Managing bookings

Concept

The booking management workflow is your operating method for moving booking requests from new to confirmed with minimal friction.

In InkWell, bookings progress through a clear status flow. This gives you and your team a shared operating language for handling inquiries and appointments.

Why it matters

A consistent workflow reduces missed inquiries and keeps clients informed.

• Booking statuses stay accurate and up to date.
• Response times improve when everyone follows the same process.
• Clients get a professional experience at every stage.
• Exceptions are handled early instead of becoming problems.

Most booking issues come from process drift, not tooling.

How to configure it

1. Open Dashboard -> Bookings to see your booking queue.
2. Review new booking requests promptly:
   • Check client details, service requested, and preferences.
   • Review reference images if provided.
3. Work bookings through the status flow:
   • New -> Review the request details
   • Quote -> Send a quote with deposit amount
   • Deposit paid -> Confirmed appointment
   • Completed after the session
4. Use decline or archive for requests you cannot accommodate.
5. For cancellations, process refunds with a clear reason and internal note.
6. At the end of each day, review any pending requests that need a response.

How to verify it worked

• Booking requests are reviewed and responded to promptly.
• No requests sit in pending status without a response for more than a day.
• Confirmed appointments appear correctly in your schedule.
• Refund and decline actions are recorded with clear notes.
• Clients receive status updates at each stage.

If booking volume is high, revisit Booking settings and Availability windows.

Common mistakes

• Leaving booking requests unanswered for too long.
• Not adding internal notes when declining or refunding.
• Confirming appointments without collecting the deposit first.
• Not reviewing pending bookings at the end of each day.
• Refunding without documenting why.