Instant booking, deposit and a break after each session

Each private session type can be booked at once instead of waiting for approval, keep time free after each session, and ask for a deposit. These are part of private sessions, so they start on the Starter plan with nothing more to switch on. The owner and admins set them.

Massage and spa studios start new session types as Confirmed at once. Every other business type starts with the two approvals. Session types you already had keep the two approvals, no break and no deposit until you change them. The screens use your business type’s words (for a massage studio: therapist, client, appointment).

Where to set it

1. Open Settings, Passes and memberships and find the Private sessions section.
2. Open a session type, or select New private session type.
3. Set How it is booked, Break after each session (minutes) and Deposit (below), then save.

Changing any of these saves a new version of the session type. Sessions already booked keep theirs.

How it is booked

• The studio and the teacher confirm: the member saves a card and is charged after both approve. See Approve or decline a private session.
• Confirmed at once: the member pays when booking and the session is confirmed. The teacher and the studio get a notice. Nobody approves or declines it; if it cannot happen, the studio cancels it.

Break after each session

Minutes kept free for the teacher and the room after every session of this type, for example 15 minutes to prepare the room. It comes on top of the room’s own Break between uses and the travel time in Private session settings. 0 means none.

The next start time members see moves later by that much. With a 15-minute break, a session from 08:00 to 09:00 keeps the room and teacher until 09:15, so on a 30-minute grid the next start offered is 09:30. The room calendar and the session page show the break.

Deposit

Under Deposit, choose No deposit, Fixed amount or Percent of the price (up to 100%). The deposit counts toward the price. Then choose how The rest of the price is paid:

• Paid online with the deposit: the member pays the whole price when booking. The deposit is the part the studio keeps on a late cancellation.
• Paid at the studio: only the deposit is paid online, and the desk takes the rest.

The editor shows an example, such as “Deposit $30.00, then $70.00 at the studio.” A deposit also works with approval: then the deposit is charged after both approvals.

What members see

1. They pick the session type, then the teacher or Anyone available (elastudio books whoever is free at that time), then a free time.
2. They select Book and pay and pay by card. The page says what they pay now, and the rest at the studio if any.
3. The time is held while they pay: Pay within 30 minutes to keep this time. Until then their session shows Waiting for your payment. If time runs out, the time is released and nothing is charged.

Once paid, the session is confirmed. The confirmation e-mail says “Deposit paid” and the amount “To pay at the studio”, or the price paid including the deposit. With the rest at the studio, the member’s reminder adds “Remember to pay the rest at the studio” and the amount. The teacher never sees amounts.

Cancellations and no-shows

• The member cancels in time (before Free cancellation until, hours before): everything paid comes back, and nothing more is owed.
• The member cancels late: the studio keeps the deposit, and anything paid above it goes back. Before confirming, the member reads, for example, “the studio keeps the deposit of $30.00 and $70.00 goes back to you.” Without a deposit, a late cancellation keeps the payment as before.
• The studio cancels: everything paid is refunded and any rest owed is closed.
• No-show: the payment is kept.

Taking the rest at the desk

The session page shows Deposit, Paid and Still to pay at the studio. The owner, admins and front desk choose How the member paid (Cash, Card machine or Bank transfer) and select Record with the amount. After a no-show, select Close without the balance and write Why the rest is not collected: the order closes with what was paid.

Sessions staff create

For a session type confirmed at once, a session staff create with Pay at the studio or Complimentary is confirmed at once, with no approvals and no deposit.