The Setup page lists what your account needs before anyone can book, and marks off what you have already done.
Work down the list
- Open Setup. The Getting Started card in the sidebar opens it too, and names the next item.
- Work through Essential Setup from the first card, then select More setup options for the rest.
Some items stay locked, marked Setup Required, until the item they depend on is done: your booking calendar before everything else, a service before your first booking, and a package before its balances. More setup options groups the rest by area, and a group that is all done folds away.
A new service starts with its own Online booking off, and turning on Online booking for the business does not switch services on. While any are off, Booking Settings and the setup list warn you, for example Pet owners can't book 4 of your 12 services online.
- Open Booking Settings.
- Under Online booking, select Switch them on.
- Tick the services and confirm. Each one changes straight away, with no Publish Changes, and nobody is sent a message.
Tip
Only three items are genuinely required: your booking calendar, a payment method, and one service. The rest shape how the account runs rather than whether it runs.
Look at it from the client's side
Three controls show you the booking form as a client sees it, and only one of them books anything.
| Control | Where | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Simulate a Booking > New customer | The settings menu beside New on Customers & Pets | Your booking page as a client with no account, through sign-in to the confirmation. Saves and sends nothing |
| Simulate > Booking Experience | Any pet's profile | That client's booking form, with their pet and their rules. Writes nothing |
| Try booking as a customer | The Setup list | Opens your live booking form |
On a trial, See what your customers see on the Setup page holds Simulate a new client, the same walk as New customer above. The code the form would text appears on screen, so any phone number works.
Trap
Try booking as a customer is a real booking on your live form. It creates the appointment and sends the client the confirmation. Use one of the two simulations when you only want to look.
Pick a date, then silence the messages
The Launch Petboost page walks the switchover in order. About 7 days out is the recommendation.
- Open Launch Petboost, then use Next Step or Previous to reach Go-Live Date.
- Pick the day under Go-live date, then select Confirm go-live date.
During a trial, Launch Petboost shows Upgrade & Unlock Your Launch Kit in place of the wizard.
Tip
If we are moving your data for you, it arrives within 24 hours and you check the calendar before you go live. The steps after Go-Live Date are the launch kit: Notify Customers holds the email to your clients, and Social Media the Instagram post and the front-desk flyer.
Loading appointments sends the client the same emails a real booking would, so turn off both of these before you import anything.
- Open Notifications.
- Under Booking Created, switch off Email the customer: booking updates and Text the customer: booking confirmation.
- Select Publish Changes, tick the box in Before You Publish, then select Publish Changes.
Trap
Reminders are separate switches. A book loaded with appointments inside the reminder window will still reach clients with these two off. Turn off Email the customer: reminders and Text the customer: reminders as well.
A new account ships with all four off, so check rather than assume. Once the book is in and checked:
- In Notifications, switch the four back on and publish the change.
- Switch off online booking in your old system.
- Swap the booking button on your website.
Import your package balances before the first redemption, not after. A client who has six of ten grooms left starts at zero until the balance is in, and staff will sell them a package they already own.