# Check Cherry Help Center > Booking and client management software built for DJs, photographers, and event professionals. > 308 help articles. Every one is also served on its own at the URL below its title, and as markdown by adding .md to that URL. --- ## How do I edit the design approval request email? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/127-how-do-i-edit-the-design-approval-request-email *Category: Packages* *The artwork is ready and you want to let the client know. The design approval request email is what they receive when you upload their finished design.* The artwork is ready and you want to let the client know. The design approval request email is what they receive when you upload their finished design. Customize it to match your voice. **Where to find it:** Manage > Automated Messages > System Templates (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/automated_events) 1. Go to System Templates. 2. Use the search bar to find the template quickly by typing "design approval". 3. Click Edit on the design approval template. 4. Customize the message and save your changes. > This email sends automatically when you upload a new design template to a booking. The client gets notified that artwork is waiting for their review and approval. --- ## How do I integrate my Google Tag Manager? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/131-how-do-i-integrate-my-google-tag-manager *Category: Integrations* *Google Tag Manager (GTM) lets you add tracking scripts to your Check Cherry booking pages without editing code.* If you run ads or need tracking that goes beyond basic analytics, Google Tag Manager (GTM) lets you manage all your pixels and tags from one place without touching code. Check Cherry connects to your GTM container and pushes booking and lead events to the data layer, so you can fire Google Ads conversions, retargeting pixels, and analytics off real activity on your booking pages. If you only need Google Analytics, the direct Google Analytics integration is simpler. Reach for GTM when you're juggling multiple tags — Google Ads, Meta Pixel, analytics — and want to manage them in one container. ### Setting Up the Integration **Where to find it:** Manage > Integrations (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/third_party_integrations) First, you'll need your Container ID from Google Tag Manager: > Warning: Paste only your Container ID (GTM-XXXXXXX) — not the full GTM snippet, and not a Google Analytics Measurement ID (G-XXXXXXX). Entering the wrong value here is the most common cause of a save error. ![Finding your Container ID in the top right of Google Tag Manager](https://www.checkcherry.com/rails/active_storage/blobs/redirect/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsiZGF0YSI6NDUxODg2MywicHVyIjoiYmxvYl9pZCJ9fQ==--909b8bef82d9e6da5405d9ffa2c4481f50d23fe1/article_131_intercom_2.png?disposition=inline) 1. Log into Google Tag Manager and copy your Container ID from the top right (it looks like GTM-XXXXXXX). 2. Go to Integrations. 3. Find the Google Tags integration and click Enable. 4. Paste your Container ID and save. > If you have multiple brands, each brand needs its own Container ID. The integration is configured per brand, so repeat these steps for each one. ![Pasting the Container ID into the Check Cherry Google Tags integration](https://www.checkcherry.com/rails/active_storage/blobs/redirect/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsiZGF0YSI6NDUxODg2NCwicHVyIjoiYmxvYl9pZCJ9fQ==--72c90ecc29db56e3e737f548bb184c28808fcf4c/article_131_intercom_6.png?disposition=inline) ### Data Layer Events Check Cherry pushes events to the GTM data layer so you can trigger tags based on what happens on your booking pages. > Check Cherry pushes these events to the data layer, but you still need to create the matching tags and triggers inside your GTM container to send them on to Google Ads, Analytics, or other tools. Connecting the container alone won't record conversions. #### check_cherry_new_booking Fires when a booking is confirmed (both proposals and online bookings). This is your main conversion event for tracking purposes. - transactionId: Unique booking ID generated by Check Cherry - transactionTotal: Total sale amount (includes tax, travel, and add-ons) - check_cherry_booking_title: The booking title - check_cherry_booking_id: The booking ID (same as transactionId) - md5_hashed_email: MD5 hash of the client email - sha256_hashed_email: SHA256 hash of the client email The two hashed email fields let you send enhanced conversions to Google Ads or build Customer Match audiences without ever exposing a client's raw email — Google matches on the hash. #### check_cherry_new_lead Fires when contact information is collected during online booking (before payment). Use this to track how many people start the booking process. - md5_hashed_email: MD5 hash of the lead email - sha256_hashed_email: SHA256 hash of the lead email > Tip: Use the check_cherry_new_booking event to track conversions in Google Ads. The transactionTotal field gives you the conversion value for ROAS reporting. ### Confirming it's working After saving, open GTM's Preview mode and complete a test booking. You should see check_cherry_new_booking fire in the data layer. Once your tags and triggers are set up, the conversion registers in Google Ads or Analytics within a few minutes. > Checking your booking site's source code for the container? While you're signed in to Check Cherry as an owner, admin, or staff member, your tracking tags are hidden on purpose — that keeps your own visits from skewing your data. Use GTM's Preview mode, or open your booking site in a signed-out incognito window, to see what real visitors get. -> Open Integrations (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/third_party_integrations) --- ## How do I duplicate an appointment? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/384-how-do-i-duplicate-an-appointment *Category: Getting started* If you offer recurring consultations, tastings, or discovery calls, duplicating an appointment saves you from rebuilding the same setup from scratch every time. It copies all the details — date, time, type, and settings — so you can adjust just what needs to change. ### How to duplicate an appointment **Where to find it:** Appointments > Select an appointment (in your Check Cherry account: /appointments) 1. Go to Appointments and open the appointment you want to copy. 2. Click Manage Appointment. 3. Select Duplicate. 4. Update the date, time, or any other details for the new appointment. 5. Save the appointment. > Tip: Duplicating is especially handy when you run the same type of appointment repeatedly — like weekly phone consultations or recurring tastings. Set one up the way you like it, then duplicate as needed. --- ## How do I assign staff to a booking? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/455-how-do-i-assign-staff-to-a-booking *Category: Staff* *Assign staff to a whole booking or to individual packages, set roles and arrival times, and manage the roster from the booking's Staff page.* Check Cherry makes it easy to assign staff to your bookings. You can assign as many staff as needed to work a booking, and individual staff can be assigned to just certain dates or packages within a booking. ### Assigning someone **Where to find it:** Bookings > Open a booking > Staff panel > Add Staff (in your Check Cherry account: /events) 1. Pick the person under Staff Member. Their availability for this booking shows next to their name. 2. Set the Role for this booking. 3. If you have multiple packages, you can choose which packages they are working under Package Assignment. 4. Set an Arrival Time if you need them on site before a package starts. 5. Click Assign Staff. As you pick someone, Check Cherry checks them against the times of the packages on this booking. You will either see Available or a red badge naming the problem: they are already assigned to another booking that day, they have a blockout date, the day or time falls outside their weekly availability, or their connected personal Google Calendar shows them busy. It is a warning, not a block. Assign them anyway if you know something the calendar does not. ### The Staff page Each booking has a Staff page showing one card per package. A card lists the people assigned to that package, anyone who has requested it, and a badge for how many of the needed spots are filled. **Where to find it:** Bookings > Open a booking > Staff panel > Actions > Change/Remove Assigned Staff (in your Check Cherry account: /events) The badge reads something like 1/2 filled and turns green once the package has everyone it needs. You set that number per event type and can override it on an individual booking, which is what keeps a half-staffed package visible to your team instead of looking done as soon as the first person is on it. ### Roles The role field starts filled in with the staff title from the package's event type, so a photography package might arrive pre-filled as Photographer. Change it to whatever fits this booking. The role shows on the roster and on the staff member's own copy of the booking. ### Changing or removing someone Every row on the Staff page has an Edit button with a dropdown beside it: - Edit to change their role, which packages they are on, or their arrival time - View Staff Profile to open their user account - Remove to take them off the booking entirely ### Arrival times Each package has its own arrival time, so you can ask someone to be on site for setup well before guests show up. Leave it blank and the package start time is used. Arrival times show on the roster and on the staff member's booking card, and they sync to their calendar as a separate entry from the booking itself. -> Go to Bookings (in your Check Cherry account: /events) --- ## How do I split payments between multiple people? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/136-how-do-i-make-more-than-one-invoice-for-a-booking *Category: Payments* *The bride's parents want to pay half and the couple pays the rest.* When multiple people need to pay on the same booking — like parents covering half the cost while the couple pays the rest — you can share the payment link with everyone involved. **Where to find it:** Bookings > Select a booking > Make a Payment (in your Check Cherry account: /events) 1. Open the booking. 2. Click the Make a Payment tab. 3. Copy the payment link at the bottom of the page. 4. Send that link to everyone who needs to make a payment. ![Copy the payment link from the Make a Payment tab](https://www.checkcherry.com/[INTERCOM_IMG_2]) Each person can use the same link to pay their portion. They'll see the total balance and can enter whatever amount they want to contribute. > Anyone with the payment link can see the invoice balance, previous payment history, and make payments. The booking automatically tracks the total received regardless of who paid what amount. -> Go to Bookings (in your Check Cherry account: /events) --- ## How do I see which lead form a lead came from? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/133-how-do-i-know-which-lead-form-a-lead-filled-out *Category: Leads* *You have three lead forms on your website and a lead just came in. Which form did they fill out? Check the source field on the lead.* You have multiple lead forms on your website and a lead just came in. Which form did they fill out? The leads list shows the source of each lead so you can see which marketing efforts are working. ### How to find lead sources **Where to find it:** Sales > Leads (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/leads) The leads list shows the source of each lead in the rightmost column. Leads can come from three places: - A contact form on your website - A package set to "Lead Form" booking method when someone clicks Book Now - An incomplete online booking (someone started but didn't finish) The source field tells you exactly which form was submitted or if it came from an abandoned booking. This helps you see which lead forms are getting the most submissions and where to focus your marketing efforts. > Tip: If you have leads coming from multiple sources, consider creating separate lead forms for different marketing campaigns to track which ones work best. --- ## How do I take a payment in the app? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/156-how-do-i-take-a-payment-in-the-app *Category: Mobile app* *At the event and the client wants to pay the remaining balance? Collect a credit card payment right from the app on your phone.* At the event and the client wants to pay the remaining balance? Collect a credit card payment right from the Check Cherry app for iOS and Android. ### Taking a Payment 1. Open the booking (use search or find it in your bookings list). 2. Tap the Outstanding Balance and select Collect Customer Payment. 3. Enter the payment amount and tap Continue. 4. Enter the card details manually or tap Scan Card to use the camera. 5. Tap Continue to process the payment. > Tip: The scan card feature uses your phone's camera to automatically fill in the card details, making it faster for both you and your client. --- ## How do I configure add-on pricing and settings? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/10-how-do-i-configure-add-on-pricing-and-settings *Category: Packages* *Add-ons are optional items clients can include with their booking — extra hours, premium backdrops, photo prints, props, or any upsell.* Add-ons are the optional extras clients can include with a booking: extra hours, premium backdrops, photo prints, props, or any other upsell. Two things shape how well they sell: how you price them and how clearly they're presented during online booking or on a proposal. Most businesses start with a handful of add-ons and adjust from there. Each add-on has its own settings for pricing, display, and which packages it's available with. This article covers what each option does so you can pick the right setup. ### Pricing options Each add-on uses one of these pricing options. The right one depends on whether the price should stay fixed, change with the quantity or hours the client chooses, or scale with the length of the package. | Pricing option | How it works | Good for | | --- | --- | --- | | Flat Rate, Per Unit, or Per Hour | A single price per qty of the add on. | One-time items like a specific piece of equipment. | | Multiply by Package's Hours | The price is multiplied by the number of hours in the package. | Items that scale with booking length, like additional prints. | | Multiply by Package's Days | The price is multiplied by the number of days in the booking. | Things like additional staff, where you want to bill for the length of the booking. | > Tip: Per-unit pricing with a default quantity of 1 is the most common setup. Clients can adjust the quantity up or down during booking. ### Display settings Clients decide on add-ons quickly, so a clear photo and a short description do most of the selling. These settings control what they see: - Primary Image: Add a photo so clients can see what they're getting. Add-ons with images tend to get chosen more often. You can also add additional images that clients can see during online booking. - Description: Explain what's included. Keep it short, one or two sentences. - Categories: Group related add-ons into categories (for example, “Backdrops,” “Extras,” “Equipment”) so the list stays organized as it grows. - Inventory limit: Set a maximum quantity if you have limited stock of a physical item. ### Availability By default, add-ons are available with all packages. If an add-on only makes sense for certain services, you can restrict it to specific packages. This keeps clients from seeing options that don't apply to what they're booking. ### Configuring add-on settings **Where to find it:** Manage > Add-ons > Select an add-on > Settings (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/add_ons) 1. Go to Add-ons. 2. Select the add-on you want to configure and click Settings to access pricing and display options. 3. Choose your pricing strategy and set the price. 4. Add a description and image if desired. 5. Configure availability restrictions if needed. 6. Click Save. > Changes to add-on settings apply to future bookings. Existing bookings keep the pricing and settings that were in place when they were created. -> Go to Add-ons (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/add_ons) --- ## How do I add a gallery to my proposal? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/254-can-i-add-a-gallery-to-my-proposal *Category: Proposals* *Photos of your past events are more persuasive than any description.* A prospect is on the fence between you and a competitor. They've read your pricing and availability, but they want to see if your style matches what they're imagining. A gallery lets them make that decision before they even request a proposal — photos of your past events are more persuasive than any description. **Where to find it:** Manage > Business Settings > Proposals (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/proposal_presets) 1. Go to Proposal Presets. 2. Find the Gallery section. 3. Click Add Image to upload new photos or select from your media library. 4. Arrange images by dragging them into your preferred order. 5. Click Save. ### Gallery Best Practices - Use photos from real events, not stock images — clients can tell the difference - Include 8-12 photos that show variety in your work - Lead with your strongest image — it's what clients see first - Show different angles, setups, and lighting conditions - Include photos of happy clients enjoying themselves > The gallery appears on all new proposals automatically. You can also add event-specific images when editing individual proposals. -> Go to Proposal Presets (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/proposal_presets) --- ## Automated Messages - Overview https://www.checkcherry.com/help/14-automated-messages-overview *Category: Messaging* *Automated messages are emails (or SMS texts with Twilio) that Check Cherry sends on your behalf when certain conditions are met.* Automated messages are emails (or SMS texts with Twilio) that Check Cherry sends on your behalf when certain conditions are met. Set them up once, and they fire automatically — saving you hours every week. ### Why Automate Your Messages? Consistent follow-up is what turns inquiries into bookings. Automated messages make sure every client gets the right message at the right time, whether you're free or in the middle of an event. > Tip: Once your automations are running, the time you used to spend on repetitive emails — confirmations, reminders, follow-ups — is handled for you. That's time back in your week. ### What Can Automated Messages Do? - Smart triggers — Send when specific conditions are met (event confirmed, payment received, lead submitted). Set multiple conditions that must ALL apply. - Flexible timing — Send before or after key dates: event date, payment due date, or any custom timeframe. - Rich content — Include formatted text, images, attachments, and dynamic fields that auto-insert client names, dates, payment links, and more. - Email or SMS — Send via email by default, or via SMS text if you have a Twilio account connected. ### Setting Up an Automation 1. Go to Manage → Automated Messages. 2. Click New Automation. 3. Choose a trigger type — Event, Lead, Appointment, or Payment. 4. Browse templates or build from scratch. 5. Set the timing (e.g. "14 days before event" or "immediately after booking"). 6. Write your message using merge fields to personalize it. 7. Click Save & Activate. ### Recommended Message Sequence Here's a proven sequence that most successful event professionals use: - Instant lead response — Send immediately when a lead comes in. Acknowledge their inquiry and let them know you'll follow up. - Booking confirmation — Send immediately when an event is confirmed. Include what to expect next. - Planning questionnaire — Send 3-4 weeks before the event. Collect song requests, timelines, special requirements. - Payment reminder — Send 2 weeks before if there's an outstanding balance. - Day-of details — Send 3 days before with arrival time, load-in info, parking. - Thank you + review request — Send 1-2 days after the event while the experience is fresh. > Tip: Space your automations so clients don't feel overwhelmed. One email per week leading up to the event is plenty. You can always add more later — start with the essentials and build from there. ### Review Before Sending If you'd rather review messages before they go out, enable the Review Queue. Automated messages will appear under Sales → Messages for you to edit, approve, or delete before they reach the client. > The review queue is especially useful when you're first setting up automations. Turn it on, let a few messages queue up, review them to make sure they look right, then turn it off once you're confident. ### Watch: Automated Messages Video: https://youtu.be/9oCwKrj1YFU?si=SLa-fEXk09y-aYmB -> Manage Automated Messages (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/automated_events) --- ## Can I save and schedule reports? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/55-how-do-i-save-and-schedule-reports *Category: Reporting* *You run the same payment report every month for your bookkeeper. Instead of re-configuring it each time, save it once and have it emailed automatically.* If you run the same report every week or email numbers to your bookkeeper at the end of each month, saved reports save you the hassle of re-configuring filters every time. Set it up once, give it a name, and optionally schedule it to send automatically on whatever cadence you need. ### Saving and scheduling a report Most reports in Check Cherry support saved settings and scheduled delivery. Once you have your filters dialed in, save them so you can come back to the same view instantly — or have it emailed to you (or your bookkeeper) on a recurring schedule. **Where to find it:** Sales > Reporting (in your Check Cherry account: /report) 1. Open any report and configure the filters — including the date range — the way you want them. 2. Click the "Save as New Report" button 3. Give the report a name and an optional description so you can find it later. 4. To schedule automatic delivery, choose a frequency: daily, weekly, or monthly. 5. Enter the email address or addresses to receive the report. Separate multiple addresses with commas. 6. If your account has multiple brands, you can select which brand to send from — this controls the logo and sender email address. 7. Save your settings. ### Viewing saved reports **Where to find it:** Sales > Reporting > Saved Reports (in your Check Cherry account: /report/saved_reports) ### Date filter options When you schedule a report with a relative date filter like Last Month, the date range updates automatically each time the report runs. This makes relative filters much more useful than fixed custom dates for recurring scheduled reports. | Option | What it means | | --- | --- | | Custom | Enter your own start and/or end date. Leave one blank for an open-ended range. | | This Week | The current calendar week, Monday through Sunday. | | Last Week | The previous full calendar week. | | Last 2 Weeks | The two previous full calendar weeks (does not include this week). | | Next Week | The upcoming full calendar week. | | This Month | The 1st through the last day of the current month. | | Last Month | The 1st through the last day of the previous month. | | Next Month | The 1st through the last day of the upcoming month. | | This Quarter | The current 3-month quarter (Jan–Mar, Apr–Jun, Jul–Sep, or Oct–Dec). | | Last Quarter | The previous full quarter. | | Next Quarter | The upcoming full quarter. | | This Year | January 1 through December 31 of the current year. | | Last Year | All of the previous calendar year. | | Next Year | All of the upcoming calendar year. | | Any Past | Everything up through today. | | Any Future | Everything from today onward. | > The Next options (Next Week, Next Month, etc.) only appear on reports where future dates are meaningful — for example, filtering by event date. Reports that cover things that have already happened, like payments received, will only show past-facing options. -> Open Reports (in your Check Cherry account: /report/events) --- ## Email Deliverability FAQ [UPDATED] https://www.checkcherry.com/help/349-email-deliverability-faq-updated *Category: Getting started* ### Quick Summary - If proposals to corporate, school, or government clients are going to spam or the Promotions folder, you're not alone. Their email filters are aggressive and there's no easy fix on our end, but there are workarounds below that can help. - If you're having general deliverability issues with leads and clients, it's likely related to your sending patterns or message content. Reducing automated follow-ups and simplifying your emails usually makes a difference. - Check Cherry's sending infrastructure is in good standing. Our spam complaint rate averages well below 0.1%, our IP and domain reputation are consistently rated high by Google Postmaster Tools, and our authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) runs at 100% success. ### First: Check your delivery status in Check Cherry Before troubleshooting, check the message status in Check Cherry. We show you whether a message was delivered, bounced, or opened. - If it shows 'delivered' — the email got to their mail server. It's being filtered on their end into spam, Promotions, or another folder. That's a different problem than 'not delivered' and the tips below will help. - If it shows 'bounced' — their mail server rejected the message. This is usually an invalid email address or a full mailbox. - If it shows Opened: they received it. They may have missed it or forgotten to respond. - If it shows Auto Opened: a security scanner or privacy feature opened it. That doesn't prove your client saw it. Corporate scanners can open an email and still send it to quarantine. > Tip: This is the fastest way to narrow down what's actually happening. Start here before assuming the email was never sent. ### If a proposal went to spam or the Promotions folder for a corporate, school, or government client This is by far the most common deliverability complaint we hear, and it deserves its own section. Here's what's happening: You've been emailing a corporate buyer from your personal email. You agree on the details, head over to Check Cherry, create the proposal, and hit send. The buyer's email system has never seen checkcherry-mail.com before, and the very first email from this unknown domain is asking them to sign a contract and make a payment. To a corporate spam filter, that looks suspicious. Corporate, school, and government organizations often hire dedicated security services to filter their email. These services tend to have aggressive settings, and when employees complain about spam, the easiest thing for an IT department to do is tighten the filters further. That affects all incoming email, including your legitimate proposal. ### What you can do - Warm up the connection before sending the proposal. This is worth trying, especially for corporate clients. Instead of sending the proposal as the very first email from Check Cherry, send a simple, low-key message first — something like 'Thanks for chatting today! Just reply to this message and I'll send over that proposal.' When they reply, their email system now has a history of back-and-forth with checkcherry-mail.com, and the recipient has actively engaged with the domain — one of the strongest positive signals a spam filter can see. Your proposal then arrives in the context of an existing conversation rather than as an unsolicited first contact asking for money. Google's own sender guidelines confirm that 'messages from recipient contacts are less likely to be marked as spam.' - Give them a heads-up before you send. A quick text or call — 'I'm about to send the proposal through my booking system, keep an eye out' — goes a long way. - Ask them to check spam/junk and mark your message as 'Not Spam' or add the sender to their contacts. This trains their filter for future messages. - Ask their IT team to whitelist checkcherry-mail.com if this is a repeat client. - Share the link directly. Every proposal in Check Cherry has a 'Copy Link' button at the top. You can paste that link into a text message or send it from your personal email as a backup. - Try SMS. If you have Twilio set up, you can send proposals via text message and skip email entirely for difficult-to-reach clients. > Email deliverability is inherently unpredictable. These tips are based on how email filters generally work, and we've seen them help — but because we don't control the recipient's mail system, we can't promise any single change will fix the problem. What we can do is stack the odds in your favor. ### If you're experiencing general deliverability issues If emails to leads, clients, and bookings are consistently not getting through, the issue is more likely on the sending side. Email service providers like Gmail, Yahoo, and Outlook have become very good at filtering. They don't just look at your emails — they look at how other recipients have responded to similar messages across their entire network. This is machine learning at scale. Think of Gmail less as a 'spam filter' and more as a placement algorithm. It's trying to be helpful by putting messages where it thinks they belong — Primary, Promotions, Updates, or Spam. A proposal with a call to action ('accept this proposal,' 'choose a template') can look a lot like a promotional email to these algorithms. ### Common patterns we see with accounts that have deliverability issues Too many automated follow-ups. Check Cherry makes it easy to set up automated messages, and that's a powerful feature. But if a lead isn't responding after 2-3 follow-ups, more emails aren't going to change their mind — and they may be hurting your deliverability. We've seen accounts sending a daily automated email for 30 days straight after someone books. That's too much. Consider reducing the number of automated follow-ups you send to leads and proposals. Image-heavy emails with little text. Sending a flyer or graphic as the entire email body is a common spam signal. Your messages should have a healthy balance of text and images. Emails with nothing but a link. We've seen accounts where the entire email body is just a bare link to a booking page — no greeting, no context, no business info. That's exactly what a phishing email looks like. Add some context about who you are and what they're clicking on, and use descriptive link text like 'View your proposal' instead of pasting a raw URL. Spammy-looking content. Different font sizes, lots of colors, ALL CAPS, excessive exclamation marks, dollar amounts, words like 'free' or 'discount' — these all trigger filters. They compare your content against spam they're currently seeing across their network. Mixing content types. Gmail's own documentation says not to mix different types of content in the same message — for example, don't include promotions in a payment receipt. They want to categorize your message accurately, and mixing types confuses their algorithm. > Warning: Don't mark internal messages as spam. If your staff is getting lead notification emails and marking them as spam because they don't want to see them, that damages your sending reputation for everyone on the platform. Use filters or notification settings instead. ### Try turning off email tracking in Check Cherry This is the one thing you can change right now in Check Cherry that may improve deliverability. Check Cherry can track email opens and link clicks, but this works by embedding a tiny invisible tracking pixel and rewriting your links through a tracking server. Spam filters specifically look for these patterns — they're hallmarks of marketing and mass email. If you're experiencing deliverability issues, try disabling email tracking under Manage → Business Settings. This will impact all email sent from Check Cherry. You'll lose open and click stats, but your emails will look more like personal business correspondence to spam filters. You can always turn it back on later. ### More tips for better inbox placement - Respect the inbox. Before adding another automated email, ask yourself: is this helpful to the recipient? Less is more. - Don't nag via email. One, two, maybe three follow-ups is fine. If they're not responding to email, they're not going to respond to more email. Pick up the phone. - Make messages look personal. Use their name, reference their event, write conversationally. The more your email looks like a 1:1 business conversation, the better it performs. Check Cherry makes it easy for you by including dynamic value tokens that you can paste into the body of your message templates. - Use clear, honest subject lines. Subjects are important to deliverability. Avoid misleading or vague subjects. - Don't upload purchased lead lists. If someone didn't give you permission to email them, you're not in compliance with CAN-SPAM law. This is most common with wedding show attendee lists — those people didn't visit your booth and don't know you. ### About the Promotions tab One thing that surprises a lot of people: Gmail counts all tabs, Primary, Promotions, Updates, and Forums, as inbox placement. If your email lands in the Promotions tab, Gmail considers that successfully delivered. It's not spam. That said, most people think of 'inbox' as the Primary tab, and they may not check Promotions regularly. Tab sorting is driven by machine learning based on the content of the message and how Gmail users across their network handle similar messages. Where your own Check Cherry emails land is something you can control. One Gmail filter pins all of them to Primary, including your booking alerts, lead alerts, and the Check Cherry Daily digest. See why are my Check Cherry emails in the Promotions tab. > Tip: You can't set a filter inside someone else's inbox. If a client says they didn't get your email and they use Gmail, ask them to check their Promotions tab before assuming the message was lost. ### What Check Cherry does on our end Email deliverability depends on both Check Cherry and you as a sender. Here's what we handle: - Proper email authentication — SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are configured and monitored. We maintain 100% success rates on authentication. - Dedicated IP addresses — Our IPs are only shared among Check Cherry customers, not with other companies or services. - Subdomain isolation per account — Each Check Cherry account sends from its own subdomain of checkcherry-mail.com. This means if one sender develops a poor reputation, it's isolated to their subdomain and doesn't drag down deliverability for other customers. Most platforms don't do this. - IP and domain reputation monitoring — We monitor Google Postmaster Tools and other services daily. Our IP reputation and domain reputation are consistently rated high. - Spam rate monitoring — We track spam complaint rates closely. Our rates are very low, with many days having zero complaints. - No bulk email — We don't allow mass email or bulk lead uploads through Check Cherry. This protects the sending reputation for everyone on the platform. - Quarantine system — We proactively detect and address problematic sending patterns before they affect other customers. - CAN-SPAM compliance — All messages include required identification and unsubscribe options. > All Check Cherry customers share sending infrastructure. Good sending habits from everyone on the platform help everyone. Problematic sending from one account can affect deliverability for others — which is why we take monitoring and enforcement seriously. ### What Check Cherry cannot do We can't guarantee 100% inbox placement. No one can — not us, not Gmail, not any other platform. Email placement algorithms are constantly changing, and they're never 100% accurate. What we can guarantee is that we follow every best practice, maintain clean infrastructure, and give you the tools and education to maximize your chances. If you're experiencing persistent issues, reach out via the chat bubble in the lower right. When you do, it helps to include: - The recipient's email address (so we can check delivery status on our end) - The approximate date and time the message was sent - Whether the message shows as 'delivered' in Check Cherry - Any error messages or bounce notifications you've seen --- ## How do I prevent a client from changing a finalized questionnaire? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/138-how-do-i-prevent-a-client-from-changing-a-finalized-questionnaire *Category: Questionnaires* *The event is in three days and you do not want the client changing their song list or timeline at the last minute. Set a deadline for questionnaire changes.* The event is in three days and you do not want the client changing their song list or timeline at the last minute. Set a deadline for questionnaire changes so clients can only edit their responses up to a certain point before their event. ### Setting the Deadline **Where to find it:** Manage > Business Settings > Availability > Change Policy (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/brands) 1. Go to Business Settings. 2. Click Availability, then Change Policy. 3. Scroll to the Confirmed Bookings section at the bottom. 4. Select your time frame — for example, selecting 7 days means clients can edit questionnaires up to 7 days before their event, then it locks. 5. Save your changes. > This setting applies to all questionnaires on confirmed bookings. You cannot set different deadlines per questionnaire type. --- ## How do I configure the booking engine? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/20-how-do-i-configure-the-booking-engine *Category: Online booking* *Your booking page is the first thing clients interact with. These settings control how it looks, what info it collects, and how the flow works.* Online booking lets clients browse your packages, choose options, and complete their purchase without waiting for a custom quote. It's like having a shopping cart for your services that works 24/7. Most businesses use online booking for their standard packages while still offering custom proposals for unique requests. This lets you capture bookings faster while reducing back-and-forth emails. ### General Settings These settings control how your booking pages look and behave. You can create multiple booking presets and assign them to different packages — useful if you want different looks for different brands or seasonal campaigns. **Where to find it:** Manage > Booking Engine > Presets (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/booking_engine/booking_questions) 1. Click the menu button next to the preset you want to edit. 2. Select Edit to open the preset settings. 3. Click on each tab to customize that step of the booking engine. 4. Configure the key settings below based on your needs. #### User Info - Header and Subheader The header appears at the top of your booking page. The default is 'Check Availability. Get a Quote. Secure Your Date.' You can customize this text or leave it blank to hide the header completely. ### Themes and Customization Each page of the booking engine can be customized by changing the background, font color, header text, and subheader text. These design settings are saved as reusable themes, so you can create different looks for different brands or seasons. #### Assigning Presets to Packages Once you've created multiple presets, you can assign specific presets to different packages. This lets you tailor the booking experience — perhaps a sleek dark theme for wedding packages and a bright, colorful theme for birthday party packages. --- ## How does Check Cherry calculate travel distance? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/378-how-does-check-cherry-calculate-travel-distance *Category: Getting started* *Learn how Check Cherry measures travel distance from your business to a venue, why customers sometimes feel the number is off, and how to handle borderline addresses.* Every now and then a client will say something like: 'Google Maps says I'm 25 miles away, but your booking page told me I'm outside your service area.' The numbers don't actually disagree — they're just measured a little differently. Here's what's happening behind the scenes and what you can do about borderline addresses. ### How distance is measured When a client enters a venue address during online booking, Check Cherry asks the Google Maps Directions API for the driving distance from your travel zone's origin to the venue. This is the actual road route a car would take, not a straight line on a map. The result comes back in meters, and Check Cherry converts it to whole miles or kilometers (whichever you've set on the zone) and rounds to the nearest unit. So a 24.6 mile route shows up as 25, and a 24.4 mile route shows up as 24. #### Fastest route, not shortest route When multiple routes exist between two addresses, Check Cherry uses the one Google Maps marks as the fastest route — the same default Google shows at the top when you open directions. That isn't always the shortest route by distance. For example, Google might offer a 76-mile route on back roads and an 88-mile route via the interstate. The interstate route is faster, so Google defaults to it — and that's the distance Check Cherry uses. If a client is looking at the 76-mile route and your zone limit is 80 miles, they'll be surprised when the booking page puts them outside your area. > Tip: To see exactly what Check Cherry sees, open Google Maps, enter your zone's origin as the starting point and the venue as the destination, and look at the route labeled Fastest route. That's the distance Check Cherry is working with — not the shortest alternative. > Distance lookups are cached, so the same origin and destination won't be re-checked every time. If you update the venue address, a fresh lookup runs. ### Where the distance is measured from Each travel zone has an origin, and that's the starting point for distance. You'll find it in the zone's settings as one of two options: - Your business address: the address on your primary brand. This is the most common choice. - Custom address: a separate address you set on the zone itself. Useful if you actually leave from a storage unit, a partner location, or a satellite office that's different from your business address. If a client's estimate of the distance is based on a different starting point than your zone origin, the numbers won't match. Always check what address your zone is using as its origin. ### Why the number sometimes feels off at the boundary When an address sits right at the edge of a zone, small differences in how distance is measured can push it just outside. A few common reasons: - Fastest vs. shortest route: Check Cherry uses the fastest route, not the shortest. The fastest route can be several miles longer than the most direct option. - Driving route vs. straight line: people eyeballing a map often think in point-to-point distance. The driving route follows real roads, so it's usually a little longer. - Rounding: a 25.6 mi/km route rounds to 26, which falls outside a 25 mi/km zone even though it feels like 25. - Different origin: if your zone origin isn't where the client thinks your business is, the distance from their perspective will be different. - Different routing: Google may pick a different route at the time Check Cherry checks than the one a client sees on their phone later, especially if there are road updates or new construction. ### What you can do about borderline addresses If you're seeing a few clients a month getting bounced from addresses you'd be willing to serve, you have a few options. None of these are right or wrong — it's a question of how you want to handle the edges of your service area. #### Add a small buffer to your zone If a 25 mi/km zone is consistently rejecting addresses you would have taken, extend it to 26 or 27. A small buffer absorbs rounding and route differences without meaningfully changing your service area. #### Add an outer zone with a travel fee Instead of a hard cutoff, add a second zone past your free range with a travel fee attached. Borderline addresses still book themselves online, and you're compensated for the extra drive time. Most businesses set this up as a free range plus a per-mile or per-kilometer rate beyond it. #### Allow bookings outside your travel zones You can let clients outside your zones submit a request anyway, with a custom message explaining you'll review it and follow up. The request lands in your inbox as a lead instead of getting bounced. This is a good middle ground if you're willing to consider far-away bookings on a case-by-case basis but don't want to commit to them upfront. **Where to find it:** Manage > Flex Pricing > Travel Zones (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/travel_zones) On the Travel Zones page, look for the 'Do you accept bookings outside of your travel zones?' setting. Set it to yes and write a short message that lets the client know what to expect next. #### Verify the route in Google Maps When a specific client says the math doesn't add up, run the route yourself. Open Google Maps, plug in your zone's origin address as the starting point and the venue as the destination, and check the driving distance on the Fastest route. That's the same number Check Cherry is working with — not the shortest alternative Google may also be showing. ### Setting up the actual fees If you're still working out the rates and structure of your travel zones, the travel fees setup guide walks through how much most businesses charge, the difference between distance-based and flat rate fees, and how to build out the zones. --- ## How do I customize the look and feel of my booking engine? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/21-booking-engine-themes *Category: Online booking* *Your booking page should look like your brand, not like a generic form.* Your booking page is often the first impression potential clients have of your business. A generic-looking form can make you seem unprofessional, while a branded experience builds trust and reinforces your identity throughout the entire booking process. Booking presets let you control the background, colors, and headings on every step of online booking, so checkout feels like part of your website instead of a detour to somewhere else. ### Creating a Booking Preset **Where to find it:** Manage > Booking Engine > Presets (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/package_group_themes) 1. Go to Presets. 2. Click New Booking Preset. 3. Give it a name, set Valid For to the packages it should cover, and click Save. 4. Go back to the Presets list and click the preset name to open the visual editor. ### How Presets Are Matched to Packages Presets are matched to packages in order from top to bottom, and the first match wins. A package only ever uses one preset, so when two presets both claim it, the higher one is what clients see. Drag the handle on the left of any row to reorder the list. Below the numbered list sits a preset labeled Default fallback for all other packages. It catches anything the presets above it did not claim. It has no Valid For settings and it cannot be deleted, so every package always has something to fall back on. > Tip: Keep your most specific presets at the top and your broadest ones at the bottom. When a preset is not showing up where you expect, it is almost always because a broader preset above it is matching first. ### Valid For Valid For is how you assign a preset. You can scope it to whole event categories, to individual services, or to specific package groups. The Presets list shows what each preset applies to underneath its name, which is the fastest way to check your work. It lives on the Settings tab inside the visual editor, the pill with the cog icon at the end of the step row, alongside Preset Name. Settings has its own Save Settings button, separate from the per-step saves. ### The Visual Editor The editor puts a live preview of the step on the left and its controls on the right. Move between steps with the pills across the top or the arrows on either side of the preview. - Each step saves on its own with the Save Step button. - An Unsaved badge appears next to the step name as soon as you change something. Every step except the Package Selector gives you the same set of controls: - Background Type: Image, Solid, or Gradient. - Background Image: Upload File from your computer, or pick something you already have in your Media Library. - Background Color for a solid, or Gradient Start and Gradient End for a gradient. - Font Color: White or Black. - Header Text and Subheader Text: leave the header blank and the step keeps its default, which the placeholder shows you. With no image uploaded, a step falls back to Check Cherry's stock artwork. That is what you are looking at in the preview before you change anything. > Tip: Use high-quality background images that represent your work. A real photo from an event you covered reinforces the quality clients can expect. #### Package Selector The first step has no styling controls, and the editor tells you so. Its appearance comes from your brand rather than the preset: the colors on Business Settings, plus the signup header, subheader, and call to action text under Booking Engine General. Change those and the first step changes for every preset at once. ### The Booking Steps Online booking runs through these steps, and the editor's pills follow the same order: - Package Selector: clients browse and choose a package. - User Info: contact details. If someone stops here, their info is still saved as a lead. - Calendar: the event date. - Add-Ons: additional services. - Backdrop: backdrop selection. - Staff Selector: the team member they want. - Venue: venue name and address. - Extra Questions: your own custom questions. - Deposit: contract signature and payment. If you have renamed your Add-Ons or Backdrops category, the pills and headings use your name for it, matching what clients see in the live flow. > The Add-Ons and Backdrop steps disappear from the editor entirely when those features are turned off for your account, because the live booking flow skips them too. Staff Selector always shows in the editor, whether or not you use staff selection. ### Where Step Content Is Controlled A preset controls how a step looks. What is on it comes from elsewhere, and the editor points you there with a tip above each preview. The ones people hunt for most: - Staff Selector is only shown if staff selection is enabled for the service. Go to Packages, choose a service, and enable "Allow customer to choose from available staff during booking." - Backdrop is only shown if backdrops are available. Enable them per package under Packages, and manage the collection under Backdrops. - Extra Questions are added under Extra Questions. - Service images, the pictures clients see when choosing between your offerings, live on the package group under Packages. A tall portrait image up to 1500px works best. ### Duplicating and Deleting Presets Duplicating is the fastest way to build a variant. Open the three-dots menu on any row and choose Duplicate. Delete lives in the same menu. Any package groups assigned to the preset you delete are reassigned to another preset, so nothing is left without one. ### What Most Businesses Do Most businesses run a single preset that matches their website colors and let the default fallback cover everything. That keeps the experience consistent no matter which service someone is booking, and it means one place to make a change. Separate presets earn their keep when your services have genuinely different personalities: understated for weddings, bright and playful for a photo booth. If you go that route, keep the specific presets above the fallback so they match first. -> Watch: Strengthen Your Brand With Booking Presets (in your Check Cherry account: /support/345-strengthen-your-brand-with-booking-presets) --- ## Can clients save their payment info? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/25-can-clients-save-their-payment-info *Category: Payments* *A repeat client books again six months later. Instead of re-entering their card details, you charge the one they saved last time.* A repeat client books again six months later. Instead of re-entering their card details, you charge the one they saved last time. Saved payment methods make future payments effortless for both of you. ### Setting Up Saved Payment Methods First, you need Check Cherry Payments enabled to offer saved payment methods. U.S. customers can use Check Cherry Payments, which accepts major credit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, ACH Direct Debit, and Klarna. **Where to find it:** Manage > Payment Settings (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/payment_methods) 1. Go to Payment Settings. 2. Click Enable Payment Processing if you haven't already. 3. Click the settings gear next to your credit card payment method. In the credit card settings, choose your preference for saving customer cards. There are three options: - No, do not allow customer to save payment method — Clients cannot save their card info - Yes, allow customer to save payment method — Clients see an optional checkbox to save their card - Require customer to save payment method — Clients must save their payment info (useful for auto-pay on payment plans) > Check Cherry Payments is only available to U.S. customers at this time. ### How Clients Save Their Payment Info When a client pays online during booking, they see a checkbox to save their payment info for future use. If you allow saving, this checkbox is checked by default but they can uncheck it if they prefer not to save their card. > Saved cards can only be used for bookings under the same client email. A card saved on one booking cannot be used for a different client. ### Charging a Saved Payment Method You can use a client's saved payment method on future bookings, but it's your responsibility to get the client's consent before charging their saved card. 1. Open the booking and click Make Payment. 2. Select the client's saved payment method from the dropdown. 3. Enter the payment amount the client has authorized. 4. Click Make Payment. > If you pass processing fees to clients, the fee appears as a separate line item when charging a saved card. ### Removing a Saved Payment Method 1. Go to User Accounts and search for the client's name. 2. Select their user profile. 3. In the Saved Payment Methods section, click the X next to the card you want to remove. -> Go to Payment Settings (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/payment_methods) --- ## Can I accept ACH payments? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/26-can-i-accept-ach-payments *Category: Payments* *Some clients prefer to pay from their bank account (ACH) instead of a credit card, especially for larger balances. ACH transfers have lower processing fees too.* Some clients prefer to pay from their bank account instead of a credit card, especially for larger balances. ACH transfers have lower processing fees too. > ACH payments have lower fees than credit cards, but they take 5-7 business days to process instead of 2-3. Consider this for your payment timing and cash flow. ### Enabling ACH **Where to find it:** Manage > Payment Settings (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/payment_methods) 1. Go to Payment Settings. 2. Click Add a Payment. 3. Select ACH Direct Deposit. ### What Clients See When customers book, they'll see a Bank Account option on the payment screen alongside credit card. ### Bank Account Verification For security, clients need to verify their bank account before the payment goes through. They can choose one of two methods: - Instant verification — They log into their online banking through a secure connection to verify the account immediately - Micro-deposits — Two small deposits (under $1) are sent to their account, and they confirm the amounts within a few days Most clients choose instant verification because it's faster and they can complete their payment right away. --- ## Credit Card Payment Failures https://www.checkcherry.com/help/404-credit-card-payment-failures *Category: Payments* *Learn about common reasons for credit card payment failures and what to do when one occurs* Most credit card payments process quickly and without issue. However when banks do decline a charge the reason given is often opaque and hard to understand. Here's a quick guide to the most common failure reasons, what they mean, and how to resolve them. ### How Credit Card Failures Work When a client submits a credit card payment, the request goes to their bank for authorization in real time. If the bank approves it, the payment goes through immediately. If the bank declines it, the payment fails on the spot and the client sees an error message. Unlike ACH payments, there's no waiting period — you know the outcome right away. Most failures are caused by something on the client's bank side, not a Check Cherry issue. The decline codes banks return are often vague by design — banks intentionally keep the reasons generic to avoid giving fraudsters a roadmap. The exception is a payment blocked by fraud screening before it reaches the bank, covered under Blocked as High Risk below. > Banks frequently decline legitimate charges — especially for online purchases, larger amounts, or first-time merchants. It's annoying, but it's a normal part of how card fraud prevention works. Most clients just need to call their bank or try a different card. ### Common Decline Reasons #### Insufficient Funds The card doesn't have enough available balance or credit to cover the charge. The client should try a different card or contact their bank. If it's a debit card, they may need to wait until funds are available. #### Generic Decline The bank declined the charge but didn't tell us the specific reason — this is actually the most common type of decline. It often means the bank's automated fraud system flagged something about the transaction (an unusual amount, an unfamiliar merchant, a recent string of purchases), but it can also indicate an account issue the bank hasn't disclosed. The fastest fix is for the client to call the number on the back of their card and ask them to approve the charge, then retry. Once the bank clears it on their end, the payment usually goes through without issue. A different card will also work in the meantime. #### Do Not Honor One of the most common decline messages, and one of the vaguest. The bank is refusing the charge without giving a reason. It typically means their fraud filters blocked the transaction — this is especially common with online purchases, larger amounts, or charges from a merchant the client hasn't used before. It can also point to an issue with the account standing. Retrying the same card usually won't work until the client contacts their bank. They should call the number on the back of the card, confirm the charge is legitimate, and ask them to let it through. A different card is the quickest workaround while they sort it out. #### Expired Card The card is past its expiration date, or the expiration date entered doesn't match what the bank has on file. The client should check the date printed on their physical card and re-enter it, or switch to a current card. #### Incorrect Card Details One or more of the card details — card number, security code (CVC), ZIP code, or billing address — doesn't match what the bank has on file. The client should double-check each field and try again. A single wrong digit will cause the payment to fail. #### Fraudulent The bank flagged the charge as suspicious and declined it. This can happen with larger purchases or when the transaction looks out of pattern for that account. The client should contact their card issuer directly to clear the flag, or try a different card. #### Blocked as High Risk This one works differently from the rest of the list. Before a payment ever reaches the client's bank, it runs through fraud screening. If the transaction scores as high risk, it is blocked on the spot and the bank never sees it. On the payment detail page you will see a reason of "Highest Risk Level" and a network status of "Not Sent To Network." Because the bank was never involved, the usual advice does not apply here. Calling the card issuer will not clear it, and retrying the same card produces the same block. The client needs to use a different card or payment method. Screening weighs signals like how the card has behaved across many businesses, whether the billing details match, and where the payment came from, so a card that works fine elsewhere can still be blocked on a given charge. > Warning: A block cannot be lifted for a particular card, so there is nothing to be gained by having the client retry it. The fastest path to getting paid is a different card, or a bank payment if you have ACH turned on. #### Transaction Limit / Card Velocity Exceeded The client has hit a usage limit their bank places on the card — but not necessarily because they're out of money. Banks set velocity limits to protect against fraud, capping things like the number of transactions per day, the total spent in a 24-hour window, or how many times a card can be used at the same merchant. This often surprises clients because the card has plenty of available credit. Waiting a few hours and retrying often works. Calling the bank to lift the limit is another option. Using a different card is the quickest workaround. #### Authentication Required The bank needs to verify it's really the cardholder before approving the charge — often via a text message, app prompt, or PIN. The client should complete the verification step their bank requests, then retry the payment. #### Processing Error Something went wrong while processing the payment — this is usually a temporary issue on the network or processor side, not with the card itself. The client should wait a moment and try again. If it keeps happening, reach out to support via the chat bubble in the lower right. #### Call Issuer The bank wants to speak with the cardholder before approving the charge. The client should call the number on the back of their card, let the bank know they're trying to make a payment, and then retry once the bank has cleared it. #### Card Not Supported The card type, currency, or a restriction on the card prevents the transaction from going through. This can happen with certain prepaid cards, international cards, or card types that Check Cherry Payments doesn't accept. The client should try a different card. ### What Happens Automatically When a credit card payment fails, here is what happens on the Check Cherry side: 1. The payment attempt is recorded on the event with the failure reason. 2. The event balance remains unchanged — no amount is applied against what's owed. 3. No notification is sent when a client's own payment attempt fails up front. Failed and incomplete attempts show under Sales > Payments with the reason next to each one. If the failed payment was part of auto-pay (a scheduled payment plan), auto-pay is automatically disabled to prevent repeated failed charges. Both you and the client are notified through the automated 'Scheduled Auto Pay Payment Failed' message. You control who that message goes to under Manage > Automated Messages, and you can add yourself or all admins as a recipient. > There is no automatic retry for failed card payments. A new payment must be initiated by the client. For auto-pay failures, only re-enable auto-pay after the client has resolved the issue with their bank — otherwise it will fail again on the next scheduled date. ### What You Should Do When you spot a failed payment, here's the best way to handle it: 1. Check the failure reason. If you're using Check Cherry Payments you can see it at a glance by going to Sales → Payments. Otherwise you can check within your processor account or by asking the customer for details. This tells you whether the issue is likely a quick fix (wrong CVC, expired card) or something the client needs to resolve with their bank (generic decline, do not honor). 2. Point them to the right fix based on the decline reason. For bank-side declines (generic decline, do not honor, call issuer), they'll need to contact their bank first. For card detail issues, they can just re-enter the correct information. For velocity or spending limits, waiting a few hours or switching cards is usually enough. 3. For auto-pay failures, only re-enable auto-pay after the client has confirmed the issue is resolved. Otherwise it will fail again on the next scheduled date. > Tip: Keep the conversation matter-of-fact. Most card failures are simple and easy to resolve once the client knows what to do. Framing it as 'your bank flagged it — happens all the time, here's how to fix it' takes the awkwardness out of the conversation. --- ## How do I offer a payment method to only one client or booking? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/405-how-do-i-offer-a-payment-method-to-only-one-client-or-booking *Category: Payments* *A client wants to pay with Venmo, Zelle, or another method you don't normally accept. Here's how to allow it for one booking without offering it to everyone.* Sometimes a client asks to pay in a way you don't normally accept — Venmo, Zelle, a check — and you're happy to make a one-time exception. You don't have to open that payment method up to every client to do it. Check Cherry lets you create a payment method that is hidden at checkout, then enable it on a single booking or proposal. ### How It Works Your payment methods live in Payment Settings, and each one has a setting that controls whether clients see it at checkout. Separately, every booking or proposal can override your default payment methods with its own list — and that list includes all of your payment methods, even ones hidden from checkout. Put those together and you get a one-client exception: create the payment method, keep it hidden from checkout, and turn it on for just the one booking. ### Step 1: Add the Payment Method (Hidden from Checkout) **Where to find it:** Manage > Payment Settings (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/payment_methods) 1. Go to Payment Settings and click Add Payment Option. 2. Choose a manual payment option and give it a name, like "Venmo". 3. In the Payment Method Instructions, tell the client exactly how to pay you — for Venmo, include your Venmo handle or payment link. 4. When asked if you'd like to offer this payment option to your customers at checkout, choose No. This keeps it invisible to everyone by default. 5. Save. > Because the payment method is hidden from checkout, no other client can select it — only bookings where you explicitly enable it in the next step. ### Step 2: Enable It on the One Booking or Proposal 1. Open the booking or proposal. 2. Click Manage Booking and choose Edit Booking Settings (or Edit Proposal Settings on a proposal). 3. Under Payment Settings, change Payment Methods from Default Payment Methods to Limited Payment Methods. 4. Check the payment methods this client should see — your new method plus any of your usual ones. 5. Save. > Warning: Limited Payment Methods replaces your defaults for this booking — it doesn't add to them. If you only check Venmo, the client loses the option to pay by card. Check every payment method you want this client to have. ### Step 3: Record the Payment When It Arrives Manual payment methods like Venmo don't process money through Check Cherry, so the payment won't appear automatically. Once the client pays you, record it on the booking: open the Invoice section, click Add Payment, and choose Record Manual Payment. For more detail, see How do I record a payment made outside of Check Cherry? -> Payment Settings (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/payment_methods) --- ## How do I get the end time to show up on a booking? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/360-how-do-i-get-the-end-time-to-show-up-on-a-booking *Category: Bookings* By default, bookings show a start time but not an end time. The end time appears automatically once you configure how extra hours are charged on a package — because that's when Check Cherry knows how long the event is supposed to run. ### When end time will show The end time displays on a booking when the package has a duration and a charge for extra hours configured. If either of those is missing, only the start time appears. ### When end time will not show - Date-only packages (no time component) - Packages with a duration under one hour - Packages where 'charge for extra hours' is not set ### How to enable end time **Where to find it:** Packages > Select a package > Pricing (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/event_categories) 1. Go to Packages and select the package you want to update. 2. Open the Pricing tab. 3. Set the package duration to one hour or more. 4. Enable and configure Charge for Extra Hours. 5. Save your changes. > Once 'Charge for Extra Hours' is set, Check Cherry can calculate when the event ends based on the start time and duration — and that end time will appear on the booking. --- ## Can a client pay a tip after a booking is paid in full? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/24-can-a-client-pay-a-tip-after-a-booking-is-paid-in-full *Category: Payments* *The event went great and the client wants to leave a tip for your team. They can do this even if the booking is already paid in full.* The event went great and the client wants to leave a tip for your team. They can do this even if the booking is already paid in full. ### Send a tip link **Where to find it:** Bookings > Select booking > Make Payment (in your Check Cherry account: /events) 1. Open the booking. 2. Click Make Payment. 3. Scroll to the bottom of the page and copy the link. 4. Send the link to your client — they can add a tip without logging in. > Tips are tracked separately in the Tips report. You can also enable a tip prompt during online checkout so clients can add a tip at the time of booking. -> Go to Bookings (in your Check Cherry account: /events) --- ## How do I add event types to bookings? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/30-how-do-i-add-event-types-to-bookings *Category: Packages* *Event types (wedding, corporate, birthday, etc.) help you categorize bookings and filter reports.* Event types help you categorize bookings by occasion — wedding, corporate event, birthday party, etc. This makes it easier to filter reports and understand your business mix. You can collect event types during online booking or add them to existing bookings manually. ### Enable Event Type Collection **Where to find it:** Manage > Booking Engine > Extra Questions (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/booking_engine/booking_questions) 1. Go to Extra Questions. 2. Click New Question. 3. Click Enable on the Event Type question. Select when to ask the question - during online booking or only on lead forms. Once enabled, clients will select their event type during the online booking process. This question appears automatically with common event types like wedding, corporate, and birthday party. ### Create Custom Event Types You can customize the event type options to match your business. Most photographers add options like "maternity," "senior portraits," or "family session." DJs might include "school dance" or "fundraiser." **Where to find it:** Manage > Business Settings > Leads (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/contact_forms) 1. Go to Business Settings and click Leads. 2. In the Event Type box, add your custom options — one per line. > Tip: Keep your list focused on the event types you actually book. Too many options can overwhelm clients during checkout. ### View Event Type on Bookings The event type appears on the booking overview page in the Additional Info section. **Where to find it:** Sales > Bookings > Select a booking (in your Check Cherry account: /events) 1. Go to Bookings and select a booking. 2. Scroll down to the Additional Info section to see the event type. 3. Click Edit to add or change the event type for existing bookings. > When creating bookings manually, you can't enter the event type during creation — you'll need to add it from the booking overview page after the booking is saved. --- ## How do I connect Mailchimp to Check Cherry? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/451-how-do-i-connect-mailchimp-to-check-cherry *Category: Integrations* *Connect Mailchimp to sync leads and clients automatically, with tags that track each contact from lead to booking.* Check Cherry handles your one-to-one client communication, but for newsletters and promotions you need a dedicated email marketing service (see sending mass emails for the full picture). If that service is Mailchimp, the integration keeps your audience up to date for you. Connect it once, and your leads and clients flow into Mailchimp automatically, each one tagged with where they are in your funnel. ### Connect your Mailchimp account **Where to find it:** Manage > Business Settings > Integrations (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/third_party_integrations) 1. Go to Integrations. 2. Click Enable on the Mailchimp card, then sign in to Mailchimp and authorize the connection. 3. Back in Check Cherry, choose which Mailchimp audience (list) your contacts should be added to. 4. Set a sync start date if you want one, then click Finish Setup. The sync start date is optional. When you set one, only leads and clients created on or after that date are synced. If your account has years of history, this is the easy way to keep old, stale contacts out of your Mailchimp audience. Leave it blank to sync everyone. You can change it later, and Check Cherry will re-run the sync with the new date. ### How the sync works Once you finish setup, Check Cherry scans your account and syncs two groups into your Mailchimp audience: - Leads with an email address. Spam-flagged leads are skipped, and a lead who already booked syncs as a client instead, so you will not get duplicates. - Client and staff accounts with an email address. Archived accounts are skipped. From then on, the sync is automatic. New leads, new client accounts, and new bookings show up in Mailchimp shortly after they are created or updated in Check Cherry. There is nothing to re-run and no manual export step. If a contact seems to be missing, check whether they have an email address and whether they were created before your sync start date. Each contact syncs with their email, first and last name, business name, phone, and address. These map to Mailchimp merge fields (FNAME, LNAME, BIZNAME, PHONE, and ADDRESS), so you can use them for personalization in your campaigns. > If someone unsubscribed in Mailchimp, Check Cherry will never resubscribe them. The sync only sets subscription status for brand-new contacts, so your compliance stays intact. ### Tags Tags are the most useful part of the integration, and the part most people miss. Check Cherry applies tags to every synced contact so you can segment your campaigns by funnel stage: - CC Lead — the contact is a lead - CC Proposal — the contact has a proposal - CC Booking — the contact has a booking - CC Admin and CC Staff — your own team accounts - A tag with your brand name. If you run multiple brands on one account, each contact is tagged with the brand they belong to, so you can send brand-specific campaigns. Tags update on their own as contacts move through your funnel. When a lead books, their CC Lead tag comes off and CC Booking goes on. Your Mailchimp segments stay current without any list maintenance on your end. > Tip: Build two segments in Mailchimp: one on the CC Lead tag for nurture campaigns to people who inquired but have not booked, and one on CC Booking for past-client promotions like anniversary offers or holiday specials. Same audience, two very different messages. If you use a different email marketing service, you can still get your contacts out of Check Cherry: export your client list as a CSV and import it there. -> Open Integrations (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/third_party_integrations) --- ## How do I set up travel fees? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/68-how-do-i-set-up-travel-fees *Category: Pricing* *A travel fee is an additional charge based on the distance between your business and the event location.* **Where to find it:** Manage > Flex Pricing > Travel Zones (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/travel_zones) A travel fee is an additional charge based on the distance between your business and the event location. Setting up travel fees in Check Cherry lets clients see the fee automatically during booking, so there are no surprises. ### Why Charge Travel Fees? Travel fees expand the geographic area you can serve. Without them, you either absorb the cost of driving long distances or turn down events outside your immediate area. With travel fees, clients in farther locations can still book you, and you get compensated for the extra time and expense. ### Distance-Based vs Flat Rate There are two common approaches: - Distance-based (per mile): Charge a rate per mile beyond a free range. For example, the first 30 miles are free, then $1.50 per mile after that. This is the most popular option. - Flat rate tiers: Charge a fixed fee based on distance brackets. For example, 0-25 miles: free, 26-50 miles: $75, 51-100 miles: $150. Simpler for clients to understand upfront. ### One-Way or Round-Trip? Most Check Cherry customers charge one-way travel fees. If the venue is 55 miles away, the fee is based on 55 miles. This is simpler for clients to understand since they think about how far the venue is, not how far you drive total. Round-trip doubles the mileage, but the per-mile rate looks lower. Some businesses prefer this because it more accurately reflects the true cost. ### How Much Should I Charge? Your rate depends on your market, service type, and how far you are willing to travel. Consider these three factors: - Travel time: Your time has value. A 60-mile drive at highway speeds takes over an hour each way. Factor in what your time is worth. - Fuel costs: Calculate what it actually costs to drive 15, 25, or 50 miles based on your vehicle's fuel economy and current gas prices. - Vehicle wear and tear: The more you drive, the more you pay in depreciation, maintenance, tires, and insurance. The IRS mileage rate accounts for all of this. #### Example Calculation - Fuel: $0.21 per mile - Wear and tear: $0.66 per mile - Staff time: $0.52 per mile Total: about $1.38 per mile. Most businesses round to a clean number like $1.50 per mile for simplicity. #### What About the IRS Mileage Rate? The IRS standard mileage rate is a good reference point, but it covers the full cost of vehicle ownership, not just travel. Your travel fee should reflect what you actually need to charge to make the trip worthwhile. > The IRS rate is designed for tax deductions, not pricing. Most event professionals charge more than the IRS rate because it doesn't account for your time. ### Setting Up Travel Fees in Check Cherry Check Cherry calculates travel fees automatically using the distance between your business address and the event location. You create travel zones with distance ranges and rates. 1. Go to Travel Zones. 2. Click Add Travel Zone. 3. Set the distance range (e.g., 0-30 miles) and the fee (free, per mile, or flat rate). 4. Add more zones as needed for longer distances. 5. Set a maximum distance if you want to limit how far clients can book. ### Watch: Setting Up Travel Zones Video: https://www.youtube.com/embed/7K5XaTDjihQ?rel=0 -> Go to Travel Zones (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/travel_zones) --- ## What do the different booking statuses mean? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/22-what-do-the-different-booking-statuses-mean *Category: Bookings* *Every booking in Check Cherry has a status that tells you where it is in the lifecycle — from initial quote to completed event.* Every proposal and booking in Check Cherry has a status that shows where things stand, from first quote to signed contract. Each status answers two questions: is the date held so no one else can take it, and does Check Cherry treat this as a booking or as a quote that has not closed yet. **Where to find it:** Sales > Bookings (in your Check Cherry account: /events) | Status | Holds the date | Counts as a booking | | --- | --- | --- | | Proposal (Date Open) | No | No | | Proposal (Date Reserved) | Yes, until the proposal expires | No | | Proposal (Awaiting Review) | No | No | | Confirmed (Awaiting Signature) | Yes | Yes | | Confirmed | Yes | Yes | > Tip: The easiest way for clients to sign and pay, besides online booking, is to send them a proposal. This lets them review, sign, and pay in one flow without needing to log in to an account. ### Proposal Statuses Proposals are quotes you send to potential clients. Proposals run your proposal automations, such as follow ups and expiration reminders, and they do not run your booking automations. Proposals also have no Booked At date, so they stay out of your booked revenue reporting until they close. #### Proposal (Date Open) A quote sent without holding the date. Your availability stays open, so another client can book that date and time, and the packages, add ons, staff, and backdrops on the proposal stay available to everyone else. Use this when the client is still shopping, when you are quoting more than one client for the same date, or when you do not want a maybe to block real bookings. It is the safer default for most quotes, because nothing sits idle while you wait for an answer. #### Proposal (Date Reserved) A quote with the date held. Check Cherry treats the equipment, staff, and time as taken, so the date stops showing as available online and you get a conflict warning if you try to double book it. The hold releases automatically once the proposal passes its Valid Through date, and the proposal then shows as an Expired Proposal. Use this when a client has verbally committed and you are only waiting on the contract, when you are giving a short courtesy hold, or when you only run one event per day and would rather not risk a double booking. Keep the Valid Through date short so a hold cannot sit on a busy date for weeks. > Tip: Date Reserved is also an easy way to override your availability settings. If you're making a special exception or want somebody to accept a proposal scheduled in the past, Date Reserved will override the availability settings and ensure they can sign & pay. #### Proposal (Awaiting Review) Created when a package is set to Request for Proposal. When someone books that kind of package online, Check Cherry creates the proposal for you to review and approve before the client sees it. The date is not held while it waits for you, so review these quickly if the date matters. Use Request for Proposal packages when pricing depends on details you need to see first, such as travel, guest count, or custom work, and you do not want an automatic price going out. ### Booking Statuses Once a client moves forward, the proposal becomes a booking. Both booking statuses hold the date, stamp a Booked At date, appear in your booking reports and revenue projections, sync to your linked calendars, and switch the record from your proposal automations over to your booking automations. #### Confirmed (Awaiting Signature) > Tip: This status should be rare. Send a proposal instead whenever you can. A proposal lets the client review, sign, and pay in one flow without logging in, and it closes more sales than asking someone to sign later. Confirmed (Awaiting Signature) puts the date on your calendar before the client has committed to anything, which leaves you chasing a signature. The event is booked but the contract is not signed yet. You set this manually to lock the date while the paperwork catches up, and Check Cherry keeps reminding the client to sign. The client signs from their account, so this is the right status when the sale happened somewhere other than a proposal link. Use it when you took the booking by phone or in person, when you collected a deposit before the contract went out, or when you are importing bookings you already sold. It also applies when you change the contract on a booking that was already signed and the client needs to sign the new version. Do not use it as a maybe pile. It reserves your date and counts as booked in your reports, so anything still uncertain belongs in a proposal status. #### Confirmed The client has signed the contract and typically paid the deposit. Check Cherry sets this automatically when they finish signing, and you can also set it manually when you create a booking yourself. > Warning: Moving a booking back to a proposal status clears its Booked At date, which changes how it appears in reports that group by when the booking was made. If you only need to pause a booking, use Postponed instead. ### Postponed Postponed is not a status on its own. It is a flag you turn on over the current status, so you will see labels like Postponed Booking, Postponed Proposal, or Postponed Request for Proposal. While a booking or proposal is postponed: - Automated messages stop, so the client does not get reminders for a date that is no longer happening. - It is removed from your linked calendars. - The date is released, so you or another client can book that slot. - It is hidden from your booking list and reports by default, and you can filter it back in when you want to see it. Everything else stays intact. The packages, pricing, payments already collected, questionnaires, and history all stay on the record, which is why postponing beats canceling and rebuilding the booking later. Use Postponed when the event is still happening but the date has moved and you do not know the new date yet. Use Canceled when the event is not happening at all. Once the client gives you a new date, update the date on the booking, then turn Postponed off so the status goes back to Confirmed and your automated messages run on the new timeline. ### Changing a status > You can change the status of any booking or proposal by clicking the status button shown in the image above. Status changes are recorded in the booking change log, so you can see who moved it and when. **Where to find it:** Sales > Proposals (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/proposals) --- ## What happens to my payout when I issue a refund? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/459-what-happens-to-my-payout-when-i-issue-a-refund *Category: Payments* *Refunds come out of your Check Cherry Payments balance first, and out of your bank account if the balance is short. Here is how the timing works.* You issue a refund expecting it to come quietly out of your next batch of bookings, and instead you watch money leave your bank account. Nothing went wrong. It comes down to what was in your Check Cherry Payments balance at the moment you submitted the refund. ### Two pots of money Keeping these two straight is most of the answer, because they are easy to blur together: - Your Check Cherry Payments balance. Money your clients have already paid you that has not been transferred out yet. You can see it at the top of the Payments dashboard as the amount available for payout. - Your bank account. The account you linked for payouts. This is where the balance lands on payout day, and it is your own money once it arrives. A payout moves money from the first to the second. A refund works in the other direction, and it always tries your Check Cherry Payments balance first. ### Where refund money comes from The moment you submit a refund, it is sent to the processor and your Check Cherry Payments balance is reduced right then. One of two things happens: - Your Check Cherry Payments balance covers the refund. The refund comes out of that balance and your next payout is simply smaller by the same amount. Nothing is withdrawn from your bank account. - Your Check Cherry Payments balance does not cover the refund. Whatever the balance can cover is taken from it, and the remainder is debited from your linked bank account. That check happens once, at submit. Bookings that come in afterward do not retroactively cover a refund you already issued, and letting a refund sit before submitting it is not a thing that happens. Check Cherry does not front the money for refunds, so if the balance is short at that moment, the shortfall is coming out of your bank account. > Say you refund $2,000 while holding $500 in your Check Cherry Payments balance. The $500 is used first and the remaining $1,500 is debited from your bank account. Had your balance been $2,500 instead, your bank account would not be touched at all and your next payout would simply arrive $2,000 lighter. This is why the same business can go years seeing refunds absorbed by future payouts and then suddenly see a bank debit. A large refund, or a refund during a slow stretch of bookings, is usually the difference. It is not a change in how refunds work. ### Three different dates Most of the confusion around refunds comes from treating this as one event. It is really three, spread across different days: | When | What happens | | --- | --- | | You submit the refund | Your Check Cherry Payments balance drops by the refund amount right away. This is the moment that decides whether your bank account gets touched at all. | | A few business days later | If your balance was short, the difference is debited from your bank account. A refund submitted on a Thursday commonly settles the following Monday. | | 5 to 10 business days later | The credit shows up on your client's card statement. | The debit follows the same business day schedule as payouts, so weekends and bank holidays do not count. That is what makes it feel like money quietly disappeared over a weekend. The withdrawal was set in motion when you submitted the refund, and the weekend only delayed its arrival. Your client's side runs on its own clock, which is why the money can leave your account well before they tell you they have seen the credit. That gap is normal and does not mean the refund is stuck. ### Checking a refund against your payouts If you want to see exactly how a refund was applied, you can trace it through the Payments dashboard. **Where to find it:** Sales > Payments > Payouts (in your Check Cherry account: /payouts) 1. Go to Payouts and open the payout covering the date of the refund by clicking the View button to the right of the payout. 