From quote to aftercare: keep tattoo bookings moving

Before a session, you might need to agree the price or move the time. Afterwards, there may be a balance to request or aftercare advice to send. Keep those jobs with the booking so you can pick up where you left off.

One booking, four next steps

In this fictional example, Casey agrees a £300 tattoo with Jude, with a £100 deposit. The appointment came from a phone call. It has a saved client email and a private conversation, without a duplicate enquiry. The amounts below explain the workflow; they are not a suggested deposit or cancellation policy.

Share the agreed price

Save the total and required deposit in Payments, then choose Share saved quote. Review the saved amounts, recipient and message before sending. Casey receives a private link to read and reply without an account. Message client stays in the booking header when another question comes up.

A quote explains the agreed price. It does not collect money or act as a VAT invoice. For online collection, prepare a separate payment request when your studio is ready and payments are enabled. Keep cash, bank or terminal records in your existing process if you prefer those methods.

Follow up an unpaid request

If the £100 deposit request is still unpaid and valid, an owner or admin can choose Send reminder after the ten-minute email cooldown. Check the recipient, amount and message. The reminder uses the same request and expiry, rather than creating another charge. Check any payment in progress before chasing or replacing it.

An expired or withdrawn request cannot be revived by a reminder. A failed or uncertain email uses Retry original emailwhen offered. Neither sending nor acceptance by the email provider proves that Casey paid or received the message. Follow the payment reminder guide.

When a session is missed or cancelled

Use Cancel booking or, after the start and agreed grace period, Record no-show. Review the booking’s original terms, notice, confirmed receipts and previous refunds. The studio decides whether to retain an amount, approve a supported refund or leave the money decision for review. There is no automatic penalty charge. Staff without payment permissions leave an owner/admin review task.

Check the notification before confirming. Cancellation and a refund remain distinct recorded actions. For an existing booking with shared sessions, choose the affected scope and review the payment allocation; cancelling one visit does not make the whole shared deposit forfeited. Read the cancellation and refund steps.

Finish the session and follow up

The scheduled end passing does not mark the tattoo complete. Review the session outcome and any enabled staff checklist. Once completion is recorded, payment managers can open Payments & receipts from the calendar drawer. Check the confirmed £100 receipt and any outside payments before requesting the remaining amount.

Use View / share receipt for a confirmed InkWell payment, including confirmed refunds and the net recorded amount. Use Message client to review and send your studio’s aftercare guidance. Opening the drawer sends nothing. A receipt confirms a payment record; it is separate from a formal client invoice and from money reaching your bank.

Check the record before moving on

• Check the appointment status and agreed artist, date and times.
• Keep quotes, received payments and booked time as separate facts.
• Review the actual client email and notification before sending.
• Check pending refunds before treating money as returned.
• Use Analytics to review recorded outcomes and upcoming work, with its displayed date ranges.

Continue with client conversations, receipt sharing or the reporting guide. For the first step, see phone bookings and walk-ins.