This guide walks you through the essentials so you can start taking bookings as quickly as possible. You don't need to set up everything at once. focus on the basics first and explore more features as you grow.
The 4 Things You Need Before Your First Booking
Your account comes pre-loaded with sample packages, add-ons, and settings to give you a head start. At a minimum, make sure these four things are in place:
Once those four are in place, click Create New in the top nav to create your first booking or proposal.
Understanding Leads, Proposals, and Bookings
Check Cherry organizes your sales pipeline into three stages:
- Leads: A record of interest. Someone inquired about your services but hasn't received a quote yet. Leads come in from website forms, abandoned bookings where customers start to book but only enter their contact info, or manual entry.
- Proposals: A quote you send with your pricing and packages. You can create a proposal from a lead, or skip the lead step entirely if you already know someone wants to book.
- Bookings: The deal is done. The contract is signed and the deposit is paid. You can also create bookings directly for existing clients or when migrating from another system.
Two Ways to Get Bookings
Check Cherry supports two workflows, and most businesses use a mix of both:
- Online Booking: Clients visit your booking page, choose a package, pick a date, sign the contract, and pay the deposit — all in one flow. Great for straightforward services.
- Proposals: You collect details from the client (via lead forms or direct contact), build a custom quote with one or more package options, and send it for review. Better for complex or high-value events where you want to personalize the offer.
Packages and Add-Ons
Packages are the services you sell. Each package has its own pricing, scheduling format, and description. Add-ons are optional extras clients can include — extra hours, premium upgrades, equipment rentals, etc. Setting these up in Check Cherry means your clients see exactly what you offer and can customize their booking.
Getting Help
Need help with something specific? Here's how to reach us:
- Chat: Click the chat bubble in the lower right corner of your screen. You'll talk to a real person, and we can see your account to help faster.
- Video tutorials: Browse our video library for walkthroughs and tips.
- Help Center: Browse articles and guides right here.