2. Look at the Balance Transactions table. Refunds appear there as line items reducing the total, alongside the payments that made up the payout. 3. Check the Refunds tab for the date and amount of every refund you have issued. Between those two views you can tell whether a given refund reduced a payout or was debited from your bank, and on what date. ### Processing fees on refunds Processing fees are charged when the payment is taken, not when it is refunded. On a $1,000 payment you receive roughly $970 after fees. If you later refund the full $1,000, the original fee does not come back to you, so you are out that amount. There is no separate fee for issuing the refund. Businesses handle this two ways. Some refund the full amount and absorb the fee as a cost of doing business. Others refund the amount minus the processing fee. Both are common, and every payment processor works this way, so it is worth deciding which one you do before you are in the middle of a cancellation. > Tip: Spell out your refund and cancellation terms in your contract, including whether processing fees are returned. It is a much easier conversation to have in writing up front than over the phone with an upset client. -> Go to Payments Dashboard (in your Check Cherry account: /express_dashboard) --- ## Why does my booking show a balance due, and how do I clear it? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/515-why-does-my-booking-show-a-balance-due-and-how-do-i-clear-it *Category: Payments* *Learn how payments, refunds, and pricing adjustments set a booking's balance due, and which one to use to bring it back to $0.* The client paid, but the booking says Past Due. Or you sent a refund and the balance came right back. Every case comes down to one line of math. Once you see it, the fix is usually obvious. ### How the balance is calculated On a booking's Invoice tab, the balance is always:Total Cost minus Payments = Total Balance Due A refund counts as a negative payment, so it lowers Payments. To get the balance to $0, one side has to move. Either the client pays more, or the price comes down. | What happened | Total Cost | Payments | Total Balance Due | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Client pays in full | $1,246.25 | $1,246.25 | $0.00 | | You refund $623.13 | $1,246.25 | $623.12 | $623.13 | | Price lowered by $623.13 | $623.12 | $623.12 | $0.00 | A refund by itself makes it look like the client owes you again. The price has to drop by the same amount for the balance to land at $0. > Tip: Rule of thumb: Did money actually move? Record a payment or a refund. Did the price change? Add a pricing adjustment. Most balance problems come from doing one when you meant the other. ### After a refund Both refund forms have a box labeled The customer still owes this amount. Leave it unchecked and Check Cherry adds a credit note that lowers the Total Cost by the refund, so the balance stays at $0. This applies to card refunds (Start a Refund) and to refunds you record yourself for Zelle, cash, check, and other manual payments (Record Manual Refund). See refunding a payment for the full steps, for card and manual refunds. Check the box only when the client will pay again, like after a charge to the wrong card, or when you are refunding an overpayment (covered below). #### Clearing a balance left by a refund If a refund was saved with the box checked, the booking shows the refunded amount as due, often with a Past Due badge. If the client doesn't owe it, lower the price yourself with a credit. **Where to find it:** Bookings > Select a booking > Invoice (in your Check Cherry account: /events) 1. Go to the Invoice tab. 2. Click the + button at the top of the invoice and choose Add Pricing Adjustment. 3. For Adjustment Reason, choose Credit. 4. Choose Flat rate and enter the amount (see the note below if you collect sales tax). 5. Choose whether the credit is Taxable. You only see this option if you collect sales tax. 6. Add a Reference, like "Refund on 9/30". It shows on the client's invoice. 7. Click Save. > Taxable or not? A taxable credit also lowers the sales tax, so the total drops by the credit plus its tax. Choose Yes when you're giving back tax you collected, and enter the amount before tax. For a $108 refund at 8% tax, enter $100. Choose No to leave the tax as charged, and enter the full amount. Either way, the balance lands at $0. ### Accepting less than the total The client paid $1,200 on a $1,246.25 booking and you decided to let the rest go. Or you agreed to a discount after they already paid. Don't record a payment that never happened. Add a Credit or Discount for the remaining balance, using the same steps above. Use the taxable note above to decide whether it lowers your sales tax. The Total Cost drops to what they paid and the balance reaches $0. ### Negative balance A negative Total Balance Due means Payments are higher than the Total Cost. The invoice still shows the Paid badge, so it's easy to miss. Figure out which side is wrong: - The client really overpaid, for example they paid twice. Refund the difference and check The customer still owes this amount, because the price is already right. If you leave it unchecked, the refund lowers the price too and the balance stays negative. - The price is too low, for example they paid for extra time you never added to the invoice. Add the add-on, or add a pricing adjustment with a Charge reason such as Service or Other Charge. - A taxable credit was entered with tax included. A taxable credit lowers the tax too, so entering the full refund drops the total by more than the refund. Taxable lines show a T next to the amount. Click the ellipsis (...) next to the credit, choose Edit, and either enter the amount before tax or set Taxable to No. ### A payment came in outside Check Cherry The client paid by Zelle, Venmo, cash, or check, and the booking still shows a balance. Record the payment instead of lowering the price. Lowering the price makes it look like you earned less, and the payment never shows up in your reports. 1. Go to the Invoice tab. 2. In Payments, click Add Payment and choose Record Manual Payment. 3. Enter the date, payment method, and amount, then click Save. To see every booking that still has money owed, use the Outstanding Balance report. --- ## How do I remove a proposal alternative? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/144-how-do-i-remove-a-proposal-alternative *Category: Proposals* *Offered three options on a proposal and the client said the middle one does not make sense? Remove it without starting over.* When a client pushes back on one of the options you sent, you don't need to rebuild the proposal from scratch. You can remove an individual alternative and leave the rest of the proposal intact. **Where to find it:** Proposals > Select a proposal (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/proposals) 1. Open the proposal you want to edit. 2. Click Manage Alternatives. 3. Click delete next to the alternative you want to remove. 4. Save your changes. > Tip: You can find any proposal quickly by typing the client name or event details into the global search bar at the top of the app. --- ## How do I update my payment account after a rebrand, entity change, or sale? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/475-i-rebranded-my-business-how-do-i-update-my-payment-account *Category: Payments* *What to do with your Check Cherry Payments account after a new name, a move to an LLC, or a sale, from your EIN and bank account to your 1099-K.* A rebrand can be as small as a new name or as big as a new legal entity or a new owner. What you do with your payment account depends on which kind of change you made. > Tip: New name only: keep your payment account and update it. New legal entity or new owner: start a new payment account. > Already created a new account on stripe.com? You can skip it. Stripe accounts created outside Check Cherry cannot be connected to Check Cherry, and there is no need for one. Check Cherry Payments accounts are created and managed through Check Cherry when you set up payments. ### If only your name changed Same legal entity, same EIN, new name. Keep your existing payment account and update the places that show your name: - Your brand name, which appears on proposals, invoices, and emails. See branding for how to update it. - Your credit card statement descriptor, which is what clients see on their card statements. Update it in Payment Settings so charges show the new name. - The business name on your payment account, which you can update from your payouts dashboard. > Warning: Do not disconnect Check Cherry Payments for a rename. Your existing account can take the new name, and disconnecting restarts verification for no reason. ### If your legal entity changed Moving from a sole proprietorship or DBA to an LLC means a new legal name, a new EIN, and often a new bank account. Either path works here, but we recommend starting a new payment account. Verifying a brand new entity goes smoother on a fresh account than re-verifying an existing one, which can hit snags. **Where to find it:** Manage > Payment Settings (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/payment_methods) 1. Go to Payment Settings and open your Check Cherry Payments account. 2. Choose Disconnect. 3. Back in Payment Settings, click Enable Payment Processing. 4. Onboard with the new entity's details: legal name, EIN, and the LLC's bank account for payouts. > Tip: Have your IRS EIN confirmation letter (CP 575 or 147C) handy. Verification goes faster when the name and EIN you enter match it exactly. Your history keeps working after the switch: - Refunds on past payments go back through the connection that took the original payment. - Payment plans on auto pay keep collecting through the old connection until the customer updates their card. - The old connection stays listed under Past Connections in Payment Settings. The new account's first payout can take up to 7 business days while it verifies. After that, payouts return to the normal schedule. There is a tax bonus, too: each entity gets its own 1099-K, which keeps reporting clean on both sides of the change. Prefer to keep your existing account instead? You can update the legal details through your payouts dashboard. If you do, message support through the chat bubble so we can split your year-end 1099-K at the date of the change. ### If the business changed owners If the business was sold, a new payment account is required. Message support through the chat bubble in the lower right and we will help with the transition. Decide with the previous owner who is responsible for refunds on payments taken before the sale: - The previous owner keeps refund responsibility. Leave the old connection alone. It stays under Past Connections in Payment Settings, and refunds continue to go back through their account. - The new business takes over refunds. This is the common arrangement. Open Past Connections in Payment Settings and choose Remove Access on the old connection so nothing can be refunded or collected through the previous owner's account again. > Warning: Remove Access removes Check Cherry's access to the account and cannot be undone. Refunds on payments it took are no longer possible, and any auto pay plans still collecting through it stop. If a connection does not show Remove Access, message us through the chat bubble and we will help. --- ## How do I apply a different discount to each proposal alternative? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/380-how-do-i-apply-a-different-discount-to-each-proposal-alternative *Category: Getting started* *Use the Applies To field to scope a discount to one proposal alternative so the other options keep their own pricing.* When you send a proposal with alternatives at different price points (say a 1-day option and a 2-day option), you often want different discount terms on each one. By default a discount applies to whichever alternative the client picks, so the same amount comes off no matter which option they choose. The Applies To field on the pricing adjustment controls this. Set it to Entire Alternative and the discount is scoped to that one option only. ### Finding Your Proposal **Where to find it:** Sales > Proposals (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/proposals) Locate the proposal, or search for the title, client name, or invoice number in the global search bar. ### Adding a Discount to One Alternative 1. Open the proposal. 2. Click the Invoice tab on the alternative you want to discount. 3. Click + and choose Add Pricing Adjustment. 4. Enter the discount details (description, amount, and whether it is a flat amount or a percentage). 5. Change Applies To from Complete Booking to Entire Alternative for that alternative. 6. Click Save. > Warning: If you leave Applies To set to Complete Booking, the discount follows whichever alternative the client selects. That is the most common reason a discount looks like it is showing up on every option. Repeat the same steps on the other alternative if you want a different discount there. Each adjustment stays attached to the alternative it was scoped to. ### Understanding the Applies To Options When a proposal has alternatives, the Applies To dropdown groups everything by alternative. Each alternative leads with its Entire Alternative option, and the individual packages and line items inside it are listed indented beneath. Use the narrower targets when you only want part of an alternative discounted. - Complete Booking: applies to whichever alternative the client selects. This is the default and is not what you want when each alternative needs its own discount. - Entire Alternative: [alternative title]: applies to that whole alternative. A percentage is calculated against every package in the alternative plus its add-ons, extras, and backdrops. This is the option you want most of the time. - Package & Add-Ons/Extras: [package name]: applies to one package plus everything bundled under it. Useful when an alternative holds more than one package and you only want to discount one of them. - Package Only: [package name]: applies just to the package line and leaves the add-ons and extras at full price. - Individual line items: each add-on, extra, and backdrop is listed on its own for discounting a single item. The labels follow your own category names, so they may read differently in your account. > Tip: When you copy a package between alternatives, each copy is its own record behind the scenes, so they show up as separate entries in Applies To. That is how you can target one without affecting the other. ### What Happens When the Client Picks One Once the client chooses an alternative, the alternatives they did not pick are removed along with any discounts scoped to them. The discount on the alternative they chose is converted to a booking-wide adjustment and stays on the invoice, and the change is logged in the booking history. Nothing to clean up on your end. ### A Note on Discount Codes Discount codes (coupons) use the same applies-to logic, but it is set on the code itself, not per-alternative on the proposal. When a client redeems a code on a proposal with alternatives, the discount applies based on how the code was configured, not based on which alternative they pick. If you need truly different discount amounts on each alternative, add them manually as described above rather than relying on a code. See How do I create and use discount codes? for the full breakdown. -> Go to Proposals (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/proposals) --- ## How do I use staff check-in and check-out? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/460-how-do-i-use-staff-check-in-and-check-out *Category: Staff* *Let staff punch in and out of bookings with notes, photos and location, correct their shifts, and export hours from the Staff Check-In Report.* Knowing when your team actually arrived and left is the difference between guessing at hours and having a record. Staff check-in lets people check in when they get to an event and out when they leave, with a note and photos, and gives you a report of every shift. ### Turning it on **Where to find it:** Business Settings > Availability > Staff (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/availability/staff_settings) 1. Set Let staff check in and out of events? to Yes. 2. Click Save. ### How staff check in There are two ways in. From the booking itself, where an assigned staff member gets a check-in card at the top of the page with the booking already filled in. Or their own Check In / Out page, in the menu under their name, where they pick the booking themselves. Either way they can add a Note and Attachments before checking in, which is where photos of the venue condition, the setup, or any damage go. Once checked in, the buttons become Check Out and Log Status Update, so they can add a note or more photos partway through a shift without ending it. Location is captured automatically from the device when it allows it. There is no geofence and no requirement that the person be assigned to the booking, so a check-in from anywhere is accepted and simply recorded with wherever they were. ### One open shift at a time Someone who is still checked in somewhere else cannot check in again. Instead they see which booking they are on and since when, with a link to go there and check out first. This is what catches the forgotten check-out from last weekend. ### Reviewing and correcting shifts The Check-Ins page on a booking shows every shift grouped by staff member, with a total for each person, their notes and photos, and a map marker where location was captured. Edit lets you fix the check-in and check-out date and time or move the shift to a different booking, and you can delete a shift outright. Every correction records who made it. ### The check-in reports The per-booking view answers "what happened at this event." The reports answer everything else: one staffer across a month, every open shift right now, hours for payroll. **Where to find it:** Reporting > Staff Check-Ins (in your Check Cherry account: /report/staff_check_in_summary) There are two views of the same shifts. Staff Check-In Summary gives you one row per staff member with their shift count, total hours and how many bookings they worked, which is the quickest way to answer how many hours someone put in last week. Click any row to drop into Staff Check-In Details, the shift-by-shift version, already filtered to that person and carrying whatever filters you had set. Hours count finished shifts only, so somebody who is still checked in shows up in Shifts but not yet in Hours. Their time lands there once they check out. Filter works the same on both: by staff member, status (checked in or checked out), check-in date range, whether the shift is attached to a booking at all, or one specific booking. Columns controls what you see. Details opens with Staff, Booking, Checked In, Checked Out, Hours and Notes, and can add check-in and check-out location, who submitted the shift, the booking's ID, date and status, and when the record was created. Summary opens with Staff, Shifts, Hours and Bookings, and can add each person's first check-in and last check-out. Download gives you a CSV of whichever view you are on. Save as New Report keeps the filters and columns you picked so you are not rebuilding it every payroll run, and a saved report can be emailed to you on a schedule. -> Go to the Staff Check-In Summary (in your Check Cherry account: /report/staff_check_in_summary) --- ## Branding https://www.checkcherry.com/help/23-branding *Category: Getting started* *Business Settings is where you configure your brand identity in Check Cherry. This includes your company name, contact info, logo, colors, and more.* Business Settings is where you configure your brand identity in Check Cherry. This includes your company name, contact info, logo, colors, and more. Everything you set here appears on your proposals, invoices, contracts, booking pages, and client-facing emails. > Check Cherry supports multiple brands. If your plan includes additional brands, you will see an Add Another Brand button at the bottom of the page. Each brand gets its own name, logo, colors, and contact info. ### Account Settings These settings control general behavior across your account. - Time Zone: Sets the default time zone for your account. This affects how event times are displayed throughout the platform. - Weeks start on: Choose whether your calendar week starts on Sunday or Monday. - Group packages booked on the same day in the calendar: When enabled, multiple packages booked for the same date will be grouped together in the calendar view. ### Messages - Enable Email Reply Tracking: Automatically tracks replies from emails sent through Check Cherry, so you can see the full conversation history on each booking. ### App Footer Control what appears in the footer of your client-facing pages (proposals, invoices, booking pages). - Display Check Cherry Logo: Show or hide the Check Cherry logo in the footer. - Display address in footer: Show your business address. - Display email in footer: Show your public email address. ### Brand Name and Address Your business name and address as they appear on proposals, invoices, and contracts. - Name: Your business or brand name. - Address: Street address (line 1). - Address 2: Suite, unit, or additional address info. - City, State, Zip: City, state, and postal code. ### Brand Contact Info Public-facing contact details shown to your clients. - Public Email: The email address clients see on your booking pages and documents. - Public Phone: The phone number displayed to clients. - Website: Your business website URL. ### Brand Logo and Colors Upload your logo and set the colors that define your brand throughout the platform. - Logo: Upload a logo image. Recommended size is 660 x 120 pixels. - Primary Color / Contrast Color: Your main brand color and its contrasting text color. - Navigation Background / Navigation Text: Colors for the navigation bar on your client-facing pages. - Call-to-Action Background / Call-to-Action Text: Colors for buttons and links your clients interact with. > Tip: Use your actual brand colors here. These appear on your booking pages, proposals, and contracts, so they should match the rest of your marketing. ### Favicon A favicon is the small icon that appears in the browser tab when someone visits your booking page. Upload a .png or .gif file, ideally 320 x 320 pixels. This is optional. ### Invoices These settings control how your business info appears on invoices and proposals. - Show my address on invoices and proposals: Include your business address on generated documents. - Override invoice and proposal details: When checked, the logo and business information entered in this section will be used on invoices and proposals instead of the primary brand details above. > The override option is useful if you want different branding on your invoices than on your booking pages. For example, you might use a formal business name on invoices but a DBA name on your public pages. ### Social Media Add links to your social media profiles. These may appear on your booking pages and in email footers. - Facebook URL - Instagram URL - YouTube URL - TikTok URL ### Email Signature Create a custom email signature for each brand. Signatures can include formatted text, images, and links. This signature is appended to emails sent through Check Cherry. ### Adding Another Brand If your plan supports multiple brands, you can add another brand from the bottom of the Business Settings page. Each brand has its own name, logo, colors, contact info, and email signature. > Warning: Multiple brands share the same payment account and bank payout destination. However, each brand can have its own statement descriptor so clients see the right business name on their credit card statement. If you run two separate businesses with different bank accounts, you need a separate Check Cherry account for each one. Use the refer-a-friend program to get a discount on the second account. **Where to find it:** Manage > Business Settings (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/brands) 1. Go to Business Settings. 2. Scroll to the bottom and click Add Another Brand. 3. Fill in the brand name, contact info, logo, and colors. 4. Click Save. -> Go to Business Settings (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/brands) --- ## How do I set up the Photobooth Templates integration? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/190-photobooth-templates-integration *Category: Integrations* *PhotoboothTemplates.com has a library of overlay and layout designs.* PhotoboothTemplates.com has a library of overlay and layout designs. Connect it to Check Cherry and your clients can browse and select templates directly from their booking — no more sending design samples back and forth. **Where to find it:** Manage > Business Settings > Integrations (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/third_party_integrations) 1. Go to Integrations. 2. Find the Photobooth Templates logo and click Enable. 3. Follow the prompts to connect your PhotoboothTemplates.com account. > Once connected, your templates will appear as options in your booking engine. Clients can browse and select designs during checkout. ### Video walkthrough This video shows the complete setup process: Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sme3hi0tCcU --- ## Email best practices https://www.checkcherry.com/help/86-email-best-practices *Category: Best practices* *Following email best practices helps your messages reach your clients inboxes instead of their spam folders.* Good email practices help your messages reach client inboxes instead of spam folders. Email deliverability depends on sender reputation, which Check Cherry maintains by monitoring how all users send emails. ### Email Delivery Basics Your emails come from notifications@yourcompany.checkcherry-mail.com (where "yourcompany" is your brand name). Ask clients to add this address to their contacts — it helps bypass spam filters. > Warning: You must have opt-in permission from recipients. Only email people who expect to hear from you about their booking or service. ### What Helps Delivery - Send fewer messages — less is more for deliverability - Keep early emails simple with more text than images - Use automated messages instead of manual follow-ups - Customize content with details specific to your business - Ask clients to whitelist reply.checkcherry-mail.com ### What Hurts Delivery - Emailing people who don't know you or your company - Sending emails unrelated to the booking or service - Excessive follow-ups (after 2-3 attempts, they're unlikely to respond) - Daily or frequent emailing - Image-only emails without balanced text content - Multiple font sizes, bright colors, or complex formatting - Giant fonts, excessive punctuation, or all caps ### Content That Triggers Spam Filters - Payment request links (especially multiple in one email) - Direct solicitation for Venmo, PayPal, or other payment methods - Subject lines with "Free" or "Discount" - Dollar amount references (like "$5-10MM") - Links to external domains - Large images or images with text overlays ### Report Undelivered Emails If emails aren't reaching clients, report it to help us identify delivery issues. Look for the dropdown arrow next to message status indicators to notify the Check Cherry team. You can also check delivery status in Email Event History to see if messages were delivered, bounced, or filtered. ### Watch: Email Best Practices Video: https://www.youtube.com/embed/Wg0qSYjmD2U?rel=0 > Questions about email sending practices? Use the chat in your account to connect with the Check Cherry team. -> Email Event History (in your Check Cherry account: /email_event_history) --- ## How do I get my backdrops set up? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/130-how-do-i-get-my-backdrops-set-up *Category: Packages* *Photo booth clients want to choose their backdrop before the event.* Photo booth clients want to choose their backdrop before the event. Setting up your backdrop collection in Check Cherry lets them browse options during booking and makes your life easier on event day. **Where to find it:** Manage > Backdrops (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/photobooth_backgrounds) ### Adding and organizing backdrops Start by adding your backdrops and organizing them into categories. Each backdrop can have its own pricing, description, and availability rules. Categories help keep things organized — think "Standard," "Premium," or "Seasonal." > Tip: Use the Bulk Upload feature to upload many backdrops at once. #### Individual backdrop settings Click the menu button on any backdrop in your backdrop manager to edit its settings: - Name and description - Category and pricing - Which packages can see this backdrop - Whether it's included free with certain packages - Lead time requirements - Package visibility - Gallery visibility > Make sure your backdrop individual settings correlate with the category settings. If a category is visible to all packages but a specific backdrop is set to "No Packages," that backdrop won't show up anywhere. ### Bulk editing backdrops If you have dozens of backdrops, bulk editing saves time. You can update pricing, move backdrops to different categories, or change visibility settings for multiple backdrops at once. 1. Click Bulk Edit on your backdrops page 2. Select the backdrops you want to edit (or select all) 3. Click Edit Selected Backdrops 4. Choose your action and make the changes Available bulk actions include updating pricing, moving to categories, setting package associations, managing free inclusions, lead time requirements, and gallery visibility. ### Managing double-sided backdrops Double-sided backdrops are popular, but you need to make sure both sides don't get booked on the same day. Check Cherry's availability rules handle this automatically. **Where to find it:** Manage > Business Settings > Availability > Availability Rules (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/availability/inventory_items) 1. Go to Availability Rules 2. Click Add New Rule 3. Name the rule (like "Pink/Gold Sequin") 4. Set the total quantity you have of this backdrop 5. Check both sides in the Backdrops section 6. Click Save Now if someone books the pink side for Saturday, the gold side won't be available that day either. ### Category visibility settings Each backdrop category has default visibility settings that determine which packages can see backdrops in that category. Individual backdrop settings can override these defaults. For example, if your "Premium" category is visible to all packages, but you set a specific backdrop to "Basic Package Only," it will only show up for Basic Package bookings. ### Assigning backdrops to packages You can control which backdrops appear for each package, and whether they're included free or cost extra. This is handled in the individual backdrop settings under "Visible for Packages." ### Duplicating backdrops Need to create similar backdrops quickly? Click the menu button on a backdrop, then choose duplicate. ### Video walkthrough Video: https://www.youtube.com/embed/ClvwuWbbYkg -> Manage Backdrops (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/photobooth_backgrounds) -> Availability Rules (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/availability/inventory_items) --- ## How do I let clients leave a tip? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/43-how-do-i-let-clients-leave-a-tip *Category: Payments* *Your team just crushed a wedding and the client wants to leave a tip.* Your team just crushed a wedding and the client wants to leave a tip. The tipping feature makes it easy for clients to add a gratuity during checkout or after the event. ### Enabling Tips **Where to find it:** Manage > Payment Settings (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/payment_methods) 1. Scroll down to the Tips section. 2. Click Settings to enable tips. You can add a custom message that appears when clients make payments — something like "Tips are shared among our team and always appreciated!" ### How Clients Add a Tip Once tips are enabled, a tip field appears on the payment page whenever a client clicks to make a payment. They can enter any amount they'd like. > The tip field only appears on confirmed bookings. It does not show up when a client is accepting a proposal and paying a deposit — only after the booking has been confirmed. ### Getting Notified About Tips The easiest way to know when a tip is received is to set up an automated message: 1. Go to Automated Messages. 2. Click New Automated Message. 3. Scroll to the Tip Received group of templates. 4. Choose your preferred template and click Save. ### Finding Tips on a Booking Tips appear as a separate line item in the Payment History. To see them, open the booking and click Edit on the Payments and Balance section: The Payment History on the right will show a separate line item for the tip if one was given: ### Running a Tips Report To see all tips received across your bookings, run the Tips report: > Tips are not included in the revenue graphs on your dashboard or in the Payment History report. Use the dedicated Tips report to track them. ### Processing Fees on Tips > Warning: Tips paid by credit card are subject to the standard payment processing fee. The amount deposited to your bank will be slightly less than what the client paid. You'll need to handle paying out tips to your staff separately — Check Cherry doesn't manage tip distribution. --- ## How do I send an invoice to a client? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/166-how-do-i-send-an-invoice-to-a-client *Category: Bookings* *A client needs to see what they owe and have a way to pay. There are two quick ways to get an invoice in front of them.* Every proposal and booking in Check Cherry already has an invoice attached to it. You do not need to create an invoice separately: the packages, add-ons, and other adjustments on your bookings already contain everything needed for the invoice. ### Start With a Booking or Proposal If you don't yet have a proposal or booking, start here: 1. Click Create New in the top right. 2. Choose Get A Signature (Proposal) or Log Booking (Confirmed). 3. Fill in the client, date, and package details, then save. Feel free to choose the "Custom/One-Off" option for your package if this does not correspond to any of your existing packages. > Tip: Not sure whether to create a proposal or a booking?Choose Get A Signature (Proposal) when the client has not committed yet. They get a proposal they can review, sign, and pay the deposit. See How do I send a proposal or reserve a date?Choose Log Booking (Confirmed) when the deal is already done, whether you signed on paper, agreed over the phone, or collected a deposit somewhere else. It goes on your calendar as a confirmed booking right away, with the invoice ready to send. If you have already have a booking use the global search bar at the top to find it quickly. ### Method 1: Share the Invoice Link 1. Open the booking or proposal. 2. Click the Invoice tab. 3. Scroll to the bottom and copy the share link. 4. Send the link to the client. They can view the invoice and make a payment without logging in. ### Method 2: Send It by Email 1. Open the booking. 2. Click Quick Send and choose an invoice or payment reminder template. 3. Send. --- ## How do I charge extra when a client wants more than what's included? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/408-how-do-i-charge-extra-when-a-client-wants-more-than-what-s-included *Category: Pricing* *Your package or add-on includes a set quantity — 100 keychains, 50 prints, a 2-hour booth. Here's how to charge automatically when a client wants more.* Many services include a set quantity of something: a keychain station that includes 100 keychains, a package with 50 prints. When a client wants more than what's included, you shouldn't have to create a separate package for every possible quantity. Instead, pair a stated included amount with a priced overage sold in batches. ### First: Say What's Included State the included quantity in the package or add-on description, for example "Includes 100 custom keychains." Clients can't know they need more unless they know what's included. ### Which Path You Need The right setup depends on where the included amount lives. - Included in a package? Create an overage add-on and restrict it to that package. Add-ons can be limited to specific packages, so the overage only appears where it makes sense. - Included in an add-on? Attach an extra category to that add-on. There's no way to show one add-on only when another add-on is selected, so a second "50 More Keychains" add-on can't be gated on the first. Extras solve exactly that. ### Path 1: More of Something Included in a Package 1. Go to Add-Ons and create a new add-on for the overage, like "50 Extra Keychains," priced per batch using the Flat Rate, Per Unit, or Per Hour price method. 2. Set Max quantity per booking to the most batches you're willing to fulfill. For example, 6 allows up to 300 extra keychains. Any value above 1 gives clients a quantity picker at checkout. 3. In the Packages panel on the add-on page, click Edit and limit the add-on to the package(s) that include the item. At checkout, clients booking that package see the overage add-on priced per set ("/ ea") with a quantity picker, and each set is billed automatically. ### Path 2: More of Something Included in an Add-On **Where to find it:** Manage > Booking Engine > Extra Categories (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/extra_categories) 1. Go to Extra Categories and click New Category. Name it for the item, like "Additional Keychains." 2. Add one item to the category, "50 Extra Keychains," priced per batch. 3. Set the item's maximum quantity to the most batches you're willing to fulfill. For example, 6 allows up to 300 extra keychains. > Tip: Clients select a quantity of a single item rather than adding it multiple times. One "50 Extra Keychains" item with a quantity of 3 means 150 extra keychains. 1. Go to Add-Ons and select the add-on (for example, the Keychain Station). 2. Scroll to the Advanced section. Your new category appears there with the question "Are additional keychains supported with this add-on?" 3. Choose Yes, any number can be added (or Yes, but only a fixed number can be added to cap the total). 4. Save. > The extra category only appears in the add-on's Advanced section after you've created it. If you don't see it, create the category first, then return to the add-on. Extras attached to an add-on are only offered after the client selects that add-on, so nobody can buy the overage on its own. The client picks how many sets they want and each is billed on the invoice automatically. > Extra categories work with packages too. Each package's Advanced tab has the same option, so you can use the extras approach for a package-included amount if you prefer. For most businesses the overage add-on is simpler there: add-ons are more prominent during booking, and accounts have a limited number of extra category slots (2 to 6 depending on account type). For full details on extra categories, see How do I offer props, upgrades, and customization options? For add-on pricing options, see How do I configure add-on pricing and settings? -> Extra Categories (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/extra_categories) --- ## How do I configure privacy settings? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/193-privacy-settings *Category: Getting started* *If you collect personal data through your booking page or lead forms, a privacy notice helps you stay compliant and builds trust with clients.* Privacy notices help you stay compliant with data protection laws like GDPR and build trust by being transparent about how you handle client information. **Where to find it:** Manage > Business Settings > Privacy (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/privacy-settings) 1. Go to Privacy. 2. Customize your consent message in the text field. 3. If you want to require consent before collecting any personal information, check Yes for "Request consent on first step of booking process prior to collecting personal information?" 4. Click Save. ### How the consent checkbox works When you enable the consent requirement, clients must check a box agreeing to your privacy terms before they can enter their name, email, or other details on your booking page. This ensures you have explicit consent before collecting any personal information. > The privacy notice appears on your booking page and lead forms. If you're subject to GDPR or other data protection regulations, consult with a legal professional about what to include in your privacy message. --- ## How do I automatically request a review after an event? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/201-how-do-i-automatically-request-a-review-after-an-event *Category: Messaging* *The event is over and the client is still excited. That is the perfect moment to ask for a review. Set up an automated email that does it for you.* The event is over and the client is still excited. That's the perfect moment to ask for a review. Set up an automated email that does it for you. **Where to find it:** Manage > Automated Messages (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/automated_events) 1. Go to Automated Messages. 2. Click New Automated Message. 3. Select the Pre-built templates button under "Scheduled Date". 4. Choose the template with subject line "Send the customer an email 2 days after their event asking for reviews". When you click View Template, you can customize the message, apply it to specific packages and brands, and choose whether to send the messages automatically or send them to a review queue first. > Tip: Include a direct link to your Google Business Profile or review site so clients can leave a review with one click. --- ## How do I create song playlists? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/124-how-do-i-create-song-playlists *Category: Questionnaires* *Song playlists let your clients submit their music requests through a questionnaire. You can start with a pre-built song list or create your own.* A song list is a reusable library of tracks your clients can pick from when you ask them for music selections. Build a curated list once, then attach it to questionnaire fields or to design template questions across every booking. Most operators end up with several lists for different moments of a wedding or event: first dances, parent dances, ceremony processionals, popular reception songs, party closers. Lists live in the song library, separate from any individual questionnaire. That means you can update a list in one place and every questionnaire field pointing at it sees the change. ### Where song lists live **Where to find it:** Manage > Questionnaire Templates > Song Lists (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/suggestion_lists) Song Lists sits as a tab inside Questionnaire Templates because that is where it was first used. The lists themselves are usable anywhere we ask a client to pick a song, including design template extra questions for 360 photo booths. ### Start from a Check Cherry sample The fastest way to get going is to start from one of the sample lists Check Cherry provides. They cover common categories like first dance, father-daughter, mother-son, and reception favorites. The samples are generic on purpose. Most people import one as a starting point and then customize it to match what they actually play. 1. Go to Song Lists. 2. Click Create New List. 3. Under Check Cherry Samples, find a sample that fits and click Import. 4. Open the imported list and edit it down to the songs you actually want to suggest. > Tip: If you want every sample to be available, click Import all at the top of the samples section. You can prune the ones you do not need afterward. ### Import from Spotify, Apple Music, or YouTube Music If you already have a playlist on Spotify, Apple Music, or YouTube Music, you can pull it straight into a song list by pasting the playlist URL. Check Cherry talks to each service in the background, reads the tracks, and shows you a preview before anything is saved. This is the fastest way to get a real list into the app. 1. Go to Song Lists and click Create New List. 2. In the Import Playlist panel, click Spotify Playlist, Apple Music Playlist, or YouTube Music Playlist depending on where your playlist lives. 3. Paste the playlist URL. 4. Choose where to put the tracks: Create a new list, or pick an existing list to merge them into. 5. Click Import. The import runs in the background while we fetch the tracks. 6. When the preview loads, review the tracks Check Cherry found. Tick Attempt to merge duplicates if you are importing into an existing list and want to skip songs that already match on artist and song name. 7. Click Perform Import to save the tracks to your list. > Each import brings over track name, artist, album, cover art, and a preview link back to the original service. Once imported, songs behave like any other entry on a song list, including reordering and editing. > Warning: Private or algorithmically generated Spotify playlists (Discover Weekly, Daily Mixes, friends-only playlists) cannot be accessed through the Spotify API and will fail with a not-found error. Make the playlist public, or copy its tracks into a public playlist of your own, before importing. Apple Music and YouTube Music playlists need to be publicly accessible too. ### Import from a CSV file CSV upload is the catch-all for any source that is not directly supported, or for moving songs in bulk from a spreadsheet you already maintain. You can also use it to round-trip an existing list: download as CSV, edit in a spreadsheet, and re-upload. 1. From Song Lists, click Create New List and then CSV File in the Import Playlist panel. To add to an existing list, open that list and click Bulk Import. 2. Upload your file. Check Cherry will read the header row and let you map each column to a song field (track name, artist, album, preview URL, notes). Columns you do not need can be left unmapped. 3. Review the preview, then click Perform Import. 4. If you imported into an existing list, the uploader skips songs that already match on track name and artist. > To download an existing list as a CSV, open the list and click the download icon next to the title. Useful for editing in a spreadsheet, sharing with a co-host, or moving songs between accounts. #### Converting from an unsupported service If your music lives somewhere we do not yet support directly (Tidal, Deezer, Amazon Music), or if you have a private or algorithmic Spotify playlist the API cannot reach, a third-party converter like Soundiiz can read the playlist and give you a CSV file you can upload here. Check Cherry has no integration with Soundiiz; it is one option among several and we do not endorse a specific tool, but it is the workflow most people use for sources outside the three we import directly. ### Build a list from scratch 1. Go to Song Lists. 2. Click Create New List. 3. Give the list a clear title (clients will see it, so use names like Father-Daughter Dance not FDD v2) and click Create List. 4. Click Add Song to add tracks one at a time. 5. Drag songs to reorder them, or use the search box to find a specific track in a long list. 6. Click Save Changes when you are done. #### What goes on a song row - Track name and artist (required). - Album (optional but helpful for disambiguating covers and live versions). - Preview URL from Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, or SoundCloud. When this is set, clients can click play and hear a snippet without leaving the page. - Notes for anything you want the client to know about the track. > Tip: Adding a preview URL is the single biggest quality-of-life upgrade for clients. Hearing the song removes the will-this-be-the-right-version anxiety and cuts down on back-and-forth. Imports from Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube Music fill this in automatically. ### Naming and organizing lists List titles show up in two places: the admin dropdown when you attach a list to a field, and (on some field types) as a header above the suggestions clients see. Use names that read well in both contexts. Father-Daughter Dance Ideas is better than FD Suggestions 2024. There is no folder structure for lists. Most operators end up with 5 to 15 lists organized by moment (ceremony, first dance, dinner, dancing) rather than by genre. Start small. You can always add more. > Warning: Editing a song list updates it everywhere it is used. If you remove a song from a list, future clients will not see it on questionnaires that reference that list. Past responses are unaffected. --- ## How do I create a proposal from an appointment? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/135-how-do-i-make-a-proposal-after-an-appointment *Category: Bookings* *The consultation went well and the client wants to move forward. Create a proposal directly from the appointment so you do not have to re-enter their info.* The consultation went well and the client wants to move forward. Create a proposal directly from the appointment so you don't have to re-enter their info. **Where to find it:** Your profile menu > My Appointments (in your Check Cherry account: /appointments) 1. Find the appointment and click on it to open the details. 2. Click the Convert button and choose Proposal. 3. The client's contact information and event details will carry over to the new proposal. 4. Add packages, set pricing, and send the proposal to your client. Once you send the proposal, your client can review it, sign the contract, and pay their deposit to confirm the booking. --- ## Why are my emails going to spam? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/87-why-are-my-emails-going-to-spam *Category: Messaging* *Email deliverability is one of the most common questions we get.* Email deliverability is one of the most common questions we get. This guide covers why emails end up in spam or promotions folders, what you can do about it, and how Check Cherry handles email behind the scenes. ### Start here: check your delivery status Before troubleshooting, check the message status in Check Cherry. We show you whether a message was delivered, opened, bounced, or deferred. **Where to find it:** Messages > Select a message > View delivery details (in your Check Cherry account: /recent_messages) - Delivered: The email reached their mail server. If they can't find it, it was filtered into another folder like Promotions, Spam, or Junk on their end. - Bounced: The address is invalid or their server rejected it. See understanding bounce errors. - Deferred: Their server is temporarily delaying it. This usually resolves on its own within a few hours. This is the fastest way to narrow down what is actually happening. ### The most common issue: corporate, school, and government emails This deserves its own section because it is by far the most common deliverability complaint we hear. Here is what is happening: you have been emailing a corporate buyer from your personal email. You agree on the details, you send a proposal through Check Cherry, and it goes to spam. The client says "I never got it." The reason is that your proposal email came from a different address than the one they have been talking to. Corporate, school, and government organizations often use dedicated security services to filter incoming mail. These filters are more aggressive than what Gmail or Yahoo use. They look at the sender address, the domain, and whether they have seen email from that sender before. A first-time email from an unfamiliar sender with a link and an attachment is exactly the kind of thing these filters are built to catch. #### What you can do - Warm up the connection before sending the proposal. Send a simple, low-key message from Check Cherry first. Something like "Hi, I'm going to send over a proposal for your event. Just wanted to make sure you're receiving emails from this address." Once they reply, your future Check Cherry emails are much less likely to be flagged. - Ask them to check spam or junk. If they find it, marking it "not spam" trains their filter for future messages. - Ask them to add your sending address to contacts. This whitelists you. - Use the proposal link instead. Copy the proposal link and paste it into an email you send from your personal inbox. The client clicks the link to view and accept. No spam filter issues because the email comes from you. > Tip: The proposal link approach works every time. Send a quick personal email saying "Here's your proposal" with the link. The client can review, sign, and pay from the link without ever needing to receive the Check Cherry email. > Email deliverability is inherently unpredictable. These tips are based on what works most of the time, but no approach guarantees 100% inbox placement. Spam filters are controlled by the recipient's email provider, not by us. ### General deliverability tips If you are experiencing general deliverability issues (not just corporate clients), it is likely related to your sending patterns or email content. - Send fewer automated follow-ups. Sending too many automated emails in a short period can trigger spam filters. Space them out and only send what is necessary. - Simplify your emails. Heavy images with little text look like marketing emails to spam filters. Keep early emails text-focused. - Check your sending patterns. If you are sending bulk automated messages, review the frequency. One email per week per client is plenty for most businesses. - Avoid all caps or excessive punctuation in subject lines. These are classic spam indicators. - Make sure your email content is relevant. Emails that recipients consistently ignore (no opens, no clicks) can hurt your sending reputation over time. ### About Check Cherry's email infrastructure Check Cherry follows industry best practices for email authentication, including SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. These are the technical standards that help email providers verify that messages are legitimate. Our sending reputation is healthy. Our spam complaint rate averages well below 0.1%, and our sending IPs and domains are in good standing with all major email providers. Deliverability issues are almost always on the recipient's end, not ours. > Check Cherry does not support features that commonly lead to spam classification, like mass marketing emails or bulk cold outreach. If you need to send newsletters or marketing campaigns, use a service like Mailchimp and sync your contacts from Check Cherry. ### Outlook, Hotmail, and Live.com Microsoft's email services (Outlook.com, Hotmail, Live.com) sometimes temporarily delay emails from legitimate bulk senders. This is a known behavior that affects thousands of businesses, not just Check Cherry. When this happens, the email usually arrives within a few hours. If a recipient using one of these services reports a delay, try resending the message. ### Open and click tracking Check Cherry tracks whether emails are opened using a tiny invisible image embedded in each message. When the recipient's email app loads images, we know it was opened. Click tracking works by routing links through our server so we can record when someone clicks. Some things to keep in mind: - Some email apps auto-load images in preview, which counts as an "open" even if the person did not actually read the email. - Apple Mail's privacy features can pre-load tracking pixels, making open rates appear higher than actual. - Corporate security programs sometimes click links automatically to check if they are safe, which can cause false click reports. For more details on tracking, see why emails show as opened when they were not. -> View Message History (in your Check Cherry account: /recent_messages) --- ## How do I bulk edit packages? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/53-can-i-make-changes-to-all-my-packages-at-the-same-time *Category: Packages* *Raising prices for the new season? Bulk edit lets you update pricing, deposits, or visibility across multiple packages at once.* Raising prices for the new season? Bulk edit lets you update pricing, deposits, or visibility settings across multiple packages at once — much faster than editing each one individually. **Where to find it:** Manage > Packages (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/event_categories) 1. Go to Packages. 2. Click Bulk Edit 3. Select Bulk Edit Packages 4. Select the packages you want to change using the checkboxes. 5. Click Edit Selected Packages 6. In the Actions box, choose the selected action. ### What you can bulk edit #### Status Control where packages appear: - Public — Show on booking pages - Private — Available for booking, but not listed to the public - Disabled — Unavailable for booking - Move to Group — Organize packages into categories #### Pricing - Set starting rate - Set taxable (Yes/No) - Charge for extra hours #### Deposit - No deposit required - Flat rate - Percentage of total #### Scheduling Mode Scheduling Type: - Date & Time - Date Only Calendar Mode: - Minimal - Automatic Slots - Predefined Slots #### Availability - Yes - Yes, with limited hours (enter days/hours) - No #### Advanced Settings Show title on booking page: Keep current (Yes/No) Online Booking Mode: - Keep current - Allow Online Booking - Request for Proposal - Display Lead Form (select which lead form) Requires additional lead time: Keep current (Yes/No) or set lead time in days Uses Backdrops: Keep current (Yes/No) or Yes — allow customer to skip You can also delete packages in bulk from this screen. > Tip: Most people bulk edit at the start of a new season to update pricing across all packages. It's also useful when reorganizing your package structure or changing deposit requirements. --- ## How do I print or download a proposal as a PDF? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/128-how-do-i-print-or-download-a-proposal-as-a-pdf *Category: Proposals* *A venue wants a printed copy of your proposal, or a client needs a PDF for their records. You can generate both from any proposal.* Sometimes clients need a PDF copy for their records, or a venue requires a printed proposal for their files. You can generate both directly from any proposal. ### Getting to the Preview 1. Open the proposal you want to download or print. 2. Click the Preview button in the blue banner at the top. 3. Select the Print or PDF button at the bottom. The preview shows you exactly what your client sees. ### Choosing Your Format At the bottom of the proposal preview, you'll see two options: - PDF Version — Clean digital copy with your branding and package details - Printable Version — Includes signature lines for both you and your client if counter-signing is needed > Tip: Use the Printable Version if you need both signatures on paper. Use PDF Version for client records or venue submissions where signatures aren't required. --- ## How do I enable appointments for staff? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/56-how-do-i-enable-appointments-for-staff *Category: Bookings* *Turn on Enhanced Appointment Scheduling so staff get their own scheduling links, what it costs, and how to turn it off.* The account owner can use appointments by default. Everyone else needs Enhanced Appointment Scheduling turned on before they can create their own appointment calendars and share scheduling links with clients. ### Cost Enhanced Appointment Scheduling is $5/month per user, added to your Check Cherry bill. The account owner gets it at no charge. Because it adds to the bill, only the account owner can turn it on for another user. Other admins see a message asking them to check with the account owner. It's available to users with a staff or admin role. ### Enabling appointments for staff **Where to find it:** Manage > User Accounts (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/users) 1. Go to User Accounts. 2. Find the staff member and click the dropdown arrow next to Show User. 3. Select Enable Enhanced Scheduling. A window opens showing what the feature includes and what it costs. 4. Click Enable for $5.00/month and confirm. When enabling it for the account owner, the button reads Enable for Free. Once enabled, the user's card in User Accounts shows Enhanced Scheduling. They can open their appointment calendar by clicking their name in the upper right corner and selecting Appointment Scheduling. A default calendar is created for them automatically. ### How appointment scheduling works Each staff member configures their own meeting calendars, then shares the scheduling link with clients. The link shows open time slots based on their settings, and clients book directly without the back-and-forth emails. To configure a meeting calendar, click Edit on the existing calendar or create a New Scheduling Calendar. #### Calendar settings Each calendar can be customized with these options: - Title: name of the calendar - Appointment length: 15 minutes to 12 hours - Buffer time: 15 minutes to 1 hour between appointments - Minimum notice: how much advance notice is required - Booking window: how many days in advance appointments can be scheduled - Conflict prevention: block times during assigned bookings or all bookings - Meeting format: in person, Zoom (requires integration), phone, or other - Custom messages: invitation and confirmation text - Weekly availability: use booking availability or set custom hours for each day > Tip: You can get a staff member's scheduling link from their card in User Accounts by clicking Show User. Handy when you're sharing their calendar on their behalf. ### Turning it off **Where to find it:** Manage > User Accounts (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/users) 1. Go to User Accounts. 2. Click the dropdown arrow next to Show User for that user. 3. Select Disable Enhanced Scheduling. The charge comes off your next monthly bill. Archiving the user removes the charge too. If you remove both the staff and admin roles from a user, Enhanced Scheduling turns off automatically. > For a complete setup guide, see getting started with appointments. For video calls, see Zoom and Google Meet. -> View Appointments (in your Check Cherry account: /appointments) --- ## How do I set follow-up dates on leads and proposals? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/61-how-do-i-set-follow-up-dates-on-leads-and-proposals *Category: Leads* *Follow-up dates help you stay on top of leads and proposals that need attention.* Follow-up dates help you stay on top of leads and proposals that need attention. Set a date and Check Cherry will show them in your follow-up dashboard widget so nothing slips through the cracks. ### Setting a Follow-Up Date on a Lead **Where to find it:** Sales > Leads (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/leads) 1. Go to Leads. 2. Click Edit to edit the lead. 3. Enter a follow-up date in the Next Follow Up Date field. You can also sort the leads by next follow-up date: ### Setting a Follow-Up Date on a Proposal You can add a follow-up date from the proposal list by clicking Manage booking on the proposal: You can also add it from the proposal overview in the Tools section: In the overview, you can scroll down to the Notes section and select Add Note to add both a private note and a next follow-up date: ### Dashboard Widget Once you set follow-up dates, you can add a widget to your dashboard to list the leads and proposals with upcoming follow-up dates. ### Sorting by Follow-Up Date Sort your proposals and leads by next follow-up date to prioritize who to contact first. Go to Sales → Leads or Sales → Proposals and select the sort by next follow-up option. --- ## How do I sync the company calendar? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/58-how-do-i-sync-the-company-calendar *Category: Calendar* *As an admin, you can sync your company-wide sales calendar with Google Calendar or any calendar app that supports ICS subscriptions.* As an admin, you can sync your company-wide sales calendar with Google Calendar or any calendar app that supports ICS subscriptions. This is different from personal staff sync — the company calendar shows all bookings across your entire account. > Looking for personal calendar sync? Each staff member can set up their own sync from their dashboard. See syncing your personal calendar. ### Google Calendar Sync **Where to find it:** Sales > Calendar (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/event_calendar) 1. Go to Calendar and scroll below the calendar. 2. Click Subscribe to Calendar. 3. Select the Google account you want to connect. #### Choosing what to send to Google In the Sync to Google Calendar section, choose what Check Cherry sends to your Google Calendar. Confirmed Bookings and Appointments sync by default. Click More sync options to also send Proposals, Leads, Blockout Dates, or Staff Time Off. Each type has its own dropdown — set it to sync all of that type, or leave it on Do not sync — then save. #### Blocking availability from Google You can pull events from your primary Google calendar to block off availability. When enabled, any event on your Google Calendar will prevent bookings for your entire account during that time. #### Connecting other Google calendars You can connect any one calendar from your Google account. When signing in, click the dropdown to choose which calendar to use. ### Apple Calendar, Outlook, and Other Apps For non-Google calendars, use an ICS subscription. The subscription URL is shown on the right side of the Subscribe to Calendar section. Copy the URL and add it as a subscribed calendar in your app. ICS subscriptions can include bookings, proposals, leads, blockout dates, and staff time off. > Warning: If you change what's included in an existing ICS subscription (like removing leads), the changes won't apply to the current subscription. You'll need to unsubscribe and re-subscribe with the new URL. ### Syncing a Staff Member's Calendar Staff don't need to log in to set up their calendar sync. As an admin, you can get their subscription link for them. **Where to find it:** Manage > User Accounts (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/users) 1. Go to User Accounts and find the staff member. 2. Click Impersonate to log in as that user. 3. From their dashboard, click Subscribe to Calendar and copy the ICS link. 4. Send the link and subscription instructions to the staff member. ### Watch: Calendar Sync Video: https://www.youtube.com/embed/teFEYA6HQy4?rel=0 -> Open Calendar (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/event_calendar) --- ## Can I sync my personal calendar with Check Cherry? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/63-can-i-sync-my-personal-calendar-with-check-cherry *Category: Calendar* *You confirmed a booking in Check Cherry but it is not showing on your Google Calendar.* You confirmed a booking in Check Cherry but it is not showing on your Google Calendar. Calendar sync fixes that — your bookings show up alongside everything else in your day. ### Google Calendar Sync A two-way sync between your Google Calendar and Check Cherry. Confirmed bookings and appointments appear on your Google Calendar in real time, and events from Google are pulled into Check Cherry for availability checking. You can also choose to send proposals, leads, blockout dates, and staff time off. 1. Click Sales - Calendar. 2. Scroll down and click Subscribe to Calendar. 3. Sign in to your Google account and choose which calendar to sync. An ICS subscription works with any calendar app: Apple Calendar, Outlook, or any app that supports calendar subscriptions. It includes bookings, proposals, leads, blockout dates, and appointments. However, this is a one-way subscription from your Check Cherry calendar to your private calendar, and it does not sync instantly. 1. Click Sales - Calendar. 2. Scroll down and click Subscribe to Calendar. 3. Copy the ICS feed URL. 4. Add it as a subscribed calendar in your calendar app. > ICS subscriptions are read-only and may take 15-60 minutes to refresh depending on your calendar app. ### Company vs Personal Sync - Personal sync (above): Each staff member sets up their own sync to see their assigned bookings. - Company sync (admin only): Syncs the company-wide sales calendar. Set this up under Sales → Calendar. It blocks availability for the entire business. > Tip: You can use both together, but you don't have to. Google sync is two-way and updates in real time; an ICS subscription is one-way and works with any calendar app. Both can include proposals, leads, blockout dates, and staff time off when you enable them. ### If Google Asks You to Reconnect Google periodically revokes app permissions as a security measure. If this happens, you'll get an email asking you to reconnect. Go to My Calendar and click Reconnect. > Warning: Don't delete and re-create the connection. Just reconnect. Deleting can create duplicate events. -> Calendar Settings (in your Check Cherry account: /calendar_subscription) --- ## How do I create a new appointment? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/74-create-a-new-appointment *Category: Bookings* *Need to schedule a consultation, tasting, or planning call with a client? Create an appointment in a few clicks.* Need to schedule a consultation, tasting, or planning call with a client? You can create appointments manually for clients who contact you directly, or let them book available time slots through your online booking. **Where to find it:** Create New > Appointment (in your Check Cherry account: /appointments/new) 1. Click Create New in the top nav. 2. Select Appointment. 3. Fill in the required information. 4. Add any optional details. 5. Click Save. ### Required information Every appointment needs: - Name of the invitee - Email address - Scheduled date - Time of the appointment - Length of the appointment - Meeting type (in person, phone, or video call) ### Optional information You can also add: - Phone number for the attendee - Email addresses for additional guests - Meeting location details - Private notes (only visible to you) > Tip: Private notes are great for reminding yourself what to cover in the meeting or any special requests the client mentioned. -> Go to Appointments (in your Check Cherry account: /appointments) > For setting up appointment scheduling, availability, and Zoom integration, see getting started with appointments. --- ## How do I add a Spotify playlist to a questionnaire? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/7-add-a-spotify-playlist-to-an-event-questionnaire *Category: Questionnaires* *DJs and event planners often want clients to share their music preferences.* Music preferences are one of the most important details for DJs and event planners — and one of the hardest to collect well. Instead of endless email chains with song lists or vague "play some hip hop" instructions, you can add a Spotify playlist field to your questionnaire. Clients paste their playlist link directly, giving you exactly what they want to hear. ### Why Use Spotify Playlists Most clients already use Spotify and know how to create playlists. When they share a playlist link with you, you get the exact songs, not just artist names or rough descriptions. It's also easier for them than typing out a long list of songs in a text field. > Tip: Most DJs ask for both a "must play" playlist and a "do not play" playlist. You can add multiple Spotify playlist fields to the same questionnaire. ### Adding a Spotify Playlist Field **Where to find it:** Business Settings > Questionnaires (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/questionnaire_templates) 1. Select the questionnaire template you want to edit (or create a new one). 2. Click Add Field. 3. Choose Spotify Playlist from the field types. 4. Enter a label like "Must Play Songs" or "Reception Playlist." 5. Save the questionnaire template. When clients fill out the questionnaire, they'll see a field where they can paste their Spotify playlist link. The playlist will be accessible to you when you view their responses. > Clients need to make sure their Spotify playlist is set to public, not private, so you can access it. Most clients figure this out on their own, but you might mention it in your questionnaire instructions. --- ## Can I track expenses in Check Cherry? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/64-can-i-track-expenses-in-check-cherry *Category: Reporting* *Revenue is only half the picture. If you are not tracking what you spend on each event, you do not actually know if you are making money.* Revenue only tells half the story. When you track expenses alongside your bookings, you can see your actual profit per event, spot which packages are worth your time, and identify where your money is going each month. It also makes tax season easier when everything is already categorized. ### How to add an expense **Where to find it:** Sales > Expenses (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/expenses) 1. Go to Expenses and click New Expense. 2. Select whether the expense is for Staff or a Vendor, then type their name. 3. Enter the amount and date of the expense. 4. Select a category from the dropdown, or create your own category. 5. If the expense is tied to a specific booking, type the booking title in the Booking field. 6. Enter a reference (what the expense is for) and an optional longer description. 7. Upload any receipts or files to attach to the expense. 8. Click Save. ### Customize your expense categories Your account comes with common business expense categories pre-loaded. You can add more categories, delete ones you don't need, or create subcategories within each category for more detailed tracking. **Where to find it:** Sales > Expenses > Categories tab (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/expense_categories) 1. Go to the Categories tab and click New Expense Category. 2. Enter the category name and choose whether it's a main category or subcategory. 3. Click Save. ### Set up recurring expenses For costs that repeat on a predictable schedule — like music licensing fees, equipment rentals, or per-booking expenses — you can create recurring expenses that are logged automatically. **Where to find it:** Sales > Expenses > Automated Expenses tab (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/recurring_expenses) 1. Go to the Automated Expenses tab and click New Automated Expense. 2. Choose when the expense should recur: on each booking, monthly, or yearly. 3. For booking-based expenses, select which date triggers the expense: the event date or the date the booking was confirmed. 4. Use the Applies to selector to choose which packages this expense applies to. 5. Enter the payee details (vendor or staff), reference, amount, and category. 6. Click Save. ### How to record a credit Credits work like negative expenses — use them for refunds, reimbursements, or any time you need to offset a previous expense. **Where to find it:** Sales > Expenses (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/expenses) 1. Go to Expenses, click the down arrow next to New Expense, and select Record Credit. 2. Fill in the same information as a regular expense, but enter the amount as a negative number. 3. Click Save. ### Track expenses on individual bookings Each booking has a Profitability section in the lower right corner that shows your revenue minus expenses for that event. You can add expenses directly from there without leaving the booking page. > Tip: Get in the habit of logging expenses right after each event while costs are fresh in your memory. Linking every expense to a booking gives you the most accurate profitability picture. ### Run expense reports The Expense Report gives you a detailed breakdown of all your expenses across any date range. You can customize which columns to show, filter by category or payee, and download the results as a spreadsheet for tax prep or further analysis. **Where to find it:** Sales > Reporting (in your Check Cherry account: /report/expenses) 1. Go to Reporting and choose Expense Report. 2. Set your date range and use Filters to narrow results by category, payee, or other criteria. 3. Click Columns to choose which information to include in the report. 4. Click Download to export as a spreadsheet. > You can save report configurations to rerun them later with one click. Saved reports can also be scheduled to automatically email to you or your team on a regular basis. -> Go to Expenses (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/expenses) --- ## How do I use the sales calendar? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/66-how-do-i-use-the-sales-calendar *Category: Bookings* *Your sales calendar is the central view of everything happening in your business — bookings, proposals, blockout dates, and staff time off, all in one place* Your sales calendar is the central view of everything happening in your business — bookings, proposals, appointments, and time off all in one place. Use it to see your schedule at a glance and add new items quickly. **Where to find it:** Sales > Calendar (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/event_calendar) ### What You Can View and Filter The calendar shows your bookings, proposals, appointments, and blockout dates. Use the filters in the upper right to choose which items to display — helpful when you want to focus on just bookings or just see what's still pending. > Tip: If you have multiple brands, use the brand selector in the upper left to switch between them and see each brand's activity separately. ### Adding New Items Click Add New in the upper left to create: - New Proposal - New Booking - Multistep Booking (test your booking engine as a client would) - Appointment - Blockout Date(s) - Staff Time Off The Check Availability button lets you quickly see if a specific date is open for a particular package, add-on, backdrop, or staff member without creating anything — useful when a client calls asking about availability. ### Syncing with Your Personal Calendar Click Subscribe to Calendar at the bottom right of the calendar to sync your Check Cherry events with your personal calendar. You can connect Google Calendar for two-way sync, or choose which items to include and subscribe to any calendar app that supports ICS, including: - iOS (iPhone and iPad) - Outlook - Apple Calendar on Mac - Any other calendar app that supports ICS subscriptions > For detailed calendar sync setup, see syncing the company calendar. -> Open Calendar (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/event_calendar) --- ## How do I check availability for a specific date? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/104-how-can-i-see-what-other-events-i-have-on-a-certain-date *Category: Bookings* *A client asks "are you available on June 14?" Instead of scrolling through your calendar, use the Check Availability button for an instant answer.* A client asks "are you available on June 14?" Instead of scrolling through your calendar, Check Cherry gives you a few ways to see what's scheduled for any date — including leads that might conflict. ### Check from Calendar **Where to find it:** Sales > Calendar (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/event_calendar) 1. Go to Calendar. 2. Click Check Availability in the upper left. 3. Select a date, time and package, add on, etc. to see if it's available. ### Check from any proposal or booking You can also check availability while working on a specific event. From any proposal or booking overview page, click on the event date to see a popup of everything scheduled that day — including other proposals and leads. This works from both proposals and confirmed bookings: > Tip: The popup shows leads too — useful for spotting potential conflicts before they become double bookings. --- ## How do I create Payment Plans for my clients? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/123-how-do-i-create-payment-plans-for-my-clients *Category: Payments* *A payment plan lets your clients spread the cost of a booking over multiple installments instead of paying everything up front.* A payment plan lets your clients spread the cost of a booking over multiple installments instead of paying everything up front. For many event professionals, offering payment plans is the difference between closing a deal and losing it — especially on higher-dollar packages. ### Why Offer Payment Plans? Clients booking event services are often planning months in advance. A $2,000 booking feels like a big commitment when it's due today, but $500 now and three monthly payments feels manageable. Payment plans remove that friction. > Tip: Event pros who offer payment plans typically see higher conversion rates on premium packages. Clients are more willing to choose the bigger package when the per-payment amount feels reasonable. ### Types of Payment Plans Check Cherry offers three ways to let clients pay over time: - Automatic payment plans — Default plans presented to every client when they book online or accept a proposal. Check Cherry calculates the schedule and amounts automatically. - Custom payment plans — A specific payment schedule you create for a specific client. Use these when a client has a unique situation — maybe they want to pay more up front, or need payments timed around their own billing cycle. - Klarna — A third-party buy-now-pay-later option. Available for Check Cherry Payments users. Klarna handles the installments and pays you up front. ### Setting Up Automatic Payment Plans Automatic plans are the easiest to set up — configure them once and every client sees them as options at checkout. 1. Go to the Payment Plans section in your payment settings. 2. Check Cherry includes "Pay in Full" and "Deposit + Final Payment" by default. Click Add Payment Plan to add more. 3. Choose a plan type (see below) and configure the details. > Tip: Not sure how your plans will look to clients? Click Try it Out in the Payment Plans section to simulate different packages, dates, and amounts. #### Available Plan Types - Deposit + Final Payment — Client pays a deposit now, then the remaining balance by a due date you set. Simple and clear. - Deposit + Monthly Payments — After the deposit, the remaining balance splits into equal monthly installments. A booking 6 months out gets 6 payments. This is the most popular option. - Deposit + Split Balance Equally — Splits the remaining balance into a fixed number of payments (e.g., "Pay in 4"). You can add this multiple times to offer both "Pay in 4" and "Pay in 10". > Tip: Keep it simple — two or three plan options is the sweet spot. Too many choices causes decision paralysis. We recommend offering "Pay in Full" and one installment option. ### Creating a Custom Payment Plan Custom plans are for when a client needs something specific. Maybe they want to pay 50% now and 50% the week before, or they need monthly payments on specific dates. You typically set these up on a proposal before sending it. 1. Open the proposal or booking. 2. Click Manage Booking → Adjust Payment Schedule. 3. Click Edit in the Payment Schedule section. 4. Choose Custom Payment Schedule. 5. Set the amount and due date for each payment. Click Add Scheduled Payment to add more. > If a booking total changes after a plan is set, the plan does not automatically recalculate. The difference is added to the final payment. You can manually adjust the schedule if needed. ### Auto Pay: Stop Chasing Late Payments Auto Pay automatically charges a saved card or bank account on each due date. No reminders, no follow-ups, no awkward conversations. The payment just happens. When setting up a payment plan, you choose one of three Auto Pay modes: - Auto Pay is required — Clients must enroll. Best for high-value bookings where you don't want to risk missed payments. - Customer can choose — Clients opt in or out at booking time. A good default for most businesses. - Do not offer Auto Pay — Clients manage their own payments. Use this if your clients prefer to pay manually. > Tip: We strongly recommend enabling Auto Pay. It dramatically reduces late payments and your clients appreciate not having to remember due dates. Most event pros who switch to Auto Pay say it's one of the best changes they've made. #### What Works with Auto Pay? | Payment method | Works with Auto Pay | | --- | --- | | Credit and debit cards | Yes | | Apple Pay and Google Pay | Yes | | Bank account (ACH) | Yes | | Cash App Pay | No | | Klarna | No | | PayPal | No | | Cash, check, Venmo, Zelle, and other manual methods | No | When a client turns on Auto Pay, checkout only shows the payment methods that support it. > Bank payments take 4-5 business days to settle, so a failed Auto Pay payment from a bank account can show up a few days after the due date. See ACH Payment Failures. #### What Happens If Auto Pay Fails? If Check Cherry can't charge the card on file (expired card, insufficient funds, etc.), the client gets an email notification and is removed from Auto Pay. They can make missed payments through their client portal or a "Make a Payment" link. > Warning: Auto Pay charges follow your current payment fee settings. If you change your fee structure, existing Auto Pay clients will be charged at the new rates on their next payment. Make sure you're compliant with local laws when assessing payment fees. #### What Happens If I Change Processors? Because card details are saved directly with the payment processor, any previously scheduled auto pay payments will continue to use the payment processor that was in place when the first payment was made. ### Managing an Existing Payment Plan To view or adjust a client's payment plan on a confirmed booking, click Manage Booking → Adjust Payment Schedule. You'll see what's been paid, what's outstanding, and you can edit dates and amounts. > Payment plans need a saved card or bank account. PayPal can't save a payment method, so payment plans aren't available with PayPal. -> Go to Payment Settings (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/payment_methods) --- ## How do I sync my calendar with Check Cherry? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/71-how-do-i-sync-my-calendar-with-check-cherry *Category: Calendar* *Calendar sync keeps your Check Cherry bookings visible on the calendar you already use every day — Google Calendar, Apple Calendar, Outlook, or any app that* **Where to find it:** Calendar (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/event_calendar) Calendar sync keeps your Check Cherry bookings visible on the calendar you already use every day — Google Calendar, Apple Calendar, Outlook, or any app that supports ICS feeds. When it's working, you never have to check two places. ### Two Sync Methods Check Cherry supports two different sync methods, each with different capabilities: | Feature | Google Calendar Sync | ICS Subscription | | --- | --- | --- | | Two-way sync | ✓ | One-way (read only) | | Real-time updates | ✓ | Delayed (varies by app) | | Confirmed bookings & appointments | ✓ (on by default) | ✓ | | Proposals, leads, blockout dates & time off | ✓ (optional) | ✓ (optional) | | Works with | Google Calendar | Any calendar app | > Tip: Not sure which to use? If you live in Google Calendar, choose Google sync for real-time, two-way updates. If you use Apple Calendar, Outlook, or another app, use an ICS subscription. Both methods can show proposals, leads, blockout dates, and staff time off when you turn those on. ### Setting Up Google Calendar Sync 1. Go to Calendar and scroll below the calendar. 2. Scroll below the calendar and click Subscribe to Calendar. 3. Click Sign in and connect your Google account. 4. Choose which Google Calendar to sync with. > The admin calendar sync (Sales → Calendar) syncs for the entire business. For personal staff calendars, each staff member should click their name → My Calendar to set up their own sync. > Confirmed bookings and appointments sync automatically. To also send proposals, leads, blockout dates, or staff time off to Google, click More sync options in the connection settings and choose what to include. ### Setting Up ICS Subscription ICS works with Apple Calendar, Outlook, and any app that supports calendar subscriptions. Copy the ICS feed URL from your calendar settings and add it as a subscribed calendar in your app. ### Common Issues #### Google asks me to reconnect Google periodically revokes app permissions as a security measure. If this happens, you'll get an email from Check Cherry asking you to reconnect. Just go to Sales → Calendar and click Reconnect. > Warning: Don't delete and re-create the connection — just reconnect. Deleting and starting over can create duplicate events on your calendar. #### I don't see my bookings on my calendar - Confirm what you're syncing — by default Google sync sends confirmed bookings and appointments. To see proposals, leads, blockout dates, or staff time off, open your Google connection settings and click More sync options to turn them on. - Check that you connected the right Google Calendar. - For ICS subscriptions, your calendar app may take 15-60 minutes to refresh. Try manually refreshing the subscription. - If you're a staff member, make sure you set up your personal sync (name → My Calendar), not the admin sync. #### Events show up twice This usually happens when you have both Google API sync and an ICS subscription pointing to the same calendar. Use one method per calendar — Google API for your main calendar, ICS for a secondary calendar if needed. -> View Calendar Settings (in your Check Cherry account: /calendar_subscription) --- ## Why was a lead marked as spam? