More importantly you can create session statuses based on session types, helping you track different workflows for each of your session types. For example, you can track a different workflow for your wedding, portrait, and senior sessions. For more information, refer to the Using Session Statuses topic.