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/415-why-was-a-lead-marked-as-spam *Category: Getting started* When a lead comes in through your lead form, Check Cherry runs it through an automated spam filter. If the submission looks suspicious, it gets flagged and moved to your spam queue instead of your active leads list. ### How spam detection works Check Cherry uses a third-party service called CleanTalk to evaluate incoming lead form submissions. CleanTalk aggregates traffic patterns across a large network of websites to identify behavior that looks like spam — things like known bot IP addresses, disposable email domains, and suspicious submission patterns. Because the detection is probabilistic, it occasionally flags a legitimate inquiry as spam (a false positive). It's not perfect, but it catches the vast majority of junk before it clutters your leads list. ### Reviewing flagged leads Spam leads are held in a separate queue so you can review them before they're discarded. If a real client's inquiry gets caught by the filter, you can recover it from there. **Where to find it:** Leads > Spam (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/leads) 1. Go to Leads. 2. Find the flagged lead and open it. 3. If it looks legitimate, click the Actions button on the Overview of the Lead. 4. Select Unflag as Spam in the dropdown. > Tip: If you're seeing real client inquiries getting flagged regularly, reach out via the chat bubble in the lower right and we can take a look at what might be triggering the filter. --- ## When will I receive my credit card payout? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/5-a-customer-paid-by-credit-card-when-will-i-get-the-payout *Category: Payments* *When a customer pays you by credit card through Check Cherry Payments, the funds don't arrive in your bank account instantly.* When a customer pays you by credit card through Check Cherry Payments, the funds don't arrive in your bank account instantly. They go through a short processing period before being deposited. This article explains how payout timing works and where to check on your funds. **Where to find it:** Manage > Payment Settings > Payment Dashboard (in your Check Cherry account: /express_dashboard) -> Payments Dashboard (in your Check Cherry account: /express_dashboard) ### How payout timing works After a customer makes a credit card payment, the funds are held briefly while the payment processor verifies the transaction and transfers the money to your bank. This typically takes 2 to 3 business days. > Your very first payout may take up to 7 business days while your account is verified. After that, payouts follow the standard 2 to 3 business day schedule. ### Why payouts aren't instant Credit card payouts involve several steps between the customer's bank and yours. The processing time exists for two main reasons: - Fraud and dispute protection — The payment processor holds funds briefly to verify the transaction is legitimate and reduce the risk of chargebacks. - Bank processing — Transfers between banks go through clearing networks that operate on business days only. Weekends and holidays add time. ### Instant Payouts If you don't want to wait the standard 2 to 3 business days, Instant Payout sends your available funds to your bank in minutes. You start it yourself from your Payments Dashboard whenever you have a balance ready to pay out. > Instant Payout becomes available once your account has at least a 90-day payout history, measured from your first payout. Newer accounts won't see the option until they reach that point. An additional fee applies to instant payouts, since you're paying for the speed. Standard payouts on the regular schedule remain free. ### Payout schedule > Payout timing is based on business days. Weekends and bank holidays do not count. A payment made on Friday may not arrive until the following Wednesday or later. The day your payout arrives depends on when the payment was made. Payments received before 4 PM PST begin transferring the next business day. Payments received after 4 PM PST are grouped with the following day's transactions. #### Payments made before 4 PM PST | Day paid | Transfer begins | Expected deposit day | | --- | --- | --- | | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | | Thursday | Friday | Monday | | Friday | Monday | Tuesday | | Saturday or Sunday | Tuesday | Wednesday | #### Payments made after 4 PM PST | Day paid | Transfer begins | Expected deposit day | | --- | --- | --- | | Monday | Wednesday | Thursday | | Tuesday | Thursday | Friday | | Wednesday | Friday | Monday | | Thursday | Monday | Tuesday | | Friday | Tuesday | Wednesday | | Saturday or Sunday | Tuesday | Wednesday | ### How to check your payout status Go to your Payments Dashboard to see a breakdown of funds in transit, upcoming payouts, and completed deposits. > Tip: The Payments Dashboard shows your full payout history, including the exact dates funds were sent to your bank. If a payout seems delayed, check here first. ### How to update your bank account **Where to find it:** Manage > Payment Settings (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/payment_methods) If you need to change the bank account where payouts are deposited, go to Payment Settings and update your account details there. > If you use a payment processor other than Check Cherry Payments, payout timing and settings are managed through that processor's own dashboard. -> Payment Settings (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/payment_methods) --- ## How do I offer custom templates to my customers? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/79-how-do-i-set-up-design-collections *Category: Packages* *Design collections let your clients browse and choose artwork templates for their event, like photo booth overlays, print layouts, or backdrop designs.* Design collections let your clients browse and choose artwork templates for their event, like photo booth overlays, print layouts, or backdrop designs. You set up the templates, assign them to packages, and clients pick the one they want when they log in to their booking. > Tip: Check Cherry integrates with several popular third-party template design platforms. You can connect them from Integrations in Business Settings. **Where to find it:** Manage > Business Settings > Integrations (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/third_party_integrations) ### Creating a Design Collection **Where to find it:** Manage > Design Collections (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/design_template_categories) 1. Go to Design Collections. 2. Click New Design Collection (or edit the sample collection that came with your account). 3. Add templates using New Template or Bulk Upload. ### Assigning to Packages Each design collection needs to be assigned to the packages it should appear on. 1. Click the Settings tab and choose which packages to offer these designs with. 2. In the packages section, click Edit. 3. Select the packages that should offer this collection, then save. ### Organizing with Categories Create categories to help clients find templates faster. Think themes like Spring, Birthday, or Holiday. 1. Open a design collection and click the Categories tab. 2. Click Create New Category to add categories. Once categories are defined: You can add tags to each design template to assign it to the category of your choice, which makes it easier for customers to find what they're looking for. ### Creating Layouts Layout categories help organize designs based on their format (2x6 strip, 4x6 print, etc.). 1. Click the Layouts tab to create layout categories. 2. Add layout types that match your template formats. ### Adding Custom Questions Extra questions let clients provide customization details like text for overlays or color preferences. 1. Go to the Extra Questions tab. 2. Click Add Question to create custom fields. 3. Choose the field type and whether it's required. You can include different field types for the extra questions, as well as make the question required or not. You can also add more questions, or delete them using the link in the lower right corner. ### How Clients Choose Designs Clients can choose one template from each design collection assigned to their package. After selecting, they can customize colors, text, and add notes before confirming their choice. > Want clients to choose more than one design? Create multiple design collections and assign them to the same package. For example, one collection for artwork and another for layout format. ### Changes and Existing Bookings Any changes you make to design collections will have no effect on existing bookings. If you have made changes and wish to apply those changes to your existing bookings, click on the Sync tab to apply the changes to your existing bookings. ### Watch: Design Collections Video: https://www.youtube.com/embed/x7j7mmxpIeg -> Manage Design Collections (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/design_template_categories) -> Open Integrations (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/third_party_integrations) --- ## How do I create and use discount codes? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/76-how-do-i-create-and-use-discount-codes *Category: Pricing* *Discount codes let clients enter a code during booking or on a proposal to receive a percentage or flat-rate discount.* Discount codes let clients enter a code during booking or on a proposal to receive a percentage or flat-rate discount. They're useful for promotions, referral incentives, returning client offers, or seasonal deals. **Where to find it:** Manage > Discount Codes (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/coupons) ### Creating a Discount Code 1. Click New Discount Code. 2. Enter the code that clients will type (e.g. SUMMER25, REFER10). 3. Add an optional description for your reference. 4. Set the discount amount — flat rate or percentage. 5. Choose how the discount applies (see below). 6. Set optional validity dates and usage limits. 7. Click Save. ### How the Discount Applies You have three options for how the discount is calculated: - Each specific item — Applies the discount to every matching package, add-on, and backdrop individually. If there are multiple matching items, the discount is repeated for each one. - Entire package & add-ons/backdrops — Applies the discount to each matching package including all its associated add-ons and backdrops as a group. Only applied once per package. - Complete booking — Applies a single discount to the entire booking regardless of how many packages, add-ons, or backdrops are present. > Discount codes do not apply to travel fees. ### Setting Validity Rules You can control when and how a code can be used: - First and last day valid — Set the date range when the code can be redeemed - Valid dates based on — Choose whether dates refer to when the booking is made (booked date) or when the event takes place (event date) - Valid days of the week — Limit the code to specific weekdays - Proposal redemption — Allow or disable code usage on proposals - Maximum redemptions — Set usage limit (leave blank for unlimited) > Tip: Use event date validation for seasonal promotions ("10% off January events") and booked date for time-limited offers ("Book this week, save 15%"). For example, to offer a discount for events held in January, you would set the valid dates as Jan 1 to Jan 31 and base it on "Event date". The code can be used any time but will only work for events scheduled in January. ### Where Clients Enter the Code During online booking, clients enter the code on the final step before signing and paying: When accepting a proposal, the client enters the code in the Numbers section: ### Applying a Code to a Proposal Before Sending You can apply a discount to a proposal before the client sees it — useful when you've already agreed on a discounted price. 1. Create the proposal first. 2. Scroll to the Payments and Balance section and click Edit. 3. Click Apply Discount Code in the upper right and enter the code. The discount will appear on the client's invoice when they view the proposal. -> Manage Discount Codes (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/coupons) --- ## How do I customize my dashboard? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/77-how-do-i-customize-my-dashboard *Category: Getting started* *Your dashboard is the first thing you see when you log in. Customize it to show the numbers and widgets that matter most to how you run your business.* Your dashboard is the first thing you see when you log in. Instead of a one-size-fits-all view, you can create multiple custom dashboards focused on different aspects of your business — daily check-ins, revenue tracking, or weekly planning. > Custom dashboards are only available to admin users. The "Customize Dashboard" option appears in the upper right once you have at least one booking in your account. ### Creating a Custom Dashboard 1. Click Add a new block from your dashboard. 2. Choose a layout size for your new block. 3. Within each column, click Add Item to select widgets. 4. When finished, click Finish Editing in the upper right. ### Dashboard Layouts Choose from four layout options when adding a new block: - 1 column (full width) - 2 columns (large 2/3 width column on the left, single 1/3 width column on the right) - 2 columns (single 1/3 width column on the left, large 2/3 width column on the right) - 3 columns (3 equal sized columns spanning the width of the dashboard) ### Available Widgets Widgets show live data from your account organized by category: #### Charts & Graphs - Revenue snapshot - Revenue growth - Lead comparison - Proposal comparison #### Scheduling - Large calendar - Activity for date - Staff for date #### Leads, Proposals and Bookings - Upcoming bookings - Recently booked - Recent leads - Recently expired proposals - Open proposals - Proposals expiring soon - Previously completed bookings #### Organization - Checklists - Lead counts - Bookings awaiting action - Proposal count #### Payments - Recent payments - Recent payouts - Past due payments #### Messaging - Messages awaiting review - Recent messages #### Tools & Resources - Quick Actions bar - Getting Started checklist ### Managing Multiple Dashboards Once you've created multiple dashboards, switch between them by clicking All Dashboards in the upper right corner. > Tip: Create specialized dashboards for different purposes — a morning check-in dashboard with upcoming events and new leads, a financial dashboard with revenue charts and payment tracking, or a weekly planning dashboard with calendar and proposal views. -> Go to Dashboard (in your Check Cherry account: /dashboard) --- ## How do I add custom contract terms for specific packages? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/78-how-do-i-add-custom-terms-for-specific-packages *Category: Contracts* *Some packages or add-ons may need different contract terms than your standard agreement.* Some packages or add-ons may need different contract terms than your standard agreement. For example, an open bar package might need liquor liability language that doesn't apply to your other services. Custom terms let you add package-specific sections that only appear when that package is booked. **Where to find it:** Manage > Business Settings > Terms (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/terms/edit) ### A quick overview of how our contracts work - You can add the text of your contract under Manage --> Business Settings --> Terms. This is where you main contract text is and it will be attached to the invoice of every booking. - You can add an entire contract in the Optional Terms section and include it in specific packages - The Token in the optional terms is a placeholder for using the optional terms in your main contract field - To use the optional terms, simply paste the token for the terms you want to include into the main terms area - You can leave the main terms box blank and include only the tokens for your optional terms to have specific terms ### First, decide if you want generic terms in the main terms section If you have a standard contract that that applies to all packages, paste it's text into the main terms box under Manage --> Business Settings --> Terms. If you wish to have specific terms apply to each package, then follow the steps below ### How to Set Up Custom Terms 1. Go to Contract Terms. 2. Click Create Optional Section. 3. Give the section a descriptive name (e.g. 'Open Bar Liability'). 4. Set a token (letters and underscores only, no spaces or dashes). 5. Assign the packages or add-ons these terms apply to. 6. Write or paste the custom terms in the text box. 7. Save your changes. 8. Copy the token from the optional section list. 9. Paste the token into the body of your main contract terms where you want the custom language to appear. > Tokens can only use letters and underscores. No spaces or dashes. ### How It Works for Clients When a client books a package that has custom terms assigned, those terms automatically appear in their contract. If the package doesn't have custom terms, that section is simply hidden. ### Watch: Dynamic Contract Terms Custom terms are covered starting at 5:55 in this video. Video: https://www.youtube.com/embed/SuevcxtM7yY -> Open Contract Terms (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/terms/edit) --- ## How do I bulk edit add-ons? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/52-can-i-make-changes-to-all-my-add-ons-at-once *Category: Packages* *Need to change the price or visibility on several add-ons? Bulk edit saves you from opening each one individually.* Need to change the price or visibility on several add-ons? Bulk edit saves you from opening each one individually. **Where to find it:** Manage > Add-ons (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/add_ons) 1. Go to Add-ons. 2. Click Bulk Edit. 3. Select the add-ons you want to edit. 4. Click Edit Selected Add-ons. 5. Choose your changes and save. ### What you can bulk edit - Update pricing (flat rate, per unit, or per hour) - Set pricing multipliers (multiply by package hours or days) - Make add-ons taxable or non-taxable - Move add-ons to a different category - Set which packages can use the add-ons - Archive or unarchive add-ons - Delete add-ons > Tip: Use bulk edit when raising prices across your add-on categories or when reorganizing your offerings for the new season. --- ## How do I create message templates? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/75-how-do-i-create-message-templates *Category: Messaging* *Create custom message templates you can send with one click from any booking, proposal, lead, or appointment.* Message templates save you time on common responses. Instead of typing the same follow-up or event details again, you write it once and reuse it. Templates fill in booking-specific details like client names, event dates, and package information for you. A custom template never sends on its own. It waits until you choose it from the Template dropdown or Quick Send. If you want a message to go out automatically, create an automated message instead. See the difference between automated messages, custom templates, and system templates. ### Creating a template **Where to find it:** Manage > Automated Messages > Custom Templates (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/custom_templates) 1. Go to Custom Templates. 2. Click New Template, or Browse Templates to start from an example. 3. Choose the type: Booking, Proposal, Lead, or Appointment. This decides which records the template appears on and which dynamic values are available. 4. Write the subject and message, then click Save. ### Template settings #### Email or text Under What to do, choose email or text message. Text templates need a connected SMS integration and use the shorter text message body. #### Conditions Conditions limit where the template is offered. A template that only makes sense for one package, brand, or booking status will only appear on records that match. Leave conditions empty to make the template available everywhere. #### Recipients and replies Set who receives the message and where replies go. Most templates go to the client with replies to you, but a template can also target assigned staff or a venue contact. #### Dynamic values Dynamic values fill in booking-specific information like client names, event dates, package names, and pricing. Copy a value from the panel on the right and paste it into your subject or message. When you send the message, Check Cherry replaces it with the real details. #### Tags Tags group templates so they are easy to find once you have more than a handful. Tag by purpose, like follow-up or day-of, rather than by client. ### Using your template From any booking, proposal, lead, or appointment, click New Email or New Text Message and choose the template from the Template dropdown. The same dropdown appears when you reply to a message. The template loads with every dynamic value filled in, and you can edit it before sending. For one-click sending without opening the composer, use Quick Send on the same record. See How do I send a message from a booking?. -> Open Custom Templates (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/custom_templates) --- ## How do I change the type of an existing appointment? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/171-i-need-to-change-a-meeting-typ-on-a-meeting-i-have-scheduled *Category: Bookings* *Scheduled a phone call but the client wants to do Zoom instead? You can change the meeting type on an existing appointment.* Plans change. A client might request video instead of phone, or want to meet in person instead of virtually. You can update the meeting type on any scheduled appointment without losing the time slot or having to reschedule. ### Why change meeting types? Flexibility builds trust with clients. When someone requests a different format — maybe they'd prefer video over phone, or they want to meet at your studio instead of virtually — accommodating that preference shows you're easy to work with. It's also common for practical reasons: a client might realize they need to see examples in person, or their schedule changes and a phone call works better than driving to meet you. ### How to update the meeting type **Where to find it:** Sales > Appointments (in your Check Cherry account: /appointments) 1. Find the appointment you want to update. 2. Click to open the appointment details. 3. Change the Meeting Type to the new format (phone, video, in-person). 4. Click Save to confirm the change. > The client receives an automatic notification about the meeting type change, so they know what to expect for your appointment. --- ## How are Leads handled? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/94-how-are-leads-handled *Category: Leads* *A lead is someone who has shown interest in your services but hasn't booked yet.* **Where to find it:** Sales > Leads (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/leads) A lead is someone who has shown interest in your services but hasn't booked yet. They might have filled out a contact form on your website, started booking online and didn't finish, or called you about an upcoming event. Tracking leads ensures no inquiry slips through the cracks. ### How Leads Enter Check Cherry There are three ways leads get into your account: - Lead forms — When someone fills out a Check Cherry contact form on your website - Incomplete bookings — When someone starts booking online but doesn't complete the process - Manual entry — Click Create New in the upper right, then select Lead > Tip: The faster you reply, the more likely you are to book. Set up automated responses so leads get an instant reply, even when you're busy. ### Finding Your Leads By default, only active leads that haven't been converted are shown. Use the filters in the left sidebar to display archived, converted, or spam leads. Each lead card displays key information: - Brand the lead belongs to - Event date(s) - Client name - Package(s) selected - Venue address (if provided) - Booking source (online booking, lead form, manual entry) - Date created ### Converting Leads The Convert button lets you turn a lead into a proposal or booking: - Convert to Proposal (date open) — Send a quote without reserving the date - Convert to Proposal (date reserved) — Send a quote and hold the date - Convert to Booking (confirmed) — Skip the proposal and create a confirmed booking directly > Tip: Use proposals when the client is comparing options or when you want to present alternatives. Create a booking directly when they've already committed verbally and just need to sign and pay. ### Lead Actions The Actions button on each lead provides options to: - Edit lead details - Flag as spam - Disable automated messages - Archive or delete the lead - Add internal notes - Create an appointment - Set custom status - Generate a 'continue booking' link to send to incomplete bookings ### Messaging Leads The Messages button gives you access to: - Send a new automated message template - Send a custom manual message - View message history for the lead ### Lead Details Page Click on a lead card to see the full details page, which includes: - Complete contact information - Package details (if they selected one) - Venue information - Your internal notes - Creation date and time - Lead origin and specific form used - IP address - Estimated booking total - Availability conflicts - Other bookings on the same date ### Automated Follow-Up Your account comes with automated message templates for leads. By scheduling a series of messages, you can create a drip campaign that follows up automatically. > Tip: Most successful event pros have 3-4 automated follow-ups configured — an instant response, then follow-ups at 2 days, 1 week, and 2 weeks. This keeps you top-of-mind without manual effort. Video: https://youtu.be/e2djlzp3t30?si=U_yB5TGS-mc3Zwej --- ## ACH Payment Failures https://www.checkcherry.com/help/290-ach-payment-failures *Category: Payments* *Learn how ACH payment failures work in Check Cherry, why they happen days after submission, and what to do when one occurs.* ACH Direct Debit lets your clients pay directly from their bank account instead of using a credit card. The fees are lower (1.5% per transaction vs. 2.99% + $0.30 for cards), making it cost-effective for larger payments. But unlike card payments, ACH is not instant. That delay is where most of the confusion around failures comes from. ### How ACH Payments Work When a client submits an ACH payment, the money does not move right away. The payment enters a "processing" state while the banking system verifies and transfers the funds. This typically takes 4-5 business days. During that time, the payment shows as "processing" in Check Cherry. Some first-time ACH customers may also need to verify their bank account through microdeposits before the payment can begin processing. This adds a day or two to the timeline. > Think of ACH like a check. When your client hands you a check, you don't know if it will clear until the bank processes it. ACH works the same way, just electronically. ### Why ACH Payments Fail Because ACH payments take days to settle, a failure can show up several days after the client submitted payment. This is normal and is how the banking system works. It is not a Check Cherry issue. Common reasons for ACH failures: - Insufficient funds - the most common reason. The client's account did not have enough money when the bank tried to pull the funds. - Account closed - the bank account is no longer active. - Incorrect account details - the routing or account number was entered wrong. - Bank rejection - the client's bank declined the transaction for another reason (fraud hold, account restrictions, etc.). ### What Happens Automatically When an ACH payment fails, Check Cherry handles the bookkeeping for you: 1. The payment status is updated to reflect the failure. 2. The pending amount is removed from the event balance, so your books stay accurate. 3. You receive an email notification with the failure reason, payment amount, and a link to the event. If the failed payment was part of auto-pay (a scheduled payment plan), auto-pay is automatically disabled to prevent repeated failed charges. Both you and the client are notified through the automated "Scheduled Payment Failed" message. > Warning: There is no automatic retry for failed ACH payments. A new payment must be initiated by the client. This is by design, since retrying an ACH pull against a bank account that already rejected it would likely fail again and could incur additional fees. ### What You Should Do When you get a failure notification, here is the best way to handle it: 1. Check the failure reason in the email notification. This tells you whether the issue is likely temporary (insufficient funds) or permanent (closed account, wrong details). 2. Reach out to the client to let them know the payment did not go through. Most clients are not aware of the failure yet. 3. Arrange an alternative payment. If the issue was insufficient funds, the client can retry ACH once they've confirmed the money is available. If the account details were wrong or the account is closed, they should use a different payment method. 4. For auto-pay failures, only re-enable auto-pay after the client has resolved the issue with their bank. Otherwise it will just fail again on the next scheduled date. > Tip: Keep the conversation matter-of-fact. Most ACH failures are simple insufficient funds situations, and clients usually appreciate a quick heads-up rather than an awkward follow-up days later. Something like "Hey, your bank payment didn't go through. Want to retry or use a card instead?" works well. ### The Failed Payment Record The original failed payment record is kept on the event for your records. It will not count toward the balance, but you can see it in the payment history. This is useful if you ever need to reference when the client attempted to pay or what went wrong. ### ACH vs. Credit Cards | | ACH Direct Debit | Credit Card | | --- | --- | --- | | Processing time | 4-5 business days | Instant | | Transaction fee | 1.5% | 2.99% + $0.30 | | Convenience fee | Applies if enabled | Applies if enabled | | Failure timing | Days after submission | Immediate | | Auto-retry on failure | No | No | Most businesses offer both options and let the client choose. ACH makes sense for larger payments where the fee savings add up. For smaller amounts or time-sensitive payments, cards are usually better since you know right away whether the payment went through. --- ## How do I set up a Google Business Profile? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/93-how-do-i-set-up-a-google-business-profile *Category: Getting started* *A Google Business Profile is a free listing that shows your business on Google Search and Google Maps.* A Google Business Profile is a free listing that shows your business on Google Search and Google Maps. When someone searches for event services in your area, your profile can appear with your contact info, reviews, photos, and a link to your website. ### Why It Matters Many of your potential clients will find you by searching Google — "photo booth near me," "wedding DJ in Phoenix," etc. Without a Google Business Profile, you won't show up in those local results. With one, you're visible on both Search and Maps, and clients can see your reviews, hours, and contact info at a glance. ### Setting Up Your Profile 1. Go to business.google.com and sign in with your Google account. 2. Click Add your business and enter your business name. 3. Choose your business category (e.g. "Event Planner," "Photo Booth Service," "Disc Jockey"). 4. Add your location or service area — you can list a physical address or just the areas you serve. 5. Add your phone number, website URL, and business hours. 6. Verify your business — Google will typically send a postcard or call to confirm you're real. > Tip: Use your Check Cherry booking page URL as your website link. This sends Google traffic straight to where they can book you. ### Getting the Most Out of Your Profile - Add photos: Profiles with photos get significantly more clicks. Upload photos from past events, your setup, your team. - Ask for reviews: After a successful event, send clients a direct link to leave a Google review. Check Cherry can automate this with a post-event email. - Keep it updated: Update your hours for holidays, add new photos regularly, and respond to reviews (even the good ones). - Post updates: Google lets you post updates, offers, and events directly on your profile. Use this to promote seasonal specials. > Your Google Business Profile is separate from Check Cherry — you manage it at business.google.com. But you can link the two by using your Check Cherry booking page as your website URL and setting up an automated review request email. --- ## How can I let staff choose which events they want to work? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/377-how-can-i-let-staff-choose-which-events-they-want-to-work *Category: Staff* *Let staff claim or request open packages, and approve their requests from the Staffing area or the booking's Staff page.* If you work with a team, you may want to allow your staff to request or claim bookings themselves. Check Cherry can list open packages for your staff to pick up, either claiming them outright or requesting them for your approval. ### Claiming and requesting Both are set per service. With Allow staff to claim bookings, a staff member can simply assign themselves. With Allow staff to request bookings, they ask and you decide who gets it. Claiming is quicker when you trust your staff to sort it out; requesting keeps the final say with you. ### Opening a service **Where to find it:** Packages > Select a service > Edit > Staff Settings (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/event_categories) 1. Click the menu button on the Service you want to change and choose Edit. 2. Find the Staff Settings section. 3. Under How should staff be assigned to this event?, choose Allow staff to claim bookings or Allow staff to request bookings. 4. Click Save. Only staff with an active Check Cherry account and the right permissions can claim or request. If someone is missing, check that they have been invited under User Accounts. ### What staff see Open packages appear for staff under Unassigned Bookings,. Each card shows the date, the package, the venue, and a badge for how many of the needed spots are filled. A package stays on the list until it is full, so a two-person package does not disappear the moment the first person takes it. The card also tells a staff member where they stand: already assigned, fully staffed, their own request awaiting review, or how many other people have requested it. The button reads Claim Booking or Request Booking depending on the service, and claiming stops once the package has everyone it needs. > Tip: You can always impersonate your staff to get a better idea of what they see ### Approving requests **Where to find it:** Sales > Staffing > Requested (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/event_staff_requests) Requests are grouped by package, so you can see who wants the reception separately from who wants the ceremony. Approve assigns the person to that package. Reject turns them down. You are allowed to approve past the required count. If the package is already full, Check Cherry warns you, but allows you to add the extra staff member anyway. You can also approve and reject from the booking's own Staff page, where assigned staff and pending requests share a single roster. -> Go to Packages (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/event_categories) --- ## How do I set up discounts with Flex Pricing? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/89-how-do-i-set-up-discounts-with-flex-pricing *Category: Pricing* *Flex Pricing discounts let you automatically apply percentage or flat-rate discounts based on rules you define.* Flex Pricing discounts automatically apply percentage or flat-rate reductions based on rules you define — perfect for seasonal promotions, early booking incentives, weekday pricing, and volume discounts. ### Creating a Discount **Where to find it:** Manage > Flex Pricing (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/adjustment_rules) 1. Go to Flex Pricing. 2. Click New Discount or New Surcharge. 3. Enter the discount details and choose when it applies. 4. Save the discount. ### Discount Settings - Name: A label to help you remember the discount. This appears on the client's invoice. - Description: Additional context shown to clients about the discount. - Discount Amount: The value of the discount. - Discount Type: Choose flat rate (e.g. $50 off) or percentage (e.g. 10% off). - Taxable: Whether the discount should be applied before or after tax calculation (only appears if you've set up tax zones). ### How Discounts Apply Choose how the discount is calculated based on what's in the booking: - Each specific item: Applies the discount to every matching package, add-on, and backdrop individually. If there are multiple matching items, the discount repeats for each one. - Entire Package & Add-Ons/Backdrops: Applies the discount once per matching package, including all its add-ons and backdrops. Multiple packages get the discount applied to each package. - Complete booking: Applies a single discount to the entire booking regardless of how many items are included. The discount only applies once, no matter what. ### Discount Rules Rules determine when a discount kicks in. You can combine multiple conditions: - Book date range: Apply if booked within specific dates (e.g. offer 10% off for bookings made this week). - Event date range: Apply for events happening within certain dates (e.g. $100 off October bookings). - Day of week: Apply for events on specific weekdays (e.g. $50 off weekday events). - Days until event: Apply based on how far out the event is (e.g. surcharge for last-minute bookings). - Booking total: Apply when the subtotal reaches a certain amount (e.g. 5% off orders over $1000). - Venue location: Apply based on where the event takes place (e.g. charge extra for events in certain cities). - User account: Apply the discount only for specific clients. - End time: Apply based on when the event ends (e.g. late-night surcharge for events ending after 1am). > By default, discounts apply to all packages. Click Edit next to any discount to assign it to specific packages only. -> Go to Flex Pricing (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/adjustment_rules) --- ## How can a client choose more than one artwork option? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/96-how-can-a-client-choose-more-than-one-artwork-option *Category: Packages* *Design collections let your clients browse and select artwork templates for their event, like photo booth overlays, backdrops, or print layouts.* In Check Cherry, a design is one piece of artwork the client signs off on before their event: a photo booth overlay, a welcome screen, a print layout, a 360 intro or outro, a monogram, a corporate logo lockup, a step-and-repeat backdrop, custom signage. A booking can have several designs, and the client approves each one on its own. > Each design on a booking is one approval. So the number of designs on a booking equals the number of finished artworks the client ends up with. Keep that in mind whenever you are deciding how to set something up. ### Where a design starts Every design begins one of two ways, and you can mix both on the same booking. - From a Design Collection — you build a library of starting-point templates and the client picks one. This is the way to go when you want to present a lot of polished options. Template services like Photo Booth Talk plug in here so your collections look professional right out of the gate. - As a custom upload — you skip the library and upload artwork straight to the booking. Best when you have already talked through the look with the client, or the final art was created somewhere else. See Upload custom artwork directly to a booking. > A template is only a starting point. After the client picks one (or you upload custom art), you customize it — swap in the couple's names, change the logo, adjust the colors — then upload the finished artwork for the client to approve. The template is never the final deliverable; the artwork you upload is. ### How a design gets approved However it starts, every design moves through the same review loop: 1. The client picks a template from the collection, or you upload custom artwork to the booking. 2. You customize the artwork and upload the finished version. 3. The client reviews it and either approves it or requests a revision. 4. Once approved, it is locked in as the final artwork for that design. Each step triggers its own email: a design revision request when the client asks for changes, and a design approval request when you upload finished artwork. Both are customizable. Because each design is approved independently, a client can sign off on the welcome screen today and the overlay next week without holding up either one. ### Offering the client a choice A common goal is to give the client a few looks for one piece of artwork and let them pick their favorite, so they end up with a single final design. There are two ways to do it: - A collection of templates — put several templates in one Design Collection and the client picks one as a starting point. Best when you want a deep, reusable, polished set of options, for example a library imported from Photo Booth Talk. - A few custom versions — skip the collection and upload several artwork versions straight to the booking, then the client approves the one they like. Best for one-offs you have already talked through with the client. See Upload custom artwork directly to a booking. > Warning: Do not confuse this with needing several finished artworks. Putting two items that both need approval, like a 360 intro and a 360 outro, as two templates in one collection will not work: the client can only approve one, and the other gets marked as rejected. If the client should end up with both, give each its own design instead, see Have a client approve several designs on one booking. > Tip: Quick test: if the client should walk away with one of the options, they go in the same collection (or upload them as versions on one design). If they should end up with all of them, each needs its own design. ### Create a design collection A Design Collection is a library of starting-point templates you present to clients. Build one when you want to offer a set of looks to choose from. **Where to find it:** Manage > Design Collections (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/design_template_categories) 1. Go to Design Collections. 2. Click New Design Collection (or edit the sample collection that came with your account). 3. Give it a clear, specific name and click Create. 4. Add templates with New Template for individual uploads or Bulk Upload for several files at once. > Tip: Name collections so the client knows exactly what they are approving. "Welcome Screen," "4x6 Print Layout," "2x6 Photo Strip," and "360 Intro Graphic" read far better in the client portal than "Design 1" and "Design 2." ### Import templates from third-party providers Rather than upload everything yourself, you can pull in a ready-made library. Check Cherry integrates with several design template providers, including Photo Booth Talk. **Where to find it:** Manage > Business Settings > Integrations (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/third_party_integrations) 1. Go to Integrations. 2. Find the Design Template integrations section. 3. Click Enable for the provider you want to use. 4. Follow the setup instructions for that provider. Once a provider is enabled, return to Design Collections. You will see a new import button for each connected provider: Click the button for the provider you want, then click Import Template Collection and make your selection: ### Organize templates with categories and layouts Within a collection, categories (Spring, Birthday, Holiday) and layouts (2x6 strip, 4x6 print) help clients filter down to what they want faster. 1. Open a design collection and click the Categories tab. 2. Click Create New Category and name it. 3. Click the Layouts tab and add layout types that match your template formats. 4. Tag each template with the category and layout it belongs to so clients can filter by them. > Some third-party providers limit editing, so not every organization option is available on imported collections. ### Collect details with Extra Questions Extra Questions let you gather the customization details you need alongside the design choice: text for an overlay, a couple's names, a hashtag, color preferences. They show up to the client right where they pick their template, so the answers stay attached to the design. 1. Open a design collection and click the Extra Questions tab. 2. Click Add Question. 3. Choose the field type and whether the question is required. 4. Add as many questions as you need. You can also assign a question to a specific template so it only appears when that template is chosen. ### Assign collections to packages and add-ons A collection only appears to the client once you assign it to the packages or add-ons it belongs with. When a booking is created on a matching package, the collection is added automatically and becomes a design the client can choose a template for. 1. Open a design collection and click the Settings tab. 2. In the packages and add-ons section on the right, click Edit. 3. Select which packages and add-ons should offer this collection, then save. > Tip: Assign collections narrowly so clients only see what applies to them. A "360" collection assigned only to your 360 packages will not clutter up a standard photo booth booking. Attach a collection to an add-on and the design only appears when the client buys that upgrade. ### Apply changes to existing bookings By default, edits you make to a collection only affect future bookings. Bookings that already exist keep what they had, so a client mid-planning does not see their designs shift. To push changes onto current bookings, use the Sync tab. 1. Open the collection and click the Sync tab. It sits in the row alongside View Templates, Settings, Categories, Layouts, and Extra Questions. (From the Design Collections list, it is the Sync... item in the collection's "..." menu.) 2. Review what is out of sync: Add to matching bookings and Remove from non-matching bookings, each with a count of affected bookings. 3. Leave the changes you want checked and click Perform Sync. > The Sync tab only appears once you open a collection, not on the collection list page. Bookings where the client has already selected a template or you have uploaded artwork are left alone, so syncing never overwrites work in progress. ### Common needs Most questions about designs come down to one of these. Pick the one that matches what you are trying to do: - You want the client to approve several different designs on one booking (a welcome screen, an overlay, and a print template, or a 360 intro, outro, and audio track). See Have a client approve several designs on one booking. - You want the client to pick just one design from a few options you offer (one overlay look out of three). See Offering the client a choice above. - You want to skip the library and upload artwork straight to one booking (you already discussed the look, or the art was made elsewhere). See Upload custom artwork directly to a booking. Video: https://www.youtube.com/embed/x7j7mmxpIeg (Watch: Design Collections) --- ## How do I limit how many add-ons a client can select? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/49-how-do-i-limit-how-many-add-ons-a-client-can-select *Category: Packages* *A client tries to add 10 extra hours to a 3-hour booking. Setting quantity limits on add-ons prevents this and keeps bookings realistic.* A client tries to add 10 extra hours to a 3-hour booking. Setting quantity limits on add-ons prevents this and keeps bookings realistic. ### Setting Quantity Limits **Where to find it:** Manage > Add-ons (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/add_ons) 1. Go to Add-ons. 2. Click on an existing add-on or click New Add On to create one. 3. In the add-on settings, find the Max quantity per booking field. 4. Enter the maximum number of this add-on that can be selected per booking. 5. Save the add-on. > Tip: Most businesses set reasonable limits based on the service. For example: extra hours might be capped at 4-6, uplighting at 20-30 fixtures, or additional staff at 2-3 people. ### Add-on Pricing Options When creating add-ons, you have several pricing structures to choose from: - Flat Rate — fixed price regardless of booking details - Per Unit — price multiplies by the quantity selected - Per Hour — price multiplies by booking duration - Multiply by Package Hours — hourly rate times the package length - Multiply by Package Days — daily rate times the number of days the booking is made for > If "Multiply by Package Hours or Days" is enabled, the price automatically adjusts based on booking duration. This works well for services like extra staff time or additional equipment that scales with the event length. ### Advanced Settings Add-ons have several other configuration options: - Unit pricing compatibility — multiply by package units for per-person services - Extend booking length - extends the booking length by a specified amount of time - Lead time requirements — require advance notice for certain add-ons - Package assignment — control which packages can include specific add-ons - Tax settings — apply sales tax if you have tax zones configured - Extra Categories - if you have extra categories set up, they will appear below the Add On settings on the Advanced tab - Gallery display — show the add-on in your website widget -> Configure Add-ons (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/add_ons) --- ## How do I deactivate a package or service? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/125-how-do-i-deactivate-a-package-or-service *Category: Packages* *Off-season and you do not want clients booking a service? Or a package that is still being configured? Set it to Private or Archived.* Sometimes you need to hide packages from clients — maybe it's off-season for a service, or you're still configuring a new package. You can deactivate entire services, package groups, or individual packages. **Where to find it:** Manage > Packages (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/event_categories) ### Deactivating a Service or Package Group To hide an entire service or package group from clients, click the menu button in the service or package group title bar. This allows you to set visibility for everything in that section. ### Deactivating Individual Packages To hide a specific package, click the menu button on the package and change the visibility to Private or Archived. > Private packages are hidden from online booking but can still be manually added to bookings and proposals. Archived packages are completely hidden and cannot be used anywhere. --- ## How do I charge for extra time? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/99-how-do-i-charge-for-extra-time *Category: Pricing* *The event is going great and the client asks for two more hours. Here is how to charge for that extra time.* The event is going great and the client asks for two more hours. Here's how to set up automatic extra hour billing and charge for that additional time. ### Option 1: Enable Extra Hours on Packages The simplest approach is to enable extra hour billing on your packages. This lets clients book additional time at your hourly rate, with automatic pricing calculations. **Where to find it:** Manage > Packages (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/event_categories) 1. Select the package you want to edit. 2. Open the Pricing & Scheduling tab. 3. Set Charge for extra hours? to Yes. Once enabled, you can configure: - Hourly rate for additional hours - Number of hours included in the base price - Minimum and maximum hours allowed for a booking ### Option 2: Create an Add-on for Extra Time Add-ons give you more flexibility — you can offer different time increments (30 minutes, 2 hours) or different rates for different types of extra time. **Where to find it:** Manage > Add-ons (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/add_ons) 1. Click New Add-on. 2. Name it something like "Extra Hour" and configure the pricing. 3. Choose Per Hour as the pricing structure so it scales with quantity. 4. Set Does this add-on extend the booking length? to Yes. > Tip: Use Per Hour pricing so clients can choose exactly how many extra hours they want. The Flat Rate and Per Unit options work too, depending on how you want to structure your pricing. ### Adding Extra Time to an Existing Booking When a client requests additional time during or after their event, you can add it directly to their booking. 1. Go to the booking and click the Invoice tab. 2. Click the three dots next to the package. 3. Choose Edit to modify hours, or add the extra time add-on as a line item. 4. Set the total number of hours or quantity of extra time. > The client will automatically be charged for the additional time based on your configured rates. They'll receive an updated invoice with the new total. --- ## Why don't I see bookings on my calendar? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/168-why-dont-i-see-bookings-on-my-calendar *Category: Calendar* *If your Check Cherry calendar looks empty, it is usually a filter issue.* If your Check Cherry calendar looks empty, it is usually a filter issue. ### Check Your Filters **Where to find it:** Sales > Calendar (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/event_calendar) - Admin users see all bookings, proposals, and leads depending on the filter settings. Check the filters in the upper right. - If you are an Admin with Staff permission, you will see the My Assigned Bookings tab as well. Make sure you haven't clicked on My Assigned Bookings. - Check the filter buttons at the top right of the calendar to make sure bookings, proposals, or leads are not hidden. ### Syncing with External Calendars If you are looking for bookings on your personal calendar (Google, Apple, Outlook), make sure you have set up the calendar sync. See syncing the company calendar. Video: https://www.youtube.com/embed/045EyyipGe0 --- ## How do I record a payment made outside of Check Cherry? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/70-client-made-a-payment-outside-of-check-cherry *Category: Payments* *A client hands you a check at the venue, or sends you a Venmo.* A client hands you a check at the venue, pays through Venmo, or uses another method outside of Check Cherry. The money is in your account but Check Cherry doesn't know about it yet, so the booking still shows an outstanding balance. Recording the payment keeps your books accurate and stops payment reminders from going out for money you've already received. -> Go to Bookings (in your Check Cherry account: /events) ### Recording the Payment **Where to find it:** Bookings > Select a booking > Invoice tab (in your Check Cherry account: /events) 1. Open the booking that needs a payment recorded. 2. Go to the Invoice tab. 3. Click Add Payment. 4. Select the payment method (cash, check, Venmo, Zelle, other). 5. Enter the amount and the date the payment was received. 6. Click Save. The booking balance updates immediately. If the payment covers the full amount, the booking shows as paid in full. By default, any automated messages you have set up for payments will be sent when you record the payment. ### Good to Know - Manual payments are for record-keeping only — no money is processed through Check Cherry. - The payment shows up in your Payment History report alongside credit card payments, so you have a complete picture of what you've collected. - If you need to undo a manual payment, you can delete it from the Invoice tab. - Most businesses find it easier to encourage online payment, but manual recording works well for last-minute cash payments at events. > Tip: If you accept cash or check regularly, set them up as payment methods in Payment Settings so clients see them as an option during checkout. --- ## What payment types can I accept and how do I set up payment methods? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/368-what-payment-types-can-i-accept-and-how-do-i-set-up-payment-methods *Category: Getting started* Check Cherry supports several ways for clients to pay — credit card, ACH bank transfer, and manual methods like cash or check. You can enable as many as you like and configure each one separately, including whether to pass processing fees along to your clients. ### Getting to Payment Settings **Where to find it:** Manage > Payment Settings (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/payment_methods) ### Credit Cards Check Cherry Payments is the built-in credit card processor, available to businesses in the U.S. There are no setup fees, monthly fees, or hidden fees — just a flat rate of 2.9% + 30¢ per successful charge. You have the option to pass this fee along to your clients on a per-payment-method basis. Enabling credit card payments also activates Google Pay and Apple Pay automatically — clients who have those set up on their device will see them as payment options at checkout. Your first payout takes approximately 5-7 business days to process. After that, payouts typically arrive within 2-3 business days. Once your account has at least a 90-day payout history (measured from your first payout), you can also use Instant Payout from your Check Cherry Payments dashboard to get funds in minutes. An additional fee applies for instant payouts. See When will I receive my credit card payout? for more on payout timing. ### ACH Direct Debit ACH lets clients pay directly from their checking account — a good option for larger balances where credit card fees would add up. The processing fee is 1.5% per transaction. Keep in mind that ACH payments take longer to clear than credit cards, sometimes up to 7 business days, so plan accordingly if timing matters. To enable ACH, click Add Payment Option in your payment settings and select ACH Direct Debit. ### Other Payment Methods (Cash, Check, Cash App, etc.) You can also add manual payment methods — like cash, check, or Cash App — for clients who prefer to pay outside the platform. These don't process money through Check Cherry; they just give the client instructions on how to pay you directly and let you track it in the system. 1. Go to Payment Settings. 2. Click Add Payment Option. 3. Enter the payment method name and any instructions for your client. 4. Configure the button color, then save. Video: https://www.youtube.com/embed/d3pqQtCqSLs ### Tips, Due Dates, and Other Settings At the bottom of the Payment Settings page, you can configure a few additional options that affect how clients experience the payment flow: - When is final payment due? — Set the default due date for the remaining balance. - What is the initial payment called? — Choose how the deposit or retainer is labeled for clients. - Default proposal expiration. — Set how many days before a proposal expires by default. - Tips. — Give clients the option to leave a tip when they make a payment. > Tip: Enabling tips costs you nothing and is easy for clients to skip if they don't want to leave one. Most event professionals who enable it see tips come in occasionally without any extra effort. ### What Clients See When a client clicks to make a payment — whether through a proposal, an online booking, or a payment reminder — they'll see all the payment options you have enabled. They choose their preferred method and complete the payment from there. Video: https://www.youtube.com/embed/WDwF7-leEHs -> Go to Payment Settings (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/payment_methods) --- ## How do I test the booking process? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/105-how-can-i-test-the-booking-process *Category: Bookings* *Before you send your first real proposal, run through the booking process yourself.* Before you send your first real proposal or launch online booking, walk through the process yourself. You'll catch layout issues, confusing wording, and missing details before a client does — and fix them when it's low stakes. ### Creating test records The Create New button in the top navigation lets you create test versions of anything in your business — proposals, bookings, leads, sessions, and appointments. Fill in realistic details, complete the flow, and then delete the record when you're done. **Where to find it:** Create New (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/events/new) 1. Click Create New in the top navigation. 2. Select what you want to test: Proposal, Booking, Lead, Session, or Appointment. 3. Fill in realistic test details and complete the process. 4. Review how everything looks from the client's perspective. 5. Delete the test record when you're done. > Tip: Test with realistic details — a real event date, typical add-ons, and actual pricing. This gives you the most accurate preview of what clients will see. ### Testing online booking For online booking specifically, you have two options depending on how thorough you want to be: - Start Online Booking from the Create New menu — this runs you through the full client checkout experience, including package selection, add-ons, contract, and payment. - Preview your booking page by visiting your booking URL directly. You can find it in your Package settings. -> Create a test record (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/events/new) --- ## How do I change my bank account for payouts? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/112-how-do-i-change-the-bank-account-connected-to-my-payments-account *Category: Payments* *Switched banks or want payouts going to a different account? You can update this in your payment settings or from the Payments Dashboard.* Switched banks or want payouts going to a different account? You can update your bank details directly from your payment settings. **Where to find it:** Manage > Payment Settings (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/payment_methods) -> Go to Payments Dashboard (in your Check Cherry account: /express_dashboard) 1. Click Update to open your Payments Dashboard. 2. In the Payments Dashboard, click Update next to your bank account. 3. You'll be prompted to sign in to your bank to authorize the account change. 4. Follow your bank's verification process to connect the new account. --- ## How do I view bookings in the app? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/148-how-do-i-view-bookings-in-the-app *Category: Mobile app* *Open the Check Cherry app and your upcoming bookings are right there. Here is how to find past bookings and filter your list.* The Check Cherry app for iOS and Android shows your upcoming bookings by default. Here's how to view past bookings and use filters to find specific events. > Don't have the app yet? Download it for iOS or Android. ### Viewing Past Bookings The bookings page shows future confirmed bookings by default. To see past bookings, tap the down arrow in the upper right next to Show All Filters. Then tap on the Past box to see past bookings. ### Using Filters The Show All Filters button helps you quickly locate specific bookings. You can sort by date, filter by brand, package type, booking status, assigned staff, and more. Tap Set Filters after making your selections. > Tip: Use the search bar at the top to quickly find a booking by client name or event details. --- ## How do I use Check Cherry as a staff member? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/462-how-do-i-use-check-cherry-as-a-staff-member *Category: Staff* *A guide for staff: find open bookings to claim, accept or decline assignments, check your arrival time, and check in and out of events.* This one is written for the staff side rather than the office. If you work events for a company that runs on Check Cherry, everything you need is on your dashboard, and this covers what is there and what is expected of you. Business owners are welcome to send it to their team. ### Your dashboard Anything waiting on you sits at the top of the page, so start there. Below it you will find your upcoming assigned bookings. Down the side, Quick Links has your assigned bookings as a list or a calendar, plus counts next to Unassigned Bookings and Awaiting My Response when either one needs you. ### Picking up open work Unassigned Bookings lists work nobody has taken yet, one card per package rather than one per booking, so a wedding with a rehearsal shows up as two separate things you can pick up. Depending on how your company set it up, the button says Claim Booking, which assigns you on the spot, or Request Booking, which asks an admin to approve you. Each card shows how many people the package still needs, and it stays on the list until it is full, so do not assume someone beat you to it. There is more detail in how claiming and requesting work. ### Accepting or declining an assignment Some companies ask you to confirm before an assignment counts. If yours does, opening the booking shows a card at the top saying you have been assigned, with Accept and Decline. You can also answer everything at once from the card on your dashboard or from Awaiting My Response. In the Check Cherry app for iOS and Android you can add a short reason when you decline, which saves your office a phone call. See staff confirmations. Declining is not rude and it is better done early. The booking comes off your dashboard, your lists and your calendar, and the package goes back to needing someone so the office can fill it. ### When to show up Your booking card shows an arrival time when the office has set one, which is usually earlier than the package start so there is time to set up. If there is no arrival time, the package start time is when you are expected. Arrival also lands on your calendar as its own entry, separate from the event, so your setup window and the event itself read as two blocks. Use Subscribe to Calendar in Quick Links to get them on your phone. See arrival times. ### Checking in and out If your company turned this on, check in when you arrive and out when you leave, either from the booking itself or from Check In / Out in the menu under your name. You can attach a note and photos, which is worth doing for the state of the venue before you touch anything and for any damage you find. You can only be checked in on one booking at a time, so if you forgot to check out of the last one, Check Cherry will tell you where. See staff check-in and check-out. ### Your availability Set Availability in Quick Links is where you block out dates you cannot work. Depending on your company's settings, time off may need an admin to approve it. Keeping this current is what stops you being offered work you cannot take. -> Go to your dashboard (in your Check Cherry account: /dashboard) --- ## Can I include links in SMS text messages? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/59-can-i-send-a-link-through-an-sms-text-message *Category: Messaging* *Yes. Paste the full URL into your SMS message and most phones will make it tappable. This is useful for sending proposal links or payment links via text.* Yes. Paste the full URL into your SMS message and most phones will make it tappable. Unlike email messages where you can create formatted hyperlinks, SMS requires the complete web address. This is useful for sending proposal links, payment links, or booking engine links via text — especially for clients who are more responsive to SMS than email. > Tip: Copy the link from your browser's address bar while viewing the proposal or payment page to ensure you get the complete URL. > SMS messages have a 160-character limit per segment. Long URLs can push your message into multiple segments, which may increase costs. If the link is long, consider using a URL shortener like Bitly or TinyURL. ### Common SMS Links - Proposal links — clients can review and accept on their phone - Payment links — quick access to pay outstanding balances - Online booking links — for referrals or rebooking clients - Questionnaire links — planning forms and song requests --- ## How do I add my packages to Check Cherry? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/110-how-do-i-add-my-packages-to-check-cherry *Category: Packages* *The Package Manager is where your entire service catalog lives. Setting it up well means clients can browse, compare, and book without needing to call you.* The Package Manager is where your entire service catalog lives. Setting it up well means clients can browse, compare, and book without needing to call you. -> Open Package Manager (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/event_categories) **Where to find it:** Manage > Packages (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/event_categories) ### Package Structure Packages are organized in three levels: - Services: The top level. If you offer different types of work, each one is a service (e.g. "Photo Booth," "Bartending"). - Package Groups: Categories within a service (e.g. "Standard," "Premium"). - Packages: The individual offerings clients choose from, each with its own pricing. ### How Clients See Your Packages The client journey through your packages depends on how many services and package groups you have. Here's what they see at each step: #### Services Page If you offer multiple services (like "DJ Services" and "Photo Booth"), clients start here. Each service appears as a tile with its image, name, and description. This page only shows if you have more than one service. #### Package Groups Page After selecting a service (or if you only have one service), clients see your package groups as tiles. Each tile shows the group name, description, and starting price. This helps clients understand your different tiers — like "Standard" vs "Premium" packages. > If you only have one package group within a service, clients skip this page and go straight to the individual packages. #### Individual Packages Page This is where clients see your actual packages side by side. Each package shows its name, price, description, and key features. The layout makes it easy to compare options. Clients click "Book Now" on their chosen package to continue to scheduling and checkout. > Tip: Most businesses start with 3-5 packages per service. Too many choices can overwhelm clients, while too few limits your ability to capture different budget levels. ### Scheduling Formats Each package uses one of three scheduling formats: - Date & Time: Client picks a start time. Duration is based on your package settings. Best for hourly services. - Date Only: Client just picks the date. Best for full-day services. - Appointment Slots: You define available time slots and clients choose one. Best for mini sessions or consultations. ### Creating a Package **Where to find it:** Manage > Packages (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/event_categories) 1. Go to Package Manager. 2. Click Add a Package (or edit the sample packages that came with your account). 3. Fill in the General tab with the name, description, and images. 4. Set the price and scheduling format on the Pricing & Scheduling tab. 5. Choose a deposit amount (flat or percentage). 6. Set the status to Public when you're ready for clients to see it. > Tip: Keep packages set to Private while you're still configuring them. Switch to Public when you're happy with how they look. ### Package Visibility - Public: Visible on your online booking page. - Private: Only you can add it to bookings manually. Useful for custom or invite-only services. - Archived: Hidden everywhere. Use for packages you no longer offer. > You can duplicate a package to create a new one based on an existing setup. Saves time when adding variations of the same service. ### Watch: Setting Up Packages Video: https://www.youtube.com/embed/CjelbibkG3o --- ## How do I add my contract/terms? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/108-how-do-i-add-my-contract-terms *Category: Contracts* *A contract protects both you and your client. It sets expectations about what you'll deliver, when payment is due, and what happens if plans change.* A contract protects both you and your client by setting clear expectations about what you'll deliver, when payment is due, and what happens if plans change. In Check Cherry, every booking includes a digital contract that clients sign electronically. ### Adding Your Contract **Where to find it:** Manage > Business Settings > Terms (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/terms/edit) 1. Copy your existing contract text. 2. Paste it into the contract editor. 3. Add dynamic values like the event date, event time, and venue name using the tokens from the right sidebar. 4. Click Save. ### Available Tokens These are the tokens you can use in your contract: | Token | Description | | --- | --- | | {{brand_name}} | The name of the brand the booking belongs to | | {{booked_date}} | The date the client booked (shows the current date when viewed before booking) | | {{event_date}} | The event date. Multi-day events show a date range, and multiple bookings are listed together | | {{event_time}} | The event start time (omitted for services booked by date only) | | {{event_deposit_due_date}} | The date the deposit is due. This is the booking date, since deposits are due at booking; blank if there is no deposit | | {{event_final_due_date}} | The date the final balance is due, based on your payment settings or the custom due date on the booking | | {{venue_address}} | The venue's full address | | {{venue_name}} | The venue's name | Wondering why there's no client name token? See Why isn't there a client name token for my contract? > You can only use the tokens provided in the sidebar — you cannot create custom tokens by typing terms inside {{ }}. ### Package-Specific Terms Different services sometimes need different contract language. A photo booth rental might need different liability terms than DJ services. Use optional sections to add terms that only appear when specific packages are booked. 1. Click Create optional section in the right sidebar. 2. Give it a descriptive name and create a token. 3. Write the contract language that applies only to specific packages, or paste in the pre-typed text in the body of the optional terms. 4. Click Edit and select which packages will trigger these terms. 5. Copy the token and paste it into your main contract where you want these terms to appear. When a client books a package that has optional terms assigned, those terms will automatically appear in their contract. > Tip: You can also use optional sections to create entirely separate contracts for different service types. Create an optional section for each contract and use the tokens to include the appropriate terms. ### Counter-Signing Contracts If you need both parties to sign the contract, you can add your signature after the client signs. 1. Go to the booking and click the Manage Booking button. 2. Select Edit Contract Terms. 3. Click the Add Counter Signature button on the contract. Your signature will be added to the contract and immediately visible to the client when they view their booking. ### Customizing Terms for Individual Bookings Sometimes you need to modify the contract terms for a specific booking or proposal. You can edit the terms without changing your master contract template. 1. Go to Bookings or Proposals and open the one you want to edit. 2. Click Manage Booking, then Edit Contract Terms. 3. Make your changes and click Save. ### Watch: Signatures and Contracts Video: https://www.youtube.com/embed/SuevcxtM7yY -> Edit Your Contract Terms (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/terms/edit) --- ## How do I add/remove packages and/or add ons from a proposal? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/111-how-do-i-add-remove-packages-and-or-add-ons-from-a-proposal *Category: Proposals* *To send a proposal to the client:* ### To send a proposal to the client: - Click the Send Proposal button in the blue bar at the top of the proposal. You will have an opportunity to customize the email before you send it. You may add an attachment to the email. You can schedule the email to send later by checking the box at the bottom. - You will have an opportunity to customize the email before you send it. - You may add an attachment to the email. - You can schedule the email to send later by checking the box at the bottom. OR - If you have a Twilio account and have integrated it with your CC account, you can send the proposal via SMS. OR - You can send a link to view the proposal to anyone by clicking the Copy Link button at the bottom of the Overview page. You can preview the proposal to see how the client will see it. Admins on the account can see when and where it was viewed. - You can preview the proposal to see how the client will see it. - Admins on the account can see when and where it was viewed. ### To add packages to a proposal To add additional packages to a proposal, simply scroll down on the proposal and click the button to Add Another Package. ### To force add more add ons to a package and ignore availability Click the Add On button in the overview, then click Quick Add to quickly select more add ons. The Quick Add method bypasses your availability, so if you wish to check for availability, just select from the add ons in the list, rather than selecting Quick Add ### If you need to make changes to the proposal before you send it: You can choose a different package or event date by clicking the Edit button to the right of the package on the proposal. By choosing Edit or Choose New Package, you can: - Rename the event (give it a new title) - Change the description of the package - Choose a different package - Change the preview image for this proposal only - Choose a different date and/or start time - Change the number of hours the event will run - Change the price - Make the event taxable or non-taxable - Override the end time of the event ### Change the status of a proposal By clicking the Status bar (purple bar at the top right of the proposal), you can change the proposal and/or Postpone it, which will hide it from your list of active proposals. Available statuses: - Proposal Date Open - Proposal Date Reserved - Confirmed Awaiting Signature - Confirmed > Warning: You can also permanently delete a proposal by clicking on the status bar ### Manage Booking button The Manage Booking button on a proposal has a dropdown menu with many options for managing your proposal: - Change Status - Edit Title - Edit Proposal Settings Change payment methods available on this proposal only Change the cover photo for this proposal only Change the tax rate for this proposal Allow the customer to add/remove add ons to this proposal Allow the customer to choose a backdrop for this proposal Allow the customer to choose the backdrop before accepting the proposal - Change payment methods available on this proposal only - Change the cover photo for this proposal only - Change the tax rate for this proposal - Allow the customer to add/remove add ons to this proposal - Allow the customer to choose a backdrop for this proposal - Allow the customer to choose the backdrop before accepting the proposal - Edit the contract for this proposal only - Adjust payments & balance (takes you to the invoice) - Adjust payment schedule - Change Due Date - Change Expiration Date - Override Deposit Amount - Reapply flex pricing - Add a new design template - Create an appointment for this client - Duplicate the proposal (including alternatives) ### Quick Send The Quick Send button allows you to send messages and manage automated messages about this booking. ### Clients The Actions button in the Clients box allows you to manage the client(s) on the booking. - Change/Remove Client accounts - Edit Client details - Send password reset - Resend invitation to client portal - Disable automated messages (for this client on this booking only) - Hide pricing (for this client on this booking only) - Impersonate client Clients can be given access to the client portal, and can log in to manage the booking. ### Contacts The Actions button in the Contacts box allows you to manage the contact(s) on the booking. - Change/Remove Contact accounts - Disable automated messages (for this contact on this booking only Contacts can not be given access to the client portal and can only receive and send messages regarding the booking. ### Staff The Actions button in the Staff box allows you to manage the staff on the booking. - Change/Remove staff on this booking - Add staff to this booking - Impersonate staff assigned to this booking ### Referred by If the client was referred to you by a customer or staff member, you can enter that person's name here to note who referred them. ### Additional Information If you have Extra Questions set up, you can capture that information in this section. To add extra questions, go to Booking Engine, select Extra Questions and add your questions, then select "Only for lead forms or internal use". Deliverables The deliverables section allows you to include the link to the client's photo and/or video album, and send it out using message templates. ### Video - Managing Proposals Video: https://www.youtube.com/embed/NNO_CkKrVik -> Manage Add-ons (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/add_ons) -> Manage Automated Messages (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/automated_events) -> View Proposals (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/proposals) --- ## Give a discount when a customer pays in full. https://www.checkcherry.com/help/392-give-a-discount-when-a-customer-pays-in-full *Category: Getting started* If you offer payment plans, some clients will take you up on them — but others would rather just pay everything upfront and move on. A paid-in-full discount gives those clients a small reward for doing that, and it puts more money in your pocket sooner. ### How it works Paid-in-full discounts are set on individual payment plans. When a client selects a payment plan that has a discount attached, they'll see the savings displayed during checkout — which often nudges them toward paying in full. The discount is applied automatically when they complete payment. ### Setting up a paid-in-full discount **Where to find it:** Manage > Payment Settings > Payment Plans (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/payment_methods) 1. Go to Payment Plans. 2. Click the payment plan you want to edit, or create a new one. 3. Find the Paid in Full Discount field and enter the discount amount or percentage. 4. Save your changes. ### What it looks like to the customer > Tip: Even a small discount — 3 to 5% — can be enough to motivate a client to pay in full. It also reduces the administrative work of tracking installments and sending payment reminders. --- ## How do I change the images on my packages? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/115-how-do-i-change-the-images-on-my-packages *Category: Packages* *Every package can have an image that clients see during online booking and on proposals.* Package images help clients visualize your services during online booking and appear on proposals. You can add images at three levels: services (what clients see first), package groups (categories), and individual packages. ### Adding Images to Packages **Where to find it:** Manage > Packages (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/event_categories) 1. Go to Packages. 2. Click on the package you want to update. 3. Go to the General tab. 4. Under Primary Image, click Upload, then choose Upload File or Media Library. 5. Click Save. ![Package General tab with the Upload File and Media Library buttons under Primary Image](https://www.checkcherry.com/rails/active_storage/blobs/redirect/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsiZGF0YSI6NTE4MTUyOCwicHVyIjoiYmxvYl9pZCJ9fQ==--77cc00646d05e124d5fe9143d28f538eac25d162/article_115_package_image.png?disposition=inline) > Accepted formats: .png, .jpg, .gif. Maximum file size: 10 MB. ### Service Images The service image is what clients see first when they visit your booking page. If you have multiple services, clients choose between them before seeing package groups. If you only have one service, they go directly to your package groups. To change a service image, click the ... menu on the service and choose Edit Service: ![Service menu open on the Packages page with Edit Service highlighted](https://www.checkcherry.com/rails/active_storage/blobs/redirect/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsiZGF0YSI6NTE4MTUzMCwicHVyIjoiYmxvYl9pZCJ9fQ==--233ad6625d4d2c0c8d4261603312ecf299ef5c33/article_115_service_menu.png?disposition=inline) Under Primary Image, click Upload File or Media Library: ![Service Primary Image with the Upload File and Media Library buttons](https://www.checkcherry.com/rails/active_storage/blobs/redirect/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsiZGF0YSI6NTE4MTUzMSwicHVyIjoiYmxvYl9pZCJ9fQ==--c0188e7b3ae2964c61ba09e644374c48f267b74e/article_115_service_image.png?disposition=inline) > Tip: Remember to click Save after uploading your image. ### Package Group Images Package group images help clients navigate between different categories of packages (like "Wedding Packages" vs "Corporate Events"). Click the ... menu on the package group, choose Edit Package Group, and upload an image under Primary Image: ![Package group menu open with Edit Package Group highlighted](https://www.checkcherry.com/rails/active_storage/blobs/redirect/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsiZGF0YSI6NTE4MTUzMiwicHVyIjoiYmxvYl9pZCJ9fQ==--145ef610a1b70d9eaec0adc70e67a1fe02087ed9/article_115_group_menu.png?disposition=inline) ### Media Library Every Check Cherry account includes a Media Library. Store your own images under Your Media for reuse across packages, or pull from Check Cherry Media, Pixabay stock photos, Canva, and SmugMug. Manage it under Manage > Business Settings > Media Library. ![Media Library in Business Settings showing stock photos from Pixabay](https://www.checkcherry.com/rails/active_storage/blobs/redirect/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsiZGF0YSI6NTE4MTUzNCwicHVyIjoiYmxvYl9pZCJ9fQ==--679d76f3d0d49e08f3827bcbe651417ec1bf5d4e/article_115_media_library.png?disposition=inline) > The Media Library is accessible from any image upload area in Check Cherry. Upload once, use everywhere. --- ## Can I offer an add-on for an add-on? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/407-can-i-offer-an-add-on-for-an-add-on *Category: Getting started* *Add-ons cannot be nested, but extra categories do exactly this job: priced options that appear only when a specific add-on is selected.* Not literally. Add-ons can't be nested, and there's no way to show one add-on only when a client selects another. Add-on availability can only be restricted by package. But Check Cherry has a feature that does exactly this job: extra categories. ### Use an Extra Category An extra category attached to an add-on offers priced items that appear only after the client adds that add-on to their booking. Nobody can buy them on their own. Each item has its own price and quantity, and selections are billed on the invoice automatically. For example, a Keychain Station add-on that includes 100 keychains can offer a "50 Extra Keychains" item. Clients who add the station choose how many extra sets they want, and clients who don't will never see it. ### Common Uses - Selling more of something the add-on already includes (extra prints, keychains, or supplies) - Upgrades that only apply to one service (premium props for a specific booth) - Choices that personalize an add-on (colors, sizes, or styles) For the full setup, see How do I offer props, upgrades, and customization options? If you're specifically charging for more than what a package or add-on includes, see How do I charge extra when a client wants more than what's included? -> Extra Categories (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/extra_categories) --- ## How do I send text messages to clients? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/60-can-i-send-and-receive-text-messages-to-my-customers-how-to-set-up-the-twilio-integration *Category: Messaging* *A client texts you asking about their event, and you want to reply from Check Cherry instead of your personal phone.* A client texts you asking about their event, and you want to reply from Check Cherry instead of your personal phone. Text messaging through Twilio or Quo keeps all your communication in one place. ### Why use text messaging? Text messages have much higher open rates than email. They're great for time-sensitive communication like day-of reminders, payment confirmations, and quick follow-ups. Many clients prefer a text over an email, especially for short updates. > You can connect either Twilio or Quo — not both. Once one is enabled, the other option disappears. Both are paid third-party services that require their own account and a purchased phone number before connecting to Check Cherry. ### Connect a provider Start by navigating to Integrations, then follow the steps for whichever provider you're using. **Where to find it:** Manage > Business Settings > Integrations (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/third_party_integrations) #### To Connect Twilio 1. Go to Integrations. 2. Find the Twilio integration and click Enable. 3. Enter your Account SID, Auth Token, and Phone Number SID. 4. Click Save to connect your account. #### Finding your Twilio credentials Your Account SID and Auth Token are on the main dashboard of your Twilio Console. To find your Phone Number SID: 1. Log in to your Twilio Console. 2. Expand the Phone Numbers menu in the left sidebar. 3. Click Manage, then Active Numbers. 4. Click on your phone number to open its properties. 5. Copy the Phone Number SID (starts with 'PN'). #### Set up webhooks to receive Twilio replies To see incoming replies from clients inside Check Cherry, configure a messaging webhook on your Twilio phone number. In your Twilio phone number settings: - Under A Message Comes In, choose Webhook. - Set the URL to https://yourcompanyurl.checkcherry.com/webhooks/twilio/message_received — replace yourcompanyurl with your actual Check Cherry subdomain. - Set the method to HTTP POST. > If another platform is already handling incoming SMS on this phone number, adding the Check Cherry webhook will override that configuration. #### To Connect Quo 1. Go to Integrations. 2. Find the Quo integration and click Enable. 3. Enter your Quo API Key and Phone Number. 4. Click Save to connect your account. Your Quo API key is available in your Quo dashboard under account or developer settings. #### Set up webhooks to receive Quo replies To receive incoming replies from clients in Check Cherry, configure an inbound webhook in your Quo account settings: - Log in to your Quo dashboard and go to Settings or Developer settings. - Find the Inbound Webhook or Message Received URL field. - Set the URL to https://yourcompanyurl.checkcherry.com/webhooks/quo/message_received — replace yourcompanyurl with your actual Check Cherry subdomain. - Save your changes in Quo. ### Quiet hours Quiet hours prevent automated text messages from going out during nights and weekends, so clients don't receive Check Cherry notifications at odd hours. Any message that would have sent during a quiet period is held and delivered once quiet hours end. > Quiet hours apply to automated messages only — messages you send manually are not affected. ### A2P 10DLC registration (required for US numbers) If you send text messages to US phone numbers using Twilio, carriers require you to register for A2P 10DLC (Application-to-Person 10-Digit Long Code). Without this registration, your messages will not be delivered. A2P 10DLC is a carrier-mandated system that verifies your business identity and the type of messages you send. It provides better delivery rates and lower filtering risk than unregistered numbers. Registration is done through the Twilio Console — follow Twilio's guide: How do I register to use A2P 10DLC messaging? #### Prepare your business information - Legal business name: must match exactly with IRS or Secretary of State records. - EIN / Tax ID: use your company's EIN, not your SSN (unless you're a sole proprietorship). - Business type: accurately select LLC, Corporation, Sole Proprietor, etc. - Website: provide a live, professional-looking site. Carriers often check it. - Contact info: make sure your phone number and email are valid and monitored. #### Describe your campaign clearly - Use case: describe exactly what you'll send — for example: 'Booking confirmations, payment reminders, and customer service updates for event services.' - Message samples: write samples that reflect real-world usage, including opt-out language ('Reply STOP to unsubscribe'). - Opt-in process: document how clients consent to receive texts (booking flow, contract checkbox, website forms, etc.). #### Follow compliance rules - Always provide clear instructions for STOP and HELP responses. - Link to your Terms of Service and Privacy Policy where clients opt in. - Avoid high-risk wording like 'Free $$$' or 'click here' in your messages. #### Common reasons for rejection - Using a DBA name instead of the official legal entity name. - Submitting placeholder or non-functional websites. - Copy/pasting generic message samples that don't reflect your real use cases. - Forgetting to explain your opt-in process. > Tip: Start small once you're registered. Ramp up your message volume gradually to avoid being flagged for unusual usage spikes. ### Troubleshooting undelivered messages If your text messages show as undelivered, check your Twilio Console for error details. Go to the Monitor tab in Twilio and look at the Error Logs to see what went wrong. Common causes include: - Missing A2P 10DLC registration (messages to US numbers will be blocked). - Invalid or disconnected recipient phone numbers. - Twilio account balance is depleted. - Message content flagged by carrier filters. You can look up specific error codes in Twilio's error code reference to understand what each code means and how to resolve it. #### Quo: not enough prepaid credits If a Quo message fails with “The organization does not have enough prepaid credits to send the message,” your Quo (OpenPhone) prepaid messaging balance has run out. Add funds to your prepaid messaging balance in your Quo dashboard and resend. This is separate from Automation credits (which power Sona features). Having Automation credits remaining does not cover sending text messages — SMS is paid from your prepaid messaging balance. ### 2 Types of Credits in Quo: Sona AI Credits and API Messaging Credits 1. Sona AI credits — 1,000 per month free with every plan. These are only for their Sona AI voice agent (answering inbound calls). About 10 AI calls worth. 2. API messaging credits — A completely separate, prepaid bucket used for any SMS sent through their API. These are not included with your subscription and must be purchased separately. They run $0.01 per message segment, with bundles starting at $25. ### Getting help For questions about your Check Cherry integration, reach out through the chat bubble in the lower right corner of the app. For provider-specific issues like account setup, registration, or billing, visit the Twilio Help Center or the Quo support site. --- ## How do I change the image on a proposal? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/114-how-do-i-change-the-image-on-a-proposal *Category: Proposals* *The cover image on a proposal sets the first impression.* The cover image on a proposal sets the first impression for your client. You can change it on individual proposals or set a default that applies to all proposals for a specific service. ### Change the Image on a Single Proposal **Where to find it:** Proposals > Select a proposal (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/proposals) 1. Open the proposal you want to edit. 2. Click Manage Booking. 3. Upload a new cover image in the image section. 4. Click Save. ### Set a Default Image for All Proposals Instead of changing images one by one, you can set a default proposal image that automatically appears on all proposals for a specific service. This is configured in your package settings. See service settings for details on setting default proposal images. --- ## How do I require staff to accept or decline assignments? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/458-how-do-i-require-staff-to-accept-or-decline-assignments *Category: Staff* *Turn on staff confirmations so assigned staff accept or decline a booking, and track who has not replied from the Awaiting Response queue.* When you assign staff to a booking, we assume they'll be available to work it. However some companies like to add an extra "Accept" or "Reject" step for staff. ### Turning it on **Where to find it:** Manage > Business Settings > Availability > Staff (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/availability/staff_settings) 1. Set Must staff accept or decline assignments before they're confirmed? to Yes. 2. Click Save. The setting applies to assignments made from that point on, so staff already on a booking are not suddenly asked to confirm. ### What staff see A staff member who opens a booking they have not responded to gets a highlighted card at the top reading You've been assigned to this booking, with Accept and Decline buttons. The same assignments are collected in an Assignments Awaiting Your Response card on their dashboard with a count, so they can reply to everything without opening each booking. In the Check Cherry app for iOS and Android, a staff member can add a short reason when they decline. ### When someone declines - Their status reads Declined everywhere the assignment appears, with the reason underneath if they gave one. - The package re-opens. They stop counting toward the filled total and the package returns to Unassigned Bookings. - The booking drops off their dashboard, their booking lists, and their calendar. - The Staff Declined a Booking message goes out, if you have one set up. They stay on the booking's Staff page as a declined row so you can see what happened and who to replace. Remove them if you want them off the booking completely. ### Seeing who has not replied **Where to find it:** Sales > Staffing > Awaiting Response (in your Check Cherry account: /pending_staff_assignments) The queue has two views: All Awaiting Response for everyone on your team, and Awaiting My Response for your own assignments. Each card shows the booking, the packages, the venue, and who you are waiting on. If someone tells you in person or over the phone, you can answer for them with Mark Accepted or Mark Declined. The same actions are on the booking itself, in the Staff panel's Actions menu under Confirm on behalf of staff. ### Messages Staff Declined a Booking is an automated message trigger, so you can be notified the moment a package needs re-staffing. It can go to your business, all admins, all staff, or the person who declined, and the {{ staff_decline_reason }} token includes the reason they gave. The Staff Assigned to Booking message can also filter on Staff Response, set to Awaiting Response or Accepted. Combine that with a send time a few days after the assignment and you have a nudge that only reaches the people who still have not replied. -> Go to Automated Messages (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/automated_events) --- ## How does the design template selection email work? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/88-email-template-when-a-design-template-is-selected *Category: Messaging* *When a client selects their design template, you and the client both get email notifications.* Design templates let clients pick their style from your curated options — photo booth layouts, invitation designs, or album covers. When they make a selection, both you and the client get automatic email notifications to keep the workflow moving smoothly. ### How the notifications work The system sends different emails at different stages: - Selection confirmation — tells the client their choice was received - Approval request — notifies you when a client picks a template - Revision notification — updates when changes are requested These notifications are enabled by default and are part of the design approval workflow, so both sides stay in sync without manual follow-up. ### Customizing the email templates You can edit the wording and timing of these notifications to match your brand voice. **Where to find it:** Automated Messages > System Templates (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/automated_events) 1. Go to the System Templates tab. 2. Find the design template notification you want to edit. 3. Customize the subject line and message content. 4. Save your changes. > Tip: Keep the notification emails brief and clear. Clients just need to know their selection was received and what happens next. --- ## How do I duplicate or delete a package? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/85-how-do-i-duplicate-a-package *Category: Packages* *Built a new package and want another one just like it with a few tweaks? Duplicate it instead of creating from scratch.* Built a new package and want another one just like it with a few tweaks? Duplicate it instead of creating from scratch. And if you have packages from years ago that you no longer offer, delete or archive them to keep things clean. **Where to find it:** Manage > Packages (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/event_categories) ### Duplicating packages Click the duplicate button on any service, package group, or package to create a copy with all its settings. The duplicate button appears on the right side of service and package group title bars, and at the bottom of individual packages. - Duplicating a service copies the service, its package groups, all packages, and all settings. - Duplicating a package group copies the group, its packages, and all settings. - Duplicating a package copies just that package and its settings. ### Deleting packages To delete a service or package group, click the settings gear in the title bar and scroll to the bottom of the settings screen. You'll find the delete link in the lower right corner. To delete an individual package, open it from the package manager and click Delete Package on the right side. > Warning: Deleting a service also deletes all package groups and packages within it. This cannot be undone. --- ## How do I create a multi-day booking? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/120-how-do-i-create-a-multi-day-booking *Category: Bookings* *Cover multiple dates on one booking by adding a package per date, or price by the day with a Date Only package.* A wedding weekend with a Friday rehearsal and a Saturday reception. A three day festival. A week long rental. Check Cherry handles all of these on a single booking by letting you add multiple packages to it, each with its own date and time. ### Adding Multiple Packages to a Booking This is the easiest way to cover multiple dates, and it is where most people should start. Each package carries its own date and time and becomes its own line item on the invoice, so the client sees one clean booking with all their services and you see the whole job in one place. When you are creating a new proposal or booking, click Add Package to add the next one. On a proposal or booking that already exists, the button reads Add Another Package and sits below the packages already on it. This works well when: - A client needs the same service on two or more separate dates - A wedding weekend has a rehearsal dinner on Friday and a reception on Saturday - A multi-day corporate event needs different services each day - Two packages start at different times on the same day, like ceremony and reception coverage ### Letting Clients Add Multiple Packages Online If you offer online booking, you can let clients do this for themselves during checkout. It is off by default. **Where to find it:** Manage > Booking Engine > General (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/booking_engine/general_settings) 1. Go to General. 2. Scroll to the Multiple Packages card. 3. Under When booking online, allow the customer to, choose Add additional packages with multiple dates & times. 4. Click Save. Once that is on, a client who has selected their first package sees an option to add another. A banner at the top of the screen reminds them they are adding to their current booking, and they can keep adding as many packages as they need. > If multi-date work is rare for you, it is fine to leave this off. It adds a decision to checkout, and you can always add the second package yourself after the client books. ### Daily Rate Packages Most packages are priced by the hour and cover a single date. Check Cherry also supports all day packages priced by the day. Set the package to Date Only and the client picks a date, or a range of dates, with no time selection. The booking blocks the whole day. This is the better fit when you regularly rent for more than a couple of days and quoting it hour by hour makes no sense. **Where to find it:** Manage > Packages (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/event_categories) 1. Go to Packages and click Add a Package, or open an existing package. 2. Give it a title and description. Something like "Open Air: Multi-Day Coverage". 3. Open the Pricing & Scheduling tab. 4. Under Scheduling Mode, choose Date Only and click Save. 5. In the Pricing section, enter your Starting Rate and the Number of days included in it. Usually one. 6. Set Allow customer to book extra days to Yes, then enter your Daily Rate along with a Minimum length and Maximum length in days. 7. Click Save. > Warning: Switching a package to Date Only clears its extra hours pricing, and switching back clears the extra days pricing. Set your pricing after you switch, not before. Once the package exists, there are two ways it gets used: - When you build a proposal or booking with it, enter the number of days and Check Cherry prices it off your daily rate. - If the package is public, clients can choose it during online booking and enter the number of days themselves. ### Two Ways to Cover Multiple Days Use one Date Only package for consecutive days. Best for continuous coverage like a 3 day festival or a weekend retreat. The client picks a start date and Check Cherry fills in the rest of the range. See how to create a multi-day package. Use one package per date. Best when the dates are not consecutive, or the service changes from day to day. A rehearsal dinner on Friday and a reception on Saturday is a good example. > Tip: You can mix the two formats on one booking. Use Date & Time for days that need a start time, and Date Only for days that don't. ### What Changes on a Date Only Booking - No start or end time shows on the booking, invoice, or proposal. - The whole day is blocked in availability checks. A multi day package blocks every day in the range. - It syncs to Google Calendar as an all day event. - Time tokens in automated messages come out blank. Date tokens still work. - Days you have marked available for only certain hours still accept Date Only bookings. Only fully closed days block them. - Staff arrival times work as usual. Set them per staff member. > If any package on a booking is a multi day Date Only package, the proposal shows date ranges for every package on that booking. ### Location Limitations > Warning: Each booking can only have one official location in order to keep tax and travel calculations simple. If the client needs multiple venues, you can create separate bookings or you can add the additional addresses to the package details and calculate tax and travel manually --- ## How do I limit payment methods on a proposal? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/50-can-i-limit-payment-methods-for-a-client *Category: Payments* *Sending a proposal to a corporate client who can only pay by check? You can restrict the payment methods on that proposal so they do not see credit card or* Most clients can pay however they want, but sometimes you need to limit options. Corporate clients might only be able to pay by check, or you might want to require ACH for large balances to avoid credit card fees. You can restrict payment methods on individual proposals without changing your global settings. **Where to find it:** Proposals > Select a proposal > Manage Booking > Edit Proposal Settings (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/proposals) 1. Open the proposal and click Manage Booking. 2. Click Edit Proposal Settings. 3. In the Payment Methods section, choose Limited Payment Methods. 4. Uncheck the payment methods you don't want to offer. 5. Click Save. > This only affects this specific proposal. Your global payment settings in Payment Settings remain unchanged. -> Go to Proposals (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/proposals) --- ## How do I see tips I have collected? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/42-can-i-get-a-report-of-the-tips-i-ve-collected *Category: Reporting* *Wondering how much your team earned in tips last month? The Tips report breaks it down by booking so you can see who tipped and how much.* Wondering how much your team earned in tips last month? The Tips report breaks it down by booking so you can see who tipped and how much. **Where to find it:** Reporting > Tips (in your Check Cherry account: /report/event_tips) 1. Go to Tips Report. 2. Set your date range to see tips from a specific period. 3. Use the Columns button to customize what data appears in the report. > Tip: You can save the report and have it automatically sent via email on a regular schedule — perfect for monthly team payouts. --- ## How does staff time off work? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/40-can-i-get-a-list-of-my-staff-s-time-off *Category: Staff* *Set up staff time off requests, approve or reject them, see how time off affects assigning staff, and export it from the Staff Time Off report.* Time off is how your staff tell you the dates they cannot work. Once it is on the calendar, those dates show up while you are assigning people rather than after, which is the whole point of collecting it. ### Deciding whether requests need approval **Where to find it:** Business Settings > Availability > Staff (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/availability/staff_settings) 1. Set Do time off requests from staff require admin approval? to Yes or No. 2. Click Save. This one setting changes the whole flow. With approval on, staff send a request and wait on you, and their own page calls the button Request Time Off. With approval off, they add the dates themselves and it takes effect immediately, and the button reads Add Blockout Dates. Most businesses with a small, trusted roster leave approval off and only turn it on once the team is big enough that two people booking the same weekend off becomes a problem. ### How staff request time off Staff find this under Set Availability in the Quick Links on their dashboard, or Set Booking Availability in the menu under their name. The page has a My Time Off panel above their weekly availability. 1. Click Request Time Off, or Add Blockout Dates if approval is off. 2. Pick a Start Date and End Date. 3. Leave All Day checked, or uncheck it and set a start and end time for part of a day. 4. Add a Reason. 5. Click Send Request. Their own list shows the dates, the reason and a status of Awaiting Review, Approved or Rejected, and they can remove an entry themselves. Past time off is hidden by default behind a Show past time off link, so the list stays about what is still ahead. ### Approving requests **Where to find it:** Sales > Staffing > Time Off Requests (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/blockout_date_ranges) The queue lists who asked, when they want off and why. Approve and Reject both open a box where you can add a note back to them, which is worth using on a rejection so the answer does not arrive as a bare no. This page used to live on the Sales menu and is now part of the Staffing area, alongside the rest of your staffing queues. Admins can also approve and reject from the Check Cherry app for iOS and Android, which shows a count of what is pending. ### What time off actually does When you go to assign someone to a booking, anyone with time off across those dates is flagged in the staff picker with the reason and the dates they blocked out. It is a warning rather than a block, so you can still assign them if you have worked something out. Time off is per person. Dates your whole business is closed are business blockout dates instead. ### The Staff Time Off report **Where to find it:** Reporting > Blockouts & Availability > Staff Time Off (in your Check Cherry account: /report/time_off) The report is the version you can take away: start, end, whether it is all day, the reason, who entered it and when. Filter and Columns change what you see and Download gives you a copy. Two related reports sit in the same menu, Staff Availability for everyone's weekly hours and Business Blockout Dates for the company calendar. -> Go to the Staff Time Off report (in your Check Cherry account: /report/time_off) --- ## A customer paid by credit card - when will I get the payout? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/325-a-customer-paid-by-credit-card-when-will-i-get-the-payout-1 *Category: Getting started* With Check Cherry Payments, you can get payouts in as little as 2 business days. While the usual payout time is 2-3 business days, your first payment will take up to 7 business days to reach your bank. > Once your Check Cherry Payments account is set up, your first payout may take up to 7 business days. However, future payouts will take 2 to 3 business days. ### Setting up Check Cherry Payments **Where to find it:** Manage > Payment Methods (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/payment_methods) 1. Click the Enable Payment Processing button. 2. Complete the steps to set up your Check Cherry account. ### Checking payment status Go to Payments Dashboard to see all payments that have been received and track payouts in transit to your bank. ### Payout timing Payout timing depends on when the payment was received. Payments received before 4 PM PST are processed sooner than those received after 4 PM PST. #### Payments made before 4 PM PST | Day Paid | Transfer Begins | Expected Deposit Day | | --- | --- | --- | | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | | Thursday | Friday | Monday | | Friday | Monday | Tuesday | | Saturday or Sunday | Tuesday | Wednesday | #### Payments made after 4 PM PST | Day Paid | Transfer Begins | Expected Deposit Day | | --- | --- | --- | | Monday | Wednesday | Thursday | | Tuesday | Thursday | Friday | | Wednesday | Friday | Monday | | Thursday | Monday | Tuesday | | Friday | Tuesday | Wednesday | | Saturday or Sunday | Tuesday | Wednesday | > If you are using a different credit card processor, you will need to log into that account to see information about your credit card payouts. --- ## How do I review emails before they are sent? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/146-how-do-i-review-emails-before-they-are-sent *Category: Messaging* *An automated thank-you email is about to go out, but you want to personalize it first.* An automated thank-you email is about to go out, but you want to personalize it first. Setting messages to review mode lets you check and edit each one before the client sees it. ### Enabling Review **Where to find it:** Manage > Automated Messages (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/automated_events) 1. Select the email template you want to edit. 2. Click the menu button to the right of the message and select Edit. 3. In the right sidebar, click Yes under Review Messages. 4. Click Save on the email. ### Reviewing Queued Messages Once a message is scheduled for review, you can find it under Sales → Messages → Awaiting Review. From there you can send, edit, or delete each message before it reaches your client. > Emails sent to your admin or login email address will be delivered normally to your inbox. Keep in mind that email replies on messages sent from the business owner to the business owner will not appear in your inbox. ### Scheduling Emails for Later When replying to a message, you can schedule it to be sent at a later date and time by selecting the send later option at the bottom of the reply screen. --- ## How do I make adjustments to an invoice? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/134-how-do-i-make-adjustments-to-an-invoice *Category: Bookings* *After a booking is created, you may need to change the pricing — adding a service, applying a discount, correcting a tax rate, or adjusting the package pric* After a booking is created, you often need to adjust the invoice — adding services, applying discounts, correcting tax rates, or changing the billing address. All invoice changes happen on the booking's Invoice tab as soon as you make the change. ### Common Invoice Adjustments - Client adds extra time or services after booking - Apply a discount code or negotiate a price reduction - Correct the tax rate for the event location - Change who the invoice is addressed to (individual vs. company) > The invoice is automatically created for the person listed as the Client on the booking. To change who receives the invoice, just click the client name on the Invoice tab. ### Changing Package Prices 1. Go to the Invoice tab of the booking. 2. Click the ellipses (...) next to the package total. 3. Choose Edit or Choose New Package. 4. Enter the new price in the Override Price field. ### Adjusting Tax Rates You can edit the tax rate directly on the invoice if the default rate is incorrect for the event location. ### Adding Packages or Add-Ons 1. Go to the Invoice tab of the booking. 2. Click the plus sign next to your company logo. 3. Choose to add another package or add-on. ### Applying Discounts and Surcharges 1. Go to the Invoice tab of the booking. 2. Click the plus sign next to your company logo. 3. Select Apply Discount Code or Add Pricing Adjustment. > If you collect sales tax, choose whether a pricing adjustment is Taxable. A taxable credit also lowers the tax, so enter the amount before tax. Using an adjustment to clear a balance after a refund or short payment? See Why does my booking show a balance due, and how do I clear it? ### Sending Invoices Once you've made your adjustments, you can send the updated invoice to your client via email or text using the link at the bottom of the invoice page. > Text messaging requires SMS to be set up in your account. Most businesses send invoices by email. --- ## How do I create a multi-day package? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/121-how-do-i-create-a-multi-day-package *Category: Packages* *A 3-day festival, a weekend-long wedding, or a week of corporate training. Some events need a package that spans multiple days instead of hours.* A 3-day festival, a weekend-long wedding, or a week of corporate training sessions — some events need coverage across multiple days rather than just a few hours on one day. ### Creating a Multi-Day Package **Where to find it:** Manage > Packages (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/event_categories) 1. Click Add a Package. 2. Enter the package title and description. 3. Click the Pricing & Scheduling tab. 4. Set the scheduling format to Date Only and enter the number of days for the package duration. 5. Click Save. ### Allowing Clients to Add Extra Days You can let clients purchase additional days beyond the base package. This works well for destination weddings or events where coverage might extend unexpectedly. In the Pricing section of your package, set Allow client to add extra days to Yes: > For bookings with multiple separate services on different dates (like an engagement session plus wedding day), see multi-day bookings. --- ## How do I embed a design template gallery on my website? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/222-how-do-i-embed-a-design-template-gallery-on-my-website *Category: Online booking* *Show off your overlay designs and print layouts on your website. Clients can preview options before they book.* Show off your overlay designs and print layouts on your website. Clients can preview options before they book. ### Getting the Embed Code **Where to find it:** Manage > Website Integration (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/integrations) 1. Go to Website Integration. 2. Find Design Template Gallery and click Get Embed Code. 3. Choose your display options (see below for details). 4. Copy the embed code and paste it into your website where you want the gallery to appear. ### Display Options You can customize how the gallery looks and works on your website: Style: - Link Only — Shows a simple text link to your gallery page - Embed on my site — Shows the actual gallery directly on your page Collection: - All Collections — Shows designs from all your collections - Specific Collection — Shows only one collection (you'll see your collection names in the dropdown) Show Book Now Button: - Yes — Adds a button that takes visitors to your booking page - No — Gallery only, no booking link Button Text: Customize what the booking button says (default is "Book Now"). Show Tag Viewer: - Yes — Visitors can filter designs by category tags - No — Shows all designs without filtering options #### Advanced Options For more control over the appearance, you can override the default colors: - Override Text Color — Change the text color to match your website - Override Button Background Color — Customize the booking button color - Override Button Text Color — Change the button text color -> Get Your Embed Code (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/integrations) --- ## Mobile Bartender Checklists https://www.checkcherry.com/help/387-mobile-bartender-checklists *Category: Getting started* When you're running a mobile bar, a forgotten shaker or a missing lighter can throw off the whole night. Checklists in Check Cherry let you attach a repeatable set of tasks and packing items to every event — so your team shows up prepared every time, without relying on memory. The examples below are a starting point for a mobile bartender setup. You can copy these into your own checklist templates and adjust them to match how your business actually operates. ### Setting Up Checklist Templates Checklist templates are reusable lists that get attached to bookings automatically. You can create separate templates for different purposes — packing, pre-event tasks, post-event follow-up — and assign them to the right event types. **Where to find it:** Manage > Checklists (in your Check Cherry account: /checklist) > Tip: Pre-event task checklists can be set to auto-create a few days before each event. That way, reminders like 'purchase ice' and 'confirm with client' appear at the right time without anyone having to remember to add them. ### Suggested Checklists for Mobile Bartenders #### Event Bar Kit The core toolkit that needs to be in the truck for every event. Run through this before you leave the shop. - Shakers - Jiggers - Strainers - Bar mats - Garnish tongs - Ice scoop - Wine key - Tip jar - Prep gloves - Menus - QR tip sign #### Bar Equipment Larger equipment and furniture items to load and confirm before departure. - Bar furniture - LED back bar and front bar - Ice chest - Foldable wagon - iPad for digital menu #### Mixers & Garnishes Fresh items to pick up the day before the event. - Lemons - Limes - Olives - Oranges - Cherries - Pineapple - Edible toppers #### Emergency Backup Kit The small stuff you don't think about until you need it. Keep this stocked and in the truck permanently. - Band-aids - Lighters - Command strips - Batteries - Hand sanitizer - Stain remover - Sewing kit - Bottled water for the team #### Pre-Event Tasks Administrative and logistics tasks to complete in the days leading up to an event. - Finalize bar menu - Confirm details with client - Confirm with staff - Purchase ice - Load truck #### Post-Event Tasks Follow-up items after the event wraps. A quick thank-you and a review request go a long way — and they're easy to forget when you're tired after a long night. - Send a thank-you message to the client - Ask for a review > You can automate the post-event thank-you and review request using Check Cherry's automated messaging. Set it once and it sends itself after every event. See the messaging articles for details. -> Go to Automated Messages (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/automated_events) -> Go to Checklists (in your Check Cherry account: /checklist) --- ## How do I prevent a client from making changes to a booking? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/139-how-do-i-prevent-a-client-from-making-changes-to-a-booking *Category: Bookings* *A confirmed booking is locked in, but sometimes you need to control how much the client can still change. The Change Policy lets you set the rules.* Once a client books with you, they might want to change add-ons, reschedule, or even cancel. The Change Policy lets you set the rules for what clients can modify and when — so you stay in control without manually managing every request. **Where to find it:** Manage > Business Settings > Availability > Change Policy (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/brands) 1. Go to Change Policy. 2. Configure the settings for each booking type: Online Booking, Proposals, Bookings, and Questionnaires. 3. Click Save Changes. ### Online Booking Settings These control when clients can book through your online booking flow: - Minimum lead time: How far in advance clients must book (e.g., at least 3 days before the event) - Maximum lead time: The furthest out you'll accept bookings (prevents bookings years in advance) ### Proposal Settings These control what clients can modify before accepting a proposal: - Add/remove add-ons: Whether clients can modify add-ons before accepting (can be overridden per proposal) - Add/remove extras: Whether clients can modify extras before accepting - Choose backdrop: Whether clients can select their backdrop before accepting ### Confirmed Bookings Settings These are the most important settings — they control what happens after a client has signed and paid: - Allow changes: Whether clients can make any changes to confirmed bookings - Change deadline: How many days before the event clients can still make changes - Cancellation deadline: How many days before the event clients can cancel - Questionnaire unlock deadline: How many days before the event clients can reopen submitted questionnaires > Tip: Most businesses set change and cancellation deadlines between 7-14 days. This gives you enough time to find a replacement booking while being reasonable for clients who need to reschedule. ### Questionnaire Settings Controls when clients can modify their planning questionnaires after submission. Use the unlock deadline to prevent last-minute changes that could disrupt your event preparation. > If a client needs to make changes outside your policy deadlines, you can always override these settings manually from the booking page. --- ## How do I change the order my packages show up in? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/116-how-do-i-change-the-order-my-packages-show-up-in *Category: Packages* *Clients see your packages in the order they appear in the Package Manager. Put your most popular package first — most people pick the first option they see.* Clients see your packages in the order they appear in the Package Manager. Put your most popular package first — most people pick the first option they see. **Where to find it:** Manage > Packages (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/event_categories) 1. Go to Packages. 2. Click the menu button (three dots) for the package group you want to reorder. 3. Select Reorder packages. 4. Change the sort order to Manual. 5. Use the sorting arrows to arrange your packages in the order you want them to appear to clients. --- ## How do I disable automated messages for a specific client? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/80-disable-automated-messages-to-a-client *Category: Messaging* *A repeat client does not need the welcome email sequence again.* Sometimes you don't want a client to receive automated messages — maybe they're a repeat customer who doesn't need the welcome sequence again, or they've specifically asked not to receive certain communications. You can disable automated messages for individual clients without affecting your settings for everyone else. **Where to find it:** Bookings > Select a booking > Clients section (in your Check Cherry account: /events) 1. In the Clients or Contacts section, find the person you want to stop receiving automated messages. 2. Click Actions next to their name. 3. Select Disable automated messages for this client. > This setting is booking-specific. If the same client has multiple bookings with you, you'll need to disable messages on each booking separately. > Tip: Disabling automated messages only stops the system-generated emails. You can still send manual messages to the client anytime through the Messages tab. -> Go to Bookings (in your Check Cherry account: /events) --- ## What is the difference between automated messages, custom templates, and system templates? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/477-what-is-the-difference-between-automated-messages-custom-templates-and-system-templates *Category: Messaging* *Automated messages send on their own, custom templates wait for you to pick them, and system templates cover the actions Check Cherry sends for you.* **Where to find it:** Manage > Automated Messages (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/automated_events) The Automated Messages page has three tabs, and all three open the same editor with the same dynamic values. That is why they look alike. The difference is who decides when the message goes out: Check Cherry on a schedule, you with one click, or Check Cherry when you take a specific action. | Type | How it sends | | --- | --- | | Automated Messages | Check Cherry sends it when a trigger and its conditions are met | | Custom Templates | You send it, from the Template dropdown when writing a message or from Quick Send | | System Templates | Check Cherry sends it when you take a built-in action, like sending a proposal | > Tip: Not sure which tab a message lives on? Press Cmd+K (Ctrl+K on Windows) anywhere in Check Cherry and search by name. Message template results cover all three tabs and open the right editor. ### Automated messages An automated message is a template plus a trigger. You choose what starts it (a booking is confirmed, a payment is recorded, a lead comes in), when it goes relative to that trigger (immediately, 14 days before the event, 2 days after), and any conditions that must also be true. From then on Check Cherry watches your bookings and sends it without you. Booking confirmations, payment reminders, day-of details, and review requests all belong here. See Automated Messages - Overview for setup. Active automated messages also appear in Quick Send, so you can send one by hand when you need to. You do not need a second copy as a custom template. If you want a last look before anything goes out, turn on review before sending. -> Open Automated Messages (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/automated_events) ### Custom templates A custom template never sends on its own. It is a pre-written message you choose when writing to someone. Pick it from the Template dropdown in a new email, text message, or reply and the message fills in, ready to edit. It also appears in Quick Send on a booking, proposal, lead, or appointment for one-click sending. Use it for anything you send often but only when the moment is right: answering a timeline question, sending parking directions, nudging a proposal that went quiet, or a polite note that a date is unavailable. Conditions on a custom template do not trigger a send. They control which records offer the template, so a template written for one package only shows up on bookings that include it. See How do I create message templates? to build one and How do I send a message from a booking? to use it. -> Open Custom Templates (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/custom_templates) ### System templates System templates are the messages Check Cherry sends for you when you take an action in the app. Click Send Proposal and the Proposal Send Template goes out. Invite a client to log in and the Customer Invitation Template goes out. The full set is on the System Templates tab. You can edit the subject, wording, and dynamic values so they sound like you, but you cannot delete them, turn them off, or add new ones. -> Open System Templates (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/system_templates) > Want different wording at one of these moments? Edit the system template. An automated message on the same trigger does not replace it. The system template still sends, so the client gets both. ### Choosing between them - It should go out without you: create an automated message. - You want it ready to click but will decide the timing yourself: create a custom template. - It is one of the built-in actions, like sending a proposal or inviting a client: edit the system template. > Tip: The most common mix-up is building a custom template and expecting it to send itself. A custom template only goes out when you pick it. If you want it to fire on its own, recreate it as an automated message. The editor is the same, so copy the message across. --- ## How do I remove a brand? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/143-how-do-i-remove-a-brand *Category: Getting started* *Every Check Cherry account can have at least two brands.* Every Check Cherry account can have at least two brands. If you need to remove one, you'll first need to handle any existing bookings and proposals assigned to that brand — either delete them or reassign them to a different brand. ### Delete Bookings and Proposals If you want to permanently remove the bookings and proposals for this brand: **Where to find it:** Sales > Bookings (in your Check Cherry account: /events) 1. Go to Bookings. 2. Select the brand you want to remove from the dropdown in the left sidebar. 3. Click Apply Filters at the bottom of the sidebar. 4. Click on a booking you want to delete, scroll to the bottom, and click Cancel/Postpone. 5. Select Permanently delete booking. #### Show all bookings and proposals Make sure to catch everything — active bookings, past events, canceled bookings, and proposals: 1. Set the Status filter to Show All. 2. Click Apply Filters. 3. Click the Past button to see past bookings. 4. Click the Proposals filter to include proposals as well. Repeat the deletion process for each booking and proposal until the brand has none left. ### Reassign Bookings and Proposals If you want to keep the bookings but move them to a different brand, you can reassign them instead of deleting: 1. Follow the same filtering steps above to show all bookings and proposals for the brand. 2. Click on a booking or proposal you want to reassign. 3. Click Manage Booking and select Edit Booking Settings. 4. Choose the new brand to reassign the booking to. Repeat this for each booking and proposal until they're all reassigned to other brands. ### Remove the Brand Once all bookings and proposals have been removed or reassigned, you can delete the brand: **Where to find it:** Manage > Business Settings (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/brands) 1. Go to Business Settings. 2. Find the brand you want to remove and click Edit. 3. Scroll to the bottom and click Delete Brand. > Warning: If you see a message that the brand cannot be deleted, go back to Sales → Bookings and make sure there are no remaining bookings or proposals for that brand. Check both active and past items, and include proposals in your filter. --- ## Subcontracting and White-Label Work https://www.checkcherry.com/help/391-subcontracting-and-white-label-work *Category: Best practices* *How to handle subcontracting and white-label event work in Check Cherry — who signs the contract, who gets paid, and how to keep pricing private.* In the event industry, 'white label' almost always means subcontracting with a branding layer on top. One company books and bills the client, another company shows up and does the work, and the client never knows two businesses were involved. Vendors specifically ask for this arrangement (rather than just calling it subcontracting) because they want the experience presented as if the hiring company did everything themselves, including capturing any repeat bookings, referrals, or relationships that come out of the event. This article covers the two sides of that relationship in Check Cherry: hiring subcontractors to perform work for you, and performing work as a subcontractor for another company. > If you're asking whether you can rebrand Check Cherry itself for your own clients (your logo, your domain, your business name throughout), that's a different question. See branding your Check Cherry account for how that works. ### Hiring subcontractors to perform work for you When you accept the booking and then bring in another provider to perform some or all of the work, the cleanest setup in Check Cherry is to add that provider as a staff account with limited permissions. They get access to the events they're assigned to without seeing the rest of your business. - View events they are assigned to from the web or the app - Sync their calendar to stay up to date - Receive automated email reminders so they don't miss an event Hide pricing from the subcontractor. You can hide pricing from an assigned staff member or subcontractor through their role permissions. This matters: if a subcontractor can see what the client paid you, they can back into your margin and may either ask for a bigger cut next time or take the relationship direct. Keep the client-facing number private. See staff roles and permissions for how to configure this. > Tip: Use the Expenses tab on a booking's Invoice to record what you paid your subcontractor. This gives you a clear view of your net profitability per event. -> Manage Staff Accounts (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/users) ### Performing a white-label event for another company The flip side: another company books the client, and you're the one showing up to perform. The hiring company handles all client communication, collects payment, and manages expectations. You may never speak with the event host, and the event host may not know your business exists. In this setup, the only party you have a business relationship with is the company that hired you. That is who should sign your contract and pay you. A contract should only be signed by the person who is paying, so do not send a contract to the event host. They are not your client, they are not paying you, and asking them to sign creates confusion about who is responsible for what. > Warning: Do not send a contract to the event host for a white-label booking. The event host has no financial relationship with you. Only the company hiring you should sign. The recommended workflow: 1. Send a proposal to the company contracting you, not the event host. Set the proposal amount to what they are paying you, include your terms, and configure the deposit if applicable. This is the agreement that matters. 2. Once they have signed and paid, the proposal becomes a booking. Add any internal notes about the event host or venue so your team knows what to expect. 3. Decide what Check Cherry should be emailing automatically. If the event host is added as a client, you can disable automated messages on their client account so they do not receive Check Cherry-branded emails on top of whatever the hiring company is sending. Staff assignments and reminders are not affected. Those cannot be disabled per account. If the hiring company wants the event host to fill out a questionnaire, pick a design, or otherwise interact with planning tools, you can add the event host as a client on the booking with pricing hidden. That is their call to make, though, not yours. #### When the event host is open to seeing your brand for planning Not every subcontracting arrangement is fully invisible. Often the event host knows there is a separate vendor doing the work, they just do not particularly care which company it is. What matters to the hiring company is that the event itself is presented as theirs: apparel, signage, and anything guests see on the day belong to their brand. The planning conversation in the background is more flexible. When this is the arrangement, Check Cherry's client portal can work well for planning communication, with a few configuration choices: - Add the event host as the client. The host is who you will exchange details, timelines, and questionnaires with, so they need access to the portal. You may also want to add the hiring company to the booking. As an additional client, they see the same portal as the host. As a staff member with a limited role, they get admin-side visibility into only the events they are assigned to. - Hide pricing from the client portal. The host is not paying you directly; they are paying the hiring company. If they can see what you charge, it creates confusion and can undercut the hiring company's margin. Same reasoning as hiding pricing from a subcontractor in the section above, just inverted. See staff roles and permissions for how to control pricing visibility. - Coordinate automated messages with the hiring company. The hiring company is usually already sending their own confirmations, reminders, and follow-ups under their branding. If Check Cherry's automation goes out on top of that, the host gets duplicate touchpoints with mixed branding. Sometimes the hiring company is happy to step back and let all planning communication run through your Check Cherry portal, which is fine. The point is to make a deliberate call together so the host gets one coherent experience, not two competing ones. - Keep the contract and invoice between you and the hiring company on the side. That is a B2B agreement and does not belong in front of the host. You can either skip the contract inside Check Cherry or use a non-client-facing internal record. #### When the host shouldn't see your brand at all Sometimes the hiring company has positioned themselves as doing the work entirely in-house, and the host should see no sign of you anywhere. In that case, Check Cherry's client portal is not a fit. The portal serves the customer of whichever business owns the booking, and it cannot present itself as a different company's portal in front of someone else's client. In this arrangement, the hiring company handles all client-facing planning on their own systems. On your side, you still manage the booking inside Check Cherry, tracking the event, scheduling staff, recording expenses, but you do not engage the host through the portal at all. Details flow to you from the hiring company, not directly from the host. > Warning: Do not create a brand on your Check Cherry account that represents the hiring company. Each Check Cherry account represents businesses you are legally authorized to operate under, and payment processors expect the business name on the account to match the bank account receiving funds. If the hiring company wants to use Check Cherry, they should sign up for their own account. --- ## How do I import leads into Check Cherry? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/46-how-do-i-import-leads-into-check-cherry *Category: Leads* *If you have leads in a spreadsheet, you can have them imported into your Check Cherry account.* Check Cherry doesn't offer a bulk lead import feature, and this is intentional. Because Check Cherry sends a lot of automated emails on your behalf — proposals, contracts, payment reminders, confirmations — mass-importing contacts and emailing them in bulk would put your account's deliverability at risk. To keep your emails landing in inboxes, we follow a strict Email Sending Policy. ### The better approach: collect leads organically Rather than importing a list of old contacts, the most reliable way to build your pipeline in Check Cherry is to bring in leads as they come in. You can embed a lead form on your website, share a direct link, or add leads manually as inquiries arrive. This keeps your contact list clean and your email reputation healthy. > Tip: To add a lead manually, click Create New in the top nav and select Lead. If you're migrating from another platform, focus on active prospects first — leads that are already cold probably don't need to come over. ### Migrating from another platform? If you're switching from another CRM or booking platform, the Check Cherry team may be able to help migrate your existing bookings and client data. See Can you copy over my data from my old CRM? for details on what's possible. ### Questions? If you're not sure how to get your data into Check Cherry or want to talk through your situation, reach out via the chat bubble in the lower right. --- ## How do I send a proposal or reserve a date? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/145-how-do-i-send-a-proposal-or-reserve-a-date *Category: Proposals* *Proposals let you send a client your pricing and package options so they can review, accept, and pay online.* Proposals let you send a client your pricing and package options so they can review, accept, and pay online. You can optionally reserve the date so no one else books it while they decide. ### Creating a Proposal 1. Click Create New in the top nav and select Proposal. 2. Choose a package (or select Custom/One-Off for a custom quote). 3. Set the event date and time. 4. Check Reserve Date if you want to hold the date while the client decides. 5. Enter the client's contact info. 6. Click Create Proposal. ### Sending the Proposal Once the proposal is created, send it to the client: - Email: Click the Send Proposal button at the top of the proposal. You can customize the email before sending. - Text/SMS: Use the Quick Send button if you have Twilio or Quo connected. - Share link: Copy the proposal link and send it however you like. > Tip: You can schedule the email to send later. Useful if you want to follow up at a specific time. ### Date Open vs Date Reserved - Date Open: The date is not held. Other clients can still book it. Use this when you're sending multiple quotes and don't want to block dates. - Date Reserved: The date is held for this client. No one else can book it until the proposal expires or is declined. ### What the Client Sees Clients get a professional proposal page showing your packages, pricing, and terms. They can review everything, accept, sign the contract, and pay the deposit in one flow. ### Watch: Creating a Proposal Video: https://www.youtube.com/embed/NNO_CkKrVik -> View Proposals (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/proposals) --- ## How do I get client approval on multiple artwork files for one booking? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/388-how-do-i-get-client-approval-on-multiple-artwork-files-for-one-booking *Category: Getting started* *Add a separate Design Collection for each artwork file (welcome screen, overlay, intro graphic, print layout) so the client approves each one independently.* Some bookings need more than one piece of artwork approved before the event. A photo booth event might need a welcome screen, a print template, and an overlay. A 360 rental might need an intro, an outro, and an audio track. A wedding package might print two sizes. In all of these, the client ends up with several finished designs on one booking, each approved on its own. > Each design on the booking is its own approval. So if a booking needs three approved artworks, add three designs. The client reviews and approves each one independently. If instead you want the client to pick just one design from a few options, that is the opposite goal — see Offering the client a choice. Each design can start however you like — pulled from a Design Collection (the same one or different ones) or uploaded as custom artwork. What makes it a separate approval is that it is a separate design, not which collection it came from. ### Common scenarios These come up most. In every one, the move is the same: one design per artwork the client needs to approve. #### Welcome screen, photo booth template, and overlay The classic photo booth trio. Some bookings also add a GIF or Boomerang overlay. Each one is its own design. The client signs off on the welcome screen, the print template, and the overlay as three separate approvals, in any order. #### Two print sizes on one booking (4x6 and 2x6) A dual package, or any package that prints both formats, needs two layouts approved. Add one design for the 4x6 print and another for the 2x6 photo strip. The client picks a template for each (or you upload custom artwork to each) and approves them independently. #### 360 video: intro, outro, and audio A 360 booking usually needs a start or intro graphic, an outro graphic, and an audio or music track. Add a design for each. The audio track is easy to overlook because it is not a visual file, but the same flow handles it: create a design called "360 Audio Track," upload the file as artwork, and the client approves it like any other design. #### Multiple booths on one event If one booking covers two booths, like a mirror booth plus a 360, each booth gets its own design (or set of designs). Naming matters here: "Mirror Booth Overlay" and "360 Intro Graphic" make it obvious which artwork goes with which booth. #### Corporate branding and logos Company events often need the client to sign off on branded artwork: a logo lockup on the welcome screen, a sponsor-branded print, or an overlay in the company's colors. Make it a design, upload the branded version, and the marketing contact approves the logo placement before the event. This is one of the most common non-wedding uses. #### Custom backdrops and step-and-repeats A printed step-and-repeat or custom backdrop is artwork too, and it usually has to be approved before it goes to print. Add a design for it ("Step and Repeat 8x8," for example), upload the proof, and the client approves the layout and logo placement before you send it to production. #### Custom signage, monograms, and other approvals Designs are not only for photo booths. Custom welcome signs, wedding monograms, sparkler send-off signage, branded items, anything that needs the client's sign-off before the event can be its own design. It keeps the approval, the revision requests, and the final artwork together inside the booking. ### Add a design to one booking You can add a design to a single booking on the fly, without touching your other bookings. Handy when a one-off event needs an extra piece of artwork. **Where to find it:** Manage > Bookings > Select a booking (in your Check Cherry account: /events) 1. Open the booking and click the Designs tab. 2. Click Start New Design. 3. Pick a template from a Design Collection, or upload custom artwork just for this booking. 4. Repeat for each additional artwork the client needs to approve. > Skipping the library and uploading your own artwork has its own walkthrough, including offering a few versions for the client to choose from: Upload custom artwork directly to a booking. ### Attach collections to a package so they apply automatically If every 360 booking needs the same three approvals, or every dual package needs both a 4x6 and a 2x6, do not add them by hand each time. Attach the collections to the package and a matching design is added to every booking that includes it. **Where to find it:** Manage > Design Collections > Select a collection > Settings (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/design_template_categories) 1. Open a Design Collection and click the Settings tab. 2. In the packages and add-ons section, click Edit. 3. Select the packages that should include this collection, then save. > Tip: Attach a collection to an add-on instead of the base package and the design only appears when the client buys that upgrade. A "Welcome Screen Customization" or "Custom Monogram" add-on can trigger its own design only for the clients who add it. ### Name your designs clearly When a booking has three or four designs, the client sees them as separate cards in the Designs tab. Specific names make the experience obvious. "Welcome Screen," "4x6 Print Layout," "2x6 Photo Strip," "360 Intro Graphic," and "Event Music" beat "Design 1," "Design 2," and "Artwork" every time. ### What the client sees When the client logs in, the Designs tab shows every design on the booking, each as its own card with its own status. They pick a template (or wait for you to upload custom artwork), then approve or request a revision on each one independently. Approvals run in parallel, so the client can sign off on the welcome screen today and the overlay next week without holding up either. Each approval triggers its own emails: a design revision request when the client asks for changes, and a design approval request when you upload finished artwork. Both are customizable. > For the full setup mechanics, building collections, importing from providers, categories, layouts, and Extra Questions, see How designs and design collections work. --- ## How do I set up the Paddee integration? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/84-how-do-i-set-up-the-paddee-integration *Category: Integrations* *Paddee has a library of photo booth design templates. Connect your account and clients can browse and select designs directly from their booking.* Paddee provides a library of professional photo booth design templates. Once connected, clients can browse and select designs directly from their booking, giving them more control while reducing your design workload. ### Connecting Your Account **Where to find it:** Manage > Business Settings > Integrations (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/third_party_integrations) 1. Go to Integrations. 2. Find the Paddee logo and click Enable. 3. Follow the prompts to connect your Paddee account and import your templates. ### Managing Your Templates Once imported, you can filter which templates clients see by category and layout. You can also assign specific template sets to individual packages, giving different clients access to different design options based on what they booked. > After importing templates, a blue banner at the top of the design templates page lets you apply the new templates to existing bookings retroactively. Video: https://www.youtube.com/embed/yzouwj2cgLo?rel=0 -> Go to Integrations (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/third_party_integrations) --- ## How do I set blockout dates? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/151-how-do-i-set-blockout-dates *Category: Calendar* *Blockout dates mark times when you're unavailable for bookings — vacations, personal commitments, holidays, or any time you need off.* Blockout dates mark times when you're unavailable for bookings — vacations, personal commitments, holidays, or any time you need off. When a date is blocked, clients can't book it through your online booking page. ### How to Add a Blockout Date **Where to find it:** Sales > Calendar (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/event_calendar) 1. Go to Sales - Calendar 2. Click Add New. 3. Select Blockout Date. 4. Enter the start and end time, or check the box to block the entire day. 5. Type in a reason (this will show on your calendar for reference). 6. Select which packages will be unavailable on this date. 7. Click Save. ### How to Change or Delete a Blockout Date Go to Sales → Calendar and click on the blockout date you want to modify. Change the dates or times and click Save, or click Delete in the lower right corner to remove it. ### Customizing Unavailable Messages When clients try to book a blocked date, they see an unavailable message. You can write custom responses for different situations: 1. Go to Manage → Booking Engine. 2. Click the Unavailable Notices tab. 3. Select the service you want to write an unavailability notice for. 4. Write your custom message for when that service is unavailable. 5. Click Save at the bottom of the page. > Tip: A good unavailable message sets expectations: "We're not available on this date, but we'd love to help you find another date that works. Contact us!" ### What About Existing Bookings? If you create a blockout for a date and time that already has a booking, the blockout date will not cancel the existing booking. Blockout dates only prevent new bookings from being made. -> Manage Blockout Dates (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/blockout_date_ranges) --- ## What is the Staffing Overview page? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/461-what-is-the-staffing-overview-page *Category: Staff* *See your whole staffing pipeline on one page: unassigned packages, staff requests, assignments awaiting a reply, and time off requests.* Managing staff can be checking several lists to find out what still needs attention. The Staffing Overview puts all of them on one page so you can see what needs done at a glance. **Where to find it:** Sales > Staffing (in your Check Cherry account: /staffing_overview) - Unassigned: packages nobody has claimed yet, each showing how many of its spots are filled. - Requested: bookings where staff have asked to work and are waiting on your approval. See letting staff choose their own bookings. - Awaiting Response: assignments a staff member has not accepted or declined yet. See requiring staff to accept assignments. - Awaiting My Response: your own assignments waiting on you. - Time Off Requests: time off your staff have asked for and you have not approved. See how staff time off works. -> Go to Staffing Overview (in your Check Cherry account: /staffing_overview) --- ## Email to and from fields https://www.checkcherry.com/help/347-email-to-and-from-fields *Category: Messaging* *Understand the Recipients and Send Replies To fields on automated messages, including what each option means and where replies go.* Every message Check Cherry sends has two settings that decide who it goes to and what happens when someone hits reply: Recipients and Send Replies To ### Recipients The "Recipients" field controls who will receive the automated message. You can add as many as needed. You're not limited to the preset options: type in any email address you want, and mix typed-in addresses with the presets freely. The available presets depend on the message type, but they generally include: - Client: the customer on the lead or booking. Archived or unsubscribed contacts are skipped automatically. - Additional Contacts: any extra contacts you've added to a booking, like a second decision-maker. - My Business: your own business email. Use this for internal notifications you want in your inbox. - Staff Assigned to Booking: only the staff members assigned to that specific booking. - All Admins: everyone on your team with an admin role. - All Staff: every staff member on your account. ### Send Replies To This sets the name the message appears to come from and where replies land. The options vary by message type: - My Business: replies go to your main business email, and the message shows your business name. This is what most messages use. Visit Manage -> Business Settings and edit one of your brands to see or change this. - Staff Assigned to Booking: the message comes from the staff member assigned to that booking, and replies go to them. If no one is assigned yet, replies fall back to your business email. - Client: the message is set to come from the client. This is useful on internal alerts, like a new-lead notification to your team, so you can reply and answer the client directly. Available on lead-based messages. - A specific staff member: pick any team member by name to handle replies. - Check Cherry: the From name shows "Check Cherry" instead of your business, and replies still go to your business email. You generally don't need this, but it can help in the rare case where your email provider blocks outside messages sent under your own business name. > No matter which option you choose, your email always sends from your own verified Check Cherry address. "Send Replies To" only changes the name shown on the From line and where replies are delivered. It never changes the actual sending address, so none of these options affect whether your email reaches the inbox. Because your message sends from your Check Cherry address rather than through your own inbox, the small round icon next to your name in Gmail stays blank. See Why doesn't my logo show next to my emails? for the full explanation. > Tip: A couple of common setups: for a message going to your client, use Recipients: Client and Send Replies To: My Business. For an internal alert about a new lead, set Recipients to All Admins (or a specific address) and Send Replies To: Client, so anyone on your team can reply straight to the customer. --- ## Can you copy over my data from my old CRM? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/65-can-you-copy-over-my-data-from-my-old-crm *Category: Getting started* *Transitioning from another platform can be daunting, especially when it comes to migrating your data.* Transitioning from another platform can be daunting, especially when it comes to migrating your data. Our account migration service helps you move your bookings, leads, and contacts from other platforms into Check Cherry. > This is a one-time service for new accounts migrating from other software. It is not intended for ongoing bulk imports such as recurring lead imports. ### How It Works - Send us your files — Email your data to support@checkcherry.com. Include a brief description and any special considerations (e.g., whether users should receive automated messages). - We review your data — Our team reviews your files to make sure we have everything needed. If we have questions, we'll reach out before moving forward. - We import your data — We write a custom script to import your files into your Check Cherry account, making sure everything is accurately transferred and properly formatted. - You verify — Once the migration is complete, we'll notify you. Review your account to make sure everything looks good. If you notice any issues, reach out and we'll fix them. ### What to Send Please provide your data in common file formats like CSV or Excel. If your data is in another format, we'll do our best to accommodate but may not be able to. > Tip: If you have fewer than 100 leads or bookings to migrate, it may be faster to enter them manually. Click Create New in the top nav to add bookings or leads one at a time. Ready to migrate? Chat with us from within your account to get started. ### Important Notes - One-Time Migration: This service is intended to help with migrating data from other software platforms and is offered as a one-time operation. It is not designed for bulk importing leads or other data on a recurring basis. - Data Format: To make the process as smooth as possible, please provide your data in common file formats (such as CSV or Excel). If your data is in another format, we will do our best to accommodate but may not be able to. Once you’re ready to migrate your data or have any questions, feel free to contact us at support@checkcherry.com. We’re here to help you get started with Check Cherry! --- ## How do I send a client their photo gallery link? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/149-how-do-i-send-a-client-their-photo-gallery-link *Category: Messaging* *Attach a photo or video gallery to a booking in the Deliverables section, then send the link to your client by email or text.* After an event, you can attach a photo and/or video gallery to the booking and send it to your client by email or text. The gallery lives in the Deliverables section of the booking, along with any access instructions like a password. ### Add the gallery to the booking Open the booking and find the Deliverables panel, then click Manage to open the media page. Click Edit and fill in what you have: 1. Under Photos, paste the Gallery URL for the client's photos. 2. Under Video, paste the Video/Video Gallery URL if you have one. 3. Use the Instructions field on either section for anything the client needs to open the gallery, such as a password, username, or download notes. 4. Click Save. You can add photos, video, or both. Anything you leave blank is simply left out of the message. ### Send it to your client Once a gallery URL is saved, the media page shows a Send Gallery Information to Client box at the top. 1. Click Send via Email, or Send via SMS if you have texting enabled. 2. The message opens pre-filled from your Gallery Send Template, with the gallery link and instructions already included. 3. Review or personalize the message, then send. ### Customize the Gallery Send Template The Gallery Send Template controls the wording of the message. You can edit it under Manage → Message Templates → System Templates , and your changes apply every time you send a gallery going forward. > Tip: You can also send galleries automatically. Set the Gallery Send Template to send a set number of days after the event date, and clients get their link without you lifting a finger. Just make sure to add the gallery link before then or use the "Review Message" feature to enqueue without sending. > Use SmugMug? You can pull a gallery straight from your account with the Browse SmugMug Albums button on the media page, which fills in the URL (and password) for you. See How do I connect SmugMug to Check Cherry? to get set up. --- ## How Do I Charge by Guest Count? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/291-how-do-i-charge-by-guest-count *Category: Pricing* *Learn how to charge per guest, set up tiered pricing by guest range, and include a base number of guests in your package price.* Check Cherry can add a per-guest charge on top of your base package price. This works for any unit type: guests, square feet, acres, letters, dozens, and more. **Where to find it:** Manage > Packages > Select a package > Pricing & Scheduling (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/event_categories) On the Pricing & Scheduling tab of the package, find Charge by unit? and choose one of two options: - Yes, charge per unit — A single rate applies to every unit over a set amount and allows a set number of included units. Good for simple pricing like '$X per guest up to x number of guests.' Can include multiple tiers of various quantities at different prices. - Yes, charge by unit range — Different rates for different tiers. Good when you want to include a base number in the package price or charge differently at higher counts. The Unit Name dropdown controls the label your client sees through online booking, on proposals, and on the invoice. > The per-unit charge is in addition to your base package price. If your package is $500 and you charge $45 per guest, an 80-guest event totals $4,100 ($500 + ($45 x 80 = $3,600)). ### Including a Base Number of Units When using Yes, charge per unit, you can set a Number of units included. This tells Check Cherry how many units are already covered by the base package price. Clients are only charged for units above that number. For example, if your package is $800 and includes 50 guests, set Number of units included to 50 and your per-unit rate to $25. A client who selects 70 guests pays $800 + (20 x $25) = $1,300. The first 50 guests cost nothing extra. > Tip: Use Number of units included when your pricing is straightforward — one rate above the included count. If you need different rates at different thresholds, use charge by unit range with a $0 first tier instead. ### Charge by Unit Range Most businesses want to include a base number of guests in the package price and only charge extra beyond that. The way to do this is to create a $0 tier for the included range, then add tiers above it for the additional charges. For example, a bartending package that includes 75 guests: | Guest Range | Price | What the Client Pays | | --- | --- | --- | | 0-75 | $0 | Included in the base package price | | 76-100 | $50 | $50 added to the booking | | 101-125 | $75 | $75 added to the booking | | 126-150 | $100 | $100 added to the booking | > Tip: The $0 first tier is the key. Without it, every guest count would add a charge. If your package is $1,200 and includes up to 75 guests, set the 0-75 range at $0. A client selecting 76-100 guests pays $1,200 + $50 = $1,250. #### Setting Up Tiers 1. On the Pricing & Scheduling tab, set Charge by unit range? to Yes, charge by unit range. 2. Choose your Unit Name (e.g., Guest). 3. Click + Add Price Tier and set the minimum, maximum, and price. For your included tier, set the price to $0. 4. Add more tiers for each pricing level. Make sure ranges do not overlap and there are no gaps. 5. Click Save. > Warning: Ranges cannot overlap. If your first tier ends at 75, your next tier should start at 76. -> Manage Packages (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/event_categories) --- ## How do I create a session? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/119-how-do-i-create-a-session *Category: Packages* *Sessions let you create a single event day with multiple bookable time slots.* Sessions let you create a single event day with multiple bookable time slots. Photographers use them for mini sessions at a park, and photo booth operators use them for things like Santa photos. Clients book individual slots at a more affordable rate than a full booking. ### Creating a Session 1. Click Create New in the upper right corner of your account. 2. Select Session from the options. 3. Name the session, set the date, and configure your pricing. 4. Add time slots for clients to book. ### Managing Sessions Once you have your session created, managing it is easy. Just go to Sales - Bookings and select the filter for Mini Sessions. **Where to find it:** Sales > Sessions (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/sessions) #### Overview Tab From the overview page, you can manage all the key details of your session: - Title and description of the session - Status (Public, Private, or Disabled) - Date and location - Number of bookings per slot - Full price and deposit amount - Tax settings (if enabled) - Background image for the booking page - Brand assignment (if you have multiple brands) You can also perform these actions from the overview: - Add or remove time slots - Edit slot times and capacity - Add bookings manually - Duplicate the session for future dates - Add, edit, or remove staff assignments > The Manage button on each booked slot lets you view booking details, reschedule appointments, or access the client's invoice for payments and refunds. #### Terms Tab Override the default contract terms for all slots in this specific session. This is useful when you need different terms for special events or locations. #### Messages Tab Send emails to individual session clients, either from scratch or using your pre-created message templates. This is handy for sending reminders or updates about the session. #### Booking Page Preview what clients see when they visit your session booking page. This opens in a new tab and shows available slots as they appear to clients. Share this link for clients to book their slot. > Tip: Sessions work well for short, fixed-duration services like mini photo shoots or holiday photos. For ongoing appointment scheduling (consultations, calls), use Appointments instead. -> Go to Sessions (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/sessions) --- ## How do I add my logo and brand colors? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/109-how-do-i-add-my-logo-and-brand-colors *Category: Getting started* *Your logo and brand colors show up everywhere clients interact with your business — booking page, proposals, contracts, invoices, and emails.* Your logo and brand colors show up everywhere clients interact with your business — booking page, proposals, contracts, invoices, and emails. Setting them up takes just a few minutes and makes everything look professional and cohesive. ### Adding Your Logo and Colors **Where to find it:** Manage > Business Settings > Branding (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/brands) 1. Go to Business Settings and click the Branding tab. 2. Upload your logo (recommended size: 660 x 120 pixels). 3. Set your primary color, navigation colors, and call-to-action button colors. 4. Add your website, address, and contact information. 5. Save your changes. > Tip: You can also link your social media channels by adding their URLs in the branding section. These appear on your booking page and proposals. ### Multiple Brands Each Check Cherry account can have multiple brands — useful if you run separate services or want different looks for different types of events. 1. In Business Settings, click Add Another Brand. 2. Set up the new brand's logo, colors, and details. 3. Click the Packages button to assign specific packages to each brand. 4. Save your changes. > Multiple brands share the same Check Cherry account and bank payout destination, but each can have its own statement descriptor (what clients see on their credit card statement). ### Social Media Links Add your social media URLs in the branding section to display them on your booking page and proposals. This helps build trust and lets clients see more of your work. Video: https://www.youtube.com/embed/c6iXrOgJlcQ?rel=0 > For a complete walkthrough of all branding options, see Business Settings. -> Open Business Settings (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/brands) --- ## How can staff connect to the sales calendar? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/107-how-can-my-staff-connect-to-the-check-cherry-sales-calendar *Category: Calendar* *Staff want to see their assigned bookings on their phone calendar, but they should not need admin access to set it up.* Staff want to see their assigned bookings on their phone calendar, but they shouldn't need admin access to set it up. They can subscribe from their own dashboard. ### How to connect 1. Staff logs into their Check Cherry account. 2. From the dashboard, click Subscribe to Calendar. 1. Choose what to sync — assigned bookings only, or bookings and time off. 2. Copy the URL from step 2. Step 3 shows instructions for several different calendar apps. Choose your calendar and follow the specific instructions. > Tip: As an admin, you can also set this up for them by impersonating their account. See syncing the company calendar. --- ## How do I set how many staff a package needs? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/457-how-do-i-set-how-many-staff-a-package-needs *Category: Staff* *Set a default number of required staff per package, override it on an individual booking, and see how the count drives claiming and the filled badge.* Some types of event need one staff member and others need multiple. Check Cherry lets you set the number of staff required either on a package or on an individual booking. ### Setting the default number of staff for a package The Staffing panel only appears on packages in a service that uses one of these staffing modes: - Allow staff to request bookings - Allow staff to claim bookings - Do not Assign Staff. If your service uses a different mode, you won't see this option on the package's Advanced tab. **Where to find it:** Packages > Select a package > Advanced > Staffing (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/event_categories) 1. Fill in How many staff are required for this package? 2. Click Save. Every new booking of that package starts with this number. ### Overriding it on one booking **Where to find it:** Bookings > Open a booking > Manage Booking > Edit Booking Settings (in your Check Cherry account: /events) Each package on the booking has its own How many staff are required for this package? field. Leave it blank to use the package default, which shows as the greyed-out placeholder. The override is available on every package on the booking, regardless of staffing mode. ### Where the count shows up Each package card on the booking's Staff page and in Unassigned Bookings carries a badge reading something like 1/2 filled. It turns green once the package has everyone it needs. The badge counts people, not assignments, so one person can only ever fill one spot. ### What the count controls - A package stays in Unassigned Bookings until it is fully staffed, instead of dropping off the list as soon as one person claims it. - Staff can claim or request a package only while spots remain. Once it is full, claiming it returns "This package has already been fully staffed." - You are not capped. Adding someone manually, or approving a request, can go past the required count when you want a third person on a two-person package. -> Go to Packages (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/event_categories) --- ## How do I use questionnaires to collect event details? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/91-how-do-i-use-questionnaires-to-collect-event-details *Category: Questionnaires* *Build questionnaire templates, tie them to packages so bookings get them automatically, let clients fill them out, and review, export, and get notified about their answers.* After a client books, questionnaires help you collect the event details you need to deliver great service. Use them for timelines, song requests, vendor contacts, dietary needs, or anything that helps you prepare. You build each questionnaire once as a template and tie it to the packages it applies to. From then on, every new booking that includes a matching package automatically gets its own copy, so the right questions are waiting on the booking. You can also add a questionnaire to a booking by hand with the New Questionnaire button on its Questionnaires tab. For who can see and edit each questionnaire, and how to push template changes to bookings you have already taken, see How do I configure questionnaire settings? ### Start from a template or build your own Check Cherry includes pre-built questionnaire templates for common event types, including weddings, DJ services, photo booths, mobile bartending, and photography. Use one as a starting point and adjust it, build your own from scratch, or duplicate an existing questionnaire to reuse its structure. ### Creating a questionnaire **Where to find it:** Manage > Questionnaire Templates (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/form_templates) 1. Go to Questionnaire Templates. 2. Click New Questionnaire Template. 3. Click New Field and select a field type from the dropdown. 4. Continue adding fields for the information you need, and add tabs to organize longer questionnaires. In the right sidebar, you can assign the questionnaire to specific packages, add-ons, or sessions. This is what decides which bookings receive it. ### Organizing with tabs Tabs break a longer questionnaire into sections, such as Ceremony, Reception, and Music. Use Add Tab to create one, then rename it or use its settings to move it left or right, duplicate it, or remove it. You can also allow clients to drag and drop the fields within a tab to reorder them. For more on tab order, see Can I change the order of tabs in a questionnaire? ### Field Types You can format your questionnaires with different field types to collect exactly what you need: #### Formatting Options - Header - Subheader - Separator - Plain Text - Rich Text - Static Image #### Fillable Field Types - Text Field (single, double, triple, or quadruple line) - Text Box (larger text area) - Dropdown - Radio Buttons - Checkbox - Checkbox Group - Date Field - Time Field - Color Picker - File Upload - Image Upload - E-Signature #### Music Fields - Song - Song List - Spotify Playlist - Apple Music Playlist - YouTube Music Playlist - Streaming Service Playlist ### Field options Each fillable field has options you can set when you add or edit it: - Required: require an answer before the questionnaire can be submitted. - Hint text: add help text under a field to guide the answer. - Placeholder: show example text inside the field. - Repeatable: let clients add multiple entries, with a starting and maximum number. - Conditional: only show the field when certain conditions are met. - Timeline: let clients set a length of time, a start time, or a start and end time, which is useful for building an event timeline. - Suggestions: for song and text fields, offer a suggestion list and optionally allow custom entries. ### Conditional Fields Conditional fields are only shown if certain conditions are met. For example, show cocktail preferences only when someone books a bartending package, or ask about dietary restrictions only when catering is included. > All criteria in a conditional field must have a value for the condition to work. For example: Event Overview (earlier question) Contains 50th. This question will only appear if the Event Overview field contains the text "50th". ### When questionnaires appear Each questionnaire can be set to show before or after the booking. Use before for pre-event questionnaires clients fill out ahead of time, and after for post-event surveys. You can change this in the questionnaire's settings. ### How clients fill out a questionnaire Clients see their questionnaires when they log in to their booking, under the Questionnaires tab. They click Fill Out, and their answers save automatically as they go. When they are finished, they click Submit Final Version to finalize it. > Before a questionnaire can be submitted, every required field must be answered. Once a client submits, the questionnaire is locked and they can no longer make changes unless it is unlocked. See How do I prevent a client from changing a finalized questionnaire? for how to control this. ### Reviewing and managing responses Open a booking and go to the Questionnaires tab to see every questionnaire and its answers. From the menu next to each one you can: - Fill Out or Show: complete a questionnaire on a client's behalf, or view a read-only copy. - Revise Questions: change the questions on just this booking. - Previous Versions: see the history of changes and restore an earlier version. - Reset: erase the answers and reload the latest template. - Unlock: reopen a submitted questionnaire so it can be edited again. - Print-Friendly Version or Download PDF: save a copy of the questions and answers. - Download CSV: export the answers, including full song and playlist details, as a spreadsheet. ### Get notified when a questionnaire is completed You can send a message automatically whenever a client marks a questionnaire complete. Set up the Questionnaire Marked Complete automated message to notify your team, or to send the client a confirmation. You will find it under Manage → Automated Messages. > Tip: Clients sometimes forget to fill out their questionnaires. Set up an automated message a set number of days after booking that reminds them and links to their questionnaire. ### Video: How to Use Questionnaires Video: https://youtu.be/0D1MRmUfSpM?si=s71pfyU8skZoaP23 -> Go to Questionnaire Templates (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/form_templates) --- ## How do I set proposal expiration dates? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/154-how-do-i-set-up-the-length-of-time-before-proposals-expire *Category: Proposals* *You sent a proposal two weeks ago and never heard back.* You sent a proposal two weeks ago and never heard back. Is the client still interested? Should you follow up again or release the date? Proposal expiration dates solve this by automatically expiring proposals after a set number of days, so you're not left guessing. By default, proposals do not have an expiration date. ### Setting a Default Expiration **Where to find it:** Manage > Payment Settings > Due Dates (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/payment_settings/due_dates/edit) 1. Go to Due Dates. 2. Scroll to the bottom of the page to find Additional Payment Settings. 3. Under Due Dates you'll find the setting for default proposal time. 4. Click Settings to change the default proposal expiration days. Once you set an expiration, it applies to all new proposals going forward. A typical time to expiration for a proposal is between 7 and 14 days. ### Should You Use Expiration Dates? It depends on your business. Here's the tradeoff: - With expiration: Creates urgency. Clients who are interested are more likely to act. You get a clear signal when a proposal expires without a response, so you know to move on or follow up one more time. If the proposal has a reserved date, that date is released for other clients. - Without expiration: More relaxed. Works if your clients tend to take a long time to decide (like corporate event planners) or if you don't want to pressure anyone. Most businesses set expiration between 7 and 14 days. Some pair it with an incentive to create urgency, like a small discount that only applies if the client accepts before the proposal expires, or reserving the date for them during that window. The combination of a held date and a ticking clock is often enough to get a decision. > You can always override the expiration on individual proposals if a client needs more time. The default just sets the starting point. --- ## Can I make changes to all my packages at once? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/34-can-i-change-all-my-packages-at-the-same-time *Category: Packages* *Need to update the price on 10 packages at once, or change the deposit amount across all your services? Bulk edit lets you make changes to multiple packages* Need to update the price on 10 packages at once, or change the deposit amount across all your services? Bulk edit lets you make changes to multiple packages without opening each one individually. **Where to find it:** Manage > Packages (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/event_categories) 1. Go to Packages. 2. Click Bulk Edit, then select the packages to be edited. 3. Click Bulk Edit Package Settings. 4. Choose your action from the dropdown and apply the changes. ### Available bulk edit actions #### Update Status - Public — Show on booking pages - Private — Available for booking, but not listed to the public - Disabled — Unavailable for booking #### Move to Group Change which package group the selected packages belong to. #### Update Pricing - Set starting rate - Make taxable (yes/no) - Charge for extra hours #### Update Deposit - No deposit required - Flat rate - Percentage of total #### Update Availability - Yes - Yes, with limited hours - No #### Advanced Settings Bulk edit also includes these advanced options: - Show title on booking page — Keep current, yes, or no - Online Booking Mode — Keep current, allow online booking, request for proposal, or display lead form - Requires additional lead time — Keep current, yes (enter number of days), or no - Uses Backdrops — Allow skipping backdrop selection (keep current, yes, or no) --- ## How do I invite a staff member to log in? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/463-how-do-i-invite-a-staff-member-to-log-in *Category: Staff* *How to send an invitation to your staff to log in* After you create an account you can easily send them an invitation to finish setting up their account. ### Sending the invitation **Where to find it:** Manage > User Accounts (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/users) 1. Go to User Accounts and either find the staff member under the Staff tab, or create them if new. See staff user roles and permissions for what each role can see. 2. Click Show User to open their profile. 3. In the blue banner at the top click the Send Staff Login Instructions button Alternately you can use the Quick Send button to send the Staff Invitation. > Only admins can send staff invitations ### The invitation link The email carries a one-time link. They click it, choose their own password, and land on their staff dashboard. The link dies once it is used, so it is not something they can pass along to a coworker who also needs access. That person gets their own invitation. ### Customizing the invitation email You can edit your invitation message if you'd like. **Where to find it:** Manage > Automated Messages > System Templates (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/system_templates) 1. Go to System Templates. 2. Find Staff Invitation and click Edit. 3. Rewrite the subject and message, then save. ![Staff Invitation sits at the bottom of the System Message Templates list.](https://www.checkcherry.com/rails/active_storage/blobs/redirect/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsiZGF0YSI6NDUwMDQwMywicHVyIjoiYmxvYl9pZCJ9fQ==--585ae049dcce70332eb720c77e0d59d1f03681d2/article_invite-a-client-or-staff-person-to-log-in_img_15.png?disposition=inline) Leave {{invitation_link}} somewhere in the message. That is the link they click to set a password, and the template will not save without it. The sidebar lists the other merge fields you can use. Inviting a client works a little differently, and staff with extended permissions can do it. See how do I invite a client to log in. -> Manage User Accounts (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/users) --- ## What happens if a customer files a dispute on a credit card charge? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/343-what-happens-if-a-customer-files-a-dispute-on-a-credit-card-charge *Category: Payments* A chargeback happens when a client contacts their bank to dispute a charge rather than coming to you directly. The bank reverses the payment and pulls the funds from your account while they investigate. It can feel sudden and unfair — but knowing how the process works gives you the best chance of winning. ### How a chargeback works 1. The client files a dispute. The client sees a charge on their statement they believe is fraudulent or unauthorized and contacts their card-issuing bank to dispute it. 2. The bank initiates the chargeback. The issuing bank begins the formal chargeback process and notifies your bank that a dispute has been filed. 3. You get a chance to respond. Your bank alerts you to the chargeback. At this point, you can submit evidence — a signed contract, email correspondence, proof of service — that shows the charge was legitimate. 4. The bank reviews both sides. The issuing bank weighs the evidence from both parties and makes a ruling. If you don't submit any evidence, the bank will almost always side with the client. 5. A decision is reached. The bank rules in favor of you or the client (see outcomes below). 6. Arbitration may follow. If the bank rules in your favor and the client still wants to fight it, they can escalate to the card network itself — Visa, Mastercard, American Express, or Discover. This is effectively an appeals process, and the card network has the final word. ### Possible outcomes | Outcome | What happens | | --- | --- | | Bank rules in your customer's favor | The chargeback remains and you do not recover the amount disputed. | | Bank rules in your favor | The amount of the chargeback is sent back to your bank minus the chargeback fee. (Stripe charges a $15 non-refundable dispute fee for every chargeback you receive, which is automatically deducted from your balance. This fee is retained even if you win the dispute, and you may face additional fees or account penalties depending on your activity) | > Tip: The single best thing you can do is respond with evidence. A signed contract, payment confirmation, and any correspondence showing the client agreed to the charge all help your case. Businesses that submit nothing almost always lose. ### How Check Cherry helps Check Cherry collects a client's e-signature on the contract and timestamps every payment. If a dispute is filed, that paper trail is your evidence. Make sure your contract terms clearly describe your cancellation and refund policy — a vague contract is harder to defend. > For a deeper look at how chargebacks work, see Chargebacks 101 from Stripe, the payment processor behind Check Cherry Payments. If you've received a chargeback and need help gathering evidence or have questions about a specific dispute, reach out via the chat bubble in the lower right. --- ## Why does my client see a "recurring transaction" charge? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/403-why-does-my-client-see-a-recurring-transaction-charge *Category: Payments* *Learn why a bank labels a Check Cherry charge as a recurring transaction, what it actually means, and a message you can send to reassure your client.* A client pays you, then a minute later their bank pings them with something like: "A purchase of $362.69 recurring transaction at [Your Business]." They see the word recurring and it can cause some confusion about whether they have been signed up for a subscription or will face future payments. This is one of the more common payment questions clients raise, and the good news is there is a simple explanation you can pass along. ### Why the bank says "recurring" When a client pays, Check Cherry can securely save their card on file so it can be used again for legitimate reasons later: the remaining balance after a deposit, scheduled payment plan installments, or auto-pay. To do that safely, the card is stored as a reusable credential. Whenever a card is stored this way, the card networks (Visa and Mastercard) stamp the transaction with a flag that marks it as a stored or merchant-initiated credential. Issuing banks read that flag and, in their own notification copy, summarize it as a "recurring transaction." It is generic wording the bank chose, not text that comes from Check Cherry or from you. Neither you nor Check Cherry can control how a given bank phrases its alerts. > The same flag is what lets you charge a saved card for a final balance or run a payment plan without asking the client to re-enter their card every time. It is a feature working as intended, just described in generic wording by the bank that can read as more than it is. ### What it actually means for your client Even when the charge genuinely can recur, the client is never exposed to a runaway subscription. Two things are always true: - Charges only recur if your client is on a payment plan. A single full payment or a one-time deposit does not repeat. If you set up a payment plan, the scheduled installments are the only repeat charges, and they map exactly to the schedule the client already agreed to. - Charges never exceed what your client owes. Any charge only goes toward the total they agreed to on their booking. There is no open-ended billing, no monthly fee, and nothing charged beyond their event. So the answer to give a client who has questions is: yes, the charge may be flagged as recurring, and on a payment plan it really will recur, but it will only ever collect the balance for the event you both agreed to. For more on how installments work, see payment plans. ### A message you can send your client When a client reaches out confused about a "recurring transaction" charge, this reply clears it up. Copy it, adjust the details, and send it back by email or text: > Tip: Hi [Name], the "recurring transaction" label can be confusing, but there's nothing to worry about. You won't see any unexpected charges. That wording comes from your bank, not from any kind of subscription. When you booked, your card was securely saved so it can be used for your booking. --- ## How do I see how many bookings I have had? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/103-how-do-i-see-how-many-bookings-i-have-had *Category: Reporting* *End of the year and you want to know how many events you did? Or wondering which package is your bestseller? The Utilization report has the numbers.* Want to know how many events you booked this year? Or which package is your bestseller? The Most Frequently Booked report shows your booking totals and what's driving your business. ### Running the Report **Where to find it:** Sales > Reporting (in your Check Cherry account: /report/events) 1. Go to Reporting. 2. Select the Most Frequently Booked report. 3. Set your date range to see totals for the period you want. The report defaults to showing packages, but you can view booking counts for other criteria: - Add-ons - Backdrops - Extra Category items - Staff - Customers - Referrers (requires referral tracking) > The report updates daily. For accurate year-end numbers, wait until January 1st to run the report for the previous year. ### Year in Review Each year, Check Cherry creates a Year in Review slideshow with highlights from your business data. You'll see a banner on your dashboard when it's ready, or access it directly: yourbusiness.checkcherry.com/year_in_review/2024 -> Open Reporting (in your Check Cherry account: /report/events) --- ## How do I convert an appointment to a lead? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/72-convert-appointment-to-a-lead *Category: Bookings* *Had a discovery call and the client is interested? Convert the appointment to a lead so you can track it through your sales pipeline and send a proposal whe* Had a discovery call and the client is interested? Convert the appointment to a lead so you can track it through your sales pipeline and send a proposal when the time is right. **Where to find it:** Your name > My Appointments (in your Check Cherry account: /appointments) 1. Click on the appointment you want to convert. 2. Click the Convert button. 3. Select Lead or Proposal. > The client's contact information automatically carries over to the new lead or proposal, so you don't have to re-enter it. --- ## How do I track where my bookings come from? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/106-how-do-i-track-where-my-bookings-come-from *Category: Leads* *A booking came in but you are not sure if it was from your website, a partner referral, or that Instagram post you ran last week.* When a venue, past client, or business partner sends someone your way, referral tracking shows you which person made the connection. Each user in your account gets a unique referral code that credits them when someone books through their link. > Referral tracking is for individual people who send you business. For tracking marketing channels like ads, social posts, or website traffic, use UTM tags instead. ### Enable Referral Tracking Referral tracking is turned off by default. You'll need to enable it first. **Where to find it:** Manage > Business Settings > Referrals (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/referral_settings) 1. Go to Referral Settings. 2. Enable Referral Tracking. 3. Save your changes. ### How Referral Tracking Works Once enabled, every user in your Check Cherry account gets a unique referral code and URL. When someone books through that URL, you'll see which user referred the client. To find a user's referral code, go to User Accounts and search for their name. Their unique referral code will be displayed there. When someone books through a referral URL, the referring person's name appears on the booking's overview page. ### Watch: Client Referral Tracking Video: https://www.youtube.com/embed/N4BQraRFjzQ --- ## How do I create a booking with multiple slots (Sessions)? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/118-how-do-i-create-a-booking-with-multiple-slots-sessions *Category: Packages* *To create a mini session, click the Create New button* Sessions let you sell individual time slots within a single day or event. Think mini photo sessions at a park, Santa photos over a weekend, or consultation appointments. Clients book and pay for their specific slot at a lower price point than your full packages. ### Creating a Session **Where to find it:** Bookings > Create New > Schedule with Time Slots (in your Check Cherry account: /events) 1. Click Create New in the upper right corner 2. Choose Schedule with Time Slots 3. Give your session a title and description 4. Fill out the details (date, time range, slot duration, breaks between slots) 5. Click Save to complete the setup The slots will auto-populate based on your settings. The number of available slots depends on the total session length, how long each slot runs, and the buffer time between slots. ### Allowing Multiple People to Book the Same Slot By default, each slot accepts one booking. But some use cases call for multiple clients booking the same time slot — for example, five families each signing up for the same 15-minute Santa photo slot, or a dozen people registering for the same two-hour mixology class. You can set "How many bookings per slot" to more than one so the slot stays open until it fills up, then closes automatically when booked out. To set a per-slot capacity, open the session and edit the slot settings. There you can specify how many bookings are allowed before a slot is marked as full. > Tip: This works equally well for back-to-back individual slots (like Santa photos) and single long-duration slots (like a class). If you have one two-hour class that 12 people can all attend, just create a single slot and set the capacity to 12. ### Editing the Contract Sessions use your default contract terms. You can customize the contract for a specific session by going to that session and clicking the Terms tab. > Contract changes only apply to that specific session. New sessions will still use your default terms from Contract Terms. ### Publishing Your Session Once your session is set up, make it bookable by clicking Manage Booking from the overview page and copying the shareable link. Share this link on social media, your website, or directly with clients. > Tip: Sessions work great for seasonal offerings, location-based shoots, or any time you want to offer shorter, more affordable appointments alongside your full packages. -> Create a Session (in your Check Cherry account: /events) --- ## How do I change the text on my booking page? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/98-how-do-i-change-the-text-on-my-booking-page *Category: Online booking* *The default text on your booking page says "How can we reach you?" but you want something that fits your brand better.* Your booking page text is the first impression clients get of your business online. The default "How can we reach you?" header works, but many businesses want something more personal — "Tell us about your big day" for weddings, "Let's plan your event" for corporate, or "Ready to get this party started?" for DJs. Themes let you customize the text on every step of the booking flow, so your personality comes through from the moment someone starts booking. ### How to customize your booking page text **Where to find it:** Manage -> Booking Engine (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/booking_engine/general_settings) 1. Visit Manage -> Booking Engine 2. Edit the Header Text and Subheader Text. 3. Save your changes. ### How to customize text on individual pages in the booking process **Where to find it:** Manage -> Booking Engine -> Presets (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/booking_engine/general_settings) 1. Visit Manage -> Booking Engine -> Booking Presets 2. Edit the booking preset associated with the package you want to change 3. Click on the step you'd like to change and edit the Header and Subheader text on the left > Tip: Each step of the booking process can have its own custom text and background image. Consider your client's mindset at each step — they're excited at the beginning, making decisions in the middle, and ready to commit at the end. --- ## How do I set up surcharges with Flex Pricing? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/90-how-do-i-set-up-surcharges-with-flex-pricing *Category: Pricing* *Flex Pricing surcharges let you automatically add fees based on rules you define.* Surcharges automatically add fees to bookings based on rules you set. Use them for peak season pricing, weekend events, last-minute bookings, or any situation where you need to charge extra. ### How to add a surcharge **Where to find it:** Manage > Flex Pricing (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/adjustment_rules) 1. Go to Flex Pricing. 2. Click New Surcharge. 3. Enter a Name — this will show up on the customer's invoice. 4. Add a Description to give the customer more information about the charge. 5. Set your surcharge amount and rules (details below). 6. Save the surcharge. #### Surcharge Amount Choose how to calculate the surcharge: - Flat rate — a fixed dollar amount - Percent — a percentage of the item or booking total Is this surcharge taxable? Y/N (will only show up if you have enabled a Tax Zone) #### How the surcharge applies - Each Specific Item: Applies to every matching package, add-on, and backdrop individually. If there are multiple matching items, the surcharge repeats for each one. - Entire Package & Add-Ons/Backdrops: Applies once per matching package, including all its associated add-ons and backdrops. Multiple packages get charged separately. - Complete booking: Applies a single surcharge to the entire booking, regardless of how many items it contains. Creates one line on the invoice. ### Rules Set conditions for when the surcharge applies: - Require a certain book date? Yes or No - Require bookings to start on certain dates?(E.g. offer a 20% surcharge when the booking is held on New Years Eve.) - Require booking to start on certain days of the week? Yes or No - Apply if the booking date is a certain number of days away? Yes or No - Apply if the total of the booking is a certain amount? Yes or No - Apply based on the venue location? Yes or No(E.g., charge extra for bookings within a certain city.) - Apply based on end time?(E.g., charge extra for bookings that end after 1am) - Apply based on the user account?(Great for repeat customers) - Apply based on the setup location? Indoor/Outdoor only(Based on Extra Question Setup Location) > For all Flex Pricing rules, the default is to apply to all packages. Click Edit to assign the pricing rule only to specific packages. -> Go to Flex Pricing (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/adjustment_rules) --- ## How do I set up multiple contracts? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/45-how-do-i-set-up-multiple-contracts *Category: Contracts* *Your photo booth contract needs a damage liability section, but your DJ contract does not.* Your photo booth contract needs a damage liability section, but your DJ contract does not. Instead of maintaining completely separate contracts, use optional sections that only appear for the right packages. **Where to find it:** Manage > Business Settings > Terms (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/terms/edit) ### How Contract Terms Work - Main terms: The base contract text that applies to all bookings (attached below the invoice on every booking). - Optional sections: Additional terms that only appear when specific packages or add-ons are booked. - Tokens: Placeholders like {wedding_terms} that insert optional sections into your main contract. > Tip: You can leave the main terms box empty and use only tokens if you want completely different contracts for each package type. ### Setting Up Multiple Contracts First, decide whether you want standard terms that apply to all packages. If so, add those to the main terms section. Then create optional sections for package-specific clauses. 1. Go to Contract Terms. 2. Add your standard contract text in the main terms box (or leave blank for package-specific contracts). 3. Click Create Optional Section in the sidebar on the right. 4. Name your optional section (like "Photo Booth Terms"). This title will only be visible to you. 5. Create a token without spaces or dashes (like photobooth_terms). 6. Add the optional contract text for this section. 7. Assign the packages and add-ons where these terms should appear. 8. Copy the token and paste it into your main contract where you want the optional terms to appear. > The token acts as a placeholder. When a client books a package with optional terms assigned, the token is replaced with the actual contract text. ### Example Setup An event company might structure their contracts like this: - Main terms: General booking policies, cancellation terms, payment schedule - DJ optional section: Music licensing, equipment setup requirements - Photo booth optional section: Equipment damage liability, space requirements - Wedding optional section: Timeline coordination, vendor meal requirements When a client books a wedding DJ package, they see the main terms plus the DJ and wedding sections. A corporate photo booth booking shows main terms plus photo booth terms only. Video: https://youtu.be/SuevcxtM7yY?si=XP7k2TrZkYuCz8AG --- ## How do I create add-ons? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/165-how-to-create-add-ons *Category: Packages* *A client wants your standard photo booth package but also wants a guest book and an extra hour.* A client wants your standard package but also wants something from a more expensive package. Add-ons let them customize their booking without you needing a separate package for every combination. ### Creating an Add-On **Where to find it:** Manage > Add-ons (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/add_ons) 1. Go to Add-ons. 2. If you need a category, click New Category, name it, and save. 3. Click New Add-on. 4. In the About section, enter a name, description, and category. The description is what clients see, so make it clear what they're getting. 5. Choose a pricing structure: Flat Rate, Per Unit, or Per Hour; Multiply by Package's Hours; or Multiply by Package's Days. 6. Set the max quantity per booking if clients should be able to add multiples. 7. Mark as taxable if sales tax applies. 8. Save. ### Pricing Structures In the Price & Quantity section, the pricing structure is set by the "Do you charge based on the booking length?" option. There are three choices: - Flat Rate, Per Unit, or Per Hour: You enter one price that is used exactly as entered. This is the default and covers most add-ons, such as a fixed price for a physical item like a guest book, a per-unit price, or an hourly rate you set yourself. - Multiply by Package's Hours: The price you enter is multiplied by the booking length. Useful for extra staff time or other services whose cost scales with how many hours the booking runs. - Multiply by Package's Days: The price you enter is multiplied by the number of days. Useful for multi-day equipment rentals. Only applies to full-day bookings. ### Advanced Options The Advanced section has a few extra settings, some of which only appear when they're relevant to your setup: - Multiply price by number of units on packages with unit pricing enabled: If a package uses unit pricing (like per guest), turning this on multiplies the add-on price by the number of units. This option only appears if you have at least one package with unit pricing enabled. - Does this add-on extend the booking length?: Turn this on for add-ons that add time, like idle time or setup time. When enabled, you choose how much time to add to the booking length. - Does this add-on require lead time?: Turn this on if you need advance notice to prepare the add-on, for example if you're waiting on shipping. When enabled, you set how many days of lead time you need. - Are [extras] supported with this add-on?: If you have extra categories set up, you can control whether each one is offered with this add-on, how many can be selected, and whether customers can skip that selection during checkout. - Would you like to show this add-on in your Extra Gallery Widget?: Whether to display the add-on in the Extra Gallery Widget on your marketing website. ### Images & Videos In the Images & Videos section, you can upload an image (or a video, if video support is enabled) or select from your media library to help clients visualize what they're adding. Images look best at 820px by 460px, with a minimum height of 460px. ### Packages In the Packages section, select which packages this add-on is available with. By default, new add-ons are available on all packages. If an add-on only applies to certain services, select just those packages. A "custom overlay" add-on probably only applies to your photo booth packages, not your DJ packages. ### What Most Businesses Start With Most businesses start with 3-5 add-ons covering the things clients ask for most. You don't need to list every possible option. Common ones: - Extra hours - Additional staff - Equipment upgrades (backdrop, lighting, premium bar setup) - Delivery or setup fees - Custom overlays or prints > You can also auto-attach add-ons so they're included with a package by default. See auto-attached add-ons. -> Open Add-ons (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/add_ons) --- ## How do I invite a client to log in? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/173-how-do-i-invite-a-client-to-log-in *Category: Getting started* *How to invite clients to log into their customer portal* After customers book you online or accept a proposal, they're automatically prompted to set up their account. This requires no action on your part and gives the customer access to their full customer portal. In rare cases you may decide to manually create a confirmed booking. When this happens, you'll need to manually send them an invitation to finish setting up their account. There are a few ways you can do this: ### When manually creating a booking When you click Create New > Log Booking (Confirmed), choose the checkbox labelled Send this customer an invitation to create an account. ### When adding a new client to an existing booking When you assign a new client to your booking, they'll automatically receive an invitation after you assign them to the booking: ### When manually converting a proposal to a booking If you manually convert a proposal to a booking, check the "Send contact invitation to create account" in order to send them an invitation: ### Re-sending an invitation If the customer did not get their invitation or has forgotten their password, you can send re-send the invitation here: ### User Accounts You can also send an invitation to clients or staff from the user account center. **Where to find it:** Manage > User Accounts (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/users) 1. Go to User Accounts and search for the client. 2. Click Show User to open their profile. 3. In the Tools panel, click Quick Send. 4. Click Send Now next to Customer Invitation. ![Search the client by name, then open their profile with Show User.](https://www.checkcherry.com/rails/active_storage/blobs/redirect/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsiZGF0YSI6NDUwMDM5OSwicHVyIjoiYmxvYl9pZCJ9fQ==--128ff337b5ab6a753a0c168d9410cf4a5522925e/article_invite-a-client-or-staff-person-to-log-in_img_5.png?disposition=inline) ![Quick Send lives in the Tools panel on the client's profile.](https://www.checkcherry.com/rails/active_storage/blobs/redirect/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsiZGF0YSI6NDUwMDQwMCwicHVyIjoiYmxvYl9pZCJ9fQ==--e4ba36d384faf3ec8056bbd9cea4e2e479ae5e25/article_invite-a-client-or-staff-person-to-log-in_img_6.png?disposition=inline) ### The invitation link The email carries a one-time link. The client clicks it, chooses their own password, and lands on their most recent upcoming booking, or the dashboard if they do not have one. See what clients can do in their portal for where they go from there. Because the link works once, it dies the moment they set a password. A forwarded email will not let a second person into the account, so anyone else who needs access needs their own invitation. Sending a fresh invitation does not break the one you sent earlier, so there is no risk in resending when a client says they cannot find the email. > Warning: Correcting a client's email address quietly invalidates any invitation you already sent. Fix the address first, then send a new invitation. ### Invitations vs password resets An invitation is for setting up an account the first time. If a client has logged in before and simply cannot get back in, a password reset is the right tool. From the booking, use Send Password Reset in the same Actions menu on the Clients panel. Clients can also reset themselves from the forgot password link on your login page, which is usually the fastest thing to tell someone who has you on the phone. ### Customizing the invitation email The invitation is a system template, so you rewrite it once and every invitation after that uses your version. Worth editing if you want the client pointed at something specific once they are in, like signing the contract or starting the planning form. **Where to find it:** Manage > Automated Messages > System Templates (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/system_templates) 1. Go to System Templates. 2. Find Customer Invitation and click Edit. 3. Rewrite the subject and message, then save. ![Customer Invitation in the System Message Templates list.](https://www.checkcherry.com/rails/active_storage/blobs/redirect/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsiZGF0YSI6NDUwMDQwMSwicHVyIjoiYmxvYl9pZCJ9fQ==--011fa331eda45209ccf771ceb7eea9d6ea653f56/article_invite-a-client-or-staff-person-to-log-in_img_11.png?disposition=inline) Leave {{invitation_link}} somewhere in the message. That is the link the client clicks to set a password, and the template will not save without it. The sidebar lists the other merge fields you can drop in, like the client's first name and the booking title. ![The merge fields you can use are listed alongside the message.](https://www.checkcherry.com/rails/active_storage/blobs/redirect/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsiZGF0YSI6NDUwMDQwMiwicHVyIjoiYmxvYl9pZCJ9fQ==--6dc4fe147b0e1072866a855db3837798902395e3/article_invite-a-client-or-staff-person-to-log-in_img_12.png?disposition=inline) Inviting someone on your team works a little differently, and only admins can do it. See how do I invite a staff member to log in. -> Manage User Accounts (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/users) --- ## How do I reduce spam leads? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/170-how-do-i-reduce-spam-leads *Category: Leads* *Getting inquiries from bots or people clearly not interested? Here is how to reduce spam without adding friction for real clients.* Getting inquiries from bots or people clearly not interested? Here is how to reduce spam without adding friction for real clients. > Check Cherry already filters out common spam patterns automatically. CAPTCHA is an additional layer for accounts that are still getting spam. Keep in mind that enabling CAPTCHA adds an extra step for all clients during a critical moment: when they are entering their contact info. This can reduce spam, but it also adds friction that may cause some real clients to drop off. ### Enabling CAPTCHA **Where to find it:** Manage > Booking Engine > General (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/booking_engine/general_settings) 1. Go to Booking Engine. 2. Find the CAPTCHA setting. 3. Enable it. 4. Save. > CAPTCHA can also be enabled on lead forms. You can also delete spam leads individually from your leads list. --- ## How do I show a different address on invoices? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/207-show-a-different-address-on-your-invoices-and-proposals *Category: Bookings* *Show a different business address on your invoices and proposals, and change the client details that appear in the Invoice For section.* Your business address and your invoicing address might be different. Maybe you use a PO box for mail, or your legal entity name differs from your brand. You can override what appears on invoices without changing your main brand settings, and you can also change the client details that show on any individual invoice or proposal. ### Change your business address on invoices **Where to find it:** Manage > Business Settings (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/brands) 1. Go to Business Settings. 2. Scroll down to the Invoices section. 3. Check Override invoice and proposal details. 4. Enter the address and business information you want to appear on invoices. 5. Save your changes. When you enable the override, the address in your override section will appear on all invoices and proposals, regardless of what you set as your main brand address. ### Change the client details on an invoice or proposal The client's name, business name, and address appear in the Invoice For area of an invoice or proposal. You can change what shows there right from the invoice. 1. Open the booking and go to the Invoice tab. 2. Click the Invoice For section. 3. To enter exactly what you want to appear, choose Override Default and type in the details, then save. 4. To show the client's saved account details instead, choose Use Default Settings. > Tip: Override Default changes only this booking's invoice and proposal. To correct the client's saved details everywhere they appear, edit their client account from the Clients panel on the booking. --- ## Why isn't there a client name token for my contract? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/409-why-isn-t-there-a-client-name-token-for-my-contract *Category: Contracts* *Check Cherry intentionally has no client name merge token in contracts. The signer's name is captured at signing, and that makes a stronger record.* If you have looked through the token list in the contract editor, you may have noticed there is no {{client_name}} token. That is not an oversight. It is a deliberate design decision, and there is a good reason for it. ### The person evaluating often isn't the person signing An office manager gathers proposals for the corporate holiday party, but the owner signs. A PTA volunteer shops for the school carnival, but the treasurer signs. A mother of the bride researches photo booths for her daughter's wedding, but the bride signs. A government employee collects quotes for procurement, and someone else entirely signs. If Check Cherry pre-filled a name from the inquiry or the proposal, the contract would frequently name the wrong person. A contract that names the wrong party is worse than a contract that names the party at the moment of signature. ### Proposals don't require a client Check Cherry is designed to reduce friction everywhere it can: online payments, digital signatures, a self-service client portal, and online booking for businesses that offer it. Proposals are no different. A proposal can be created, shared, and shopped before you know who will ultimately sign, so we never require a client account just to send one. Forcing an account onto every proposal just to feed a merge tag would add friction exactly where you want less of it. ### The signer's name is captured at signing When your client signs, they type their full name. It appears on the executed agreement in the signature block, along with a timestamp and the signer's IP address. This is a stronger record than a pre-filled field: the signer personally attests to their identity at the exact moment they agree to your terms. ### A modern contract isn't a work order Your agreement's job is to set expectations: what you will deliver, when payment is due, and what happens if plans change. The who, what, when, and where of a specific event live on the booking and flow into the agreement through tokens like {{event_date}}, {{venue_name}}, and {{event_time}}. Keeping the contract itself flexible is what lets clients book and sign online in minutes instead of trading paperwork back and forth. For the full list of tokens and how to set up your terms, see How do I add my contract/terms? ### Need a name in the contract for a specific proposal? Occasionally a client will require their name or organization written into the agreement, which is common with corporate, school, and government contracts. You can edit the contract for just that proposal without touching your master template: open the proposal, click Manage Proposal → Edit Contract Terms, and add the name directly to the terms before sending. The same option is available on confirmed bookings under Manage Booking. > Tip: If you want the client identified in the body of your terms, use language like "the undersigned client ('Client')". It binds whoever signs, which is exactly what you want when the signer may differ from the original contact. **Related articles:** - [How do I add my contract/terms?](https://www.checkcherry.com/help/108) --- ## Where do I find messages awaiting review? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/232-where-do-i-find-messages-awaiting-review *Category: Messaging* *Turn on review for an automated message, then find the queue where you can approve, edit, or delete messages before they go out.* Messages set to "review before sending" appear in a queue where you can approve, edit, or delete them before they go out. ### Turn on review for a message Review is set per message on your automated messages, so you can require review on the ones that matter and let the rest send automatically. 1. Go to Manage → Automated Messages. 2. Open the message you want to review before it sends. 3. In the Review Messages panel, set Would you like to review these messages before they are sent? to Yes. 4. Save the message. Now any time that message is triggered, it lands in the review queue instead of sending right away. > Tip: This option is available on your own automated messages. Built-in system messages always send without review. ### Finding the Review Queue **Where to find it:** Sales > Messages (in your Check Cherry account: /recent_messages) The first tab shows messages awaiting review. From here you can: - Send the message - Edit the message and add attachments - Delete the message - Send or delete all messages at once ### Deleting Individual Messages To remove a single message from the queue: ### Bulk Actions Use the buttons at the top to send or delete all queued messages at once: > Tip: If you regularly need to edit messages before sending, consider updating your message templates to reduce the need for manual review. --- ## How do I set staff arrival times? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/456-how-do-i-set-staff-arrival-times *Category: Staff* *Set the time each staff member is expected to arrive for a package, and use arrival times in messages and on staff calendars.* Sometimes your team needs to be on site before the official package start time. An arrival time is when you expect a staff member to show up for a particular package. ### Setting an arrival time **Where to find it:** Bookings > Open a booking > Staff panel > Add Staff (in your Check Cherry account: /events) 1. Enter a time in Arrival Time or leave blank to use package default. 2. Click Save Changes. Arrival time is always per package. When a booking has more than one package, the form shows a row for each with its own arrival field, so someone working two of them can arrive at 8:00 AM for one and 4:00 PM for the other. ### Where arrival times show up - The Staff panel on the booking - The roster on the booking's Staff page - The staff member's own booking card - Their calendar, as a separate entry ### Arrival times in messages You can use the {{staff_arrival_time}} token to include the arrival time in applicable automated messages. ### Arrival on the calendar An arrival shows up as its own calendar entry, separate from the booking, titled Arrival: plus the booking name. On a package with a start time, that entry runs from the arrival time to the package start, so the staff member sees the setup window and the event itself as two blocks. On a date-only package the entry is one hour long. If an arrival time is not earlier than the package start, no separate entry is created. #### Which syncs carry arrival entries - Personal Google Calendar sync: yes, your own arrivals. - Personal calendar subscription (ICS): yes, your own arrivals. This includes the All bookings feed, which still shows only your own. - Company Google Calendar sync: no. The company connection is not tied to a person, and a single booking can carry a different arrival time for every staff member on it. > The company sync does not list arrival times anywhere, including in the booking notes. Use a personal sync when you need them on Google Calendar. #### If you are the only person on your bookings Set up a personal sync to get arrival entries on your own Google Calendar. Running a personal sync and a company sync to the same Google Calendar creates duplicate booking entries, so turn the company sync off first. 1. Go to Calendar and click Subscribe to Calendar. 2. In the Google Calendar card, find Company Sync and click Edit Sync Settings. 3. In the Sync to Google Calendar card, set Confirmed Bookings to Do not sync. 4. Click Save. -> Go to Bookings (in your Check Cherry account: /events) --- ## Can I use Check Cherry Without a Website? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/395-use-without-website *Category: Best practices* *Use Check Cherry to take bookings without a website. Share your booking link, send proposals, or use individual widgets.* While Check Cherry doesn't have a full website builder, you can still use Check Cherry to take bookings. Check Cherry gives you a shareable booking link and a proposal tool that work on their own — no website required. ### Option 1: Share Your Booking Link Every Check Cherry account comes with a public booking link. Anyone who visits it can browse your packages and book online — no website needed. You can share it just about anywhere: - Email signature — every email you send becomes a passive booking prompt - Social media bio — Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, X, and LinkedIn all support a link in the bio - Linktree or similar link-in-bio page — great if you're sharing multiple links from one social profile - Google Business profile — clients searching for you locally can book directly from search results - Text message — when someone inquires by phone or DM, you can send them the link right away - QR code on printed materials — business cards, flyers, brochures, or signage at events **Where to find it:** Manage > Packages (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/event_categories) From the Packages page, look for your booking link at the bottom of the page. You can also grab links to individual packages or generate QR codes if you want to point people directly to a specific offering. > Tip: A QR code is a great addition to a business card or printed promo material. Clients can scan it and go straight to your booking page. ### Option 2: Send a Proposal If you prefer a more personal approach, proposals let you send a custom quote directly to a client. You build the offer — choosing the package, add-ons, and pricing — then send it via email. The client opens it, reviews the details, signs the contract, and pays the deposit, all in one place. This works well for clients who come to you through referrals, social media, or phone calls — situations where someone reaches out before they've seen a booking page. -> Go to Proposals (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/proposals) ### Option 3: Share Individual Widgets Beyond the main booking link, Check Cherry gives you standalone links for individual widgets — each one shareable on its own. These are the same tools that can be embedded into a website, but they work just as well as direct links: - Lead capture form — let potential clients send an inquiry without needing to go through the full booking flow - Add-on, Backdrop or Design Template gallery — showcase your available add-ons so clients can browse before they book - Appointment scheduler — let clients book a consultation or call directly from a link > Each widget has its own shareable URL. You can find these links in the widget settings for each feature, or reach out via chat and we can help you locate them. ### Which One Should You Use? Most businesses use both depending on the situation. The booking link is great for self-service — clients find you and book on their own. Proposals are better when you want to stay involved in the conversation before anything is confirmed. And the individual widget links are handy when you want to send someone to a specific tool without dropping them into the full booking flow. > If you do have a website (or plan to build one), you can embed Check Cherry directly into it so clients never have to leave your site. Chat with us if you want help integrating Check Cherry with your website. --- ## How do I take a payment with Tap to Pay on iPhone? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/465-how-do-i-take-a-payment-with-tap-to-pay-on-iphone *Category: Mobile app* *Accept contactless cards and Apple Pay on your iPhone with Tap to Pay on iPhone, right from the Check Cherry app. Requirements, setup, and how to take a payment at an event.* Tap to Pay on iPhone lets you accept contactless cards and Apple Pay right on your iPhone, from inside the Check Cherry app. No card reader, no dongle, no extra hardware. Set it up once and it becomes an option every time you collect a payment on a booking. ### What You Need - An iPhone XS or later, running iOS 18 or later. - The latest version of the Check Cherry app for iOS. - Check Cherry Payments connected on your account. Tap to Pay on iPhone is available to US accounts. - Permission to collect payments. Turning the feature on for the first time has to be done by an account owner or admin. > Not using Check Cherry Payments yet? Connect it first in Payment Settings. Once your account is approved, the setup below takes a couple of minutes. ### Step 1: Confirm Your Business Location In the Check Cherry app, go to App Settings and tap Tap to Pay on iPhone. The first step asks you to confirm the business address that in-person payments are reported under. 1. Open the Check Cherry app and go to App Settings. 2. Tap Tap to Pay on iPhone. 3. Under Step 1, tap Confirm location. 4. Check the address, correct anything that's wrong, and save. > Warning: If you run more than one brand, each brand confirms its own location. You'll see a list with a Set up button next to any brand that isn't ready. A booking can only be charged against its own brand's location, so confirm every brand you plan to collect payments for. ### Step 2: Turn On Tap to Pay on iPhone 1. On the same screen, under Step 2, tap Enable Tap to Pay on iPhone. 2. Apple presents its Terms and Conditions. Read and accept them. 3. Apple's short tutorial appears next, covering contactless cards, Apple Pay, and PIN entry. Page through it. 4. Your iPhone configures itself as a reader. When it's done you'll see Tap to Pay on iPhone is ready. > Warning: Only an account owner or admin can accept Apple's Terms and Conditions. If you're a staff member, the setup screen will tell you to contact your administrator. Once an admin accepts, the feature is on for the whole account. > Tip: You can reopen Apple's tutorial any time from the same screen under Learn more, then How to take a payment. It's worth showing to any staff member who will be collecting payments at events. ### Step 3: Take a Payment 1. Open the booking, using search or your bookings list. 2. Tap the Outstanding Balance and choose Collect Customer Payment. 3. Pick Tap to Pay on iPhone, the first option in the list. 4. Enter the payment amount, an optional tip, and the email address for the receipt. 5. Tap Continue to Tap and wait for Ready for Payment. 6. Have your client hold their card, iPhone, or watch near the top of your iPhone. 7. If a PIN is required, Apple's PIN screen appears. Hand the phone to your client to finish. You'll see a processing screen, then a confirmation with the amount that was charged. From there you can go back to the booking, view the receipt, or open the invoice. > Tip: If your account passes processing fees to customers, you'll see a checkbox on the amount screen. Leave it checked to add the fee to the client's total, or uncheck it to absorb the fee yourself for that payment. ### Receipts Enter your client's email address before you take the payment and a receipt is sent automatically when the charge succeeds. You can also send one afterward: from the confirmation screen tap View Receipt, then Share to send it by email, text, or any other app on your phone. ### Troubleshooting #### The button says "Set up" The booking's brand hasn't confirmed its business location yet, or nobody has accepted Apple's Terms and Conditions. Tap the button and it takes you straight to the setup screen. #### The option doesn't appear at all Check the requirements above. The most common causes are an iPhone older than the iPhone XS, an iPhone running an older version of iOS, or an account that hasn't connected Check Cherry Payments. #### The payment was declined or timed out You'll get a clear outcome screen with Try Again and Done. Try the tap again, ask for a different card, or fall back to entering the card manually or sending a payment link. #### I need to refund the payment Refund it the same way as any other card payment. See How do I refund a credit card payment? Tap to Pay on iPhone requires a supported payment app and the latest version of iOS. Update to the latest version by going to Settings > General > Software Update. Tap Download and Install. Some contactless cards may not be accepted by your payment app. Transaction limits may apply. The Contactless Symbol is a trademark owned by and used with permission of EMVCo, LLC. Tap to Pay on iPhone is not available in all markets. Apple Pay is a service provided by Apple Payments Services LLC, a subsidiary of Apple Inc. Neither Apple Inc. nor Apple Payments Services LLC is a bank. Any card used in Apple Pay is offered by the card issuer. --- ## How do I use the bookings report? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/230-how-do-i-use-the-bookings-report *Category: Reporting* *End of the quarter and your accountant wants a breakdown of every booking.* End of the quarter and your accountant wants a breakdown of every booking? The bookings report is your most flexible export — filter by date, package, staff, or status and download exactly what you need. **Where to find it:** Reporting > Bookings (in your Check Cherry account: /report/events) The bookings report shows all your confirmed events in one place. You can customize what information appears and filter the results to focus on specific data. Use the buttons across the top to configure columns, apply filters, download as CSV, or save the report for future use. ### Customizing Your Report Click Columns to select what data appears in your report — booking date, client name, package, total amount, staff member, and more. Click Filter to narrow the results by date range, booking status, specific packages, or assigned staff. Once you have the data configured how you want it, click Export to download a CSV file that opens in Excel or Google Sheets. ### Scheduling Automatic Reports You can save a report configuration and have it emailed to you automatically on a daily, weekly, or monthly schedule. Click Save Report in the upper right, enter a name and description, then set the schedule and recipient email addresses. > Tip: Most businesses run monthly booking reports for accounting and quarterly reports for business analysis. You can save multiple report configurations for different purposes. --- ## How do I manage packages across multiple brands? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/179-how-do-i-manage-packages-across-brands *Category: Packages* *If you have more than one brand in your Check Cherry account, each brand can have its own packages, pricing, and booking page.* Multiple brands let you run separate booking experiences under one Check Cherry account — think a wedding brand and a corporate events brand, or different service tiers with their own pricing and presentation. Each brand gets its own URL, packages, and booking page, but you manage everything from one dashboard. ### Why Use Multiple Brands Most businesses that use multiple brands fall into one of these situations: - Different service lines (weddings vs corporate events) - Premium and budget tiers with different positioning - Partner/franchise locations under one business - Testing new pricing or packages without affecting the main brand ### How Brand Separation Works Each brand has its own unique URL and booking page. When clients visit a brand's URL, they only see that brand's packages, pricing, and design. You assign packages to specific brands when you create or edit the Brand. Each brand can have completely different packages, pricing, contract terms, and branding while sharing the same bank account and payout schedule. > Tip: You can assign the same package to multiple brands if you want to offer it under both. This is helpful when brands share some services but have different positioning. ### Managing Package Assignments **Where to find it:** Manage > Packages (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/event_categories) You can change which brand a package belongs to or make it available to multiple brands through the Brand settings. > Warning: Multiple brands share the same Check Cherry account and bank payout destination, but each brand can have its own statement descriptor (what clients see on their credit card statement). If you run two separate businesses with different bank accounts, you need a separate Check Cherry account for each. Use the refer-a-friend program for a discount on the second account. -> Open Package Manager (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/event_categories) Video: https://youtu.be/c6iXrOgJlcQ?si=OZmrPK25roAuojAF --- ## How do I charge a saved card? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/117-how-do-i-charge-a-card-on-file *Category: Payments* *A client's final balance is due and they already have a card on file from their deposit.* A client's final balance is due and they already have a card on file from their deposit. You can charge it without asking them to enter their card details again. ### How to charge a saved card **Where to find it:** Sales > Bookings (in your Check Cherry account: /events) 1. Go to Bookings. 2. Click on the booking. 3. Go to the Make a Payment tab of the booking. 4. Click Make Payment. 5. Select the saved card from the dropdown at the top of the payment methods list. 6. Enter the amount and process the payment. > The cardholder will automatically receive a receipt when you process the payment. For details on how cards get saved, see saved payment info. -> Go to Bookings (in your Check Cherry account: /events) --- ## How to Configure Package Settings? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/187-package-settings *Category: Packages* *Every package in Check Cherry has its own set of options that control pricing, scheduling, availability, and online booking behavior.* Every package in Check Cherry has its own set of options that control pricing, scheduling, availability, and online booking behavior. This article walks through each setting in the package editor so you know what everything does. **Where to find it:** Manage > Packages (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/event_categories) To access settings for a specific package, click the menu button in the upper right corner of the package card in the Package Manager. ![Package Manager with settings menu](https://www.checkcherry.com/rails/active_storage/blobs/redirect/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsiZGF0YSI6NDUwMDQxNCwicHVyIjoiYmxvYl9pZCJ9fQ==--9ca2ed7857b08efac3b9efd74a08efbdd577b095/article_package-settings_img_3.png?disposition=inline) ### General Settings #### Title The name of the package as it appears on invoices, bookings, and proposals. This is what your clients see when they receive a proposal or review their booking details. #### Description A detailed breakdown of what's included in the package. Use this space to list equipment, services, and anything else the client should know about what they're getting. #### Status Controls where and how the package appears in your account. - Public: visible on your booking pages and available for online booking. - Private: not visible on booking pages, but you can send a direct link to clients. - Disabled: hidden from the Package Manager and online booking entirely. #### Package Group Groups let you organize related packages together. For example, you might group all 360 booth packages separately from mirror booth packages. Groups show as tabs in the booking engine and help clients browse your offerings. #### Primary Image The image displayed for this package in the booking engine. Choose something that represents the experience your clients can expect. ### Pricing and Scheduling #### Scheduling Mode Scheduling mode determines how clients select dates and times when booking. There are two main modes, each with its own sub-options. #### Date and Time Use this for services that last less than 24 hours, which covers most event bookings. There are three sub-modes. Minimal: The most common option for event professionals. Clients pick a date and enter their start time directly. If your clients already know when their event is and are unlikely to change the date based on your availability, this keeps things simple. Automatic Slots: Check Cherry generates available time slots based on your schedule and displays them for the client to choose from. This works well when both sides have flexibility, like a family photographer offering sessions throughout the day. Predefined Slots: The most restrictive mode. You define specific time slots and clients choose from only those options. A venue might use this to offer a cheaper morning slot and a more expensive evening slot. #### Date Only Use this for rentals or services that span 24 hours or more, typically unattended equipment rentals. Calendar Picker: Clients select a date range from a calendar. Common for equipment rentals lasting more than 8 hours, like drop-off photo booth rentals. #### Starting Rate The base price for the package. This is the minimum amount a client will be charged before any extra hours, add-ons, or unit-based pricing. #### Number of Hours Included The amount of time included in the starting rate. This is also the preselected duration when a client starts the online booking process. > This is often, but not always, the minimum number of hours required to book the package. You can set a different minimum length in the settings below. #### Taxable When enabled, sales tax will be calculated on this package based on the venue location and your configured tax zones. You can have some packages that are taxable and others that are not, depending on what you're offering. > Warning: Tax requirements vary by location and service type. Consult your accountant to determine the right settings for your business. #### Charge for Extra Hours Enable this if you want clients to be able to add time beyond the included hours. Hourly Rate: The per-hour charge for any time beyond the included hours. Booking Increment: The smallest unit of extra time a client can add. Typically set to one hour, but you can allow smaller increments. For example, if a package includes 4 hours and the increment is 15 minutes, clients could book 4h 15m, 4h 30m, 4h 45m, and so on. #### Minimum Length The shortest duration a client can book this package for. If the minimum is less than the hours included, the client is still charged the full starting rate. #### Maximum Length The longest duration a client can book this package for. > Tip: If you need bookings longer than 24 hours, use the Date Only scheduling mode and enter the number of days. ### Charge by Unit In addition to time-based pricing, you can charge based on a unit quantity like guests, square footage, or any other measurable unit. #### Charge Per Unit Multiplies the number of units by a per-unit price and adds that to the booking total. For example, a mobile bartender might charge an hourly rate for the event plus a per-guest fee to cover supplies. If the per-guest rate is $5 and there are 100 guests, $500 is added to the booking. #### Charge by Unit Range Instead of a flat per-unit price, you can set tiered pricing based on ranges. Each range has its own flat rate. For example, a real estate photographer might charge $200 for homes under 2,000 sq ft, $350 for 2,000-4,000 sq ft, and $500 for anything over 4,000 sq ft. #### Unit Settings - Unit Name: The label your clients see. Choose wording that makes sense for your service (guests, square feet, tables, etc.). - Minimum: The minimum number of units that can be booked. - Maximum: The maximum number of units that can be booked. - Price Per Unit: The price charged for each unit (when using per-unit pricing). ### Deposit Settings Controls whether a deposit is required when the booking is created. - Flat Rate: A fixed dollar amount is collected as the deposit. - Percentage: The deposit is calculated as a percentage of the total booking amount. - None: No deposit is required. ### Availability Controls which days and times this package can be booked. Yes (available every day): The package is available 7 days a week with no time restrictions beyond your business-wide availability settings. Yes, with limited hours: Available every day, but only within a specific time window. - Earliest Start: The earliest time a booking can begin each day. - Latest Start: The latest time a booking can begin each day. No (specific days only): Lets you choose which days of the week the package is available, with individual time windows for each day. - Earliest Start: The earliest time a booking can begin on the selected days. - Latest Start: The latest time a booking can begin on the selected days. ### Advanced Settings #### Online Booking Title By default, the booking engine uses your package title. You can override it here if you want a different name to appear on booking pages. #### Show Title on Booking Page - Yes: The package title is displayed on the booking page. - No: The title is hidden on the booking page. #### Sub Header Additional text that appears below the package title on the booking page. Use it for a tagline, brief description, or pricing summary. ### Online Booking Mode Determines what happens when a client selects this package in the booking engine. - Allow Online Booking: The client can complete the booking online, including payment. - Request for Proposal: A proposal is created for the selected package, but you need to review and send it manually. - Display Lead Form: Instead of booking, a lead form is shown. If the prospect fills it out, a new lead is created that you can convert to a proposal and send. ### Backdrops If your service involves backdrops (common for photo booths), you can require clients to choose one during booking. Does this package require the user to choose a backdrop? - Yes: The client must choose from your available backdrops. - No: No backdrop selection is shown. Allow customers to skip this step? - Yes: The client can skip backdrop selection and choose one later. - No: The client must select a backdrop before the booking can be completed. > Tip: If you have questions about any of these settings, reach out to us through the chat bubble in the lower right corner of your account. -> Go to Packages (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/event_categories) --- ## Can I get a report for total distance traveled? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/478-can-i-get-a-report-for-total-distance-traveled *Category: Getting started* *Need to know your total milage? The bookings report can show you that.* Check Cherry doesn't have a dedicated mileage report, but the Bookings report includes a distance column for every event. Export it to a spreadsheet, run a SUM formula, and you have your total in about a minute. > Note that you must have a travel fee enabled in order to show the distance measurement in the report. ### Before you start Distance is calculated from your business address (or a custom address if you've chosen to use one) to the event venue. If either address is missing, the distance column will be blank for that row. Check both before you run the report. Your business address — set in Business Settings: **Where to find it:** Manage > Business Settings (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/franchise/edit) Scroll to the Business Settings field and confirm it's filled in. Save if you make any changes. Venue address on each booking — open any booking and confirm a venue with a full address is saved. Bookings without a venue address will show a blank distance. ### Run the Bookings report **Where to find it:** Reports > Bookings (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/reports/bookings) 1. Click the Columns button 1. Optionally, use the filter options at the top to narrow results by brand, staff member, package or other info — useful if you want mileage broken down by team member or event type. 2. Click Set columns to include the total distance in the report. 3. Optionally, click the Download button to download your report in a CSV file. -> Go to Bookings Report (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/reports/bookings) --- ## Why does the email to my client show opened when I know it wasn't? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/235-why-does-the-email-to-my-client-show-opened-when-i-know-it-wasn-t *Category: Messaging* *If an email shows as "opened" but you know the client has not read it yet, there are a few reasons this can happen.* Email tracking isn't perfect. If an email shows as "opened" when you know your client hasn't read it, you're seeing one of the quirks of how tracking works behind the scenes. ### How Open Tracking Works Open tracking uses a tiny invisible image (called a tracking pixel) embedded in each email. When someone's email app downloads this image, it registers as an "open." Here's the process: 1. An invisible tracking pixel is included in your email 2. When someone opens the email, their email app downloads this pixel 3. The download tells Check Cherry that the email was opened #### Why Opens Can Be Inaccurate - Auto-preview by email apps: Gmail, Apple Mail, and Outlook often automatically load email previews and their images — including tracking pixels — which registers as an open even if the person never actually read it - Security filters: Spam filters and antivirus software scan incoming emails and load tracking pixels as part of their security checks - Apple Mail Privacy Protection: Apple pre-loads tracking pixels for all emails to protect user privacy, making open rates appear higher than actual - Sending a copy to yourself: If you have emails set to copy you (like payment reminders), your own email app might trigger the "opened" status automatically > Check Cherry marks an email Auto Opened when a machine opened it instead of a person, like an email security scanner or Apple Mail Privacy Protection. If your client opens it later, the status changes to Opened. Apple Mail users may stay at Auto Opened even after reading, because Apple loads the email once in advance. ### How Click Tracking Works Click tracking is generally more reliable than open tracking because it requires deliberate action. Here's how it works: 1. Links in your email are modified to route through Check Cherry's system first 2. When someone clicks a link, they briefly go through Check Cherry's tracking system 3. The click is recorded 4. The person is redirected to the original destination > Corporate security programs like Microsoft Defender click every link in an email to check it before delivery. Check Cherry recognizes these scanner clicks and shows them as Auto Opened instead of Clicked. They also don't count as proposal views, so you only get a "proposal viewed" alert when a person opens it. ### Disabling Email Tracking Email tracking is enabled by default in your Check Cherry account. While we recommend keeping it enabled for insights into client engagement, you can disable it if needed. **Where to find it:** Manage > Business Settings (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/brands) 1. Click Edit Settings 2. Find the email tracking options and adjust as needed --- ## How do I configure package group settings? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/186-how-do-i-configure-package-group-settings *Category: Packages* *Package groups sit between services and individual packages. They let you organize packages into categories like "Standard" and "Premium.* Package groups organize your packages into categories like "Standard" and "Premium" within each service. Each group has its own settings that control how it appears during online booking. **Where to find it:** Manage > Packages (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/event_categories) 1. Find the package group you want to edit. 2. Click the ... menu on the package group title bar and choose Edit Package Group. You can also click the group's name. 3. Update the settings below and click Save. ![Package Manager with the package group menu open, showing Edit Package Group](https://www.checkcherry.com/rails/active_storage/blobs/redirect/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsiZGF0YSI6NTE4MTUwMywicHVyIjoiYmxvYl9pZCJ9fQ==--1cc3eebcecfc1dddde76620018a5b84e3ec1bf55/package_group_menu.png?disposition=inline) ![Edit Package Group page with Name and Service, Booking Engine, and Primary Image settings](https://www.checkcherry.com/rails/active_storage/blobs/redirect/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsiZGF0YSI6NTE4MTUwNCwicHVyIjoiYmxvYl9pZCJ9fQ==--31d081960c335e08436f9eef66691d4c99e4da28/package_group_edit.png?disposition=inline) ### Name and Service - Name: The group name that clients see during online booking - Service: Which service this package group belongs to ### Booking Engine Show name on booking page: Choose whether clients see the package group name during online booking. Sub Header: Add a short line of text below the group name to give clients more context. Pricing: Control when clients see your prices during online booking: - Show Pricing: Prices appear with each package from the start - Delay Pricing: Prices stay hidden until the client enters their contact information > Tip: Showing pricing up front cuts down on low-quality leads from price shoppers, so the inquiries you get are more serious. ### Primary Image This image represents the package group during online booking. Upload a new image or pick one from your media library. Use a tall portrait image, up to 1500px. ### Colors and Styling The look of online booking is set with Booking Presets, not on the package group. Each preset controls colors, images, and style, and applies to the packages you choose. **Where to find it:** Manage > Booking Engine > Presets (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/package_group_themes) --- ## How do I see which clients have not paid in full? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/102-how-can-i-find-out-which-customers-still-haven-t-paid-in-full *Category: Reporting* *Event is next week and you are not sure if the client paid the balance. The Outstanding Balance report shows every booking with money still owed.* Event is next week and you are not sure if the client paid the balance. The Outstanding Balance report shows every booking with money still owed, so you can follow up before the event date. **Where to find it:** Reporting > Outstanding Balance (in your Check Cherry account: /report/outstanding_balances) 1. Go to Outstanding Balance. 2. Click Columns to customize which information you want to see. 3. Use the Filter button to narrow results by date range, brand, or amount owed. 4. Download the report as a spreadsheet or save it for future use. > Tip: Save this report and schedule it to be emailed weekly so you never miss an outstanding balance. Most businesses check this report 2-3 days before each event. --- ## How do I disable online booking for a package? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/81-disable-online-booking *Category: Online booking* *Not every package belongs on your public booking page.* Not every package belongs on your public booking page. Maybe you have a custom package you only offer to certain clients, or a premium service you prefer to sell through a conversation rather than self-service checkout. **Where to find it:** Manage > Packages > Select a package > Advanced (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/event_categories) 1. Go to Advanced. 2. Under Online Booking Mode, select the option that fits how you want this package to work. ### Online Booking Options When someone clicks on a package on your booking page, you can control what happens next: - Allow Online Booking: The full self-service checkout experience. Clients choose options, sign the contract, and pay — all without you involved. - Request for Proposal: Creates a lead and auto-generates a proposal for you to customize and send. Good for packages that need personalization. - Display Lead Form: Shows a contact form specific to that package. The client fills it out and you follow up however you prefer. ### When to Use Each Option Allow Online Booking works best for standardized packages where the client can make good decisions on their own. Think basic packages with clear add-on choices. Request for Proposal is good for premium or complex packages where you want to customize the pitch. The system creates the proposal automatically based on the package, but you review and edit it before sending. Display Lead Form gives you the most control. The client sees the package details and pricing, but has to contact you to move forward. You can ask package-specific questions on the lead form. > Tip: You can also hide packages entirely by setting their status to Private or Archived in the main package settings. Private packages can still be added to proposals manually — they just don't show on your booking page. --- ## Check Cherry for Photo Booth Businesses https://www.checkcherry.com/help/69-check-cherry-was-built-for-photoboothers *Category: Best practices* *If you run a photo booth business, Check Cherry has features built specifically for how you work. Here is what sets it apart from generic booking software.* Photo booth businesses have unique workflow needs that generic booking software doesn't address. Check Cherry includes features built specifically for how photo booth operators work — from backdrop management to design templates to equipment tracking. ### Photo Booth-Specific Features - Backdrop Manager: Upload and organize your backdrop collection, set pricing for premium options, create double-sided backdrop availability rules, and let clients browse and select their favorite during booking. - Design Collections: Offer overlay templates and print layout options that clients can browse and choose from. Import from third-party design apps or create your own. - Artwork Approval: Upload finished event artwork and let clients approve or request revisions through their client portal before the event. - Equipment Checklists: Create load-in and load-out checklists to track all your equipment and props per event. - Sessions: Set up mini session events (like Santa photos or Valentine's shoots) where clients book individual time slots throughout the day at a lower per-session rate. ### Core Business Management Tools Beyond photo booth-specific features, you get all the tools you need to run your business professionally: - Client Management: Store client information, track communication history, send automated messages, and manage contracts and questionnaires. - Online Booking: Let clients browse packages, select add-ons, choose backdrops and designs, sign contracts, and pay — all in one seamless checkout experience. - Scheduling & Availability: Manage your calendar, set blockout dates, sync with Google Calendar, and prevent double-booking with intelligent availability rules. - Travel Fees: Set up multiple travel zones with automatic distance calculation and fee application based on the event location. - Sales Tax: Automatically calculate and collect sales tax based on event location using our TaxJar integration. - Proposals: Create custom quotes for clients who prefer to review pricing before booking, with easy acceptance, signing, and payment. - Lead Forms: Generate embed codes for lead capture forms and easily add them to your website. > Tip: Most photo booth operators start with 3-4 backdrop options and 2-3 design collections. You can always add more as your business grows. --- ## How do I give clients different options on a proposal? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/44-how-do-i-give-clients-different-options-on-a-proposal *Category: Proposals* *Proposal alternatives let you offer multiple package options on a single proposal. The client can compare and choose the one that fits their needs.* Proposal alternatives let you offer multiple package options on a single proposal. Instead of sending separate quotes, clients can compare options side-by-side and choose what works best for their budget and needs. **Where to find it:** Sales > Proposals > Select a proposal (in your Check Cherry account: /events?query%5Bshow_confirmed_events%5D=false&query%5Bshow_proposals%5D=true) ### Creating Your First Alternative You'll need a proposal with at least one package before you can add alternatives. Once you have that: 1. Open your proposal. 2. Below the last package, click Add Proposal Alternative. 3. Choose a different package for the alternative. Each alternative will appear on a separate tab. Once you have at least one alternative, you can add more by clicking the Manage Alternatives button above each proposal alternative and choosing Add Another Alternative: > Tip: Most businesses offer 2-3 alternatives — a basic option, a popular mid-tier package, and a premium choice. This makes it easy for clients to see the value of upgrading while still giving budget-conscious customers a good option. ### Watch: Proposals and Alternatives Video: https://www.youtube.com/embed/NNO_CkKrVik -> Go to Proposals (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/proposals) --- ## How do I prevent clients from adding add-ons to a proposal? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/192-how-do-i-prevent-clients-from-adding-add-ons-to-a-proposal *Category: Proposals* *By default, clients can add or remove add-ons when reviewing a proposal.* By default, clients can add or remove add-ons when reviewing a proposal. If you want to restrict the proposal to exactly what you included, you can disable this globally or on a specific proposal. ### Disabling Add-On Changes on a Single Proposal 1. Open the proposal. 2. Click Manage Booking. 3. Select Edit Proposal Settings. 4. Click No on the line 'Should the customer be able to add and remove add-ons before accepting this proposal?' 5. Click the Save Changes button. > This setting is per-proposal. You can allow add-on changes on some proposals and restrict them on others. ### To Disable Add-Ons on All Proposals **Where to find it:** Manage > Availability > Change Policy (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/availability/change_policy) 1. Go to Change Policy. 2. In the Proposals section, change the setting for Add-Ons. 3. Click Save. -> Open Change Policy (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/availability/change_policy) --- ## How do I configure questionnaire settings? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/195-how-do-i-configure-questionnaire-settings *Category: Questionnaires* *Questionnaire templates are tied to packages and copied onto matching bookings automatically. Learn what each template setting does and how to apply changes to existing bookings.* Questionnaires let you collect the details you need after a booking is secured, like event timelines, song requests, or dietary restrictions. You build each questionnaire once as a template and tie it to the packages it applies to. From then on, every new booking that includes a matching package automatically gets its own copy, so the right questions are waiting on the booking without you setting them up each time. A template's settings are the defaults for those copies: who can see it, who can fill it out, and when it appears. This article walks through those settings. If you are new to questionnaires, start with How do I use questionnaires to collect event details? for the bigger picture. **Where to find it:** Manage > Questionnaire Templates (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/form_templates) Each template has its own default permissions. To open them, click the down arrow next to Edit Questionnaire and choose Settings. ### Visibility and editing settings These default permissions decide how much of the questionnaire your team is responsible for versus your client. For example, you might let clients fill out their own event timeline, while keeping a sensitive internal questionnaire staff-only. They are applied whenever a copy of the template is added to a new booking, and you can override them later on an individual booking. - Allow staff to see this form? Staff can view this questionnaire on bookings. - Allow staff to fill out this form? Staff can fill in the answers themselves. This appears when staff can see the form. - Allow clients to see this form? Clients can open the questionnaire in their client portal. - Allow clients to fill out this form until it has been finalized? Clients can fill in and update their answers up until the questionnaire is finalized. After it is finalized, they can no longer change it. There is also a Show this questionnaire before or after the booking? option. Use it to set the questionnaire up as a pre-event questionnaire or a post-event survey. > Tip: Most businesses let clients fill out their own questionnaires so they can update their information as plans change. Letting staff fill them out is useful when you are collecting the details over the phone or in person. ### Template Management Other options available from the dropdown menu: - Preview: See how the questionnaire looks to clients - Edit: Modify questions and content - Settings: Open the default permissions described above - Duplicate: Create a copy to use as a starting point - Delete: Permanently remove the template > Changes to questionnaire templates only affect new bookings. Existing bookings keep their original questionnaire settings. ### Applying template changes to existing bookings Because template edits only affect new bookings, use Sync when you want to push changes out to bookings you have already taken. Open the template's dropdown menu and choose Sync. Check Cherry shows you what is out of date and lets you pick what to apply: - Add the questionnaire to bookings that now match its packages - Remove it from bookings that no longer match - Update permissions to the template's current settings - Update the questions to the latest version Bookings with completed questionnaires are left alone, so you will not overwrite answers a client has already submitted. ### Changing Settings on Individual Bookings You can override the template permissions for a single booking. Open the booking, go to the Questionnaires tab, click the down arrow next to the questionnaire, and choose Settings. Your changes apply to that booking only. ### Editing Questions on a Booking To change the actual questions on a specific booking, go to the Questionnaires tab, click the down arrow next to Fill Out, and choose Revise Questions. Changes only apply to that booking. > Tip: Use "Revise Questions" when you need to add event-specific questions or remove irrelevant ones for a particular client. --- ## Can I bundle packages together? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/33-can-i-bundle-packages *Category: Packages* *You have a photo booth and a DJ service, and when someone books the 360 booth, you want the premium lighting package to be reserved too.* You can't bundle packages together, but you can attach add-ons automatically to a package so clients get both items when they book the package. For example, when someone books your 360 photo booth, you might want to automatically include the premium lighting add-on. ### How to automatically attach add-ons **Where to find it:** Manage > Packages > Select a package > Settings (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/event_categories) 1. Go to Packages and select the package you want to modify. 2. Click the Advanced tab. 3. In the Add-ons section, check the add-ons you want to include automatically. 4. Set the options for the Add-on. 5. Save your changes. Set the options on the Add On: When clients book this package, the selected add-ons will be added automatically to their booking. The add-on prices are included in the total, and clients can see what's included in their proposal or booking confirmation. > Tip: This works well for add-ons that are always needed with a particular package, like lighting for photo booths or sound equipment for DJs. For optional extras, leave them unchecked so clients can choose. --- ## Why do my bulleted lists not look right in online booking? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/363-why-do-my-bulleted-lists-not-look-right-in-online-booking *Category: Online booking* If you use bullet points or numbered lists in your package descriptions or message templates, you may notice they look different in certain parts of the app — or don't look quite right in a client's email inbox. This is a known limitation of how formatting works across different contexts, and understanding why it happens makes it easier to work around. ### Package descriptions Package descriptions appear in several places: the online booking flow, invoices, emails, and the booking overview page. Each context has different layout requirements. On the booking page, descriptions are centered to match the package title, price, and graphic above them — left-aligned text would look out of place there. But on invoices and emails, centered text looks awkward, so those contexts use left alignment. Because the same description is used in both centered and left-aligned contexts, the alignment setting in the package editor preview doesn't carry through everywhere. What you see in the editor isn't always what your client sees. This is a known tradeoff, and improving how package descriptions are displayed across contexts is something we plan to revisit in a future redesign. > Tip: For now, keep package descriptions simple — short sentences or plain bullet points tend to look the most consistent across all the places they appear. ### Message templates and automated emails The message editor uses HTML to apply formatting, and HTML looks great in a browser. The problem is that email clients — Gmail, Outlook, Apple Mail, and others — each support a different subset of HTML and CSS. Features that render perfectly on the web may be stripped out or displayed incorrectly in an inbox. The editor itself is a standard third-party rich-text library, so what you see while writing looks polished. The preview on the next step is our attempt to show you something closer to how the email will actually appear to your client. It won't be a perfect match for every email client, but it should be reasonably close. > Warning: Avoid nesting lists inside other lists in message templates — for example, a bulleted list inside a numbered list. This is one of the formatting patterns most likely to break in email clients. --- ## Where can I see all my messages? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/57-can-i-see-all-my-messages-together-in-one-place *Category: Messaging* *Looking for a message you sent last week? Or checking if a client ever received your proposal email? Message History shows every email and SMS sent from you* Looking for a message you sent last week? Or checking if a client ever received your proposal email? Message History shows every email and SMS sent from your account in one place. **Where to find it:** Reporting > Message History (in your Check Cherry account: /recent_messages) The Message History page shows all communications with your clients — both emails and SMS messages. You can search by recipient name or email address, filter by message type (email or SMS), and choose to see all messages, just ones you sent, or only client replies. From the message list, you can reply directly to a client or click the linked lead, booking, or proposal to jump straight to that client's record. Individual booking messages are also available on the Messages tab of each booking. > Tip: Use Message History to track delivery status and see if clients opened your emails. This is especially helpful for following up on proposals that haven't been viewed yet. --- ## How do I change the payment due date on a proposal? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/67-change-the-payment-due-date-on-a-booking-or-proposal *Category: Payments* *A client needs more time to pay, or you agreed on a different payment schedule. You can change the due date on any booking or proposal in a few clicks.* A client needs more time to pay, or you agreed on a different payment schedule after sending the proposal. You can update the due date in a few clicks — the same payment link still works, so no need to resend anything. **Where to find it:** Manage > Proposals (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/proposals) 1. Select the proposal from your list. 2. Click Manage Booking. 3. Select Change Due Date and enter the new date. > Changing the due date also affects when automated payment reminders go out. They'll be rescheduled based on the new date. --- ## How do I set up automated payment reminders? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/205-set-up-automated-payment-reminders *Category: Payments* *The client signed and paid the deposit, but the final balance is just sitting there.* The client signed and paid the deposit, but the final balance is just sitting there. Payment reminders follow up for you automatically so you don't have to send the awkward "hey, you still owe me" email. ### Setting Up a Reminder **Where to find it:** Manage > Automated Messages (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/automated_events) 1. Go to Automated Messages. 2. Click New Automated Message. 3. Select the Payment Due Date email template group. 4. Choose one of the pre-made templates or create your own. 5. Customize the message template and click Save. > Tip: Include the payment link dynamic value in the email. This gives the client a one-click link to pay their balance without needing to log in or call you. ### How Most Businesses Set This Up Most businesses set up 2-3 reminders that escalate gently: - A friendly reminder when the balance becomes due. Something like "Just a heads up, your remaining balance is due." - A follow-up a few days later if it's still unpaid. A little more direct. - A final reminder closer to the event. "Your event is next week and we still have an outstanding balance." You don't need to write these from scratch. Check Cherry includes pre-built templates you can customize. The tone is up to you, but keeping it friendly and matter-of-fact works well. Nobody likes feeling chased. ### Timing You can schedule reminders relative to the event date (e.g. 14 days before) or relative to the payment due date (e.g. 3 days after the balance is due). Messages go out at approximately 11 AM in your account's time zone. ### Conditions You can add conditions to control when a reminder fires. For example, only send reminders for bookings over a certain amount, or only for specific packages. > Warning: If you add multiple conditions, all of them must be met for the email to send. They work as AND logic, not OR. > For a full overview of what you can automate, see Automated Messages overview. -> Open Automated Messages (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/automated_events) --- ## Setting up your appointment scheduling calendars https://www.checkcherry.com/help/396-setting-up-your-appointment-scheduling-calendars *Category: Bookings* *A scheduling calendar controls when clients can book a meeting with you, how long it lasts, and what details you collect. Here is how to set one up.* When you send a client a link to book an appointment, the calendar they land on decides everything: how long the meeting is, what meeting type is available, what they need to fill out before they hit submit. Setting it up well saves you back-and-forth later. ### What a scheduling calendar is A scheduling calendar is the booking page that opens when someone uses your appointment link. They see your available times, pick one, and book. Each calendar has its own: - Length and buffer between meetings - Meeting type (phone, Zoom, Google Meet, in person, or other) - Booking window and minimum notice - Custom invitation and confirmation messages - Custom questions you want answered up front - Its own unique link If you only ever do one type of meeting, the default calendar is enough. If you do quick 15-minute intros and hour-long planning calls, you will want one calendar for each, so the right options show up at the right time. ### Creating a new scheduling calendar 1. Click your name in the upper right and open Appointment Scheduling. 2. Click New Scheduling Calendar. 3. Give it a clear title clients will recognize, like "Quick chat," "Planning session," or "Studio tour." 4. Save and move on to settings. You can also edit an existing calendar by clicking Edit on its card, or open Show Details to see everything at a glance. ### Scheduling settings These are the controls under the Scheduling tab on a calendar. Title. What clients see when they pick a calendar. Keep it short and specific. Appointment length. How long the meeting lasts. Available from 15 minutes up to 12 hours. Buffer time. A gap between back-to-back appointments so you have a minute to breathe, take notes, or set up. Most businesses pick 15 minutes. Minimum notice. How far in advance someone has to book. If you set this to two hours, nobody can grab a slot starting in 30 minutes. Useful if you do not want to be caught off guard mid-errand. Maximum days in future. How far ahead someone can book. Setting this to a couple of weeks keeps your calendar from filling up with appointments you will forget about. Set it longer if you do long-range planning calls. Conflict prevention. This setting prevents new appointments during times you already have bookings. - Assigned bookings only blocks you off only when you are on the staff list for an event. Best for teams, where you are not personally working every event. - All bookings blocks you off whenever anything is on the company calendar. Best for solo operators. For a deeper walk-through of how Check Cherry keeps you from being double-booked, see the guide on preventing double bookings with appointments. Weekly appointment availability. The days and hours this calendar is open. You can reuse your standard booking availability or set custom hours just for this calendar. Helpful if, say, you only do planning sessions on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. ### Meeting location Under Meeting Details, choose how the appointment will happen. You can offer one option or several, and the client picks at booking time. - Phone. The client picks up at the time of the call. - Zoom or Google Meet. A meeting link is generated automatically once you have connected your account. - In person. List an address or instructions clients should follow. - Custom. For anything else, like Skype, FaceTime, or Microsoft Teams. If you only want clients to do video, select only Zoom or Google Meet and that becomes the only option on the booking page. For setup, see Integrating Appointments with Zoom or Google Meet. ### Custom invitation and confirmation messages Two messages show up around the booking, both editable under Meeting Details: - The invitation message appears on the booking page itself. Use it to set expectations: who you are, what the call covers, anything the client should have ready. - The confirmation message appears after the appointment is booked. A short "Looking forward to it," plus any next steps, works well. You can drop images, links, and formatting into either message. ### Questions on the booking form Each calendar can ask for whatever information you need: company name, venue details, event date, custom dropdowns, and so on. For the full breakdown, see the guide on customizing appointment questions. > Warning: The more questions you add, the fewer people will finish the form. Keep what you need for the call itself, and collect the rest later. ### Sharing your calendars A few ways to share: - Scheduling link on a calendar card copies a link straight to that calendar. - Preview opens the booking page so you can see exactly what clients see. - QR code can be generated from the link, useful for flyers, business cards, or signage at events. - Share scheduling link at the bottom of the Appointment Scheduling page is a single link that lists all of your calendars. Send this when you want the client to pick the meeting type themselves. Most businesses send the specific calendar link rather than the share-all link. It keeps the path simpler for the client. --- ## How do I change all my backdrops at once? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/51-can-i-make-changes-of-all-my-backdrops-at-the-same-time *Category: Packages* *Updating prices or visibility on 50 backdrops one at a time is painful. Bulk edit lets you select a group and change them all at once.* Updating prices or settings on dozens of backdrops one at a time is tedious. Bulk edit lets you select a group and change them all at once — pricing, categories, package associations, and more. **Where to find it:** Manage > Backdrops (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/photobooth_backgrounds) 1. Go to Backdrops. 2. Click the Bulk Actions button 1. Select the backdrops you want to change using the checkboxes. 2. Click Edit Selected Backdrops. 3. Choose the action you want to take and apply the changes. ### What can I bulk edit? - Update Pricing — change prices across multiple backdrops - Make taxable — toggle tax collection on or off - Move to Category — organize backdrops into different categories - Set Associated Packages — control which packages include these backdrops - Include at no charge with certain packages — make backdrops free with specific packages - Lead time requirements — mark backdrops that need advance notice - Backdrop Gallery Widget visibility — show or hide in your website gallery - Archive/Unarchive — remove from or restore to active use - Delete — permanently remove backdrops > Tip: Use bulk edit when setting up new backdrop categories or adjusting prices across your entire collection. It's much faster than editing each one individually. --- ## How do I configure my service settings? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/204-how-do-i-configure-my-service-settings *Category: Bookings* *Services are the top level of your package hierarchy. If you offer photo booths and bartending, each is a service.* Services are the top level of your package hierarchy — if you offer bartending, photo booth and DJ, each could be a separate service. Service settings control what clients see first on your booking page and how the booking flow works for that type of event. ### Accessing Service Settings **Where to find it:** Manage > Packages (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/event_categories) 1. Go to Packages. 2. Click the gear icon next to the service you want to configure. ### General Settings Name — The service name clients see during booking (Photo Booth, DJ, Mobile Bartender). Do you wish to collect the location name and address during booking? — Choose how clients provide event location details: - Yes, allow customers to provide any address - Yes, only from preferred locations - Yes, show both preferred locations and allow custom - No, but set it to my business address - No, do not add an address What do you call locations? — The label clients see for location fields. Choose from: - Venue - Location - Property Allow customers to skip this step? — Let clients skip the location step if they're not ready to provide details yet. > Tip: Most event professionals require location details since travel fees depend on distance. Only allow skipping if you primarily serve local clients or don't charge travel fees. ### Images #### Primary Image This is the first image clients see when they visit your booking page. It sets the tone for your service and should showcase your work quality. > Recommended size: 300x500 (tall orientation works best). You can upload a new image or select from your Media Library. #### Proposal Image This image appears as the cover photo on proposals for this service, overriding your default proposal cover. > Recommended size: 1500x500 (wide orientation). This creates a professional header for your proposals. ### Booking Engine Show name on booking page? — Display the service name prominently on your booking page. Most businesses keep this enabled so clients know exactly what they're booking. Sub Header — A short line of text that appears below the service name. Use this to provide helpful context like "Complete wedding entertainment" or "Professional photo booth experience." > Tip: Keep sub headers brief and focused on the benefit to the client. This text helps set expectations during the booking process. ### Staff Settings What do you call the staff of this type of event? — The label clients see for staff members (DJ, Photo Booth Attendant, Bartender). This appears throughout the booking flow and client communications. How should staff be assigned to this event? — Choose how staff members are connected to bookings: - Allow customer to choose from available staff during booking - Automatically assign a certain staff member - Allow staff to request bookings - Allow staff to claim bookings - Do not assign staff > Most solo operators choose "Automatically assign" and set themselves as the default. Larger teams often use "Allow staff to claim bookings" to let team members pick their own events. --- ## How do I delete a booking? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/101-how-can-i-delete-a-booking *Category: Bookings* *Created a test booking or a duplicate by mistake? You can delete it permanently.* Sometimes you need to permanently remove a booking — maybe it was a test, duplicate, or mistake. Here's how to delete it completely. **Where to find it:** Sales > Bookings (in your Check Cherry account: /events) 1. Click on the booking you want to delete. 2. Click the status button at the top of the booking. 3. Select Permanently Delete from the status menu. > Warning: Deleting is permanent and cannot be undone. If you want to keep the record but free up the date, change the status to Cancelled instead. > You can also find bookings through Proposals if they started as a proposal that was accepted. --- ## Preventing double bookings with appointments https://www.checkcherry.com/help/397-preventing-double-bookings-with-appointments *Category: Bookings* *Check Cherry automatically keeps appointments from colliding with your bookings, your other appointments, and your personal calendar. Here is how it works and how to fine-tune it.* Nothing rattles a client's confidence faster than a scheduling mix-up. The good news: Check Cherry blocks most double bookings for you automatically, and a few settings let you close the rest of the gaps. ### What Check Cherry blocks automatically Out of the box, Check Cherry keeps your appointments from overlapping with: - Other appointments. Once a time slot is booked, it disappears from your scheduling calendar so no one can grab it twice. - Your bookings. If you are tied up with an event, that time is blocked from new appointments. How aggressively this happens is up to you (more on that next). It also respects the buffer time and minimum notice on each scheduling calendar, so back-to-back meetings always leave you room to breathe. See Setting up your appointment scheduling calendars for those controls. ### Bookings: assigned only, or all? Each scheduling calendar has a conflict-prevention setting that decides when a booking blocks you from taking an appointment. It is the single most important setting for avoiding collisions, and the right choice depends on the size of your team. - All bookings. Any booking on the company calendar blocks that time. Best if you are a solo operator. If you are running an event from 5 to 7, you do not want a client scheduling a consultation in the middle of it. - Assigned bookings only. A booking blocks you only when you are listed as staff on it. Best for larger teams, where your crew works the events while you stay free to take meetings. Rule of thumb: if you personally work every event, choose all bookings. If you have a team covering events, choose assigned bookings only. ### Block off your own time For everything outside of bookings and appointments, you can block time yourself: - Blockout dates and staff time off. Mark vacations, days off, or any window you do not want booked. See How do I set blockout dates? - Weekly availability. Set the days and hours each scheduling calendar is open, so clients never see times you do not actually work, like early mornings or weekends. You can reach both from the sales calendar (Add New > Blockout Date(s) or Staff Time Off) or by clicking your name and choosing Set Booking Availability. ### Sync your personal calendar Your life outside Check Cherry can block appointment times too. Connect your Google Calendar and Check Cherry will pull in those events and treat them as busy, so no one can book you during a dentist visit or your kid's soccer practice. This is especially handy for recurring commitments. Add them once to your Google Calendar and Check Cherry keeps those slots closed automatically. For setup, see How do I sync my calendar with Check Cherry? > Tip: Test it yourself. Open your scheduling link in a private browser window and confirm the times you expect to be blocked really are. --- ## How do I recommend specific add-ons during booking? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/196-how-do-i-recommend-specific-add-ons-during-booking *Category: Packages* *Some add-ons are perfect companions to certain packages. Recommending them puts them front and center during booking so clients are more likely to see them.* Some add-ons are perfect companions to certain packages. Recommending them puts them front and center during booking so clients are more likely to see them. ### Setting Up Recommendations **Where to find it:** Manage > Add-ons (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/add_ons) 1. Go to Add-ons. 2. Select the add-on you want to recommend. 3. Click the star icon next to each package where this add-on should be recommended. 4. Save. ### What Clients See Recommended add-ons appear in a separate "Recommended" section during booking, before the full add-on list. --- ## How do I share my booking page link? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/203-how-do-i-share-my-booking-page-link *Category: Online booking* *You want to send a client directly to your booking page, or to a specific package. Every level of your package structure has a shareable link.* Whether you're updating your website, posting on social media, or replying to an inquiry, you'll need a link to your booking page. You can share your full booking page or link directly to a specific service or package to skip the browsing step. ### Full Booking Page Link The link to your complete booking page is at the bottom of the Package Manager. This takes clients to the start of your booking flow where they can browse all your public packages. ![Booking page link with copy and QR code buttons at the bottom of the Package Manager](https://www.checkcherry.com/rails/active_storage/blobs/redirect/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsiZGF0YSI6NTE4MTUyMCwicHVyIjoiYmxvYl9pZCJ9fQ==--8ba8c8f8e08726f820cb399c9cc1e014d7e79d66/article_203_01_booking_link.png?disposition=inline) ### Link to a Service To send clients directly to a specific service, open the three-dots menu on the right side of the service bar and choose Shareable link to service. ![Service three-dots menu with Shareable link to service highlighted](https://www.checkcherry.com/rails/active_storage/blobs/redirect/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsiZGF0YSI6NTE4MTUyMSwicHVyIjoiYmxvYl9pZCJ9fQ==--e88636cd58d3415d5d277891c309f80183cc21c6/article_203_02_service_menu.png?disposition=inline) You'll see options for public packages only, or both public and private packages within that service. ![Service link options for public packages only or with private packages](https://www.checkcherry.com/rails/active_storage/blobs/redirect/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsiZGF0YSI6NTE4MTUyMiwicHVyIjoiYmxvYl9pZCJ9fQ==--d6d5bd8b216845aac43fdacb6c8ad4fcee0528fb/article_203_03_service_modal.png?disposition=inline) ### Link to a Package Group Open the three-dots menu on any package group and choose Shareable link to package group. Like services, you can choose to include only public packages or both public and private packages. ![Package group three-dots menu with Shareable link to package group highlighted](https://www.checkcherry.com/rails/active_storage/blobs/redirect/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsiZGF0YSI6NTE4MTUyMywicHVyIjoiYmxvYl9pZCJ9fQ==--455cd286ae6faf1c110f4674a76f3af2bd6e4a0b/article_203_04_group_menu.png?disposition=inline) ### Link to a Specific Package For the most direct path, open the three-dots menu on any package and choose Shareable link to package. This link takes clients straight to that package. ![Package three-dots menu with Shareable link to package highlighted](https://www.checkcherry.com/rails/active_storage/blobs/redirect/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsiZGF0YSI6NTE4MTUyNCwicHVyIjoiYmxvYl9pZCJ9fQ==--13b7619a5e9a20a303755ef316b7c61993298ec1/article_203_05_package_menu.png?disposition=inline) > Tip: Direct package links work great for social media posts or when you know exactly what someone wants. Share a link to your most popular package on Instagram, or send a client straight to the package you discussed over the phone. -> Open Package Manager (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/event_categories) --- ## How do I add print layout templates or designs to a booking? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/394-how-do-i-add-print-layout-templates-or-designs-to-a-booking *Category: Getting started* When clients book a photo booth or photography session, they often want a say in how their prints look. Design collections let you offer print layout templates, overlays, or design options as part of any package or add-on. Once a collection is attached to a booking, clients can browse the designs, make a selection, request revisions, and give final approval — all inside Check Cherry, without back-and-forth emails. ### Create a design collection A design collection is a named set of templates you can attach to packages or add-ons. You can create your own, edit the included sample collection, or connect a third-party design integration. **Where to find it:** Manage > Design Collections (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/event_categories) 1. Go to Design Collections. 2. Click New Design Collection to create your own, or click the sample collection to edit it. If you have a third-party design integration set up, go to Business Settings --> Integrations and click New Third Party Collection to add a 3rd party integration. 3. Click New Third Party Collection and select the integration to pull in designs from that provider. 4. Give the collection a name and save. ### Upload templates to the collection With your collection open, use New Template to add images one at a time, or use Bulk Actions to upload or edit multiple templates at once. ### Assign templates to packages or add-ons Once your templates are uploaded, click the Settings tab inside the collection. From here you can: - Choose which packages or add-ons this design collection is available for - Select which individual templates are displayed to clients in this collection - Choose which layouts are available - Select which categories of templates are available ### Sync changes to existing bookings If you update a design collection after bookings are already in place, use the Sync button to push your changes out to existing bookings automatically. > The sync button only updates existing bookings that already have this collection attached. New bookings will automatically get the latest version. --- ## What are the processing fees for Check Cherry Payments? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/163-what-are-the-processing-fees-for-check-cherry-payments *Category: Payments* *Credit card processing fees for Check Cherry Payments are 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction.* Credit card processing fees for Check Cherry Payments are 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction. You can choose to absorb these fees or pass them on to clients as a separate line item. ### Enabling Check Cherry Payments If you haven't set up credit card processing yet, you'll need to enable Check Cherry Payments first. **Where to find it:** Manage > Payment Settings (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/payment_methods) 1. Go to Payment Settings. 2. Click Enable under Check Cherry Payments. ### Passing Fees to Clients You can optionally pass the processing fee to the client. If enabled, the fee appears as a separate line item on their invoice, so they see exactly what they're paying for the convenience of using a credit card. 1. In Payment Settings, click the settings gear next to your credit card method. 2. Enable Pass processing fees to customer. 3. Save your changes. > Most businesses absorb the processing fees to keep pricing simple, but passing them on is common in industries where clients expect to pay card fees. Video: https://www.youtube.com/embed/nt9KHepvTIs --- ## Understanding Email Bounce Errors https://www.checkcherry.com/help/212-understanding-email-bounce-errors *Category: Messaging* *When an email can't be delivered, you'll see a bounce status with a reason explaining why.* When an email can't be delivered, you'll see a bounce status with a reason explaining why. This guide covers what each bounce error means and what you can do about it. ### Hard vs Soft Bounces - Hard bounce: A permanent failure. The address doesn't exist or the domain is invalid. These emails will never be delivered. - Soft bounce: A temporary issue like a full mailbox or a server timeout. These often resolve on their own. > Check Cherry tracks hard bounces and suppresses future sends to invalid addresses. This protects your sending reputation so your other emails keep landing in inboxes. ### Checking Bounce Status **Where to find it:** Sales > Messages > Hard Bounces (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/hard_bounces) 1. Go to Hard Bounces. 2. Click the Hard Bounces tab to see suppressed addresses. 3. Click any message to see the full delivery status and bounce reason. ### Common Bounce Errors #### 550 Permanent Failure for One or More Recipients Error codes: 550 permanent failure for one or more recipients This is a generic error that means the recipient's email server permanently rejected the message. The specific reason varies, but it's telling you the email won't be delivered and shouldn't be retried. - Check the email address for typos — this is the most common cause - Ask the client to confirm their current email address - Try an alternate email if you have one - If the address looks correct, their email provider may be blocking messages from Check Cherry. They can contact their IT department to find out why the block is happening > This error often masks more specific issues like invalid addresses or policy rejections. The recipient's email server isn't providing detailed information about why it rejected the message. #### Invalid Email Address / User Not Found Error codes: 550 5.1.1 User Unknown, 550 Requested action not taken: mailbox unavailable The email address doesn't exist on the recipient's mail server. Usually a typo, a deleted account, or an old address that's no longer active. - Double-check the email address for typos - Ask the client for their current email - Check if their company changed email domains #### Mailbox Full Error codes: 552 5.2.2 mailbox is full, 452 insufficient storage The recipient's inbox is at capacity and can't accept new messages. - Wait a day or two and try again - Contact the client by phone to let them know - Try an alternate email address if you have one #### Domain or DNS Issues Error codes: Unable to get MX info, Failed to get IPs from PTR record, BOGON address The recipient's email domain isn't properly configured to receive email. The domain may have expired, or their DNS records are misconfigured. - Check the domain for typos (the part after the @ symbol) - Ask the client if their domain or email provider changed recently - Try an alternate email address #### Policy or Security Rejection Error codes: 550 5.7.1 Command rejected, Message blocked, Sender verification failed The recipient's email server is blocking the message based on their security settings. Common with corporate, school, and government email systems. - Ask the client to add your sending address to their contacts or whitelist - Send them the proposal link directly from your personal email instead - Chat with us if you're seeing this across multiple clients #### DMARC / SPF Rejection Error codes: 550 5.7.23 SPF violation, DMARC policy rejection This usually happens when the recipient has email forwarding set up. Their old address forwards to a new one, but the forwarding server doesn't properly authenticate the forwarded message. - Ask the client for their direct email address instead of a forwarded alias - This is a problem on the recipient's end, not something you can fix #### Connection Timeout Error codes: i/o timeout, connection timed out Our server couldn't connect to the recipient's email server. This is almost always temporary. - Wait and try again later. This usually resolves on its own. - If it persists, the recipient's mail server may be down. Try an alternate address. ### FAQ #### Will bounced emails be retried automatically? Soft bounces (mailbox full, timeouts) may be retried automatically. Hard bounces (invalid addresses) will not, and the address is suppressed from future sends. #### How can I prevent bounces? Confirm email addresses with your clients when they book. Ask them to double-check spelling. Most bounces come from typos or outdated addresses. #### A client says they didn't get my email but there's no bounce. What happened? The email was likely delivered but filtered to another folder like Promotions, Spam, or Junk. Ask the client to check those folders and add your sending address to their contacts. > Tip: For general email deliverability tips, see our article on why emails go to spam. -> Email Event History (in your Check Cherry account: /recent_messages) --- ## How do I manage multiple locations? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/398-how-do-i-manage-multiple-locations *Category: Getting started* *Manage multiple locations (cities or metro regions) in Check Cherry. Use a Service per location under one booking page, a separate brand per location for its own booking URL, or separate accounts when your locations use different bank accounts.* Expanding into more than one city or metro region? Check Cherry gives you a few ways to manage multiple locations from the same login. Which one fits depends on two things: whether your locations share a bank account, and whether you want them under one booking link or each with its own. ### Start here: one bank account, or more than one? Each Check Cherry account pays out to a single bank account. That decides whether your locations can share one account or need separate ones. - All locations share one bank account — most businesses keep everything in one account (use Services or brands, below). - Locations use different bank accounts — you'll need a separate Check Cherry account for each. > Inside one account you can still give each location its own packages, travel pricing, branding, and even its own booking link. The bank account is the only thing that forces separate accounts. ### Simplest: a Service per location (one booking link) For most multi-location businesses, create a Service for each location in the Package Manager and nest that location's packages under it. Customers use one booking link and choose the location they need. A Service is the top-level grouping in the Package Manager — each one holds its own package groups and packages. Here's how that looks with two locations: Service: Atlanta    • Package Group: Weddings        • Package: 3-Hour Package    • Package Group: Corporate        • Package: Custom QuoteService: Miami    • Package Group: Weddings        • Package: 3-Hour Package        • Package: 4-Hour Package 1. In the Package Manager, click Build a new service and name it for the location (for example, "Dallas" or "Austin"). 2. Add package groups and packages under that Service. 3. Repeat for each location. -> Open Package Manager (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/event_categories) ### Give each location its own travel pricing Travel is measured from a starting address, so add a travel zone for each location. 1. Go to Travel Zones and add a zone for the location. 2. Under "What address do you use as your starting point for this zone?", choose Custom Address and enter that location's address. 3. Set a flat or distance-based fee — distance is measured from that starting address. 4. In the Valid For Packages panel, select the packages under that location's Service so the zone applies only there. -> Open Travel Zones (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/travel_zones) Scoping to a Service is a common Check Cherry pattern. Travel zones are just one example: add-ons, backdrops, extras, and more can each be limited to a specific Service, so every location offers exactly the right options while everything stays in one account. > Tip: This keeps one booking link, one login, and one bank account while giving each location correctly priced travel and organized packages. It's the best fit for most city or metro expansions. ### Set a booking cap for each location If a location can only handle so many events, give its Service a booking cap. On the Availability page, each Service has its own limit, so one location booking up doesn't block the others. Leave it blank for no limit, or choose Business Default to inherit your account-wide setting. > Tip: For each location to control its own cap, leave the Business-Wide Settings Simultaneous Bookings field blank. With no limit at the account level, bookings are capped at the Service, package group, and package level instead, so every location sets its own. 1. Go to Availability. 2. Find the location's Service. Each Service row is marked with a Service badge. 3. Set its max number of bookings, and choose whether a booking blocks the entire day or just the scheduled time. -> Open Availability (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/availability/booking_limit) ### A brand per location (a separate booking link for each) Brands are a way to separate locations within the same account — no second account needed. The difference from Services: a Service keeps every location on one booking link, while a brand gives each location its own booking link and URL. Reach for a brand per location when you want each location to have its own booking link, and/or its own set of services nested under that link. - Each brand has its own: booking link, logo, colors, contact info, and its own services and packages. - All brands share: one account, one login, one bank account, and one pooled set of plan limits. > Tip: Brands are included with your plan, so every location runs on the same subscription and shares your plan's booking and resource limits. There's no separate plan to buy for each one. 1. Go to Manage → Business Settings. 2. Click Add Another Brand at the bottom (available if your plan includes additional brands). 3. Set the brand's name, logo, colors, contact info, and URL. -> Open Business Settings (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/brands) For setup details, see Branding and How do I manage packages across brands? ### When your locations are really separate businesses If your locations use different bank accounts, or you want completely separate billing, reporting, and logins, set up a separate Check Cherry account for each. - Each account has its own URL, like your-business.checkcherry.com, and its own login — bookmark each one. - Each has its own subscription, packages, reporting, and settings; nothing is shared. There's no self-serve way to copy a location's setup into a separate account. If you'd like the same packages in your new account, contact support and our team can duplicate them for you. ### Do I get a discount for adding a second account? There's no automatic discount for opening a second account, but you don't have to pay full price either. You can use your own link from the refer-a-friend program to get the same offer a new customer would. Go to Manage → Refer Friends, copy your referral link, and use it when you sign up for the second account. -> Refer Friends (in your Check Cherry account: /referrals) ### User access with multiple locations However you split locations within one account, some things are shared across all of them. Plan around these: - No "location manager" role. Every admin or staff user sees the whole account — you can't limit someone to just one location's data. - Staff aren't location-restricted. You can't give a team member access to one location but not another. - Reporting is account-wide. Reports span all locations. You can filter by service or package, but there's no separate per-location ledger. > Warning: If walling off each location's team and data is essential, separate accounts are the only way to get that today — at the cost of shared reporting and packages. --- ## Staff user roles and permissions https://www.checkcherry.com/help/208-staff-user-roles-and-permissions *Category: Staff* *Not everyone on your team needs access to everything. Roles and permissions let you control what each person can see and do.* Not everyone on your team needs access to everything. Roles and permissions let you control what each person can see and do. ### User Roles - Admin: Full access to everything. Bookings, payments, settings, reporting. This is the account owner and managers. - Staff: Can see bookings they're assigned to, client info, event details, and notes. Cannot access payments, settings, or reporting unless you grant additional permissions. - Customer: Your clients. They log in to view their bookings, sign contracts, make payments, and fill out questionnaires through the client portal. > The Check Cherry app for iOS and Android is only available to admins and staff. Clients access their bookings through the client portal in a web browser — not the app. ### Staff Permissions Staff start with basic access. You can expand what they can do with two optional settings: - See All Bookings: Lets staff see every booking in the system, not just the ones they're assigned to. - Extended Permissions: Gives staff access to pricing, add-ons, venues, private notes, and the ability to convert leads to proposals. #### What Extended Permissions Includes - See and edit pricing on bookings - See and edit add-ons - See and edit venue details - See and edit private notes - Convert leads to proposals > Staff with extended permissions still cannot see pricing on all bookings they're not assigned to, unless "See All Bookings" is also enabled. ### Sales Role The Sales role gives staff everything in the basic Staff role plus built-in access to lead management and the ability to create and send proposals. Sales users can also be granted "See All Bookings" and "Extended Permissions." ### Quick Reference | Role | Basic Access | Lead Management | Proposals | See All Bookings | Extended Permissions | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Staff | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | Optional | Optional | | Sales | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Optional | Optional | > Warning: The shareable link at the bottom of a booking will show pricing to anyone who opens it, even if pricing is hidden for that user. ### Adding a Staff Member **Where to find it:** Manage > User Accounts (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/users) 1. Go to User Accounts. 2. Click New User. 3. Enter their name and email. 4. Assign the appropriate role. 5. Send them a login invitation. #### Support Video: Staff Video: https://youtu.be/BTaIF-atb6w?si=KJuMC31DxoqHKRVw --- ## How do I change the deposit amount on one proposal alternative? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/113-how-do-i-change-the-deposit-amount-on-one-proposal-alternative *Category: Proposals* *One proposal, three alternatives at different price points — but the deposit should be different on each. You can set that per-alternative.* One proposal, three alternatives at different price points — but the deposit should be different on each. You can set that per-alternative. ### Finding Your Proposal **Where to find it:** Sales > Proposals (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/proposals) Locate the proposal, or search for the title, client name, or invoice number in the global search bar. ### Changing the Deposit 1. Open the proposal. 2. Click the Invoice tab on the alternative you want to change. 3. Click the 3-dot menu next to the deposit line. On the deposit edit screen, choose whether to adjust the deposit for all proposal alternatives, or just this one. -> Go to Proposals (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/proposals) --- ## How do I add extra questions to bookings and lead forms? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/129-how-do-i-add-extra-questions-to-my-booking-process *Category: Leads* *Extra questions collect more information during online booking or on lead forms. Choose built-in questions or write your own.* Extra questions let you collect more than the basics during online booking or on lead forms: how they heard about you, guest count, event theme, or anything else you need before the job. Instead of emailing back and forth, you get the answers up front. > Tip: Only ask what you actually need. Every extra question reduces the number of people who finish. Start with two or three and add more later. ### Adding Extra Questions **Where to find it:** Manage > Booking Engine > Extra Questions (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/booking_engine/booking_questions) 1. Go to Extra Questions. 2. Click New Question. 3. Choose a built-in question or create a custom one. 4. Under When do you want to ask this question?, choose Collect during online booking and proposals or Only for lead forms or internal use. 5. Choose whether customers are required to answer. 6. Select the packages it applies to. 7. Click Save. > During online booking, a question only appears when the client picks one of its packages. A question with no packages selected won't appear during online booking. ### Built-in Questions Check Cherry includes common questions you can turn on with one click: - Customer Address - Business Name - Event Type - Estimated Guest Count - Lead Source (How did you hear about us?) - Setup At (Date & Time) - Dropoff At (Date & Time) - Stair Setup - PO Number - Setup Location - Pickup Location - Contact Preferences - Estimated Budget Custom questions let you write your own prompt and pick the input type: text field, dropdown, radio buttons, checkbox group, or address. ### Adding Questions to a Lead Form Open your lead form in the form designer, click Add to form, and pick the question under Custom fields. Drag it where you want it and set whether it's required. See creating lead forms for more. Questions set to Only for lead forms or internal use never appear during online booking or on proposals. Use this for questions that only make sense before someone books. ### What Clients See During Online Booking Extra questions appear as their own step after the client picks their package and options. Required questions must be answered before they can continue. Optional questions can be skipped. ### Using Answers in Messages Each custom question creates an automated message token. If you ask "What's your event theme?", you get a [whats_your_event_theme] token to use in emails and text messages. Use tokens to personalize follow-ups, such as "We'll see you on [event_date] for your [event_theme] celebration!" > The token name comes from your question text. Spaces become underscores and special characters are removed. You'll see the exact token when you create the question. ### Where to Find the Answers Open the booking and look for the Additional Info section at the bottom of the Overview page. Answers from lead forms appear on the lead the same way. -> Set Up Extra Questions (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/booking_engine/booking_questions) --- ## How do I download my client contact list? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/39-how-do-i-download-my-client-contact-list *Category: Reporting* *Export your client contact information as a CSV file from the Client List report.* Whether you're switching email marketing platforms or need to pull client data for another purpose, you can export all your client contact information as a CSV file. ### How to Export Client Contacts **Where to find it:** Sales > Reporting > Client List (in your Check Cherry account: /report/users) 1. Go to Client List. 2. Click Columns to select what information to include. 3. Apply any filters if you only need specific clients. 4. Click Export to download the CSV file. > The CSV file can be opened in Excel, Google Sheets, or imported into most email marketing services like Mailchimp or Constant Contact. --- ## User accounts in Check Cherry https://www.checkcherry.com/help/216-user-accounts-in-check-cherry *Category: Staff* *Different people in your business need different levels of access. Here is how user accounts work and how to manage them.* Different people in your business need different levels of access. Here is how user accounts work and how to manage them. ### Account Types #### Client Accounts A client account is created automatically when someone completes a booking (signs the contract and pays), books an appointment, or submits a lead form. Clients can log into their portal to view bookings, sign contracts, make payments, fill out questionnaires, and download invoices. As an admin, you can also create client accounts manually when adding a new booking or proposal. #### Staff Accounts Staff accounts let team members see bookings they're assigned to and access event details. You can expand their access with additional permissions. - Extended Permissions: See pricing, messages, and make edits to bookings. - See All Bookings: See all bookings, not just the ones they're assigned to. - Manage Leads & Proposals: Manage leads and create proposals with pricing and messaging. Staff can also be made visible to clients during online booking, so clients can request a specific team member. #### Admin Accounts Admin accounts have full access to everything in your Check Cherry account. Every account allows at least two admins. Admins can impersonate any other user to troubleshoot issues or set up their calendar sync. #### Contacts A contact is a reference card attached to a booking or proposal. It holds someone's name, email, and phone number but does not give them login access. Use contacts for secondary people involved in an event, like a wedding planner or a corporate event coordinator. ### Managing User Accounts **Where to find it:** Manage > User Accounts (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/users) #### Creating a Staff or Admin Account 1. Go to User Accounts. 2. Click New User. 3. Enter their name, email, and assign a role (Staff or Admin). 4. Set a password and share it with the user so they can log in. #### Editing a Client Account From a booking, the client info shows in the right sidebar. By clicking Edit in the Actions button, you can edit their contact information. There are also a number of other actions you can take using the Actions button. #### Impersonating a User Admins can impersonate any user by going to User Accounts, clicking on the user, and clicking Impersonate. This logs you in as that user so you can see what they see or set up their calendar sync. > Tip: For a detailed breakdown of what each role can do, see staff user roles and permissions. -> Manage User Accounts (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/users) --- ## How do I refund a payment? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/141-how-do-i-refund-a-booking *Category: Payments* *Sometimes you need to return money to a client — a cancelled event, a service change, or a billing correction.* Sometimes you need to return money to a client — a cancelled event, a service change, or a billing correction. Check Cherry handles refunds through your payment processor for credit card payments, while manual payments (cash, check) need to be refunded directly to the client. > Before processing any refund, check your contract terms. Most event professionals keep a portion of the deposit for cancellations within certain timeframes. Consider offering a credit or date change instead — many clients prefer to reschedule rather than lose their deposit. ### Types of Refunds - Credit card refunds — processed automatically through Check Cherry Payments back to the original card. Takes 5-10 business days to appear on the client's statement. - Manual refunds — for cash, check, or other payments made outside Check Cherry. You handle returning the money directly and record the refund in Check Cherry for your records. | Payment Type | Refund Method | Processing Time | | --- | --- | --- | | Credit Card | Automatic via Check Cherry | 5-10 business days | | Cash | Manual return + record in app | Immediate | | Check | Manual return + record in app | Immediate | ### Refunding Credit Card Payments Credit card refunds can be full or partial and are processed back to the original payment method. **Where to find it:** Bookings > Select booking > Invoice (in your Check Cherry account: /events) 1. Go to the Invoice tab of the booking. 2. In the Payments section, click Start a Refund next to the payment. ![Start a Refund button next to a card payment in the Payments section of the booking invoice](https://www.checkcherry.com/rails/active_storage/blobs/redirect/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsiZGF0YSI6NTE3NjcxMywicHVyIjoiYmxvYl9pZCJ9fQ==--68c768f278593b4f2d3a34f6869c7dca8878a61a/article_141_start_refund.jpg?disposition=inline) 1. Enter the amount to refund. It starts at the full payment amount. 2. Leave The customer still owes this amount unchecked. Check it only if the customer will pay again, such as after a charge to the wrong card. 3. Click Issue Refund. The refund goes back to the original card right away. Check Cherry also adds a credit note that lowers the booking total by the refund amount, so the customer doesn't show a balance due. ![Issue Refund form with the amount to refund and The customer still owes this amount checkbox](https://www.checkcherry.com/rails/active_storage/blobs/redirect/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsiZGF0YSI6NTE3NjcyMywicHVyIjoiYmxvYl9pZCJ9fQ==--1be952d650a8714b8be2ae4ad63ed0813f727fef/article_141_issue_refund.jpg?disposition=inline) > If you have switched payment processors since taking the payment, the refund goes back through the processor that was connected at the time of the original payment. ### Refunding Manual Payments For cash, check, or other manual payments, you first return the money to the client directly, then record the refund in Check Cherry. 1. Go to the Invoice tab of the booking. 2. In the Payments section, click Add Payment and select Record Manual Refund. 3. Enter the date, payment method, and refund amount. 4. Leave The customer still owes this amount unchecked so the booking total drops by the refund. Check it only if the customer will pay again. 5. Click Save. ![Add Payment menu open with Record Manual Refund highlighted](https://www.checkcherry.com/rails/active_storage/blobs/redirect/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsiZGF0YSI6NTE3NjcyNCwicHVyIjoiYmxvYl9pZCJ9fQ==--e01cb271995a53a360cf100f3ce85163822d4d54/article_141_record_manual_refund.jpg?disposition=inline) > Warning: Check Cherry cannot send money back for manual payments — it only records that the refund happened. You're responsible for returning the funds through whatever method the client originally used. ### What If a Credit Card Refund Fails? Once a credit card refund is processed, it cannot be cancelled. The money is already on its way to the client's bank. If the client's card is closed or expired, here's what typically happens: - If the client still has a relationship with the bank (like a new card number), the bank usually forwards the refund to their new account. - If the account is completely closed, the bank may accept the funds and mail a check to the client. - If the bank rejects the refund, the money will eventually bounce back to your account (usually within a week). If the refund bounces back, you'll need to return the money another way — typically by mailing a check. Don't process another refund until you confirm the original one failed. If the refund doesn't bounce back, the client will need to contact their bank directly for help locating the funds. --- ## Use the Backdrop Manager to organize your backdrops https://www.checkcherry.com/help/217-use-the-backdrop-manager-to-organize-your-backdrops *Category: Packages* *Fifty backdrops with no organization means clients scroll forever trying to find what they want.* Clients love having backdrop options, and over time your collection grows. Organizing backdrops into categories makes it easier for clients to find the perfect one for their event. **Where to find it:** Manage > Backdrops (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/photobooth_backgrounds) ### Categories Backdrops are easier to browse when organized into categories. Most businesses use something like Basic, Premium, and Seasonal — but you can name them whatever makes sense for your collection. #### Category Settings - Category Name: What clients see when browsing (Basic, Premium, Free, etc.) - Sub Header: Brief context shown under the name ("Included with your package," "Additional fee applies") #### Default Settings Each category has defaults that apply to all backdrops in that category unless you override them on individual backdrops: - Default Price: Starting at $0.00, but you can set any amount - Taxable: Whether backdrops in this category are subject to sales tax (only applies in your configured tax zones) - Require Lead Time: Useful if you need to order or ship backdrops before the event - Show in Backdrop Gallery Widget: Whether to display these backdrops on your marketing website ### Default Visibility Control which packages can see and book backdrops from this category: - Media: The primary image clients see when browsing backdrops - Visible for Packages: Choose which packages can access backdrops in this category > Warning: Backdrops have visibility settings at both the category level and individual backdrop level — both must be set to visible for clients to see the backdrop with a specific package. ### Individual Backdrop Settings Each backdrop has its own settings that can override the category defaults: #### Basic Information - Name: What clients see when selecting backdrops - Description: Optional details about the backdrop - Category: Which category this backdrop belongs to - Price: Override the category default if this backdrop has different pricing - Taxable: Override the category tax setting if needed #### Advanced Options - Include at no charge with certain packages: If Yes, this backdrop is free for all packages it's assigned to. If No, you can set individual pricing per package or use the category default. - Require lead time: Block bookings that don't give you enough time to prepare this backdrop - Show in Backdrop Gallery Widget: Display this backdrop on your marketing website ### Media and Package Visibility Upload the image clients will see when browsing backdrops. You can add multiple images or even a video to show the backdrop in action. You can upload files directly or choose from your existing Media Gallery. By default, backdrops are visible to all packages. You can restrict specific backdrops to only appear for certain packages by editing the "Visible for Packages" field. ### Double-Sided Backdrops If you have double-sided backdrops, set up availability rules to prevent overbooking. When one side is booked for a date, the other side becomes unavailable automatically. **Where to find it:** Manage > Business Settings > Availability > Availability Rules (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/availability/inventory_items) 1. Go to Availability Rules. 2. Click Add New Rule. 3. Give the rule a descriptive name (clients won't see this — it's for your reference). 4. Add both sides of the double-sided backdrop to the rule. 5. Set the maximum quantity you have of this backdrop. Now when one side is booked, both sides are considered unavailable for that date. This prevents double-booking the same physical backdrop. -> Manage Backdrops (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/photobooth_backgrounds) --- ## Understanding UTM Tags in Check Cherry https://www.checkcherry.com/help/213-understanding-utm-tags-in-check-cherry *Category: Integrations* *UTM tags are extra text you add to your booking link so you can track where bookings come from.* > Looking to track referrals from venues, past clients, or business partners? Check out referral tracking for a simpler approach that gives each person their own unique link. When you share your booking link, Check Cherry automatically captures UTM tags if they're included. These tags let you track where your bookings are coming from—whether it's a Facebook ad, an Instagram post, or a referral partner. Think of UTM tags as little labels you attach to your booking link so you can tell later where a booking originated. This helps you understand which marketing efforts are actually driving revenue. ### What Are UTM Tags? A UTM tag is extra text you add to the end of your booking link. It doesn't change your booking page—it only adds tracking information. Example booking link (no tracking):faux-ever-events.checkcherry.com/reservation/start Same link with UTM tags:faux-ever-events.checkcherry.com/reservation/start?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=ad&utm_campaign=winter_special Here's what each part means: - utm_source=facebook — the traffic came from Facebook - utm_medium=ad — it was from a paid ad, not an organic post - utm_campaign=winter_special — you can identify the specific promotion ### Practical Examples #### Partner Referrals Give each partner their own unique link so you can see how many bookings they send your way. faux-ever-events.checkcherry.com/reservation/start?utm_source=venue&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=grandballroom #### Paid Ads Running a Google or Facebook ad? Add UTM tags so you can see which ads actually generate bookings. faux-ever-events.checkcherry.com/reservation/start?utm_source=google&utm_medium=ad&utm_campaign=summer_wedding #### Emails & Social Posts You can even track links from free channels like newsletters or Instagram. Email newsletter:faux-ever-events.checkcherry.com/reservation/start?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=june_update Instagram bio:faux-ever-events.checkcherry.com/reservation/start?utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=bio&utm_campaign=spring2025 ### How Check Cherry Captures UTM Data - No setup required—Check Cherry automatically saves UTM tags when a booking happens - You can look back and see which source (Facebook, Google, Instagram, partner, etc.) drove that booking - View UTM data on individual bookings and in your reports - Combine this with your ad platform reports to know your true ROI > Tip: Start simple: just use utm_source (like facebook, instagram, google, partner). You can add utm_campaign when you want to track specific promotions. Keep your tag names short and easy to understand. UTM tags help you see what's really driving bookings—ads, emails, social posts, or referrals. Most event professionals are surprised to learn which channels actually convert browsers into paying clients. --- ## What payment methods should I offer? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/215-what-payment-methods-should-i-offer *Category: Best practices* *A client is ready to book but you only accept checks. They move on. The more ways clients can pay, the fewer deals you lose to friction.* Clients who can't pay the way they want to pay often don't pay at all. The more payment options you offer, the fewer bookings you lose to friction. ### Credit and Debit Cards Cards are the most convenient way for clients to pay. They allow customers to finance purchases, earn rewards, and offer buyer protection. Check Cherry Payments supports all major cards: Visa, Mastercard, Amex, and Discover. ### Mobile Payments More clients are booking from their phones. Apple Pay and Google Pay make checkout effortless because payment details are already stored on their device. Check Cherry Payments includes both automatically. ### ACH Bank Transfers ACH lets clients pay directly from their bank account with lower processing fees than credit cards. It's especially useful for larger payments like final balances. ### Alternative Payment Methods You can also accept PayPal, Venmo, Zelle, Cash App, cash, or checks. These manual payment methods don't process automatically through Check Cherry, but you can record them to keep your books accurate. > Business accounts for PayPal, Venmo, and similar services typically charge processing fees but may be required for integration features. ### Processing Fees Credit card processing fees are a cost of doing business. Most businesses factor them into their package pricing rather than charging clients extra. Clients expect to pay by card and don't expect to pay extra for convenience. Avoid making clients jump through hoops to save you money on processing fees. Focus on making it easy to pay — reducing friction increases bookings. > Warning: Surcharging credit cards has complex rules. In the US, Visa prohibits surcharges on debit cards and prepaid cards entirely. > Check Cherry lets you optionally pass processing fees to clients. If enabled, the fee appears as a separate line item on their invoice. ### Collect Deposit and Signature Together Collecting the deposit at the same time as the contract signature locks in the booking in one step. Clients who sign and pay in the same flow are less likely to change their mind or book with someone else. > Tip: Use Check Cherry's online booking system to collect signatures and deposits simultaneously. This eliminates the risk of getting one without the other. Video: https://www.youtube.com/embed/d3pqQtCqSLs ### The Competitive Advantage Clients often shop around before committing. When you make it easy to sign and pay online, you're more likely to win the business. The company that removes the most friction usually gets the booking. -> Set Up Payment Methods (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/payment_methods) --- ## How do I sync Check Cherry with QuickBooks Online? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/209-how-do-i-sync-check-cherry-with-quickbooks-online *Category: Integrations* *Entering bookings into QuickBooks manually after they are already in Check Cherry is double work.* Entering bookings into QuickBooks manually after they're already in Check Cherry is double work. The QuickBooks integration syncs your data automatically and keeps your accounting up to date. > Warning: This integration works with QuickBooks Online only (not the desktop version) and is currently available in the U.S. and Canada. ### Setting Up the Connection **Where to find it:** Manage > Business Settings > Integrations (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/third_party_integrations) 1. Go to Integrations. 2. Find QuickBooks Online and click Enable. 3. Sign in to your QuickBooks account when prompted and click Connect. 4. Set the sync start date — this tells QuickBooks when to begin syncing your data from. 5. Choose which QuickBooks account to sync payments to. 6. Select whether to sync payments only, or bookings and payments (recommended). 7. Click Finish Setup. > Syncing is one-way from Check Cherry to QuickBooks Online. Changes made in QuickBooks won't sync back to Check Cherry. ### What Gets Synced #### Payments Only If you only sync payments, QuickBooks receives: - Payment amounts (credit card, ACH, PayPal, manual, etc.) - Refunds - Credit card processing fees #### Bookings and Payments (Recommended) This is the default option and creates a complete record in QuickBooks: - Creates an invoice in QuickBooks for each booking - Booking total with line items - Payment records - Refunds - Credit card processing fees > A client must be assigned to the booking for it to sync to QuickBooks. Bookings without clients won't sync. ### QuickBooks Account Settings By default, synced payments go to "Undeposited Funds" in QuickBooks, but you can change this to any account during setup. Most businesses keep the default since it matches how QuickBooks typically handles deposits. ### Manual Sync After the initial setup, each booking shows when it was last synced with QuickBooks. Click the sync link on any booking to force an immediate manual sync. ### Setting Up Sales Tax You need to enable sales tax in QuickBooks Online separately for tax amounts to sync properly. See Intuit's guide to setting up sales tax. -> Go to Integrations (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/third_party_integrations) --- ## How do I use checklists to stay organized? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/178-how-do-i-use-checklists-to-stay-organized *Category: Bookings* *Every booking in Check Cherry can have a checklist — a to-do list of tasks that need to happen before, during, or after the event.* Every booking in Check Cherry can have a checklist — a to-do list of tasks that need to happen before, during, or after the event. Checklists help you (and your staff) stay on top of equipment prep, client follow-ups, and day-of logistics without anything falling through the cracks. ### When Checklists Help - Equipment prep — "Pack gear, test lights, charge batteries" - Pre-event tasks — "Confirm venue address, send day-of details" - Post-event tasks — "Send thank you email, request review, archive booking" - Staff coordination — assign specific items to specific team members ### Creating Checklist Templates Instead of building a checklist from scratch for every booking, create templates that auto-apply based on the package. **Where to find it:** Manage > Checklist Templates (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/checklist_categories) 1. Go to Checklist Templates. 2. Click New Template. 3. Add your checklist items. 4. Assign each checklist item to specific packages — it will automatically attach to new bookings with those packages. > Tip: Create separate templates for different service types. Your setup checklist for one service may be very different from another. ### Working with Checklists on a Booking Open any booking and go to the Checklists tab to see and manage its to-do items. Check off items as you complete them, add new items, or assign items to staff members. ### Managing All Your Tasks You can view all outstanding checklist items across all your bookings in one place. Go to Sales → To-do List to see everything that needs attention. When you have a lot of completed tasks cluttering your view, use the bulk update feature to clean things up. You can check complete or delete tasks in groups of 25 at a time. **Where to find it:** Sales > To-do List (in your Check Cherry account: /checklist) 1. Go to To-do List. 2. Click Bulk Update under the New Item button. 3. Select the tasks you want to complete or delete. 4. Apply your changes. --- ## How do I change the contract terms on a booking? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/36-can-i-change-the-terms-on-a-booking *Category: Contracts* *A client has a special request that requires different contract language.* A client has a special request that requires different contract language. You can override the default terms on a single booking without changing your standard contract for everyone else. **Where to find it:** Sales > Bookings > Select a booking > Manage Booking > Edit Contract Terms (in your Check Cherry account: /events) ### How to edit contract terms Find your booking using the global search, or go to Proposals or Bookings and locate the specific booking. 1. Open the booking. 2. Click Manage Booking. 3. Click Edit Contract Terms. 4. Make the necessary changes. 5. Click Save Changes. > Changes only apply to this booking. Your default terms remain unchanged. For package-specific terms that apply automatically, see custom terms for specific packages. -> Go to Bookings (in your Check Cherry account: /events) --- ## How do I embed an add-on gallery on my website? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/219-how-do-i-embed-an-add-on-gallery-on-my-website *Category: Online booking* *Let visitors browse your add-ons on your website before they start booking. An embedded gallery shows what you offer and links to your booking page.* Let visitors browse your add-ons on your website before they start booking. An embedded gallery shows what you offer and links to your booking page. ### Getting the Embed Code **Where to find it:** Manage > Website Integration (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/integrations) 1. Go to Website Integration. 2. Find Add-On Gallery and click Get Embed Code. 3. Choose your display style and options (see below). 4. Copy the embed code and paste it into your website. ### Display Options You can customize how the gallery appears on your site: Style Options: - Link Only — A simple text link to your add-ons - Embed on my site — The full gallery displays directly on your page Book Now Button: Choose whether to show a "Book Now" button that takes visitors to your booking page. You can customize the button text (defaults to "Book Now"). Show Pricing: Choose whether to display your add-on prices in the gallery. Compatibility Mode: Enable this if your website builder has trouble with the standard embed. It wraps the gallery in an iframe for better compatibility with some platforms. ### Color Customization Under Advanced Options, you can override the default colors to match your website: - Text color - Button background color - Button text color > Tip: Most website builders accept embed codes in HTML blocks or custom code sections. If you're having trouble, try enabling Compatibility Mode first. -> Get Your Embed Code (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/integrations) --- ## How do I set my business hours? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/152-how-do-i-set-my-business-hours *Category: Calendar* *Business hours control when clients can book your services. You can set hours for the entire business or customize them per package.* Availability settings control when clients can request or book your services — both through online booking and when you're building proposals. You can set hours for your whole business, then narrow them down for individual packages if needed. ### Business-wide availability Start here. These hours act as the default for everything in your account — if a package doesn't have its own availability rules, it falls back to these. **Where to find it:** Manage > Business Settings > Availability (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/availability/booking_limit) 1. Go to Availability. 2. Under Availability Limits, set the days and hours you accept bookings. 3. Save your changes. > Package-level availability overrides your business-wide hours. If a package has its own rules set, those take priority. Scroll down on the Availability page to find per-package settings. ### Package-specific availability Package availability mirrors the structure of your Package Manager — organized by Service, Package Group, and Package. You can set limits at any level. For example, setting a booking limit of 3 on a DJ Service means you can book up to 3 packages or any combination of packages within that service. ### Blocking out specific dates Business hours handle your regular schedule. For one-off unavailability — a vacation, a holiday, a personal commitment — use blockout dates. Any date you block out prevents new bookings from landing on it, regardless of your normal hours. You can also connect your Google Calendar so that events there automatically block your availability in Check Cherry. That way if something personal is already on your calendar, you won't accidentally double-book yourself. **Where to find it:** Sales > Calendar (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/blockout_date_ranges) --- ## How do I tell clients where to send checks? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/157-how-do-i-tell-clients-where-to-send-their-checks *Category: Payments* *If you accept checks, clients need to know where to mail them.* If you accept checks, clients need to know where to mail them. Add your mailing address and instructions to your check payment method so it shows up on their payment page. **Where to find it:** Manage > Payment Settings (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/payment_methods) 1. Click the settings gear next to the check payment method. 2. Enter your mailing address where clients should send checks. 3. Save your changes. This information will appear when clients select check as their payment method, giving them clear instructions on where to mail their payment. --- ## How are packages organized in Check Cherry? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/95-how-are-packages-organized-in-check-cherry *Category: Packages* *How you organize your packages directly affects how clients experience your booking page.* How you organize your packages directly affects how clients experience your booking page. A clear structure helps them find what they need and book without calling you. ### How Packages Are Structured Check Cherry organizes your offerings in three levels: - Services: The top level. If you offer multiple types of work (e.g. photo booths and bartending), each one is a service. - Package Groups: Categories within a service. For example, your photo booth service might have "Standard" and "Premium" groups. - Packages: The individual offerings clients choose from. Each package has its own name, description, price, and scheduling format. > If you only offer one type of service, you'll just have one service with package groups inside it. The hierarchy is flexible — use as many or as few levels as you need. ### What Clients See When someone visits your booking page, they see your services first (if you have more than one). Then they choose a package group, and finally select the specific package they want. ### Setting Up Your Packages **Where to find it:** Manage > Packages (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/event_categories) 1. Go to Packages. 2. Edit the sample packages that came with your account, or create new ones. 3. For each package, fill in the General tab (name, description, images) and the Pricing & Scheduling tab (price, scheduling format, deposit). ### Package Settings at a Glance Each package has four tabs: - Overview: Quick view of the package's status and key details. - General: Name, description, images, and visibility (public, private, or archived). - Pricing & Scheduling: Base price, scheduling format (date & time, date only, or appointment slots), deposit amount, and duration. - Advanced: Travel fees, add-on assignments, custom booking questions, and other optional settings. > Tip: Set packages to Private while you're still configuring them. They won't show on your booking page until you switch them to Public. ### Watch: Managing Packages Video: https://www.youtube.com/embed/CjelbibkG3o -> Manage Packages (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/event_categories) --- ## What automations can I set up? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/228-what-automations-can-i-set-up *Category: Messaging* *What Can Automated Messages Do?* ### What Can Automated Messages Do? > Smart Triggers Automatically send emails or SMS when specific booking conditions are met. Set multiple conditions that must ALL apply for the message to send. > Warning: Flexible Timing Send messages before or after important dates - payment due dates, event dates, or any custom timeframe you choose. #### Rich Content Create professional messages with: - Text formatting and links - Images and attachments - Dynamic fields that automatically insert client-specific information (names, dates, payment links, etc.) We make it easy to create beautiful emails with a feature-rich editing menu. Targeted Delivery Filter messages by specific packages, brands, or booking conditions to ensure the right clients get the right messages. ### How-to video on Automated Messages Video: https://www.youtube.com/embed/9oCwKrj1YFU ### Common Use Cases - Payment reminders before due dates - Event confirmations and preparation reminders - Staff assignment notifications for confirmed bookings - Appointment confirmations and reminders ### Key Features - Multiple Communication Channels: Choose between email or SMS delivery for each automated message. - Condition Combinations: Set complex triggers using payment status, staff assignments, backdrop selections, and more. All selected conditions must be true for the message to send. - Dynamic Personalization: Insert booking-specific details automatically - client names, event dates, payment amounts, direct links to invoices and more. - Review Process: Optionally review messages before they send to ensure accuracy and timing. - Organization Tools: Use tags and descriptions to manage multiple automated messages easily. ### Getting Started - Describe what the message will do - Set timing - when to send relative to important dates - Choose conditions - what booking status triggers the message - Customize content - personalize your message with dynamic fields - Select delivery - email, SMS, or both - Apply filters - target specific packages or brands The system monitors your bookings continuously and sends messages automatically when conditions are met. > Messages that are scheduled to send on a specific date will be sent at approximately 11 AM local time. --- ## How do I send appointment notifications? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/137-how-do-i-send-appointment-notifications *Category: Bookings* *Clients expect a confirmation when they schedule a meeting with you, and a reminder before it happens.* Clients expect a confirmation when they schedule a meeting with you, and a reminder before it happens. Check Cherry handles this with automated appointment emails. ### Default Appointment Messages The most commonly used appointment message templates are already enabled when you set up your account. These include confirmation emails when someone books and reminder emails before the appointment. ### Customizing Appointment Notifications **Where to find it:** Manage > Automated Messages (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/automated_events) 1. Go to Automated Messages. 2. Click the Other tab on the left to see appointment templates. 3. Click Edit on any template to customize the content. ### Adding More Appointment Templates Many additional message templates are available but not enabled by default. You might want follow-up emails, cancellation notices, or reschedule confirmations. 1. From Automated Messages, click New Message. 2. Select the appointment template you want to add. 3. Edit the content if needed. 4. Click Save to activate it. > Tip: To enable any disabled template, just open it and click Save. The template will appear in your active list under the Other tab. --- ## The Check Cherry app dashboard https://www.checkcherry.com/help/180-the-check-cherry-app-dashboard *Category: Mobile app* *Open the app and see your business at a glance — upcoming events, recent revenue, new leads, and quick actions.* The Check Cherry app for iOS and Android gives you your business at a glance — recent activity, quick tools, and fast access to everything you need on the go. > Don't have the app yet? Download Check Cherry for iOS and Android. ### Activity Overview The top of your dashboard shows recent activity and what's coming up: - Bookings: How many were booked in the last week and how many are scheduled in the next week - Proposals: How many were added in the last week and how many are expiring in the next week - Leads: How many were added in the last week - Sessions: How many are scheduled in the next week - Appointments: How many are scheduled in the next week - Unclaimed Bookings: How many confirmed bookings don't have staff assigned or are pending review ### Quick Tools Below the activity summary, you'll find shortcuts to common tasks: - Calendar: View your bookings, proposals, and leads in calendar format - Checklist: View and check off tasks from your checklists - Message Center: Go directly to your messages to review and reply - Expense Tracking: See all your expenses in a list with details - Check Availability: Quickly check your availability for a date, time and package - Set Time Off: A place for staff to set their availability ### Add Item Button The Add Item button in the lower right gives you access to quick actions for creating new items. From this menu you can create new proposals, bookings, leads, appointments, blockout dates, and expenses. ### Main Menu The menu in the upper right corner gives you access to all the main sections of your Check Cherry account: - Dashboard - Bookings - Proposals - Leads - Calendar - Settings - Logout ### Staff vs Admin Dashboard Staff users see a simplified dashboard focused on their assigned bookings and tasks. Admins see the full business overview including all activity metrics and revenue data. --- ## What scheduling formats are available for packages? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/227-what-scheduling-formats-are-available-for-packages *Category: Packages* *Each package in Check Cherry has a scheduling format that controls how clients pick a date and time when booking.* Each package has a scheduling format that controls how clients pick a date and time when booking. Choose the format that fits how you deliver the service — hourly sessions need start times, all-day events often don't. **Where to find it:** Manage > Packages (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/event_categories) 1. Click Add a Package or select an existing package to edit. 2. Go to the Pricing & Scheduling tab. 3. Select the scheduling format that works best for this service. ### Date & Time Best for hourly packages and services that need a specific start time. The client picks a date and time, and the booking duration comes from your package settings. You have three options for how time selection works: - Minimal: Simple date and time picker — clients choose from any available future date and time - Automatic Slots: Check Cherry generates time slots based on your availability and package duration - Predefined Slots: You define custom time slots for this package — clients only see your pre-set options ### Date Only Best for packages that take a full day or multiple days, or when the exact timing gets worked out later. Common for weddings, corporate events, and multi-day shoots where you'll coordinate the schedule with the client after booking. - Date Only: Clients pick from available dates with no time selection ### Sessions (Mini Sessions) Best for offering multiple short appointments within a single event — like Photos with Santa, mini portrait sessions at a park, or consultation time slots during a bridal show. To create a Session package, click Create New and select Schedule with Time Slots: > Tip: You can use different scheduling formats for different packages. A consultation might use Sessions while your main wedding package uses Date Only. Mix and match based on how each service actually works. --- ## Using the Check Cherry API https://www.checkcherry.com/help/402-using-the-check-cherry-api *Category: Getting started* *Learn what the Check Cherry API is, who it is for, and how to create an integration key to build a custom integration.* If you want Check Cherry to talk to other software you use, the Check Cherry API is how you do it. It gives programmatic access to your events, leads, bookings, payments, and more, so you can connect Check Cherry to the rest of the tools you run your business on. ### Who it's for The API is a developer tool. Using it means writing and running code, not clicking through the app. That used to mean hiring a developer. It still can, but AI coding assistants like Claude Code, Cursor, and ChatGPT have lowered the bar a lot. If you are comfortable following technical steps, you can often get a working integration going yourself. Just know it is more hands-on than the no-code options below, which is all most businesses ever need. > If you are not a developer: Zapier lets you connect Check Cherry to hundreds of other apps — like Google Sheets, Mailchimp, or your CRM — without writing any code. For pointing an AI assistant like ChatGPT or Claude at your account so it can read your data and draft work for you, use the AI assistant connection instead. Reach for the API only when you want to build your own custom integration. Common reasons businesses build on the API: - Sync events or bookings into another system you already use - Pull leads or payment data into your own reporting or accounting setup - Automate a workflow that would otherwise be manual data entry - Connect Check Cherry to an internal tool you have built For the complete list of what is available, including every endpoint, parameter, and example response, see the full reference at checkcherry.com/api/docs. That reference is the source of truth and stays current as the API grows. ### Getting an integration key Every request to the API is authenticated with an integration key. Each key is tied to the user who created it, which gives you a clean audit trail. A new key starts with no permissions. You choose them right after you create it, and a key can never have more access than the user it belongs to. You can create more than one key and revoke any of them individually, so it is common to use a separate key for each integration. **Where to find it:** Manage > Business Settings > Integrations > API Overview (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/api_overview) 1. Go to API Overview under Business Settings, then Integrations. 2. Create a new Integration Key. 3. On the next screen, check only the permissions your integration needs. For a read-only integration, check the read permissions and leave everything else unchecked. Then click Save. 4. Copy the key (it starts with ik_) and store it somewhere safe. > Warning: Treat your integration key like a password. Never put it in client-side code, a public repository, or anywhere a customer could see it. If a key is ever exposed, revoke it and create a new one. ### Building your integration Share these basics with your developer. Everything else, including the endpoint list and response formats, is in the full reference. - Base URL: https://api.checkcherry.com/api/v1/ - Authentication: send the key as an Api-Key header on every request. HTTPS only. - Format: requests and responses use JSON:API. List endpoints paginate with page and per. A minimal authenticated request looks like this: curl https://api.checkcherry.com/api/v1/events -H "Api-Key: ik_your_key_here" The API is under active development. New fields and endpoints can be added at any time, so build defensively: have your integration ignore fields it does not recognize rather than break on them. We aim to give around 30 days of notice for changes that could break existing integrations, but designing for change is the safest approach. > Tip: The full reference works well alongside an AI coding assistant. Pasting an endpoint's docs into ChatGPT or Claude is a fast way to scaffold the first working request. -> Open API Overview (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/api_overview) ### Webhooks Webhooks work in the other direction. Instead of your integration asking Check Cherry for changes, Check Cherry sends them to a URL you choose the moment a booking, lead, payment, or appointment is created or updated. Add them on the same API Overview page: pick a trigger and enter the URL your developer gives you. Each webhook has a signing secret your developer can use to confirm a request really came from Check Cherry. The webhooks guide lists every trigger with a sample payload and covers retries and signature checks. ### What support can help with The Check Cherry team is happy to help with the parts of the API that are ours to support: In short, you own your integration. If you hit something that looks like a platform issue or an API bug, start the chat (the chat bubble in the lower right) and we will take a look. --- ## Connect Check Cherry to an AI assistant https://www.checkcherry.com/help/399-connect-check-cherry-to-an-ai-assistant *Category: Integrations* *Connect Check Cherry to an AI assistant like ChatGPT or Claude so it can read your business data and draft work for you, on request, on every plan.* You already use AI for parts of your day. Check Cherry lets you point that same assistant at your own business so it can answer real questions about your leads, bookings, and payments, instead of giving generic advice. You stay in control: it only looks when you ask, and it never acts on its own. ### What is the AI connection? Check Cherry has a secure connection that an AI assistant you already use, like ChatGPT or Claude, can plug into. Once connected, the assistant can look at your Check Cherry data and help you make sense of it, draft messages, and talk through what to do next. Think of it as giving a smart assistant a read-only window into your business, plus a notepad to draft things for you. > Technically this uses something called MCP (Model Context Protocol), an open standard for connecting AI assistants to outside tools. You do not need to know any of that to use it. There is just one web address to copy, and it is the same for every assistant. ### Is it included in my plan? Nothing extra. This is included with every Check Cherry account, on every plan, at no additional cost. ### The one address you'll need Every assistant asks for the same web address. Copy this and paste it wherever your assistant asks for a custom connector or MCP server: > Tip: https://www.checkcherry.com/mcp — the same address works for every assistant. ### Connect from Claude **Where to find it:** Settings > Connectors > Add custom connector 1. Open Settings, then Connectors. 2. Choose Add custom connector. 3. Paste the address https://www.checkcherry.com/mcp and select Connect. 4. Sign in to Check Cherry when prompted. 5. Review and approve the permissions you want to share. On a Team or Enterprise plan, an owner usually adds the connector once under Organization settings, and then it is available to everyone. Claude's UI changes from time to time, so if a step looks different, follow Claude's official guide: Get started with custom connectors. ### Connect from ChatGPT **Where to find it:** Settings > Apps > Advanced > Developer mode 1. In your Chat GPT account on the web, click on your name, then open Settings. 2. Click on Security and Login. 3. Go to Advanced and enable Developer mode. 4. Go to Plugins and enable plugin management. 5. Go back to the Plugins page. 6. Click the plus sign in the upper right corner and select Create an App. 7. Select Create MCP App and paste in the url https://www.checkcherry.com/mcp. 8. Click Create. 9. Sign in to Check Cherry and approve the permissions. Custom connectors are available on most paid ChatGPT plans on the web. As with any tool, the menu names may shift over time, so OpenAI's official guide is the backup: ChatGPT connectors. ### Connect from Cursor and other tools Any tool that supports MCP can connect the same way. Add https://www.checkcherry.com/mcp as a remote MCP server in the tool's configuration. The first time you use it, you'll be asked to sign in to Check Cherry and approve permissions automatically. For a list of compatible tools, see the MCP client directory. > Tip: Every assistant puts this in a different place, and those menus move. A quick shortcut is to ask the assistant itself: "How do I add the Check Cherry MCP server so you can access my account?" Most will walk you through their own setup. If the steps do not match what you see on screen, check the assistant's own help documentation, or start a chat with us and we will help you get connected. ### Using an API key instead Some tools, or your own scripts, ask for an API key rather than walking you through a sign-in. For those, create an Integration Key in Check Cherry and use it as the connector's API key. -> Open Integration Keys (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/integration_keys) ### Is my data safe? Yes. When you connect, you sign in to Check Cherry yourself and choose exactly which permissions to grant. The assistant only ever sees your own business data, scoped to your account, and nothing from anyone else. You can disconnect at any time, either from the AI tool or from Check Cherry's settings. > The assistant can read your data and draft things for you, but it will not email your clients or charge any cards on its own. Anything that goes out the door still goes through you. ### What you can ask it The real value is using it as an advisor, not just a report. Because it can see your actual business, it can answer questions a static report never could. A few to try: - "If you ran my business, what would you change this week?" - "Which leads should I follow up with first, and what should I say?" - "Critique my packages from a customer's point of view." - "What needs my attention this week, and what should I do about each?" - "Review my recent activity and tell me where I'm leaving money on the table." - "How do I set up online booking?" (it can read Check Cherry's help center and walk you through it) Behind the scenes, the assistant can read and summarize your events and bookings, leads, payments, packages and add-ons, appointments and availability, and Check Cherry's own help articles, and it can draft text for you to review. > Tip: Want more example prompts and a fuller overview? Open the AI assistant page in your account. -> See all prompts and setup (in your Check Cherry account: /mcp) ### If the connection fails If ChatGPT shows "Action discovery failed," or another tool connects but never finds any tools, the web address is almost always the cause. > Warning: Use https://www.checkcherry.com/mcp, including the www. The address without www redirects, and ChatGPT does not follow redirects when it looks up the available tools. Signing in still works, which is why this looks like a permissions problem when it isn't. 1. Remove the connector completely. Retrying the sign-in on its own won't fix it. 2. Add it again using the full address, with www in front. 3. Sign in to Check Cherry and approve the permissions. ### Still stuck? If a step looks different than what you see, or the connection isn't working, start the chat (the chat bubble in the lower right) and the Check Cherry team can help you get connected. --- ## How do I notify staff when they are assigned to an event? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/12-how-do-i-notify-staff-when-they-are-assigned-to-an-event *Category: Messaging* *Your DJ just got assigned to a wedding next Saturday but has no idea.* Your DJ just got assigned to a wedding next Saturday but has no idea. Automated staff notifications fix this — they get an email the moment they are assigned. ### Finding the Template **Where to find it:** Manage > Automated Messages (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/automated_events) 1. Go to Automated Messages. 2. Look for the Staff Assignment template on the Automated Messages tab. 3. Click Edit to customize the email content. ### Assigning Staff to Proposals You can assign staff to proposals before the client accepts. The notification email will be sent when the proposal is accepted and becomes a booking, not when you assign the staff. -> Open Automated Messages (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/automated_events) --- ## How do I notify staff when a new booking is confirmed? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/16-automatically-notify-staff-of-new-bookings *Category: Messaging* *A new booking comes in at 11 PM and your staff does not know about it until you tell them the next day.* A new booking comes in at 11 PM and your staff does not know about it until you tell them the next day. Automated notifications fix this by emailing staff as soon as a booking is confirmed. **Where to find it:** Manage > Automated Messages (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/automated_events) 1. Go to Automated Messages. 2. Find or create a template triggered by New Booking. 3. Set the recipient to include staff. 4. Save. > Tip: You can also set up push notifications on the Check Cherry app for iOS and Android so staff get alerts on their phone instantly. --- ## What is the difference between a client and a contact? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/231-what-is-the-difference-between-a-client-and-a-contact *Category: Bookings* *A booking has a client and might have contacts. They serve different roles — understanding the difference helps you set up bookings correctly.* Every booking has a client, and it might have contacts. They serve different roles — understanding the difference helps you set up bookings correctly and communicate with the right people. ### Clients The client is the person responsible for the booking — usually the one requesting your services and handling payment. They get a user account in Check Cherry and can log into the client portal to view booking details, sign contracts, make payments, and fill out questionnaires. The first client listed is who the contract goes to for signing and who the invoice is made out to (though you can edit invoice details without changing the client). From the booking page, you have several options for managing client accounts: - Disable automated messages for this client - Resend invitation to customer portal - Hide pricing for this client - Edit client details - Reset password - Impersonate this client > Tip: Impersonate a client to log in as them and see exactly what they can see in their portal. ### Contacts Contacts are additional people associated with a booking — like a wedding planner, corporate event coordinator, or family member who should be kept in the loop. They can receive emails and SMS messages through Check Cherry, but they cannot log in. The only action you can take on a contact is to disable automated messaging if they don't want to receive updates. > Use contacts to keep key stakeholders informed without giving them access to booking details or payment information. --- ## How do I use checklists to track equipment? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/132-how-do-i-use-checklists-to-track-equipment *Category: Bookings* *Checklists help you track equipment, setup tasks, and to-do items for each event.* ### How checklists work Checklists are built from templates. You create a template once, attach it to one or more packages, and Check Cherry automatically adds it to every booking that uses those packages. Staff can check off items as they complete them, and you can control who sees and edits each checklist. - Track equipment load-in and load-out - Assign setup tasks to specific staff members - Set due dates on individual checklist items ### Creating a checklist template **Where to find it:** Manage > Checklist Templates (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/checklist_categories) 1. Go to Checklist Templates. 2. Click New Checklist. 3. Give the checklist a name and add your line items. 4. In the checklist settings, choose which packages this checklist applies to and set the visibility. 5. Click Edit next to any line item to assign it to specific staff, link it to packages, or set a due date. ### Checklist settings Each checklist template has a few key settings that control how and where it appears: - Name — the title of the checklist, visible to anyone with access. - Visibility — controls whether items appear in your consolidated To-do List. - Permissions — controls who can see the checklist on bookings. > Tip: If you have different gear for different packages, create a separate checklist for each. That way staff always see exactly what's needed for the event they're working — nothing more, nothing less. ### Checklists on bookings Once a checklist is attached to a booking, it appears on the checklist tab of the booking. Staff can check off items as they complete them. This works well for load-in and load-out verification — you can see at a glance whether everything has been accounted for before and after the event. > Checklists can be added to a booking manually as well, not just through auto-assign. This is useful for one-off tasks specific to a particular event. -> Open Checklist Templates (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/checklist_categories) --- ## How do I embed a lead form on my website? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/223-how-do-i-embed-a-lead-form-on-my-website *Category: Online booking* *Put a contact form on your website that feeds leads directly into Check Cherry. No copy-pasting, no missed inquiries.* Put a contact form on your website that sends inquiries straight into Check Cherry. No copy-pasting and no missed inquiries: every submission lands in your leads list. ### Getting the Embed Code Open your lead form and click Embed. You'll find the button on the form's preview page and in the form designer. You can also get the code from Website Integrations: **Where to find it:** Manage > Website Integration (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/integrations) 1. Click Embed on your form, or find Lead Forms in Website Integration and click Get Embed Code. 2. Choose Link Only to get a link to the form, or Embed on my site to show the form on your page. 3. Pick the lead form to use. 4. Copy the code and paste it into your website's HTML. ### Compatibility Mode If your website builder has trouble with the standard embed, turn on Compatibility Mode. It places the form in an iframe, which works with more builders, including Wix, Squarespace, and WordPress. > Compatibility Mode works with more website builders but may load slightly slower than the standard embed. ### Styling the Form Forms labeled Modern get their colors, fonts, and layout from the form designer. Change the design there and your website updates automatically. There's no need to re-embed. See creating lead forms for the design options. Forms labeled Classic are styled with Advanced Options in the embed window. You can set wide buttons, labels as placeholders, colors, fonts, max width, and borders. > Warning: Upgraded a Classic form to the designer? If you embedded it with Compatibility Mode or Advanced Options, get a fresh embed code. The old code overrides your new design. -> Go to Lead Forms (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/contact_forms) --- ## How do I offer props, upgrades, and customization options? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/226-how-do-i-use-extra-categories *Category: Online booking* *Extra Categories let you offer additional selections during the booking process, like song requests, drink preferences, or equipment choices.* Extra Categories let you offer additional selections during the booking process — things like optional color or size choices, or customization options. Unlike add-ons (which are complete services with their own pricing), extras are individual items within categories that clients can select to personalize their booking. ### Creating Extra Categories **Where to find it:** Manage > Booking Engine > Extra Categories (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/extra_categories) Depending on your account type, you can create 2 to 6 categories of extras. Once created, these categories will appear under your Manage menu, below the Backdrops section. 1. Go to Extra Categories. 2. Click New Category and give it a descriptive name. 3. Add items to the category — each can have a name, description, and price. 4. By default, new items are available with all your packages. To limit an item to specific packages, click Edit on the item. > When you create a new category, an example item is automatically created to help you get started. You can customize or delete this example item. > Tip: Item descriptions are not shown by default during online booking. Clients will see the description only if they click the item image. If you write descriptions, make sure your items have images — otherwise the description won't be visible. ### Enabling Extras on Packages Creating extra categories is just the first step. To offer them to clients, you need to enable each category on the packages where it should appear. **Where to find it:** Manage > Packages > (select package) > Advanced (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/event_categories) 1. Go to Packages and select a package. 2. Click the Advanced tab. 3. Scroll down to find your extra categories. 4. Enable the categories you want to offer with this package. 5. Set the maximum number of items clients can select from each category. 6. Set how many items are included at no charge. The first selections are free; anything beyond that is charged at the item's price. Leave it at 0 if every item should be charged. 7. Check the box to allow clients to skip the category during online booking (optional). #### Each Category Has Its Own Settings In a package's Advanced tab, each extra category appears as its own section. You can enable any combination of categories and customize the settings for each one independently. #### Including items at no charge Each category on a package can include a set number of items in the package price. If a package comes with one signature cocktail, one performer, or one prop set, enter 1 and price the items normally. Clients pick the first one for free and pay the item price for each one after that. This setting is available on packages only, and it can be overridden on an individual booking under Settings. -> Read: Include one item and charge for additional ones (in your Check Cherry account: /help/472-include-one-item-and-charge-for-additional) ### Adding Extras to Add-Ons Extra categories can also be enabled on add-ons, not just packages. This lets you offer additional customization options for specific services. 1. Create the extra items you want to offer with your add-ons. 2. Go to Add-Ons and select an add-on. 3. Click the Advanced tab and enable the extra categories you want to offer. ### What Clients See During Booking When clients book online, they'll see available extra items after selecting their package and add-ons. Each category appears as its own section, and they can select items based on the limits you've set. > Tip: Most businesses use 2-3 extra categories to avoid overwhelming clients during booking. Common categories include song requests, equipment upgrades, and timeline preferences. -> Set Up Extra Categories (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/extra_categories) Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8k0P5fA2Lo4 --- ## How can I charge sales tax on my services? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/100-how-can-i-charge-sales-tax-on-my-services *Category: Pricing* *Sales tax requirements vary by state and service type.* Sales tax requirements vary by state and service type. Check Cherry can calculate and apply tax automatically so you do not have to do it manually on every booking. ### Setting Up Sales Tax **Where to find it:** Manage > Business Settings > Taxes (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/brands) 1. Go to Business Settings and click the Taxes tab. 2. Choose your tax method: automatic (TaxJar), flat rate, or state-specific. 3. Save your settings. 4. Click Try it Out to test your tax configuration. ### Only One Tax Zone Applies Check Cherry applies a single tax zone to each booking. It finds the one zone that best matches the venue address and charges that zone's rate. Zones do not stack, and the invoice shows one sales tax line. > Warning: If your area has more than one tax, do not create a zone for each one. For a 7% state sales tax plus a 5% local tax, either choose automatic calculation or create one zone set to the combined 12%. Multiple zones are for charging different rates in different places, such as one rate per state you work in. Click Try it Out and enter a venue address to see exactly which zone and rate will apply. ### Tax on Packages By default, all packages are taxable. The taxable toggle on each package only appears after you create a tax configuration. If you have packages that should not be taxed, go to the package settings and turn off the taxable toggle. > You need to create a tax configuration before the taxable toggle appears on your packages. ### Tax Exempt Clients If a client is tax exempt (like a government agency or nonprofit), you can mark their account so sales tax is never charged on their bookings. 1. Go to User Accounts and find the client. 2. Scroll to the Sales Tax section at the bottom of their profile. 3. Set it to Yes (tax exempt). ### Making a Single Booking Tax Exempt You can also exempt a specific booking or proposal from tax without changing the client's account. Open the booking, click the tax line item, and toggle it off. ### Sales Tax Reports To see how much sales tax you've collected, go to Reporting > Sales Tax. ### Tax Forms Depending on your payment volume, you may receive a 1099-K form from Check Cherry covering payments processed through Check Cherry Payments. Sales tax collected is not included in the 1099-K. ### Watch: Sales Tax Setup Video: https://www.youtube.com/embed/y9_bpkw-Gug?rel=0 -> Open Business Settings (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/brands) --- ## How do I prevent last-minute bookings? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/140-how-do-i-prevent-last-minute-bookings *Category: Online booking* *An event is tomorrow and someone tries to book online. Lead time settings prevent bookings that are too close to act on.* Someone tries to book your services for an event tomorrow, but you need at least a week to prepare properly. Lead time settings prevent these last-minute bookings automatically, so you only get inquiries you can realistically handle. ### Setting Minimum Lead Time **Where to find it:** Manage > Business Settings > Availability (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/brands) 1. Find How much lead time do you need before a booking? 2. Enter the minimum time needed, from 3 hours to 1 month. 3. Click Save. > If you set lead time to 1 week, clients cannot book events with dates less than 1 week away. Most event professionals use 3-7 days depending on their prep requirements. ### Maximum Booking Window You can also limit how far into the future you accept bookings. This is useful if you don't want to commit to events more than a year or two out. 1. Find What is the furthest out you will accept a new booking? 2. Set your maximum booking window, from no limit to 3 years. 3. Click Save. > Tip: Most businesses either set no limit or cap bookings at 2-3 years. Wedding photographers often use longer windows, while corporate event services might prefer shorter ones. --- ## Getting started with appointments https://www.checkcherry.com/help/92-getting-started-with-appointments *Category: Bookings* *Appointments let you offer time-slot-based scheduling where clients pick from your available times.* Appointments are designed for meetings — consultations, discovery calls, or other conversations that happen before or after a booking. Clients pick from your available time slots, and meetings can happen in person, over the phone, or via video call. ### When to Use Appointments Appointments work well for meetings with fixed durations where you want to control your schedule: - Initial consultations with potential clients - Discovery calls to discuss event details - Venue or menu tastings - Planning meetings with existing clients - Lead qualification calls > Tip: Most businesses use appointments for the conversation part of their sales process — the meeting where you understand what the client needs before sending a proposal. ### Enable Appointments for a User Appointments are a scheduling permission that must be enabled for all users except the account owner. **Where to find it:** Manage > Users (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/users) 1. Go to Users and select the user you want to add appointments for. 2. Click the down arrow next to Show User. 3. Select Enable Enhanced Scheduling. 4. Click Save. ### Set Your Availability Click your name -> Appointment Scheduling to define which days and times you offer appointment slots. Clients will only see times that fall within your availability. ### Video Call Integration For virtual appointments, connect your Zoom or Google Meet account. When enabled, a Zoom or Google Meet meeting link is automatically created for each appointment and included in the confirmation email. -> Open Integrations Settings (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/third_party_integrations) > You can also include Google Meet links or phone numbers in your appointment confirmation emails using message templates. ### Creating Appointments There are three ways to create an appointment: - Client self-books: You send the client a link to your appointment calendar, client picks a slot, and creates an appointment. - You create it: Click Create New in the top nav and select Schedule a Meeting. - From a lead: Convert a lead to an appointment by clicking the Actions button and select Create Appointment. ### Viewing Appointments View your appointments under Sales > Appointments. You can filter by date, status, and brand. > Warning: Deleting an appointment removes it entirely. If a client cancels, change the status to Cancelled instead so you keep the record. > Appointments are included in your calendar sync, so they show up alongside your regular bookings. ### Your Appointment Scheduling Link Your appointment scheduling link is tied to the brand you currently have selected. If you run more than one brand, make sure you have the correct brand active before copying and sharing the link — otherwise clients may land on the wrong brand's booking page. ### Watch: Getting Started with Appointments Video: https://www.youtube.com/embed/8yjYxlM0380 --- ## How do I un-flag a lead as spam? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/158-how-do-i-un-flag-a-lead-as-spam *Category: Leads* *A real client got caught by the spam filter. Un-flag them so they show up in your active leads list and you can follow up.* Sometimes a real client gets caught by the spam filter. Un-flag them so they show up in your active leads list and you can follow up normally. **Where to find it:** Sales > Leads (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/leads) 1. Go to Sales - Leads. 2. Check the Spam filter to find the lead you want to un-flag. 3. Click on the lead to open it. 4. Click the Actions button. 5. Select Unflag as Spam. The lead will move back to your active leads list and you can treat it like any other inquiry. --- ## How do I create and publish lead forms? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/122-how-do-i-create-and-publish-lead-forms *Category: Leads* *Build a lead form in the form designer, style it to match your website, and embed it to send inquiries straight into Check Cherry.* A lead form is a contact form you put on your website. When someone fills it out, their information lands in Check Cherry as a lead, ready for you to follow up, send a proposal, or trigger automated messages. > Tip: Less is more. Every field you add reduces the number of people who finish the form. Ask for name, email, event date, and event type. Collect everything else once they've engaged. ### Creating a Lead Form **Where to find it:** Manage > Business Settings > Leads (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/contact_forms) 1. Click New Lead Form, or edit the sample form included with your account. 2. Give the form a name. Clients won't see it; it's for your reference. 3. Build the form in the designer, then click Save. The designer has three tabs: Fields, Design, and Settings. A live preview sits beside them. Use the Desktop and Phone toggle to check both. ### Adding and Arranging Fields On the Fields tab, click Add to form to choose from: - Built-in Fields: name, email, phone, event date, venue, and more - Custom fields: your own questions. To make a new one, click Create a custom field at the bottom of the window. See extra questions for details. - Layout: section headings, text blocks, and step breaks Drag fields to reorder them. Click a field to change its label, help text, whether it's required, and its Width on larger screens. Set two fields to 50% to put them side by side. On phones, fields always stack. ### Multi-Step Forms Add a Step break to split a form into pages. Give each step a title. Customers must complete each step's required fields before they can click Next, and their answers are kept if they go back. On the Design tab, choose a Progress style (bar, numbered, or none) and set the text for the Next and Back buttons. > Tip: Steps work best on longer forms. If your form fits on one screen, keep it on one page. ### Styling Your Form The Design tab controls how the form looks on your website. Start with a style preset, then adjust colors, font, corners, spacing, button alignment, and max width. The form uses your brand color by default. For anything the controls don't cover, add your own Custom CSS. ### Form Settings The Settings tab covers the form name, the submit button text, which services and packages to offer, whether to require a CAPTCHA, and whether to show the form on your Check Cherry contact page. Under After someone submits, choose what happens next: - Save and Display Message Below: show a confirmation message on the page - Save and Redirect to Booking Page: send them to your online booking page while interest is high - Save and Redirect to URL: send them to any page, such as a thank-you or testimonials page > Tip: Track form submissions as ad conversions. Redirect submitters to a thank-you page on your own website and place your Google Ads or Google Analytics conversion code on that page. Because visitors land on your own domain, the conversion records correctly. ### Embedding on Your Website Click Embed in the designer, or on the form's preview page, to get a link or the code for your website. See embedding a lead form for step-by-step instructions and Compatibility Mode. > You can create multiple lead forms for different purposes, such as one for weddings, one for corporate events, and one for general inquiries. Each form can have its own questions and design. ### Sharing Forms via QR Code To share a form by link or QR code, click the down arrow next to Preview Form and select Share Link: ### What Happens After a Submission The lead appears instantly under Sales → Leads. If you have automated messages set up for leads, the first response goes out right away, so your inquiry gets a reply even while you're at an event. > Tip: Set up an automated "Thank you for your inquiry" message that sends instantly. It confirms the form worked, sets expectations for a response time, and makes you look responsive. ### Editing Forms After Publishing Click the down arrow next to Preview Form and select Edit Lead Form. Changes go live on your website as soon as you save. You don't need to re-embed. ### Forms Created Before September 2026 Older forms are labeled Classic on your lead forms page. To move one to the designer, edit it and click Upgrade this form. Leads, automations, and your embed code carry over. You can switch back to the classic editor at any time. Changes made in the classic editor don't carry over to the designer. > Warning: If the form was embedded using Compatibility Mode or Advanced Options, get a fresh embed code after upgrading. The old code overrides your new design. -> Go to Lead Forms (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/contact_forms) --- ## How do I recommend specific backdrops during booking? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/197-how-do-i-recommend-specific-backdrops-during-booking *Category: Packages* *Have a backdrop that pairs perfectly with a specific package? Mark it as recommended and it shows up at the top of the selection during booking.* Have a backdrop that pairs perfectly with a specific package? Mark it as recommended and it shows up at the top of the selection during booking. ### Setting Up Recommendations **Where to find it:** Manage > Backdrops (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/photobooth_backgrounds) 1. Go to Backdrops and click on the backdrop. 2. In the sidebar under Visible to Packages, select the packages. 3. Check the star to make the backdrop Recommended for each package. 4. Save. ### What Clients See Recommended backdrops appear in a separate section at the top of the backdrop selection during booking. --- ## How do I attach an invoice to an email? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/11-how-do-i-attach-an-invoice-to-an-email *Category: Messaging* *A client calls asking for a copy of their invoice. Instead of generating a PDF and emailing it yourself, send it directly from the booking with one click.* A client calls asking for a copy of their invoice. Instead of generating a PDF and emailing it yourself, send it directly from the booking with one click. ### Sending the Invoice 1. Open the booking. 2. Click Quick Send. 3. Select the invoice email template. 4. Send. > Tip: You can customize the invoice email template under Automated Messages. --- ## Payment Plans vs Klarna https://www.checkcherry.com/help/188-payment-plans-vs-klarna *Category: Payments* *Two ways to let clients pay over time, each with different tradeoffs for your cash flow and costs.* Both Check Cherry Payment Plans and Klarna let clients pay over time, but they work differently for your business. Payment plans give you more control and lower fees while spreading your cash flow. Klarna gets you paid upfront while clients finance through them. ### Check Cherry Payment Plans Payment plans are handled directly inside Check Cherry. Instead of paying all at once, your client's card on file is charged automatically based on the schedule you set — no credit applications or third-party financing involved. - Fees: Only standard Check Cherry Payments processing fees (no additional financing fees) - Cash flow: You receive funds as each installment clears, not upfront - Customer experience: Clients simply agree to the plan at booking — no credit checks or applications - Control: You can adjust plans after booking — change due dates, amounts, or add/remove installments ### Klarna Klarna provides financing directly to your client. The client applies for credit through Klarna's checkout process and pays them back over time. You receive the full amount upfront (minus fees). - Fees: 6.9% on each transaction (significantly higher than standard processing) - Cash flow: You get paid the full amount immediately - Customer experience: Clients go through Klarna's credit application and approval process - Control: Once approved, Klarna manages the loan — you cannot adjust payment schedules or amounts ### Which Option Is Right for You? - Choose Payment Plans if you want more control, lower fees, and flexibility to work with clients on their payment schedules - Choose Klarna if you want the security of receiving the full amount upfront and don't mind paying the higher 6.9% fee > Tip: Many businesses prefer Payment Plans for the lower costs and flexibility, while Klarna can be useful for higher-ticket items where getting the full amount upfront is worth the extra fee. You can offer both options and let clients choose during checkout. -> Open Payment Settings (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/payment_methods) --- ## How do I make all packages in a service visible or private? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/177-make-all-packages-in-a-service-visible-or-private *Category: Packages* *Turning off packages for the off-season, or launching a new service line all at once? Click the eye icon on the service title bar to toggle visibility for e* Turning off packages for the off-season, or launching a new service line all at once? Use the bulk edit feature to toggle visibility for every package in that service with one click. **Where to find it:** Manage > Packages (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/event_categories) 1. Go to Packages. 2. Click the Bulk Edit button at the top of the page. 3. Select Bulk Edit Package Settings. 4. Select the packages you want to change, or check Select All to include all packages in the service. 5. Click Edit Selected Packages. 6. Choose Make Visible or Make Private from the actions menu. ![Uploading...](https://www.checkcherry.com/data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7) > Tip: You can also edit individual packages using the 3-dot menu in the upper right corner of each package card. The bulk edit feature is perfect when you need to make the same change to multiple packages at once. --- ## Automating Check Cherry with Zapier https://www.checkcherry.com/help/453-automating-check-cherry-with-zapier *Category: Integrations* *A complete guide to the Check Cherry Zapier integration: every trigger and action, how to connect your account, and the automations event businesses use most.* Zapier connects Check Cherry to thousands of other apps without any code. Most businesses use it to stop retyping the same information in two places: new leads land in your CRM automatically, payments log themselves to a spreadsheet, and your team gets a Slack message the moment a booking is confirmed. This article covers everything the integration can do. If you just need to get connected, see connecting Check Cherry to Zapier. > Zapier is the right tool for most automations. If you have a developer and need something Zapier can't express, Check Cherry also has a direct API. ### How a Zap works Every Zap is built from two halves: a trigger and one or more actions. The trigger is the thing that happens. The action is what gets done about it. Read together, a Zap is just a sentence - "when this happens, do that." The part people miss is that Check Cherry can sit on either side of that sentence. It can be the app that starts a Zap, or the app a Zap writes into. | Check Cherry's role | What it means | Example | | --- | --- | --- | | Trigger | Something happened in Check Cherry, and you want another app to know about it. Information flows out. | A new lead is added in Check Cherry, so Zapier creates a contact in Mailchimp. | | Action | Something happened somewhere else, and you want it recorded in Check Cherry. Information flows in. | Someone fills out a Facebook lead ad, so Zapier creates a lead in Check Cherry. | A Zap has exactly one trigger, but it can have as many actions as you need. One new booking can post to Slack, add a row to a spreadsheet, and create a task for your team, all from the same trigger. > Tip: Zapier also has a third kind of step, a search, which looks up an existing record instead of creating one. Searches are how you avoid duplicates and how you pull in details a trigger didn't include. ### Connect your account **Where to find it:** Manage > Business Settings > Integrations (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/third_party_integrations) 1. Go to Integrations and click Connect under Zapier. 2. Copy your private API key from the window that opens. 3. Click Get Started to open Check Cherry on Zapier. 4. When Zapier asks you to sign in to Check Cherry, paste in the API key. > Warning: Your API key gives full access to your account. Treat it like a password, and don't share it outside of Zapier. ### Triggers: what starts a Zap A trigger is the thing that happens in Check Cherry to kick off a Zap. There are twelve, and all of them are instant - Check Cherry pushes the data to Zapier as it happens rather than making Zapier check on a schedule. ![Choosing a Check Cherry trigger event in the Zapier editor](https://www.checkcherry.com/rails/active_storage/blobs/redirect/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsiZGF0YSI6NDUwMjA3MCwicHVyIjoiYmxvYl9pZCJ9fQ==--e2084002b9871f25f727f6f02876d6d204419386/article_237_intercom_0.png?disposition=inline) #### Leads and users | Trigger | When it fires | | --- | --- | | New Lead Is Added to Check Cherry | Someone submits a contact form, abandons a booking partway through, or you add a lead by hand. | | New User Is Added to Check Cherry | A client or staff account is created - by manual entry, an invitation, a new booking, or an accepted proposal. | > Tip: New Lead is the most popular trigger by a wide margin. If you only build one Zap, build this one. #### Bookings and proposals | Trigger | When it fires | | --- | --- | | New Event Is Added to Check Cherry | A booking is confirmed - through self-booking, by a client accepting a proposal, or entered manually. | | Event Is Updated in Check Cherry | Any change to an existing booking. | | Event Is Marked as Complete by Check Cherry | A booking is marked complete after the event. | | New Proposal Is Added to Check Cherry | A proposal is created through self-booking or entered manually. | > There is no separate trigger for a proposal being sent, viewed, accepted, or expired. Use Event Is Updated and filter on status in Zapier, or watch for New Event Is Added, which fires when a proposal converts into a confirmed booking. #### Payments | Trigger | When it fires | | --- | --- | | New Payment Is Recorded in Check Cherry | A client pays, puts down a deposit, or an admin records a payment manually. The payload includes the amount, method, client, and the booking it applies to. | #### Staffing | Trigger | When it fires | | --- | --- | | Staff Is Assigned to a Booking in Check Cherry | A team member is assigned to work an existing booking. | > Warning: This trigger is about scheduling, not your roster. It fires when someone is assigned to work an event, not when a new team member is added to your account. To catch new staff accounts, use New User Is Added and filter by role in Zapier. #### Appointments and checklists | Trigger | When it fires | | --- | --- | | New Appointment | A sales call, consultation, or planning meeting is booked. | | Appointment Is Updated | An existing appointment is changed. | | New Checklist Item Is Created | A checklist item is added to a booking or lead. | | Checklist Item Is Updated | A checklist item changes, including being checked off. | ### Actions: what Zapier can do inside Check Cherry Actions run in the other direction. Something happens in another app, and Zapier creates or looks up a record in Check Cherry. ![The Check Cherry actions available in Zapier](https://www.checkcherry.com/rails/active_storage/blobs/redirect/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsiZGF0YSI6NDUwMjg3MCwicHVyIjoiYmxvYl9pZCJ9fQ==--02b69e1373864f42cf96695072af98ac48dd929c/article_218_intercom_4.png?disposition=inline) #### Create records | Action | What it does | | --- | --- | | Create Lead | Adds a lead with contact info, event details, and budget. | | Create Proposal | Adds a proposal with customer data, package selection, and pricing. | | Create Confirmed Event | Adds a confirmed booking with customer details, pricing, venue, and event specifics. | #### Look records up | Action | What it does | | --- | --- | | Check Availability | Confirms whether a date and time is open, optionally for a specific package or add-on. | | Find Lead | Searches by ID, email, origin, or type. | | Find Event or Proposal | Searches by ID, status, date range, or free text. | | Find Payment | Searches by date range or booking. | | Find User | Searches by role or free text. | | Find Appointment | Searches by date range or free text. | | Find Checklist Item | Searches by filter, text, or record type. | | Find or Create Lead | Looks for a matching lead and creates one only if there isn't one already. | > Tip: Check Availability is the one people miss. You can wire it up so an inquiry from your website, a chatbot, or a form gets an instant "yes, that date is open" reply without anyone checking the calendar. ### Automations worth building first | What you want | Trigger | Then | | --- | --- | --- | | Every new lead in your CRM or email list | New Lead Is Added | Create or update a contact in Mailchimp, ActiveCampaign, HubSpot, or Flodesk. | | Leads from Facebook or your website in Check Cherry | Facebook Lead Ads, Wufoo, WordPress, or your form tool | Find or Create Lead in Check Cherry. | | A running record of every payment | New Payment Is Recorded | Add a row in Google Sheets, or create a sales receipt in QuickBooks Online. | | Your team notified when a booking lands | New Event Is Added | Post a message to a Slack channel. | | Review requests that send themselves | Event Is Marked as Complete | Send an email or trigger your review platform. | | Staffing changes on your team's radar | Staff Is Assigned to a Booking | Post to Slack, or add the shift to a shared calendar. | > Tip: Use Find or Create Lead rather than Create Lead when leads might arrive from more than one place. It keeps you from ending up with the same person in your pipeline twice. ### Two things specific to Check Cherry #### Leads that arrive through Zapier are tagged Any lead created by a Zap gets an origin of Zapier. That means you can treat those leads differently from the ones that come through your booking engine - most usefully, by sending them their own automated message. 1. Go to Automated Messages and create a Lead Created automation. 2. Add a condition on Origin and set it to Zapier. 3. Write your message and turn the automation on. #### New lead triggers are delayed slightly The New Lead trigger waits about a minute before firing. Leads from an incomplete booking wait roughly twenty minutes, which gives the client a chance to come back and finish checking out. If they do finish, you get a booking instead of a stale "someone abandoned their cart" alert. ### When a Zap isn't working Turn on enhanced logging from the Integrations page, run the Zap again, and look at the request logs to see exactly what Check Cherry sent or received. Enhanced logging stays on for one week and then switches itself off. > Full walkthrough: troubleshooting Zapier issues. ### Watch it in action Video: https://www.youtube.com/embed/gq0sK_kwk0w?rel=0 For a longer walkthrough, watch our Zapier automation webinar. -> Open Integrations (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/third_party_integrations) **Related articles:** - [How do I connect Check Cherry to Zapier?](https://www.checkcherry.com/help/218) - [How do I troubleshoot Zapier issues?](https://www.checkcherry.com/help/242) - [Using the Check Cherry API](https://www.checkcherry.com/help/402) --- ## Why are my Check Cherry emails in the Promotions tab? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/467-why-are-my-check-cherry-emails-in-the-promotions-tab *Category: Messaging* *Promotions is inbox delivery, not spam. Here is why Gmail sorts some Check Cherry emails there and how to pin every one of them to your Primary tab.* If your booking alerts land in Gmail's Promotions tab instead of Primary, nothing is broken. The email was delivered. Gmail just filed it in a different part of your inbox. > Promotions is not spam. Gmail counts every tab, Primary, Promotions, Updates, Social, and Forums, as inbox delivery. Spam is a separate folder. If your email is in a tab, it arrived. ### Why Gmail sorts your email this way Gmail is trying to be helpful. It reads the shape of each message and guesses where you would want it. A short, personal note from one person tends to land in Primary. A message with a business name in the from line, a logo, prices, and several links looks like a receipt or an offer, so it lands in Promotions. That is why two emails from the same system can end up in different tabs. Your new lead alert and your new booking alert are not shaped the same way, so Gmail does not treat them the same way. Gmail also learns from how people across its network handle similar messages, so its guess can shift over time even when nothing on your end changed. ### Send every Check Cherry email to your Primary tab Every email Check Cherry sends you comes from the same domain, checkcherry-mail.com. One filter covers all of it: your booking alerts, lead alerts, the Check Cherry Daily digest, payout notices, and billing receipts. 1. Open Gmail on a computer. Filters cannot be created from the mobile app. 2. Click the search box at the top, then click the sliders icon at the right to open search options. 3. In the From field, type checkcherry-mail.com. Leave every other field blank. 4. Click Create filter. 5. Check Never send it to Spam, then set Categorize as to Primary. Gmail may label this option Personal, which is the same thing. 6. Check Also apply filter to matching conversations so the emails already sitting in Promotions move over. 7. Click Create filter. > Tip: Do not add a subject line to the filter. Filtering on the domain alone catches every Check Cherry email, including alerts from brands you add later. ### On your phone You cannot build a filter in the Gmail app, but you can teach it. Open the email, tap the menu in the top right, and choose Move to, then Primary. If Gmail offers to do this for future messages from that sender, say yes. ### Outlook and Apple Mail - Outlook sorts into Focused and Other. Right click the message and choose Always move to Focused. - Apple Mail on iPhone sorts into categories on iOS 18 and later. Use Categorize Sender on the message and pick Primary. - Yahoo and others use similar views. Look for an option to move the sender to your main inbox. ### Do not rely on email alone Tabs, filters, and spam rules all belong to your email provider, and they can change without warning. If missing a booking alert would cost you, put a second channel behind it. - Push notifications. The Check Cherry app alerts you the moment a client signs or a lead comes in, without touching email at all. See push notifications. - Check Cherry Daily. A once a day summary of everything that happened in your account. - Your dashboard. New bookings and leads show up there as soon as they happen. ### If a client cannot find your email That is a different problem, and you cannot set a filter inside someone else's inbox. Ask them to check their Promotions tab first, because the message is usually sitting right there. If it is genuinely missing, see why are my emails going to spam. **Related articles:** - [Why are my emails going to spam?](https://www.checkcherry.com/help/87) - [Email Deliverability FAQ [UPDATED]](https://www.checkcherry.com/help/349) - [Push Notifications](https://www.checkcherry.com/help/194) --- ## How do I set up Google Ads conversion tracking? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/245-how-do-i-integrate-google-ads-with-my-check-cherry-account *Category: Integrations* *Spending money on Google Ads and want to know which ads actually result in bookings? Conversion tracking connects the dots between ad clicks and completed b* Spending money on Google Ads and want to know which ads actually result in bookings? Conversion tracking connects the dots between ad clicks and completed bookings, so you can see which campaigns are worth your budget. > You don't need to paste any tags or code into your own website. You paste the Event snippet from your Google Ads conversion, and Check Cherry reads the IDs out of it for you — there's no "Conversion Label" to hunt down. Check Cherry fires the conversion automatically, and only when a booking is actually completed — never on every page view. ### Getting your Event snippet from Google Ads In Google Ads, go to Goals → Conversions, click your booking conversion, then open Tag setup and choose "Install the tag yourself." Scroll down to the Event snippet and copy the whole block. The Event snippet contains a line like gtag('event', 'conversion', { 'send_to': 'AW-123456789/AbC-D_efGh12' }). Check Cherry only reads the send_to value — that's the part that records the conversion. You don't have to touch anything else in the snippet. > Warning: The base Google tag on its own (just the gtag.js line) isn't enough — it has no send_to, so there's nothing for Check Cherry to fire against. Be sure to copy the Event snippet, the block that contains send_to. A Google Analytics "G-" tag won't work here either; the value needs to start with AW-. > Tip: If you haven't set up a conversion action yet, create one first. Choose "Website" as the source and "Purchase" or "Lead" as the category, then come back for the Event snippet. ### Setting up tracking in Check Cherry **Where to find it:** Manage > Business Settings > Integrations (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/third_party_integrations) 1. Go to Integrations. 2. Find Google Ads and click Enable. 3. Paste your Event snippet into the Booking conversion snippet field. Check Cherry reads the IDs automatically. 4. If you track leads as a separate conversion in Google Ads, paste that Event snippet into the optional Lead conversion snippet field. Otherwise leave it blank. 5. Click Save. > Check Cherry fires a conversion when a client completes a booking — they sign the contract and pay the deposit. It won't fire just because someone visited your site or started filling things out. Check Cherry actually tracks two things: a lead event when someone starts your online booking (fills out the first step), and a conversion event when they complete the booking. The lead conversion snippet field above is what powers that first event — most businesses set up only the booking conversion and leave leads off, which is perfectly fine. > Also using Google Tag Manager or Google Analytics? Even if you leave the Lead conversion snippet blank, Check Cherry still pushes a check_cherry_new_lead event to the GTM data layer (and a GA4 generate_lead event) every time someone starts your online booking. So you can still track booking-starts in Google Tag Manager or Google Analytics without setting up a separate Google Ads lead conversion — the Lead conversion snippet only controls whether that start also registers as a conversion in your Google Ads account. > Tip: Check Cherry automatically includes the booking's total value and currency with every conversion. That means you can report return on ad spend (ROAS) and use value-based bidding in Google Ads without any extra setup. What gets sent to Google: When a booking completes, Check Cherry sends the booking's total value, currency, package name, and a unique booking ID — so you can measure ROAS and see which packages your ads drive. Because this sends booking data to your own Google Ads account, make sure your business's privacy policy discloses that you use advertising conversion tracking. ### Not seeing conversions? - Give it time — conversions can take 24–48 hours to show up in your Google Ads reports. - Make sure the conversion action is still active in Google Ads, not paused or removed. - Confirm you pasted the Event snippet (the part containing send_to) — not just the base Google tag or a GA4 "G-" ID. If you paste the wrong thing, the field tells you when you save. - Confirm a booking was actually completed. Conversions only fire when a client signs the contract and pays the deposit — not on open proposals or test bookings you cancel. > Warning: Checking your booking site's source code for the tag? While you're signed in to Check Cherry as an owner, admin, or staff member, your tracking tags are hidden on purpose — that keeps your own visits from firing conversions or skewing your data. Open your booking site in a private or incognito window, signed out, to see what real visitors get. > Running Google Ads to your own website? For conversion tracking to work automatically, point your ads straight at your Check Cherry booking site — then the click and the booking happen on the same site, and Check Cherry fires the conversion for you. If you send ad traffic to a page on your own website instead (for example, one with an embedded Check Cherry form), your booking site is a separate domain, so those conversions won't tie back to the ad unless you set up cross-domain measurement (the same setup described for Google Analytics). > Tip: Want to count embedded lead-form submissions as conversions? An embedded Check Cherry lead form creates a lead — it doesn't fire a Google Ads conversion on its own. To count each submission, open your contact form's settings, set the submit action to "Save and Redirect to URL," and point it at a thank-you page on your own website. Then install your Google Ads conversion snippet on that thank-you page. Because the visitor lands back on your own site — where the ad click was recorded — the conversion attributes correctly. -> Open Integrations (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/third_party_integrations) --- ## How do I switch to Check Cherry Payments? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/247-how-do-i-switch-to-check-cherry-payments *Category: Payments* *Ready to start accepting credit card payments through Check Cherry? Here is how to enable it and what to expect.* Ready to start accepting credit card payments through Check Cherry? The built-in payment processing means everything lives in one place — booking, contract, and payment. Clients sign and pay in a single flow without bouncing between platforms. ![Check Cherry Payments connected in Payment Settings](https://www.checkcherry.com/rails/active_storage/blobs/redirect/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsiZGF0YSI6NTE4MTU3MCwicHVyIjoiYmxvYl9pZCJ9fQ==--d42234553226914e69b0270b250cdbd75104cb53/article_247_hero.png?disposition=inline) ### Why Use Check Cherry Payments? If you're currently using a separate payment processor or collecting payments manually, Check Cherry Payments eliminates the back-and-forth. No more copying payment info between systems or chasing down clients who didn't complete checkout on an external site. - Accept all major credit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay - ACH bank transfers for lower fees on large payments - Klarna buy-now-pay-later option - Automatic payment tracking — no manual entry - Built-in payment plans with auto-pay - Processing fee: 2.9% + 30¢ per transaction - Tap to Pay on iPhone and Tap to Pay on Android ### Getting Started **Where to find it:** Manage > Payment Settings (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/payment_methods) 1. Go to Payment Settings. 2. Click Enable Payment Processing. 3. Follow the prompts to create your account — you'll need your business info, bank account for payouts, and a form of ID for verification. 4. Once verified, you're ready to accept payments. ![Enable Payment Processing button in Payment Settings](https://www.checkcherry.com/rails/active_storage/blobs/redirect/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsiZGF0YSI6NTE4MTU3MSwicHVyIjoiYmxvYl9pZCJ9fQ==--9d40ca0a596d1c51490f679e0734edd710370924/article_247_enable.png?disposition=inline) > Your first payout may take up to 7 business days while your account is verified. After that, payouts arrive in 2-3 business days. ### If You're Switching from Another Processor Check Cherry uses one card processor at a time, so you disconnect your current one first. Go to Payment Settings, open your current processor, and choose Disconnect. Check Cherry Payments becomes available as soon as you do. ![Settings button for a connected Stripe account](https://www.checkcherry.com/rails/active_storage/blobs/redirect/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsiZGF0YSI6NTE4MTU3MiwicHVyIjoiYmxvYl9pZCJ9fQ==--768db16ab6076dd15b4383be27ea813dc0c2174b/article_247_stripe_settings.png?disposition=inline) ![Disconnect Stripe Account link in Stripe settings](https://www.checkcherry.com/rails/active_storage/blobs/redirect/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsiZGF0YSI6NTE4MTU3MywicHVyIjoiYmxvYl9pZCJ9fQ==--04addac73257b28d15e6b84128d735638d290ca0/article_247_disconnect.png?disposition=inline) We keep the old connection so your history keeps working: - Refunds on payments are sent back through the processor that was connected at the time of original payment - Payment plans on auto pay keep collecting using the old processor until the customer updates their card - New payments all use Check Cherry Payments from the moment you connect it. Every processor you have disconnected is listed under Past Connections. -> Go to Payment Settings (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/payment_methods) --- ## How do I connect Google Analytics 4 to Check Cherry? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/233-how-do-i-connect-google-analytics-4-to-check-cherry *Category: Integrations* *Learn how to find your GA4 Measurement ID and connect Google Analytics to Check Cherry to track your booking traffic.* Google Analytics shows you where your booking traffic comes from and how visitors move through your booking engine. To connect it, Check Cherry just needs your GA4 Measurement ID — the short code that starts with G-. Here's where to find it and how to add it. ### Find your Measurement ID Your Measurement ID lives on your web data stream in Google Analytics. It's shown right at the top of the stream details — you don't need to open the tag instructions or copy any code. 1. Log into Google Analytics. 2. Click Admin (the gear icon in the bottom left). 3. Under your property, click Data Streams. 4. Click your existing web stream. Your Measurement ID (G-XXXXXXXXXX) is shown at the top of the stream details — copy it. Don't have a data stream yet? Click Add stream, choose Web, enter your website URL and a stream name, then create it. Your new Measurement ID will appear at the top of the stream details. ### Add it to Check Cherry **Where to find it:** Manage > Business Settings > Integrations (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/third_party_integrations) 1. Go to Integrations. 2. Find Google Analytics and click Enable. 3. Paste your Measurement ID (G-XXXXXXXXXX) into the field and save. > Tip: Not sure which part to copy? You can paste your whole Google tag instead — Check Cherry will pull out the Measurement ID for you. Either way, the field should end up showing something like G-XXXXXXXXXX. ### Confirming it's working To confirm tracking is live, open one of your booking pages in a private/incognito window, then check the Realtime report in Google Analytics — your visit should show up within a minute or two. > Don't confirm it by viewing your page's source code. While you're signed in to Check Cherry as an owner, admin, or staff member, your tracking tag is hidden on purpose — that keeps your own visits from skewing your analytics. The Realtime report (checked in a signed-out incognito window) is the reliable way to confirm it's working. > Warning: Not seeing anything in Realtime? Double-check that the Measurement ID saved in Check Cherry matches the one shown under Admin → Data Streams for your web stream, and that it starts with G-. A single wrong character sends data to the wrong place — or nowhere. Tracking across your own website too? Your booking pages live on a checkcherry.com subdomain (or your custom domain), separate from your main website. If you want a single Google Analytics property to follow visitors across both, set up cross-domain measurement in Google Analytics. -> Go to Integrations (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/third_party_integrations) --- ## How do I embed a backdrop gallery on my website? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/221-how-do-i-embed-a-backdrop-gallery-on-my-website *Category: Online booking* *Clients want to see your backdrop collection before they commit. Embed a gallery on your website so they can browse without starting the booking process.* Some photo booth companies like to display backdrops on their website. Check Cherry allows you to manage your backdrops in one place and display them in many. > Tip: Clients can pick a backdrop when booking online or accepting a proposal, so having them visible on your website is optional. ### Getting the Embed Code **Where to find it:** Manage > Website Integration (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/integrations) 1. Go to Website Integration. 2. Find Backdrop Gallery and click Get Embed Code. ### Configuration Options Customize how your backdrop gallery appears on your website: #### Display Style - Link Only: Creates a text link that opens your gallery in a new tab - Embed on my site: Shows the gallery directly on your webpage #### Book Now Button Choose whether to include a button that takes clients to your booking page. Most businesses include this to capture interest while clients are browsing. #### Display Options - Show Title: Display backdrop names below each image - Show Pricing: Include pricing information for each backdrop #### Technical Settings Compatibility Mode wraps the widget in an iframe for greater compatibility with some website builders. Enable this if your regular embed doesn't display properly. > Tip: You can set a maximum widget width in compatibility mode to control how much space the gallery takes up on your page. #### Advanced Customization Match your website's look with these styling options: - Override text color - Override font family - Override button background color - Override button text color - Set maximum backdrops per page ### Adding to Your Website Once you've configured your settings, copy the provided embed code and paste it into your website where you want the gallery to appear. The code works with most website builders and content management systems. -> Get Backdrop Gallery Embed Code (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/integrations) --- ## Where do I start? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/250-where-do-i-start *Category: Getting started* *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.* 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: 1. Go to Business Settings and add your logo and brand colors. 2. Go to Packages and customize the sample packages with your real services and pricing. 3. Go to Contract Terms and paste in your agreement text. 4. Go to Payment Settings and connect Check Cherry Payments to accept online payments. Once those four are in place, click Create New in the top nav to create your first booking or proposal. > Tip: Your Launch Center walks you through setup step by step. Look for it on your dashboard — it tracks your progress and suggests what to do next. -> Open Launch Center (in your Check Cherry account: /customer_success/launch_center) ### 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. > Tip: Online booking is also a great lead generator. If someone starts booking but doesn't finish, Check Cherry saves their info and creates a lead automatically. These leads have already seen your pricing, so they're worth following up on. ### 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. > You can also embed lead forms on your website to collect inquiries. These simple forms let potential clients share their event details without seeing pricing upfront. Once they submit, you can convert the lead into a proposal or booking. ### 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 — premium upgrades, additional equipment rentals, etc. Setting these up in Check Cherry means your clients see exactly what you offer and can customize their booking. -> Manage Packages (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/event_categories) ### 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. ### Watch: Getting Started Video: https://www.youtube.com/embed/x5f9QpLrArs --- ## Can I assign staff to leads? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/32-can-i-assign-staff-to-leads *Category: Leads* *A lead comes in and you want one of your staff to handle the follow-up. Assign them to the lead so they know it is their responsibility.* A lead comes in and you want one of your staff to handle the follow-up. You can assign staff members to leads so they know which ones are their responsibility. ### How to Assign Staff to a Lead **Where to find it:** Sales > Leads (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/leads) 1. Click on the lead you want to assign. 2. In the Requested Staff box, search for the staff member's name. 3. Select their name from the dropdown. 4. Optionally, set a follow-up date to remind yourself or the staff member when to check in. 5. Save the changes. ### Can Staff Message Leads? Staff need the Extended Permissions role to access the Messages tab on leads and send emails or texts to clients. **Where to find it:** Manage > User Accounts (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/users) 1. Click Edit next to the staff member. 2. Check the box next to Extended Permissions. 3. Save their account permissions. > For details on what each role can access, see staff user roles and permissions. --- ## How do I add a PO number to a proposal or invoice? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/469-how-do-i-add-a-po-number-to-a-proposal-or-invoice *Category: Bookings* *Learn how to add a purchase order number to a booking, and how to collect it from clients automatically during online booking.* Corporate, government, and other institutional clients often issue a purchase order to authorize a spend, and require that PO number on your paperwork before their accounting department can pay. Check Cherry has a PO Number field on every booking. You can type it in yourself, or have the client give it to you while they book. ### Adding a PO number to an invoice No setup required. Every invoice header already has a PO Number row. 1. Open the booking and go to its Invoice tab. 2. Find the PO Number row in the header. If nothing is set yet, it reads Not included. 3. Click it, enter the number, and save. > Not included is only visible to you. Your client's copy leaves the PO Number row off entirely until a value exists, so it never prints as a blank line. ### Collecting it from the client If corporate work is a regular part of your business, turn on the PO Number extra question instead of chasing the number down later. **Where to find it:** Manage > Booking Engine > Extra Questions (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/booking_engine/booking_questions) 1. Go to Extra Questions. 2. Find PO Number in the list and enable it. 3. Choose whether the customer answers it during checkout, or whether it is internal only and your team fills it in. 4. Decide whether to make it required. > Tip: Think twice before marking it required. Only a slice of your clients will ever have a PO number, and a required field stops everyone else from finishing checkout. Once enabled, the field appears in the Additional Info section of a lead, proposal, or booking, so you can enter or edit it there at any point. It also carries across when a lead converts, so a number captured on an inquiry follows the client through to the booking. See how to collect more information during the booking process for more on extra questions. ### Where it shows up - In the header of proposals and invoices, on every proposal theme. - In automated messages, as the po_number token. It works in lead, proposal, and booking messages. - As a PO Number column in the Events and Bookings reports. -> Go to Extra Questions (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/booking_engine/booking_questions) --- ## How can I add artwork to a booking? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/468-how-can-i-add-artwork-to-a-booking *Category: Getting started* If your service includes custom artwork — whether that's a photo booth template, event backdrop, or printed design — Check Cherry lets you manage the entire design process inside a booking. Clients can browse options, request revisions, and give final approval without any back-and-forth over email. ### How design collections work A design collection is a set of artwork options you offer for a particular package. You create the collection once, assign it to one or more packages, and Check Cherry handles the rest — presenting the options to your client, collecting their choice, and tracking revision requests and approvals inside the booking. You can populate a collection in three ways: - Upload your own custom designs - Connect a third-party design provider through one of our integrations - Use the Canva integration to pull in designs you've built there. ### Creating a design collection **Where to find it:** Manage > Design Collections (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/event_categories) 1. Go to Design Collections under the Manage menu. 2. Click Add a Design Collection. 3. Give the collection a name (for example, 'Gold Package Templates' or 'Spring Mini Session Designs'). 4. Upload the designs into the Design Collection. 5. In the Settings tab, assign the design collection to packages. > Tip: You can assign the same design collection to multiple packages. If you have a core set of designs that applies to several tiers, create one collection and link it to each package rather than duplicating it. ### Adding designs to a collection Once a collection exists, you have three ways to add artwork to it. #### Upload your own designs Click Add a Design inside the collection and upload your artwork file. Give it a name so clients can identify it. Repeat for each design you want to include. This is the simplest option and works well if you're producing artwork in your own tools and just need a way to present and get approval on it. #### Use a third-party design provider integration Check Cherry integrates with design providers so you can pull artwork directly from the platform where you build it. To connect an integration: **Where to find it:** Manage > Business Settings > Integrations (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/third_party_integrations) 1. Go to Integrations. 2. Find your design provider and click Connect. 3. Follow the prompts to authorize the connection. 4. Once connected, go back to your design collection and use Add a Design , then select the integration to pull in designs from the integrated provider. ### The client revision and approval process Once a booking is confirmed and includes a package with a design collection, the client can view their design options through the client portal. Here is how the process works: - The client logs into the client portal and views the available designs for their booking. - They select the design they want or submit a request with notes about customizations they'd like. - You receive a notification, make the changes, and upload the revised artwork. - The client reviews the artwork and either requests a revision or approves the design. - Once approved, the design is locked in and marked as approved on the booking. ### Adding a one-off design to a single booking Sometimes a client needs a custom design that isn't part of your standard collection — a special event, a unique layout, or something they requested after booking. You can add a design directly to any booking without going through a collection. 1. Open the booking from Bookings. 2. Find the Designs tab on the booking. 3. Click Add a Design. 4. Upload the artwork file and give it a name. 5. Save. The design will appear in the client portal for this booking only. > Designs added directly to a booking are separate from your collections and do not affect other bookings or packages. They are one-off additions for that booking only. If you have questions about setting up design collections or integrations, reach out through the chat bubble in the lower right. --- ## How do I re-subscribe a client who unsubscribed? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/162-how-do-i-re-subscribe-a-client-who-unsubscribed *Category: Payments* *If a client accidentally unsubscribed from your emails, you can re-subscribe them from their user account or from a booking.* If a client accidentally unsubscribed from your emails, you can re-subscribe them from their user account or from a booking. This restores their ability to receive your automated messages and updates. ### From User Accounts **Where to find it:** Manage > User Accounts (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/users) 1. Search for the client's account. 2. Click the down arrow next to the Actions button. 3. Select Suppress Unsubscribe to re-subscribe them. ### From a Booking On the booking overview, click the Actions button in the Client box and select Suppress Unsubscribe. --- ## How do I unsubscribe from the Daily Digest email? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/159-how-do-i-unsubscribe-from-the-daily-digest-email *Category: Messaging* *Getting a daily email summary you do not need? Turn it off from your profile.* Getting a daily email summary you do not need? Turn it off from your profile. 1. Click your name in the upper right corner. 2. Go to your Profile. 3. Uncheck Daily Digest. 4. Save. --- ## Add song selection to a booking questionnaire https://www.checkcherry.com/help/6-how-do-i-add-a-song-playlist-to-a-booking *Category: Questionnaires* *Use Song and Song List fields to collect music requests on a questionnaire, with optional curated suggestions and in-page previews.* Music planning for a client is usually a series of small decisions: what plays when they walk in, what plays during dinner, what must absolutely be played, what should never be played. A questionnaire is where those decisions land, and the Song and Song List fields are how you ask for them. With the right setup, clients can browse a curated list, preview tracks without leaving the page, and leave notes for you, all in one place. ### Song vs Song List When you add a music field to a questionnaire, you choose between two field types. - Song is a single slot for one answer, like the first dance. Turn on repeating when you want more. - Song List always repeats. Use it for must-play, do-not-play, or dinner favorites. > Both types take the same settings: a curated suggestion list, whether clients can enter songs outside it, and a maximum number of entries. ### Add a song field to a questionnaire **Where to find it:** Manage > Questionnaire Templates (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/form_templates) 1. Go to Questionnaire Templates and open the questionnaire you want to edit (or create a new one). 2. Click Add New Field where you want the question to appear. 3. Open the field editor and set Type to Song or Song List. 4. Give the field a name like First Dance or Must-Play Songs. That name is what the client sees as the question. 5. Optionally, set Show Suggestions? to attach a curated song list (see below). 6. Save and close. The questionnaire is saved automatically. ### Limit how many songs a client can add A do-not-play list works best short: a few songs to avoid, not a second request list. Set a maximum and clients cannot go past it. 1. Open the field editor for your song question. 2. On a Song field, check Repeat this question multiple times? A Song List already repeats. 3. Set Maximum Number of Entries. 4. Save and close. The Add button disappears once clients reach the maximum. Leave it blank for no limit. > Tell clients the number up front. Put something like Pick up to five songs in the field's Hint. > The maximum cannot be lower than the number of rows the question starts with. A Song List starts with two. A Song field starts with its Starting Number of Entries. For exactly one answer, use a Song field with repeating off. Lowering a maximum never deletes answers clients have already given. It only stops new entries. ### Attach a suggestion list A suggestion list turns a free-form music question into a curated browse experience. Instead of staring at an empty box, the client opens a searchable list of songs you have already selected as good options, with cover art and a preview button on each row. Suggestion lists are set per field, not per questionnaire. The same questionnaire can have a First Dance field pointing at one list and a Father-Daughter Dance field pointing at another. 1. In the field editor, find Show Suggestions? and pick a list from the dropdown. 2. Decide what to do about the Allow entering custom songs not on the list? checkbox (see next section). 3. Save and close. > Need to build a list first? See Create and manage song lists. ### When to turn off custom songs By default, clients can enter any song they want, whether or not it appears in your suggestion list. That is the right setting for most music planning. The suggestion list serves as inspiration; the client adds whatever they like. Uncheck Allow entering custom songs not on the list? when you genuinely cannot accept anything outside the list. The clearest example is a 360 photo booth: clips get shared to social media, so the only safe songs are ones you have commercial rights to. Restricting clients to a pre-cleared list keeps the experience smooth and keeps you out of takedown territory. > Warning: Only turn this off when you really mean it. Locking the field to your list works for licensed-music situations, but for normal DJ planning it frustrates clients who want to suggest a song you have not added yet. ### What the client sees On the questionnaire, the song field looks like a labeled input with a search box. When the client opens it: - If you attached a suggestion list, they can scroll or search through your tracks. Selecting one fills in the track name, artist, and album for them. - If custom songs are allowed, they can also type a song that is not on the list. Check Cherry searches across Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube to autocomplete the track details and pull in a preview link. - Every row has a play button. Clicking it streams a preview from whichever music service the preview URL points to, without leaving the page. - Clients can add their own notes on each track, useful for things like play this for the entrance only or radio edit please. After the client submits the questionnaire, the answers show up on the booking. You can export the list later if you need it in a different tool for the actual event. ### Watch the walkthrough Video: https://www.youtube.com/embed/JjVyiL3CghY -> Open Questionnaire Templates (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/form_templates) --- ## Where can I upload files and images? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/249-where-can-i-upload-files-and-images *Category: Bookings* *Screenshots for your packages, documents for your staff, images for your backdrops. Here is where uploads go and what formats and sizes are supported.* Action shots for your packages, documents for your staff, images for your backdrops. Here is where uploads go and what formats and sizes are supported. ### Media Library The Media Library is a central place to store and organize images for use across your account. Create categories to keep things organized. **Where to find it:** Manage > Business Settings > Media Library (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/media_library_resources) ### Supported Formats - Accepted: .png, .jpg, .gif, .pdf - Not supported: .webp, .psd, .mp4, .mov, .tiff ### File Size Limits - General uploads: 10 MB - Booking attachments tab: 50 MB - .gif files: 3 MB > Video files (.mp4) cannot be uploaded to design collections. -> Open Media Library (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/media_library_resources) --- ## How do I hide pricing from a client? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/47-how-do-i-hide-pricing-from-a-client *Category: Bookings* *Sometimes you need to share booking details with a client without showing the pricing. Check Cherry lets you hide pricing on individual bookings.* Sometimes you need to share booking details with a client without showing the pricing—maybe a corporate event planner needs to see details but the budget is confidential, or you're sharing event info with a staff member who's coordinating on-site. **Where to find it:** Bookings > Select a booking > Actions (in your Check Cherry account: /events) ### How to Hide Pricing 1. Open the booking. 2. Click the Actions menu button in the Clients box next to the client you wish to edit permission for. 3. Select Hide Pricing for This Client. > This option is only available on confirmed bookings, not proposals. ### Important Note About Shareable Links If you share the link at the bottom of a booking with someone, they'll be able to see the pricing regardless of whether pricing is hidden for that client. The link doesn't require login, so anyone who opens it sees everything. > Tip: For secure sharing without pricing, send the client a portal login instead of the shareable link. -> Go to Bookings (in your Check Cherry account: /events) --- ## How do I duplicate a booking or proposal? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/126-how-do-i-duplicate-a-booking-or-proposal *Category: Bookings* *A client wants the same setup as last year, or you need to create several similar proposals for different dates.* A client wants the same setup as last year, or you need to create several similar proposals for different dates. Duplicate an existing one instead of starting from scratch — it copies the packages, add-ons, and pricing while letting you change the date and client details. 1. Open the booking or proposal. 2. Click Manage Booking. 3. Select Duplicate this Booking / Proposal. 4. Choose the status for the new booking (Date Open, Date Reserved, Confirmed, or Confirmed Awaiting Signature). 5. Update the date, client info, and any other details. ### What gets copied - Packages, add-ons, extras, and photo booth backdrops - Pricing, discounts, and fees - Client and additional contacts - Venue and event details - All proposal alternatives ### What doesn't - Payments and payment schedules - Staff assignments - Notes, files, and message history - Signatures. The copy is unsigned. - Questionnaire answers. Your default forms are added fresh. - Checklist progress > The copy uses your current terms, a new invoice number, and a fresh proposal expiration date. See booking statuses for details on which status to choose. --- ## How do I add documents to a booking? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/8-add-documents-for-clients-and-or-staff *Category: Bookings* *Need to share a setup diagram with your staff, or send a client a PDF of their event layout? You can upload documents directly to a booking so everyone invo* Sometimes you need to share files with your team or clients for a specific event — setup diagrams for staff, floor plans for the client, or insurance documents the venue requires. Documents attached to a booking stay organized with that event, so everyone involved can find what they need without digging through email threads. ### What Documents Are For Documents work differently from photos in your gallery. These are files that relate to the logistics of a specific event: - Setup instructions and equipment lists for your team - Floor plans and venue layouts for clients - Insurance certificates that venues require > Tip: You can control who sees each document — just your staff, just the client, or both. This keeps internal setup notes private while sharing the client-facing materials they need. ### How to Upload Documents **Where to find it:** Bookings > Select a booking > Attachments (in your Check Cherry account: /events) 1. Click Upload Files. 2. Select your documents (up to 10 MB per file). 3. Choose the visibility: Client & Staff, Staff Only, or Client Only. 4. Click Save. > You can also add documents to individual client profiles from their contact page. These show up across all their bookings and are useful for things like standing insurance certificates. --- ## How do I notify staff when an event is booked? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/202-send-an-email-or-text-to-your-staff-when-an-event-is-booked *Category: Messaging* *A booking comes in at midnight and your team does not know until morning.* A booking comes in at midnight and your team doesn't know until morning. Set up an automated notification so staff get an email or text the moment a new booking is confirmed. **Where to find it:** Manage > Automated Messages (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/automated_events) 1. Go to Automated Messages. 2. Click New Automated Message. 3. Select the Booked Date template group. 4. Select Send Staff Email to Request/Claim Booking. 5. Click View Template to customize the message content. 6. By default, the recipient is set to include all staff members. 7. Click Save to enable the automated notification. > If you assign a staff member to a lead or proposal before it becomes a booking, the assignment notification won't go out until the booking is confirmed. Staff will receive the email or SMS at that point, not at the time of assignment. > Tip: You can set up both email and SMS notifications for different scenarios. For urgent bookings, SMS ensures staff see the notification immediately even when away from email. Each template can only be either email or SMS, so if you want to send both, you will need to create separate templates for each. --- ## How do I set a preferred location for a package? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/470-how-do-i-set-a-preferred-location-for-a-package *Category: Packages* *Learn how to attach a specific address to a package so clients choose it during online booking instead of typing one in.* Preferred locations let you control where a package can be booked. Tag the Places you work at to a package and the client picks one from a list instead of typing an address. A photographer can offer a handful of favorite outdoor spots. A DJ can limit bookings to the venues they know. It also works for a package that always happens at one address, like a studio session: tag that one Place and the client picks it. ### How it works Preferred locations are built from Places. You tag a Place as a preferred location for one or more packages, then switch the package's Booking Category to a mode that uses preferred locations. During online booking, the location step shows only the Places tagged for the package the client selected. Two pieces have to be in place. The Place controls which addresses show up. The Booking Category controls whether preferred locations are used at all. ### Tag a Place as a preferred location **Where to find it:** Manage > Business Settings > Places (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/venues) 1. Go to Places. 2. Open the Place you want to use, or add a new one with the address. 3. In the Preferred Locations panel, choose All Packages or select the specific packages this Place applies to. 4. Save. Once at least one Booking Category is using preferred locations, the Place's page shows a Valid for Packages panel summarizing which packages it applies to. That is the quickest way to confirm the tag took. ### Turn on preferred locations for the Booking Category **Where to find it:** Manage > Packages > Edit the Booking Category > General Settings (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/event_categories) 1. Go to Packages. 2. Edit the Booking Category that contains the package. 3. Under General Settings, find Do you wish to collect the location name and address during booking? 4. Choose Yes, only from preferred locations or Yes, show both preferred locations and allow custom. 5. Save. The two options that use preferred locations: - Yes, only from preferred locations: the client picks from the tagged Places and cannot enter anything else. - Yes, show both preferred locations and allow custom: tagged Places show as cards, plus an Other Address card for a custom entry. The other options on that question do not use preferred locations. See How do I configure my service settings? for what each one does. > Warning: This setting applies to every package in the Booking Category, not just the one you had in mind. With Yes, only from preferred locations, a package with no Place tagged shows an empty list and the client has no way to enter an address. Either tag a Place for every package in the category, or use the both option so there is always a way forward. If every package in the category is tied to known locations, use only from preferred locations. If some packages go anywhere, use the both option. The outdoor session shows your list of spots, the studio package shows the studio card, and the packages you deliver anywhere still let the client type a venue. ### What the client sees On the location step, the client sees a card for each Place tagged for the package they chose, with its photo and address. They click a card to select it. Even when there is only one Place, the client still clicks it; the address is not filled in automatically. The same General Settings page holds the rest of the category's booking behavior. See How do I configure my service settings? for a walkthrough of the other options there. -> Go to Places (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/venues) --- ## How do I hide backdrops on a specific package? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/82-don-t-allow-a-backdrop-on-a-package *Category: Packages* *Your DJ package does not need a backdrop selector, but your photo booth package does. You can disable backdrop selection on individual packages.* Some packages need backdrop selection (like photo booths), while others don't (like DJ or photography services). You can control this on a per-package basis so clients only see backdrop options when relevant. **Where to find it:** Manage > Packages > (select package) > Advanced (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/event_categories) 1. Select the package you want to edit. 2. Click the Advanced tab. 3. Scroll down to the Backdrops section. 4. Change the setting to No under "Does this package require the user to choose a backdrop?" > This only affects online booking. When creating proposals manually, you can still add backdrops to any package regardless of this setting. --- ## How do I include add-ons with a package by default? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/15-how-do-i-include-add-ons-with-a-package-by-default *Category: Packages* *Auto-attached add-ons are items that come included with a package by default.* Auto-attached add-ons are items that come included with a package by default. Instead of the client choosing them manually, they're already part of the package when it's booked. This is useful for things that should always be included — like an audio guestbook with a photo booth package. ### When to Use Auto-Attached Add-Ons Use this when something is always part of a package but you want it to show as a separate line item on the invoice. For example: - A piece of equipment item included in the base price - microphones included with a DJ package, for example. - An audio guestbook that is always included with photobook packages. > Tip: If the item should be invisible to the client and just baked into the package price, you don't need an auto-attached add-on — just include the cost in the package price. Auto-attach is for when you want it visible as a line item. ### How to Set It Up 1. Go to Packages and select the package you want to edit. 2. Open the Advanced tab. 3. In the Add-on section, click Include Add on and start typing the add-on name (or press Space to see all available add-ons). 4. Select the add-on, set the default quantity and decide whether or not it's included for free. 5. Click Save. > Clients can still remove auto-attached add-ons during booking unless you've disabled that option. To prevent removal, just set the 'Allow this add on to be removed by the customer' to No. -> Manage Packages (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/event_categories) --- ## How do I add an expense to a booking? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/31-can-i-add-an-expense-to-a-booking *Category: Reporting* *Knowing your profit per event means tracking what you spent, not just what you earned. Attach expenses directly to a booking to see the full picture.* Knowing your profit per event means tracking what you spent, not just what you earned. You can attach expenses directly to bookings to see the full financial picture for each event. **Where to find it:** Bookings > Select booking > Invoice (in your Check Cherry account: /events) 1. Open the booking you want to add expenses to. 2. Go to the Invoice tab. 3. Click Add Expense. 4. Enter the expense details and save. Common per-event expenses include supplies, subcontractor fees, and rental equipment. These expenses show up in your profit calculations and help you understand which events are actually profitable. > Tip: You can also track general business expenses (not tied to specific bookings) from the main Expenses section. --- ## What can my clients do in their portal? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/161-what-can-my-clients-do-in-their-portal *Category: Getting started* *A tour of the client portal: the tabs on a booking, what clients can do on each one, and which ones only appear in certain situations.* After a client books online or accepts a proposal, they get a login to your portal. It is where they sign, pay, plan the event, and check details without calling you. If a client cannot get in at all, see how do I invite a client to log in. ### The booking page Signing in lands a client on their dashboard, which lists their upcoming and past bookings. Clicking one opens the booking page, and that is where nearly everything happens. Tabs run across the top, and clients only see the ones that apply to their booking. - Overview: the booking at a glance. Date, times, venue, the package and add-ons they bought, and their contract. This is where they sign. - Questionnaires: planning forms and song playlists. Appears once you have assigned one to that client. - Designs: appears when the booking has designs. Clients pick templates, approve artwork, and request revisions. - Checklists: appears when you have assigned a checklist to that client. - Make Payment and Invoice: pay a balance, and view or download the invoice. - Attachments: any files you have attached to the booking. > Clients never see the Messages tab. That thread is for you and your team, so notes you leave there stay internal. Make Payment and Invoice both hang on one per-person setting: Allow this customer to see pricing? on the booking's client panel. Turn it off and that person loses the money side of the booking. That is how you give a parent or a wedding planner the planning forms without showing them what anyone paid. ### Changes clients can make Clients can optionally edit their own confirmed bookings, add and remove add-ons, and cancel. Visit your change policy settings to control this setting. **Where to find it:** Manage > Business Settings > Availability > Change Policies (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/availability/change_policy) ### The rest of the portal There are a few other features outside of the booking that can be useful. - Dashboard: upcoming and past bookings, with their profile alongside. - My Profile: clients update their own contact details and manage saved cards. - Documents: appears once you have uploaded at least one document. Useful for including a W-9 or proof of insurance document - Refer: their referral link. Appears when you have enabled referral tracking enabled - New Booking: drops them into online booking to book you again. The portal is the client's side of a user account. For your side of the same record, contact details, saved payment methods, tax exempt status and the rest, see user accounts in Check Cherry. --- ## How does the referral program work? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/206-share-check-cherry-with-other-business-owners-and-get-rewarded *Category: Best practices* *Know another event professional who could use Check Cherry? Refer them and you both save money.* Know another event professional who could use Check Cherry? The referral program lets you both save money — they get a discount on their subscription and you get a credit on yours. ### How to share your referral link **Where to find it:** Referral Program (in your Check Cherry account: /referrals) 1. Go to Referral Program. 2. Copy your unique referral link or click Send Email to invite someone directly from your account. The referrals page shows your link and gives you options for sharing it. You can copy and paste the link anywhere, or use the email feature to send an invitation directly. ### How the discounts work When someone signs up using your referral link and becomes a paying customer, you both get a credit applied to your accounts. The exact discount amount depends on current promotions. > Tip: Your referral link works for anyone — colleagues, friends in the industry, or businesses you meet at networking events. There's no limit to how many people you can refer. --- ## What happens to existing bookings when I archive or delete a package or add on? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/513-what-happens-to-existing-bookings-when-i-archive-or-delete-something *Category: Packages* *Archiving or deleting an add-on, package or discount code only affects new bookings, so existing bookings and proposals keep what they have.* Archiving or deleting a package, add on or extra stops it from being offered on new bookings. Existing bookings and proposals keep what they already have, including the price. That holds for add-ons, packages, backdrops, and extras Staff work a little differently. Details for each are below. ### If I archive or delete an add-on or extra Existing bookings, proposals and leads keep the add-on or extra, with its name and price. You have two options: - Archive: Reversible. Unarchive it any time. - Delete: Permanent. There is no undo. Cleaning up years of old add-ons? Bulk edit can archive or delete many at once. ### If I delete a package, package group or service Deleting one removes it from your catalog and from online booking. Existing bookings and proposals are unchanged. - Deleting a service also removes the package groups and packages inside it. - Deleting a package group also removes its packages. - Deleting a package removes just that package. See How do I duplicate or delete a package? for where to find the delete links. ### Why doesn't my change show up on an existing booking? Existing bookings keep the add-on or package they were booked with. If you replaced it with a new one, anything tied to the new one, like a design collection, won't reach older bookings. Remove the old item from the booking and add the current one. ### If I archive a staff member Staff can't be deleted, only archived. That keeps your booking history intact. When you archive a staff member: - They can no longer sign in. - They stay on the bookings they were assigned to, marked Archived. When someone leaves, reassign their upcoming bookings to someone else, then archive them. To bring someone back, go to Manage, User Accounts, open the Archived tab and unarchive them. ### Why do I see "email is already taken" when adding a staff member? An archived staff member still holds their email address. Unarchive the old user, change their email (you can just add a fake email like staff@example.com), and archive them again. The original email address is then free to use. ### If I archive or delete something else The same rule applies. Existing bookings are unchanged. - Add-on and extra categories: Deleting a category also deletes everything inside it. - Backdrops: Archive or delete. - Design templates: Delete only. - Discount codes: Deactivate or Delete. Bookings that already used the code keep their discount. - Saved venues: Delete only. Bookings keep their venue details. > Tip: Archive when you can. Archived items can be brought back any time. --- ## How do I set up ACH payment method? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/153-how-do-i-set-up-payment-methods *Category: Payments* *Before you can collect payments from clients, you need to connect a payment processor.* Before you can collect payments from clients, you need to set up your payment methods. Check Cherry supports credit card processing, ACH bank transfers, and manual payment methods like cash and Venmo. ### Getting Started **Where to find it:** Manage > Payment Settings (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/payment_methods) From Payment Settings, you can enable different payment methods for your clients to use. Most businesses start with credit cards and add other options based on client preferences. ### Credit Card Processing Check Cherry Payments processes credit cards with fees of 2.9% + 30¢ per successful transaction. There are no setup fees, monthly fees, or hidden costs. Your first transaction takes 7 days to process, but subsequent payments typically arrive in 2-3 business days. The system accepts Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover. Depending on their device, clients may also see Apple Pay or Google Pay options during checkout. > You can pass processing fees along to clients by enabling this option in each payment method's settings. Some businesses prefer to absorb the fees to keep pricing simpler. #### ACH Bank Transfers ACH lets clients pay directly from their checking account with lower fees — just 1.5% per transaction. ACH payments take longer to process (up to 6 business days) but work well for larger amounts where the fee savings matter. 1. Go to Payment Settings. 2. Click Add Payment Option. 3. Select ACH Direct Debit. ### Manual Payment Methods Click New Payment Option to add manual payment methods like cash, check, Venmo, Zelle, or Cash App. You'll enter the payment method name, instructions for clients, and choose a button color. When clients choose a manual payment method, you'll need to record the payment yourself once you receive it. This keeps your booking records accurate even for offline payments. > Tip: Even if you primarily accept cash or check, enable credit card processing too. Having multiple options means clients can pay however is most convenient for them. ### Payment Settings At the bottom of Payment Settings, you can configure: - When final payment is due (days before event) - What to call the initial payment (Deposit, Booking Fee, Initial Payment, or Retainer) - Default proposal expiration time - Whether clients can add tips when paying ### What Clients See When clients make a payment, they'll see all the payment options you've enabled. The interface adapts to their device — iPhone users might see Apple Pay, Android users might see Google Pay. ### Instant Payouts Instant Payout sends your available funds to your bank in minutes instead of waiting 2-3 business days. It becomes available once your account has at least a 90-day payout history (measured from your first payout), so newer accounts won't see it right away. Once you're eligible, click the Instant Payout button in your Payments Dashboard. An additional fee applies for this service. See When will I receive my credit card payout? for more on payout timing. -> Go to Payments Dashboard (in your Check Cherry account: /express_dashboard) --- ## Why did I receive an email asking me to reconnect my Google Calendar? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/234-why-did-i-receive-an-email-asking-me-to-reconnect-my-google-calendar *Category: Calendar* *Google periodically revokes app permissions as a security measure. When this happens, Check Cherry sends you an email asking you to reconnect.* Google periodically revokes third-party app permissions as a security measure. When this happens to your calendar connection, Check Cherry sends you an email asking you to reconnect so your bookings can continue syncing. ### Why Google Revokes Access Google automatically disconnects apps from your account for several reasons: - Your Google account password was changed - You removed Check Cherry from your Google account permissions - Extended period without sync activity - Connecting new third-party services triggers automatic revocation of older connections - Your workspace admin configured connection expiration policies - Routine Google security reviews This is normal — it happens to all Google Calendar integrations, not just Check Cherry. ### How to Reconnect You can follow the link in the email we sent, or reconnect manually: **Where to find it:** Sales > Calendar (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/event_calendar) 1. Click Subscribe to Calendar in the bottom right. 2. Click Sign in With Google to re-authenticate. > Warning: Until you reconnect, Check Cherry cannot read or write to your Google Calendar. New bookings won't appear on your calendar, and calendar conflicts won't be detected. --- ## How do I mark a client as tax exempt? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/210-how-do-i-mark-a-client-as-tax-exempt *Category: Pricing* *Mark a client as tax exempt so sales tax is not applied to any of their bookings.* Some clients are exempt from sales tax such as nonprofits and government agencies. Mark them as tax exempt in their account so tax isn't applied to any of their bookings. ### Setting Tax Exempt Status **Where to find it:** Manage > User Accounts (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/users) 1. Go to User Accounts and search for the client. 2. Click the down arrow next to the Show User button, then select Edit User. 3. Scroll to the Sales Tax section at the bottom. 4. Set Is this user tax exempt? to Yes. 5. Enter the reason for the exemption (optional but recommended for your records). 6. Click Save. > If the client has existing proposals or bookings when you change their tax status, you may need to re-create them for the tax exemption to take effect. The change is not retroactive. > Tip: You can also exempt individual bookings from tax without changing the client's account status. See sales tax setup for details. --- ## How do I change the brand on a booking? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/167-i-created-a-booking-but-it-s-under-the-wrong-brand-can-i-change-the-brand-it-s-under *Category: Bookings* *Created a booking under the wrong brand? You can change it without recreating the whole thing.* Created a booking under the wrong brand? You can change it without recreating the whole thing. **Where to find it:** Bookings (in your Check Cherry account: /events) 1. Find and open the booking (use the global search bar or browse the list). 2. Click Manage Booking. 3. Select Edit Booking / Proposal Settings. 4. In the Brand box on the right, select the correct brand. 1. Click Save to reassign the booking to the new brand. > Changing the brand updates the statement descriptor clients see on their credit card, and which branding appears on proposals, invoices and contracts. --- ## Can I Bill Clients in a Different Currency? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/412-can-i-bill-clients-in-a-different-currency *Category: Payments* *Whether you can bill clients in USD, CAD, or other currencies in Check Cherry, and how to handle international clients.* Short answer: your Check Cherry account operates in a single currency, and you can't switch individual clients or invoices to a different one. The good news is you almost never need to. Clients in other countries can still book and pay you without any issue. ### Your Account Uses One Currency Your account's currency is set by your country and applies to everything: packages, proposals, invoices, and payments. There's no per-client or per-invoice currency option, so you can't, for example, bill one client in USD and another in CAD from the same account. > The amount you enter is always in your account's currency. If your account is in CAD and you enter 100, the charge is 100 CAD, not 100 of any other currency. ### Billing Clients in Another Country Here's the part that surprises people: you don't need a different currency to work with international clients. If you charge a client in your account's currency, their card handles the rest. For example, if your account is in CAD and you charge a US client 100 CAD, their card is billed 100 CAD, and their own bank automatically converts it to US dollars on their statement at the current exchange rate. They can book, sign, and pay completely normally. The only difference is that your proposal shows the amount in your currency, not theirs. > Tip: For most operators with the occasional out-of-country client, the simplest path is to keep everything in your own currency and let the client's card do the conversion. Nothing breaks, and you're paid in one consistent currency. ### Why It Works This Way Each Check Cherry account connects to a single payment processor account, which settles and pays out in one currency tied to your country. Keeping your whole account in that one currency is what lets payouts, refunds, taxes, and reporting all stay consistent and accurate. ### If You Truly Need to Bill in Another Currency If you have a business reason to invoice in an exact foreign amount, say charging a client exactly $100 USD rather than the converted equivalent, that isn't possible within a single account. It would require operating a separate Check Cherry account configured for that country, with its own payment processing and bank account set up locally in that country. For most businesses this overhead isn't worth it for a handful of clients, but if it's a core part of how you operate, reach out via the chat bubble in the lower right and we can talk through your options. > Warning: You can't change your account's currency on your own, since it's tied to your country. If your business has genuinely relocated or restructured, contact support before making changes. --- ## How do I add an extra design template to one booking? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/97-how-can-i-add-another-template-for-just-one-booking *Category: Bookings* *A client wants an extra overlay option that is not in your standard design collection.* You do not have to build a Design Collection to send a client artwork. When you have already discussed the look, or the design was created outside Check Cherry, you can upload artwork straight to a single booking. It adds a design to that one booking without touching your collections for everyone else. > This is the custom path. The artwork still runs through the normal review loop, the client approves it or requests a revision, just without picking from a library first. **Where to find it:** Manage > Bookings > Select a booking (in your Check Cherry account: /events) 1. Open the booking and click the Designs tab. 2. Click Start New Design. 3. Choose whether to pull a template from an existing Design Collection or upload your own custom artwork for this booking. 4. Give the design a clear name so the client knows what they are approving. ### Three ways to use it #### Upload one version for approval Upload a single piece of artwork. The client reviews it and either approves it or requests a revision. This is the most direct way to get one design signed off. #### Upload a few versions and let the client choose Add more than one artwork version to the design and the client approves the one they like best. Great when you have a couple of directions to offer and do not need a full collection. If you would rather present a polished library of options, see Offering the client a choice in the design collections guide. #### Upload the finished artwork If the design was completed outside Check Cherry, or by another company managing the booking, upload the final file so it is recorded on the booking. Use this when the artwork is already done and does not need to run through client review. > Tip: This only affects this one booking. To offer something to every future booking, add it to your Design Collections instead, see How designs and design collections work. --- ## Why is my email formatting not showing in the Messages tab? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/169-i-don-t-see-the-formatting-on-my-emails-in-my-messages-tab *Category: Messaging* *You formatted your email with bold text, images, and links, but the Messages tab on the booking shows it as plain text.* The Messages tab is designed as a quick reference log of all communication, not a full email preview. When you send formatted emails with bold text, images, and colors, the Messages tab strips out the formatting to keep the log clean and scannable. Your clients still receive the fully formatted version. ### Why the Messages tab shows plain text The Messages tab serves as a communication history for you and your team. Showing full HTML formatting would make it cluttered and harder to scan through multiple messages quickly. Think of it like a phone's text message list — you see the content, not the full formatting. ### How to see the formatted version To see exactly what your client received, including all formatting, images, and styling: **Where to find it:** Sales > Reporting (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/reports) 1. Go to Reports. 2. Select Message History from the report options. 3. Run the report to see your formatted email history. You can also use Email Event History for a more detailed view: -> Go to Email Event History (in your Check Cherry account: /email_event_history) Email Event History shows the full rendered version of every email sent from your account, exactly as your clients saw it. > Tip: Use Email Event History to troubleshoot formatting issues or confirm that images and links are displaying correctly for clients. --- ## Will I get a 1099-K for my sales through Check Cherry Payments? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/252-will-i-get-a-1099-k-for-my-sales-through-check-cherry-payments *Category: Payments* *If you process payments through Check Cherry Payments and meet the federal reporting thresholds, you will receive a 1099-K tax form.* If you process payments through Check Cherry Payments and meet the federal reporting thresholds, you will receive a 1099-K tax form from our payment processor. ### What is the reporting threshold for tax year 2025? The laws are always changing around taxes, so be sure to check with your accountant or bookkeeper, but here are a couple of resources that you may find helpful as well: IRS article on 1099-K TaxJar article on what is a 1099-K? TaxAct blog article August 25, 2025 ### Do I still need to report my income and pay taxes if I don't receive a 1099-K? Yes! You are legally responsible for reporting all income, regardless of the source. A 1099-K only lists the payment received from a specific payment processor, but the IRS expects you to report all income including that received via cash, check, Venmo, PayPal, Zelle, and other platforms. You can run your numbers by going to Sales -> Reporting and choosing either the "Profit & Loss" or the "Payment History" report. Just make sure to set the payment date range to the correct range. #### Check Cherry did a video about taxes in 2025. You can check it out here: > For 2025, the federal reporting thresholds are at least $20,000 in gross sales and at least 200 transactions. Some states have lower thresholds that may trigger a 1099-K even if you don't meet the federal requirements. ### Checking Your Payment Totals To see if you're approaching the threshold, check your payment history for the tax year. **Where to find it:** Reporting > Payment History (in your Check Cherry account: /report/event_payments) 1. Go to Payment History. 2. Set the date range to cover the full tax year (January 1 - December 31). 3. Check the totals at the bottom: Payment Applied shows your gross sales amount, and Matching Payments shows your transaction count. ### Getting Your 1099-K If you meet the reporting thresholds, your 1099-K will be available by January 31 for the previous tax year. You can download it from the Documents tab in your Payments Dashboard. -> Open Payments Dashboard (in your Check Cherry account: /express_dashboard) > Tip: Keep your own payment records throughout the year. The 1099-K shows gross payments received, but you'll need to track expenses, refunds, and other deductions for accurate tax reporting. Video: https://www.youtube.com/live/y9_bpkw-Gug?si=Q4QD31_FLDYhUuY8 --- ## Push Notifications https://www.checkcherry.com/help/194-push-notifications *Category: Mobile app* *Turn on push notifications in the Check Cherry app, see which alerts it sends by role, and fix notifications that are not arriving.* > Warning: Push notifications are only available in the Check Cherry app for iOS and Android. Download the app to get started. Push notifications keep you updated on your business while you're away from your computer. Get instant alerts when someone books, signs a contract, or fills out a lead form. ### Enabling Push Notifications When you first log into the Check Cherry app for iOS or Android, you'll be prompted to enable push notifications. Tap Allow. ### Managing Notification Settings After enabling notifications, you can control which types you receive. Open the menu in the top right and tap Settings. The notification options available depend on your user role and permissions. #### Admin Notifications Admins can turn on any of the types below. Booking, proposal, and lead alerts go to every admin on the account, so you and a business partner will both get the same alerts. - Booking: Questionnaire Marked Complete - Booking: Customer Signed - Booking: Payment Recorded - Booking: Design Selected - Booking: Design Approved - Booking: Design Revision Requested - Booking: Cancellation - Proposal: Request Generated - Proposal: First Viewed - Lead: Form Submitted - Lead: Online Booking - Appointment: Scheduled - Appointment: Cancellation Two of these are easy to misread. Lead: Online Booking fires when someone starts an online booking, leaves their contact details, and then goes quiet without finishing, which is your cue to follow up while they are still deciding. Appointment: Scheduled and Appointment: Cancellation cover appointments assigned to you, not every appointment on the calendar. #### Staff Notifications Staff members are notified about the work assigned to them, not about activity across the account. - Staff: Assigned to Booking - Appointment: Scheduled - Appointment: Cancellation #### Sales Notifications Staff members who have Sales: Manage Leads & Proposals turned on also get the lead and proposal alerts, so whoever is chasing new business hears about an inquiry at the same time you do. See Staff user roles and permissions for how to turn that on. - Proposal: Request Generated - Proposal: First Viewed - Lead: Form Submitted - Lead: Online Booking Roles stack. A staff member with sales permissions sees one combined list in Settings rather than separate sections. > Tip: Every notification type is on by default. If you narrow the list down to a few specific types, those are the only ones you will get from then on, so check back in Settings now and then to see what is available. ### Troubleshooting #### The notification toggle is grayed out If you can see the push notification option but it's grayed out, Check Cherry doesn't have permission to send notifications on your device. You'll need to enable it in your phone's settings. #### iOS: Open the Settings app, go to Notifications, find Check Cherry in the list, and make sure "Allow Notifications" is enabled. #### Android: Open Settings, then Notifications > App Notifications. Find Check Cherry and make sure the toggle is enabled. #### I don't see the notification option at all Push notifications require Check Cherry app version 1.6.0 or later. Visit the App Store or Google Play to make sure you have the latest version installed. > Tip: If notifications have stopped working, try uninstalling and reinstalling the app. Make sure to log back in and allow notifications when prompted. #### Do Not Disturb is blocking notifications Both iOS and Android have Do Not Disturb features that can prevent Check Cherry from sending notifications, even when the app is configured correctly. iOS: Go to Settings > Focus and check if "Share Across Devices" is enabled. If it is, Do Not Disturb on one Apple device will silence notifications on all your devices. Android: Android's Do Not Disturb feature may be listed as Modes and Routines. Click on the Settings menu, then select Modes and Routines (sometimes called Do Not Disturb), then check the routines you have active to ensure that none of those are actively suppressing your notifications. Review any active routines to make sure they're not suppressing notifications. --- ## How do I run a profit and loss report? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/147-how-do-i-run-a-profit-loss-report *Category: Reporting* *Check Cherry does not have a single P&L report button, but you can get there by running two reports and comparing the totals.* Tracking profitability is essential for any business, but many event professionals only look at revenue without considering expenses. A profit and loss report shows the complete picture — how much you made minus what it cost to deliver those services. Check Cherry's P&L report gives you a clear breakdown of revenue, expenses, and net profit for any date range. You can drill down into specific cost categories or get a high-level view of your business performance. ### Running the P&L report **Where to find it:** Sales > Reporting (in your Check Cherry account: /report/profit_and_loss) 1. Go to Reporting. 2. Select your date range at the top of the page. 3. Review your revenue, expenses, and net profit breakdown. The report shows revenue from all completed bookings and expenses you've logged in Check Cherry during that period. You can filter by specific months, quarters, or custom date ranges to analyze performance over time. > Tip: Run this report monthly to track trends and spot issues early. Many businesses find their expenses creep up without them noticing — regular P&L reviews help keep costs in check. > The accuracy of your P&L depends on logging expenses as they happen — gas, equipment, supplies, venue fees, subcontractor payments. Missing expenses will make your profits look higher than they actually are. --- ## What reports are available in Check Cherry? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/198-what-reports-are-available-in-check-cherry *Category: Reporting* *Where did all the money go? How many events did we do last month? Which package is selling best? Check Cherry has reports for all of it.* Check Cherry's reporting gives you insight into every part of your business — from which packages are selling best to where your leads come from to how much you've collected in tips. ### Bookings Reports - Bookings — List and export data from your bookings and proposals, organized by event date. - Most Frequently Booked — See your most popular packages, add-ons, and backdrops. - Outstanding Balance — Track bookings with remaining balances due. ### Payment Reports - Payment History — All received payments with date, amount, and payment method. - Tips — Tips collected, broken down by booking. - Profit and Loss — Breakdown of income and expenses for tax time. ### Tax Reports - Sales Tax — Itemized sales tax collected, broken down by region. ### Lead Reports - Leads — Lead data including source, status, and conversion rates. ### Package Reports - Utilization — How often each package, add-on, and backdrop gets booked. - Packages & Add-ons — Detailed information on all your packages, add-ons, and backdrops. ### Staff Reports - Staff Time Off — Time off your staff have requested or blocked out, with dates, reason and status. - Staff Check-In — Check-in and check-out shifts with hours totalled, filtered by staff member, status, date range or booking. - Staff Availability — Each staff member’s weekly availability, day by day. ### Client Reports - Client List — Export client contact information along with staff and admin accounts. ### Expense Reports - Expenses — All logged expenses with categories and totals. ### Message Reports - Message History — Incoming and outgoing email and SMS activity. - Email Event History — Track email opens, clicks, deliveries, bounces, and more for troubleshooting. ### Login History Reports - Login History — Track login activity across all user accounts for security. > Tip: You can save any report with your filters applied and schedule it to be emailed to you automatically — great for monthly financial summaries or weekly booking reports. -> Open Reports (in your Check Cherry account: /report/events) --- ## How do I embed staff profiles on my website? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/225-website-integrations-staff-profiles *Category: Online booking* *Clients want to know who they will be working with. The Staff Profiles widget lets you showcase your team on your website with photos and bios.* Clients want to know who they're working with. The Staff Profiles widget lets you showcase your team on your website with photos, bios, and optional booking buttons. **Where to find it:** Manage > Website Integration (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/integrations) 1. Go to Website Integration. 2. Find Staff Profiles and click Get Embed Code. 3. Decide whether to show Book Now buttons. Choose Yes if you want clients to book directly from the profiles, or No for display-only profiles. 4. Copy the embed code and paste it into your website where you want the staff profiles to appear. > Tip: If clients care about working with a specific team member you can include a staff selection step during the online booking process. --- ## How was my customer able to book without paying a deposit? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/401-how-was-my-customer-able-to-book-without-paying-a-deposit *Category: Getting started* When you create a proposal or booking using a custom package — one you build on the fly rather than selecting from your saved packages — Check Cherry has no pricing or deposit rules to pull from. The deposit field starts empty, and if you leave it that way, the client can complete checkout without paying anything upfront. ### Why this happens For saved packages, the deposit amount is baked into the package settings. When you use a saved package on a proposal or booking, that deposit requirement carries over automatically. Custom packages don't have settings — they're created in the moment — so there's nothing for the system to pull from. The deposit field is left blank by default, and a blank deposit means no payment is required to confirm. > Tip: If you find yourself creating the same custom package repeatedly, consider saving it as a proper package. That way the deposit is always set automatically and you can't accidentally leave it blank. ### How to require a deposit on a custom package When building a proposal or booking with a custom package, look for the deposit field in the sidebar and enter the amount before sending it to the client. 1. Open the proposal or booking you are creating. 2. In the sidebar, find the field labeled Deposit due (or Retainer due, depending on your terminology settings). 3. Enter the deposit amount before sending the proposal or saving the booking. > If a client has already booked without paying a deposit, you can add a payment request manually from inside the booking. Reach out via chat if you need help recovering an outstanding balance. --- ## How do I download my payment history? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/38-can-i-download-a-list-of-payments-i-ve-received *Category: Reporting* *Need a record of every payment you have received? Export it as a spreadsheet for your bookkeeper, your taxes, or your own records.* Your payment history report shows every payment you've received through Check Cherry Payments — deposits, final payments, tips, and add-on charges. Export it as a spreadsheet for your bookkeeper, tax preparation, or personal records. ### Downloading Your Payment History **Where to find it:** Reporting > Payment History (in your Check Cherry account: /report/event_payments) 1. Go to the Payment History report. 2. Click Columns to choose what data to include in the report. 3. Click Filter to narrow down to a specific time frame or other criteria. 4. Click Export to download the spreadsheet. ### Automating Reports Save time by scheduling reports to run automatically. You can have the same report generated daily, weekly, or monthly and even email it directly to your bookkeeper. > Tip: Click Save Report after setting your filters to schedule automatic delivery. This is especially useful for monthly financial reports or quarterly tax preparation. --- ## How do I connect Check Cherry to Zapier? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/218-how-do-i-connect-check-cherry-to-zapier *Category: Integrations* *Zapier connects Check Cherry to thousands of other apps.* Zapier connects Check Cherry to thousands of other apps - spreadsheets, CRMs, project managers, email marketing tools, and more. You can automate things like adding new bookings to a Google Sheet, creating a Trello card when a lead comes in, or tagging a contact in your email list when a contract is signed. Zapier is a good fit if you want to connect Check Cherry to another tool without writing any code. It uses a visual workflow builder and works with thousands of popular apps out of the box. If you have a developer and need a more custom integration, Check Cherry also offers a direct API. But for most automations, Zapier is faster to set up and easier to maintain. ### Setting Up the Integration **Where to find it:** Manage > Business Settings > Integrations (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/third_party_integrations) 1. Go to Integrations. 2. Find the Zapier integration and copy your API key. 3. Click Connect with Zapier and follow the instructions to complete the integration. > Warning: Your API key gives full access to your account. Treat it like a password, and don't share it outside of Zapier. ### What you can automate Check Cherry offers twelve triggers - the things that start a Zap, like a new lead or a recorded payment - along with actions that create leads, proposals, and bookings, and searches that look up records or check date availability. > For the full list of every trigger and action, plus the automations most event businesses build first, see Automating Check Cherry with Zapier. ![The Check Cherry actions available in Zapier](https://www.checkcherry.com/rails/active_storage/blobs/redirect/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsiZGF0YSI6NDUwMjg3MCwicHVyIjoiYmxvYl9pZCJ9fQ==--02b69e1373864f42cf96695072af98ac48dd929c/article_218_intercom_4.png?disposition=inline) ### Video Tutorial Video: https://www.youtube.com/embed/gq0sK_kwk0w?rel=0 -> Open Integrations (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/third_party_integrations) **Related articles:** - [Automating Check Cherry with Zapier](https://www.checkcherry.com/help/453) - [How do I troubleshoot Zapier issues?](https://www.checkcherry.com/help/242) --- ## How do I update Flex Pricing on existing proposals? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/214-update-flex-pricing-on-a-booking *Category: Pricing* *You just created a holiday surcharge, but your existing proposals and bookings still show the old pricing. Flex Pricing changes only apply to new bookings automatically.* You just created a holiday surcharge, but your existing proposals still show the old pricing. Flex Pricing changes only apply to new bookings automatically — existing ones need a manual update. ### How to Update Existing Bookings 1. Open the booking or proposal that needs updated pricing. 2. Click the Manage Booking button. 3. Select Reapply Flex Pricing. You'll see a confirmation asking if you want to reapply the Flex Pricing. Click OK to update the booking with your current pricing rules. > Warning: Reapplying Flex Pricing changes the client's total. If you've already sent the proposal, let the client know the price has changed. --- ## How do I add an availability calendar to my website? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/220-how-do-i-add-an-availability-calendar-to-my-website *Category: Online booking* *A potential client visits your website and wants to know if you are available for their date.* > Some businesses prefer to start with availability as their main call to action. While we think most people are thinking about pricing and what's included rather than just dates, an embedded availability calendar can be part of your mix of ways to direct visitors to your online booking. ### Getting the Embed Code **Where to find it:** Manage > Website Integration (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/integrations) 1. Go to Website Integration. 2. Find Booking Availability Calendar and click Get Embed Code. ### Customize Your Calendar Widget #### Choose a Style - Link Only — A simple text link that opens the calendar in a new window - Embed on my site — The full calendar appears directly on your webpage #### Custom Messages You can customize the messages that appear when visitors check a date: - Available message — What to show when you're free on that date - Unavailable message — What to show when you're already booked You can use the default text or write your own custom messages in the boxes provided. ### Advanced Options #### Book Now Button Choose whether to show a "Book Now" button when a date is available: - Yes — Links directly to your Check Cherry booking page - Yes, but redirect to a custom URL — Links to your own contact form or booking page - No — Just shows availability, no booking link If you choose to redirect to a custom URL, you can also customize the button text. #### Packages to Display Select which packages the calendar should check availability for. If you only want to show availability for weddings, for example, select just your wedding packages. #### Compatibility Mode Enable this option if you're having trouble with the calendar displaying correctly on your website. Compatibility mode embeds the widget within an iframe for better compatibility with some website builders. > Tip: Most website builders work fine without compatibility mode, but if your calendar isn't displaying properly, try enabling this option. ### Adding to Your Website 1. Configure all your widget settings. 2. Copy the embed code provided. 3. Paste it into your website wherever you want the calendar to appear. The exact steps for adding the code depend on your website platform. Most website builders have an "HTML" or "Embed Code" block you can use. -> Open Website Integration (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/integrations) --- ## How do I download my expenses? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/37-can-i-download-a-list-of-all-my-expenses *Category: Reporting* *Tax time, or your bookkeeper needs the numbers. Export your expenses as a spreadsheet in a few clicks.* When tax season arrives or your bookkeeper asks for the numbers, the Expenses Report gives you a clean spreadsheet of every expense you've logged in Check Cherry. You can filter by date range or category, choose which columns to include, and export in seconds. ### Exporting your expenses **Where to find it:** Reporting > Expenses (in your Check Cherry account: /report/expenses) 1. Go to Expenses Report. 2. Click Columns to choose which fields to include in the export. 3. Click Filter to narrow results by date range, category, or other criteria. 4. Click Export to download the spreadsheet. > Tip: Click Save in the upper right to save the report with your current filters and columns. You can also schedule it to run automatically and be emailed to you daily, weekly, or monthly. --- ## How do I embed my booking page on my website? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/224-how-do-i-embed-my-booking-page-on-my-website *Category: Online booking* *Clients should be able to book directly from your website without being sent to a separate page. Embed your booking page so the experience is seamless.* Instead of sending clients to a generic booking page, you can add call-to-action buttons directly on your website that link to your branded Check Cherry booking page. The booking page uses your logo and colors, creating a cohesive experience that feels like part of your website. **Where to find it:** Manage > Website Integration (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/integrations) 1. Go to Website Integration. 2. Find Book Online and click Get Embed Code. 3. Choose your display style and customize the settings. 4. Copy the HTML code and paste it into your website. ### Display Styles Choose how your booking link appears on your website: - Link Only — A text link that opens your booking page in a new tab - Customized Link — Style the link text and appearance to match your site - Button — A button that opens your booking page in a new tab > Tip: Most businesses use the Button style since it's more prominent and gets better click-through rates than plain text links. ### Link to a Specific Package Want to skip the package selection and send clients directly to a specific service? You can create links that go straight to a specific package. 1. In the Customize Package Link section, select the service or package you want to link to. 2. Preview how the selected package will appear to clients. 3. Copy the HTML code and paste it into your website. This works well when you have different pages on your website for different services — each can link directly to its relevant package. ### Client Sign-In Widget Add a sign-in button so returning clients can access their portal directly from your website. Once logged in, they can make payments, complete forms, and view their event details. The sign-in widget uses the same style options as the booking page link: - Link Only — Simple text link - Customized Link — Styled to match your site - Button — Button format > Use compatibility mode if your website builder has trouble rendering the code. It wraps the widget in an iframe for broader support with platforms like Wix, Squarespace, and WordPress. -> Get Your Embed Code (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/integrations) --- ## How do I switch accounts in the app? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/155-how-do-i-switch-accounts-in-the-app *Category: Mobile app* *Running two businesses on separate Check Cherry accounts? You can switch between them in the app without logging out and back in.* Running two businesses on separate Check Cherry accounts? You can switch between them in the Check Cherry app for iOS and Android without logging out and back in. > Don't have the app yet? Download Check Cherry for iOS and Android. 1. Tap the menu button in the upper right. 2. Tap Switch Account. 3. Enter the email address for the other Check Cherry account. A verification code is sent to your email with the subject "Your <business name> Login Code." Enter that code to access the other account. The verification email comes from notifications@businessname.checkcherry-mail.com and may take a few minutes to arrive. --- ## How do I send a message from a booking? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/200-how-do-i-send-a-message-from-a-booking *Category: Messaging* *Two ways to message a client from a booking: write from scratch or grab a pre-written template with one click.* You'll often need to follow up with clients about details, send reminders, or answer questions. Instead of switching to your email app or copying contact info, you can send messages directly from any booking in Check Cherry. You have two options: write a message from scratch or use Quick Send to choose from your pre-written templates with one click. **Where to find it:** Sales > Bookings > Select a booking (in your Check Cherry account: /events) ### Sending a Custom Message For one-off messages specific to this booking, click New Email or New Text Message (Requires a Twilio or Quo integration) to write from scratch. This opens a composer where you can write your message and send it directly. ### Using Quick Send for Templates Quick Send is faster when you have common messages you send regularly — like timeline requests, setup questions, or thank you notes. Click Quick Send on any booking to see your available templates. Templates are organized into three categories: - Custom Templates — Templates you created specifically for manual sending - System Templates — Built-in templates from Check Cherry - Automated Messages — Templates that are also used for automated sends (only appear if active) > Tip: To create templates just for manual use, go to Message Templates. These won't trigger automatically but will always appear in Quick Send. -> Manage Message Templates (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/custom_templates) --- ## How do I take a payment with Tap to Pay on Android? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/471-how-do-i-take-a-payment-with-tap-to-pay-on-android *Category: Mobile app* *Accept contactless cards and Google Pay on your Android phone or tablet with Tap to Pay in the Check Cherry app. Requirements, setup, and taking a payment.* > Tap to Pay requires Check Cherry Payments, which is currently only available for US-based accounts. If you haven't connected it yet, go to Payment Settings to get started. Tap to Pay on Android lets you accept contactless cards and Google Pay right on your Android phone or tablet, from inside the Check Cherry app. No card reader, no dongle, no extra hardware. Set it up once and it becomes an option every time you collect a payment on a booking. ### What You Need - An Android 13 or later device with NFC turned on. Phones and tablets both work. - A Google-certified device with the Play Store, an ARM processor, not rooted and with a locked bootloader. - A security update from the last 12 months. Check yours under Settings, About phone, Software information, Android security update. - The latest version of the Check Cherry app for Android, installed from the Play Store. - Check Cherry Payments connected on your account. Tap to Pay is available to US accounts. - Permission to collect payments. Admins and staff with extended permissions are able to see balances and take payments. ### Step 1: Confirm Your Business Location In the Check Cherry app, go to App Settings and tap Tap to Pay. The first step asks you to confirm the business address that in-person payments are reported under. 1. Open the Check Cherry app and go to App Settings. 2. Tap Tap to Pay. 3. Under Step 1, tap Confirm location. 4. Check the address, correct anything that's wrong, and save. Make sure to enter your business address and not a venue or other address. > Warning: If you run more than one brand, each brand confirms its own location. You'll see a list with a Set up button next to any brand that isn't ready. A booking can only be charged against its own brand's location, so confirm every brand you plan to collect payments for. ### Step 2: Check This Device 1. On the same screen, under Step 2, tap Check this device. 2. Wait while the app connects and your device is checked against the requirements. 3. If it passes, you'll see Tap to Pay is ready. If it doesn't, you'll get a specific message naming the problem, such as NFC being off or the device not being supported. > Tip: From the same screen, tap Learn more, then How to take a payment for a short in-app guide to contactless cards, digital wallets, and PIN entry. It's worth showing to any staff member who will be collecting payments at events. ### Step 3: Take a Payment 1. Open the booking, using search or your bookings list. 2. Tap the Outstanding Balance and choose Collect Customer Payment. 3. Pick Tap to Pay, the first option in the list. 4. Enter the payment amount, an optional tip, and the email address for the receipt. 5. Tap Continue to Tap and wait for Ready for Payment. 6. Have your client hold their card flat against the back of your device, near the top, and keep it still until the screen confirms. 7. If a PIN is required, the PIN screen appears. Hand the device to your client to finish. You'll see a processing screen, then a confirmation with the amount that was charged. From there you can go back to the booking, view the receipt, or open the invoice. Where the card goes is the one thing worth practicing before an event. The card goes flat against the back of the device, near the top, and stays still until the screen confirms. Green means paid. - Contactless cards work. Chip-only cards don't, so send a payment link for those instead. - Google Pay, Samsung Pay, and Apple Pay all work. The client holds their phone or watch where the card would go. - A PIN prompt on larger amounts is normal. Hand them the device and let them enter it. > Tip: If your account passes processing fees to customers, you'll see a checkbox on the amount screen. Leave it checked to add the fee to the client's total, or uncheck it to absorb the fee yourself for that payment. ### Receipts Enter your client's email address before you take the payment and a receipt is sent automatically when the charge succeeds. You can also send one afterward: from the confirmation screen tap View Receipt, then Share to send it by email, text, or any other app on your device. ### Troubleshooting The device check under Step 2 names the exact problem, so start there rather than guessing. If the message you see does not match any below, update the app from its Play Store listing and run the check again. #### Tap to Pay needs Check Cherry Payments Tap to Pay is only available on accounts using Check Cherry Payments. Without it the option will not appear when you collect a payment. Connect it in Payment Settings. #### "System Update Required" Tap to Pay needs a security update from the last 12 months and this device's is older. The message names the date it found, such as February 2025. Install any pending system updates in Settings, then run the check again. The patch date is what gets checked, not your Android version. A device on a current version of Android can still be a year behind on patches. To see where you stand, go to Settings, About phone, Software information, Android security update. #### "Device Not Verified" The device did not pass Google's security check. Installing any pending system updates is usually the fix, so try that first. It can also mean the device has been rooted or its bootloader unlocked, and Tap to Pay only runs on unmodified devices. If the device is stock and fully up to date and you still see this, contact Check Cherry support. #### The device will not install updates If the security update is old and the device will not pull a new one, check whether it is a carrier-branded handset running on a different carrier's network. Carrier-branded firmware is delivered through that carrier's update channel, and a device moved to another carrier can stop receiving updates. We have seen an AT&T-branded Samsung on another carrier's eSIM sit 18 months behind, reporting that every update attempt was interrupted. - Connect the device by USB to a Windows or Mac desktop and run the manufacturer's desktop updater, such as Samsung Smart Switch. It pulls firmware straight from the manufacturer and bypasses the stuck path. - Put the original carrier's SIM back in, connect to Wi-Fi, and check for updates. - Take the device to a carrier or manufacturer store and have them update it. #### "NFC Is Off" NFC is the radio that reads the card, and it's turned off. Turn it on in your device settings, then try again. #### "Screen Not Secure" This one shows up mid-payment, when Tap to Pay goes to display the PIN pad and doesn't trust what else is on the screen. Stop any screen recording or screen sharing, close apps that draw over the screen, and turn off accessibility services and Developer options. Then try again. #### "Device Not Supported" Tap to Pay needs a Google-certified Android device with NFC running Android 13 or later. #### "PIN Not Available" The payment needs a PIN and this device can't collect one right now. Try a lower amount or a different payment method. #### The option doesn't appear at all Check the requirements above. The most common causes are a device running something older than Android 13, a device with no NFC hardware, or an account that hasn't connected Check Cherry Payments. #### The button says "Set up" The booking's brand hasn't confirmed its business location yet. Tap the button and it takes you straight to the setup screen. #### The payment was declined or timed out You'll get a clear outcome screen with Try Again and Done. Try the tap again, ask for a different card, or fall back to entering the card manually or sending a payment link. #### I need to refund the payment Refund it the same way as any other card payment. See How do I refund a credit card payment? --- ## How do I send mass emails to my clients? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/244-how-do-i-send-mass-emails-to-my-clients *Category: Integrations* *A client just had a great event and you want to email all your past clients about a holiday promotion.* Check Cherry is built for one-to-one client communication — things like booking confirmations, payment reminders, and follow-ups. It is not designed for bulk marketing emails, and sending mass emails through it is not supported. For promotions, newsletters, or announcements to a large list, use a dedicated service like Mailchimp. ### Syncing with Mailchimp If you use Mailchimp, you can connect your account directly from the Integrations page. Once connected, you can filter by date range and sync your client contacts over automatically. **Where to find it:** Manage > Business Settings > Integrations (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/third_party_integrations) 1. Go to Integrations. 2. Find the Mailchimp section and connect your account. 3. Choose a date range filter if needed, then sync your contacts. > The Mailchimp sync will not export email addresses that use @example.com. ### Using Another Email Service If you use a different email marketing service, you can export your client list as a CSV and import it manually into that platform. **Where to find it:** Reporting > Client List (in your Check Cherry account: /report/users) 1. Go to the Client List report. 2. Apply any filters you need. 3. Click Export to download a CSV. Video: https://www.youtube.com/embed/nnucPl5AAWI -> Open Integrations (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/third_party_integrations) --- ## What is the Date demand card? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/466-what-is-the-date-demand-card *Category: Leads* *Date demand shows whether anyone else is asking about the same date, so you can decide how hard to chase a lead and whether to discount.* Date demand shows how many of your own leads and bookings are competing for the same date as the one you are looking at. Use it to price with confidence and get the most out of the dates people want. ### Where you see it In the right-hand column of a lead, and of a proposal that has not been accepted yet. Click the card to open it. > Only your team sees this. Clients never see it, even when they open their own proposal link. ### Which date it is answering for The card names a date next to the title. A booking can cover more than one date, and the card only answers for the first one, so check that date before you act on the number. ### What the bars mean More bars means more of your own inquiries want that date. It counts other leads, proposals you have out, and bookings you have already confirmed for that day. What counts as busy is measured against your own booking history. Two people asking about one date is a lot for a business taking a handful of inquiries a month, and an ordinary Saturday for one taking hundreds. A full meter means the date is unusually contested for you. ### Seeing who else is asking Click the line that names the count, for example 4 other leads for this date. That opens the same list you get by clicking the date on the booking, with every lead, proposal, and confirmed booking for the day. ### Where the numbers come from Two things. Your own leads and bookings for that date, plus how busy that time of year usually is. The bottom line of the card tells you which it used. ### When it does not appear On dates in the past, and on dates more than a year out. It also stays hidden when there is nothing useful to say about the date, so no card is not the same as a quiet date. --- ## How do I switch to my other brand? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/385-how-do-i-switch-to-my-other-brand *Category: Getting started* If you run more than one brand, use the Switch Brands button on your dashboard to move between them. You won't need it often. Every booking and lead already knows which brand it belongs to. ### How to switch brands #### From your dashboard Click Switch Brands in the toolbar on your dashboard and pick a brand. You stay on the same page, now under the other brand. ![Dashboard with the Switch Brands menu open in the toolbar, listing each brand](https://www.checkcherry.com/rails/active_storage/blobs/redirect/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsiZGF0YSI6NTE4MTQ2MiwicHVyIjoiYmxvYl9pZCJ9fQ==--6d8631b7fa2a3f6907b03c0887112d7f2dff111b/support_article_385_switch_brands.png?disposition=inline) > Tip: Don't see the button? Click Switch Dashboard or Customize Dashboard at the top of your dashboard, choose Customize Current Dashboard, and add the Quick Actions Toolbar widget. #### From Website Integration The Website Integration page has its own Switch Brands button, next to each brand's booking links. **Where to find it:** Manage > Website Integration (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/integrations) #### By web address Each brand has its own web address. Bookmark each one and you can jump straight to the brand you want. ### How brands work The brand you're working in is the web address you're on. Switching brands loads the same page at the other brand's address, which is why the logo, colors, and menus change with it. A brand is a second storefront, not a second account. It gets its own booking link, look, and packages, all under one login and one subscription. Common reasons to add one: - A second service line, like a DJ company that also runs trivia nights. - A different market for the same service, like a wedding brand and a corporate events brand. - A side business that shares your books but needs its own name. - A second location with its own booking link. See How do I manage multiple locations? for other options. ### When to switch Switch when you're working on one brand's setup: - Its name, logo, colors, contact info, or email signature - Which packages, add-ons, backdrops, or extras it offers - Previewing its booking page the way customers see it - Copying its booking link for your website You don't need to switch to manage bookings: - Bookings, Leads, Calendar, Appointments, and reports show every brand together. Use the Brand filter to narrow to one. - New bookings get their brand automatically from the booking link the customer used. The brand decides which packages they see. - Proposals, invoices, contracts, and emails use the booking's brand, including its logo, colors, contact details, and signature. - Opening a booking or lead from another brand switches you to that brand. ### What each brand has - Its own booking link and web address - Name, address, public email, phone, and website - Logo, favicon, and colors - Email signature and proposal About Us text - Invoice and remittance details - Social media links - The statement descriptor on clients' card statements - Its own selection of packages, add-ons, backdrops, and extras Automations, message templates, contract sections, and documents can apply to one brand or to all of them. ### What brands share - One login and one subscription, with plan limits pooled across brands - Your bank account, payout destination, and payment methods - Availability, business hours, and blockout dates - Travel zones - Booking questions and questionnaires - Staff and user accounts - Time zone and other account settings > Warning: Availability is shared. A date booked on one brand is taken on every brand, and blockout dates apply to all of them. > Warning: All brands pay out to one bank account. If your businesses need separate bank accounts, open a separate Check Cherry account for each. Use the refer-a-friend program for a discount on the second one. ### Related articles - Branding - How do I manage packages across multiple brands? - How do I change the brand on a booking? - How do I manage multiple locations? - How do I remove a brand? -> Open Business Settings (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/brands) Video: https://youtu.be/c6iXrOgJlcQ --- ## Best and Worst Practices for Event Professionals https://www.checkcherry.com/help/2-20-best-and-17-worst-practices *Category: Best practices* *After working with thousands of event businesses, we have seen the same patterns come up again and again.* After working with thousands of event businesses, we have seen the same patterns come up again and again. Here are the habits that lead to more bookings and the mistakes that quietly cost you sales. ### Best Practices Some of the best practices we suggest, in no particular order, are: 1. Have a website. Even a simple, modern website is better than none. It makes you look more professional and established. 2. Get back to customers quickly when they reach out to you. 3. Make it easy for your customers to book you, sign your contract and pay. 4. Keep your branding consistent through the entire customer journey (initial inquiry, booking process, website navigation, etc.) 5. Have clear and simple pricing. 6. Register for Google My Business to get your company listed on the map of local companies. 7. Network with others in your industry. 8. Focus on social proof (reviews, especially Google reviews). 9. Use good Calls to Action on your website. Make them intuitive, compelling and obvious. Ex: A Book Now button above the fold in the center of your website. 10. Make your website do the selling for you. It should help customers decide to buy from you. 11. The top right corner of your website is the most valuable real estate. Use it wisely. 12. Your social media should drive customers to your website, not from your website to your social media channels. 13. Consider showing pricing on your website; this helps eliminate price-fishers. 14. Make it clear which region or geographic area that you service. 15. Keep lead forms short - only require the minimum information required to book. 16. Listen to feedback from your ideal clients and act on it. 17. Differentiate your packages by more than just number of hours. 18. Make sure your proposals look good on mobile devices. 19. Do not send PDF's or Word documents to close a sale. 20. Take care of your customers. ### Video: 17 Ways You're Killing New Sales Opportunities Video: https://youtu.be/LaDdK2yobww?si=Uke5339TlKs955y8 --- ## How do I use the Payments dashboard? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/211-how-do-i-use-the-payments-dashboard *Category: Payments* *Money is coming in but where does it all go? The Payments dashboard shows your balances, payouts, individual charges, and refunds in one place.* Money is coming in but where does it all go? The Payments dashboard shows your balances, payouts, individual charges, and refunds in one place. **Where to find it:** Sales > Payments (in your Check Cherry account: /express_dashboard) ### Balance Overview The top section shows two key pieces of information: how much money is available for payout and when you can expect it to hit your bank account. - How much is available for payout - The date you can expect it to show up in your linked bank account Click Update next to Next payout scheduled for to change the bank account that receives payments. Click See details in the upper right of the balance display for a breakdown that includes: - Amount that is in transit to your bank - Total estimated payout amount - Total amount collected including amounts not yet in transit You can also change your payout bank account from this detailed view. ### Payment Activity The activity feed records all payments made through Check Cherry Payments — credit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and ACH (checking account direct debit) if you have it enabled. Each payment shows: - Amount — the total amount charged to the customer - Status — whether the charge succeeded or failed, with decline codes for failed payments - Payment Method — the method used (Visa, Apple Pay, etc.), including the last 4 digits of credit cards - Date — when the payment attempt was made #### Payment Details Click View beside any charge for detailed information about that payment: - Paid On — date and time of the payment attempt - Booking — title of the associated booking (clickable link) - Payment Method — description including the last 4 digits - Payment Details — amount breakdown including processing fees and net amount - Technical Information — transaction ID, wallet type, card brand, and account details ### Payment Status Tags Here are the most common status tags and what they mean: - Succeeded — the payment was successfully received - Incomplete — customer started entering payment information but didn't finish - Do not honor — generic bank decline for various reasons like insufficient funds or incorrect CVC code ### Dashboard Tabs The dashboard includes several tabs for different views: - Refunds — any refunds you've submitted through Check Cherry Payments - Payouts — current and past payouts to your bank - Payment Methods — links to manage your enabled payment methods - Settings — statement descriptor (what appears on customer credit card bills), paperless consent for tax documents, and account management -> Open Payments Dashboard (in your Check Cherry account: /express_dashboard) --- ## Can I take a security deposit or place a hold on a card? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/414-can-i-take-a-security-deposit-or-place-a-hold-on-a-card *Category: Payments* *Check Cherry can't place a temporary card hold, but you can collect a refundable deposit or keep a card on file and charge only if needed. Here's how.* Want to protect yourself against damage, breakage, or a no-show with a security deposit? Check Cherry doesn't place a temporary authorization hold on a card — but there are two clean, client-friendly ways to handle a deposit, and for most event pros they work just as well. > Check Cherry can't place a temporary "hold" or pre-authorization on a card — and for events, a hold wouldn't help anyway. A card authorization is released by the bank after about 7 days (30 at the very most, with extended authorization), so it would expire long before an event that's booked weeks or months out. Holds are built for short windows — a hotel stay, or charging once an order ships — not an event deposit. Use one of the two approaches below instead. ### Option 1: Collect a refundable deposit Add the deposit to the booking as a line item, collect it like any other payment, then refund it after the event if there's no damage. This is the clearest option for clients — they see exactly what they paid, and refunding is quick on your end. 1. Open the booking and add the deposit as a line item — use an adjustment, or a Flex Pricing rule if you want it applied automatically. 2. Collect it like any normal payment, or let the client pay it online. 3. After the event, if there's no damage, refund it. Credit card refunds are quick on Check Cherry Payments. > Tip: Spell out the refundable deposit and when you return it in your contract terms. A clear "refundable damage deposit" line sets expectations and builds trust. ### Option 2: Keep a card on file and charge only if needed Prefer not to collect the money up front? You can charge the client's card only if something goes wrong — as long as their card is saved on the booking. 1. Turn on card saving in your payment settings — see Can clients save their payment info? 2. The card is saved when the client makes a payment — for example their deposit or first installment — with the save-card option on. 3. If there's damage, open the booking, click Make Payment, and charge the saved card — see How do I charge a saved card? > Warning: Always get the client's consent before charging a saved card for damages, and make sure your contract authorizes it. A card can only be saved after the client makes a payment — Check Cherry can't store a card with no transaction, so this option won't work if they haven't paid anything yet. ### Which should I use? If you want the security of money in hand, collect a refundable deposit (Option 1). If you'd rather not tie up the client's funds and you're comfortable with the booking, keep a card on file and charge only if needed (Option 2). Many pros use Option 1 for higher-risk rentals — equipment, photo booths, large setups — and skip it for everything else. **Related articles:** - [Can clients save their payment info?](https://www.checkcherry.com/help/25) - [How do I charge a saved card?](https://www.checkcherry.com/help/117) - [How do I refund a payment?](https://www.checkcherry.com/help/141) --- ## Why doesn't my logo show next to my emails? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/454-why-doesn-t-my-logo-show-next-to-my-emails *Category: Messaging* When your client opens an email from you, most inboxes show a small round icon next to your name. Sometimes it is a photo or a logo, and sometimes it is a gray silhouette or a single letter. If you have uploaded your logo in Check Cherry and still see the gray icon on a test email, nothing is broken. That icon is not set by Check Cherry. ### Where that icon comes from The icon is drawn by whatever email app the recipient is reading in, not by the platform that sent the message. In Gmail, it comes from one of two places: - The sender's Google account photo, when the message is actually sent through that Google account. - The recipient's own contact card for your address. If your client has saved you as a contact with a photo, they see that photo. Someone else may see a plain letter for the exact same email. Neither of those is something we can set on your behalf. The second one lives entirely in your client's account. ### Why it is blank on Check Cherry emails Your messages send from your own verified Check Cherry sending address through our email infrastructure. They do not go out through your Gmail account, so there is no Google profile for Gmail to pull a photo from. The gray icon is the expected result, and it is the same for every platform that sends on your behalf rather than through your personal mailbox. > This is also why the profile photo on your Check Cherry user account does not appear here. That photo is used on your online booking pages, not on outgoing email. ### It would only reach some of your clients anyway Even when a Google profile photo does show, it only shows for people reading in Gmail. Outlook, Apple Mail, Yahoo, and most other inboxes ignore it completely. So this is never a change your whole client list would see. ### What about a logo that works everywhere There is an industry standard for this called BIMI, which puts a verified logo in that circle across Gmail, Apple Mail, Yahoo, and a few others. It is a real option, but it is a heavy lift. It requires a domain you own and control, that domain set to the strictest level of email authentication, a logo you hold a registered trademark on, and a paid Verified Mark Certificate that runs over $1,000 per year. Because your Check Cherry messages send from our verified sending domain, BIMI is not something you can turn on from inside your account today. ### What to do instead Put your logo in your email signature. It appears in the body of every message you send, on every device and every email provider, which is broader coverage than the Gmail icon would ever give you. See How do I create or update my email signature? to set it up. For more on how your sending address and reply address work, see Email to and from fields. --- ## How do I manage double-sided backdrops? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/83-how-do-i-manage-double-sided-backdrops *Category: Packages* *If you have double-sided backdrops, you need availability rules to prevent overbooking.* Double-sided backdrops are two backdrops attached back-to-back, so when one side is booked, the other side can't be used that day. Availability rules prevent clients from booking both sides for the same event. ### Setting Up Availability Rules > First, make sure each side of your double-sided backdrop is set up as a separate item in Backdrops. **Where to find it:** Manage > Business Settings > Availability > Availability Rules (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/availability/inventory_items) 1. Click Add New Rule. 2. In the Backdrops section, select the 2 backdrops that make up the double-sided backdrop. 3. Click Save to create the rule. The availability rule links the two backdrops so when one is booked, the other is automatically made unavailable for that date. ### Multiple Copies of the Same Backdrop If you have multiple copies of one backdrop and use them in different double-sided combinations, you need to create separate backdrop entries for each copy. For example: You have 2 double-sided backdrops — red/white and blue/white. You have 1 red, 1 blue, and 2 white backdrops. Set up 2 separate white backdrop entries (like "White 1" and "White 2"). Then create one availability rule linking Red with White 1, and another rule linking Blue with White 2. This way, clients can book the red/white backdrop and blue/white backdrop for the same event without conflicts. -> Manage Availability Rules (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/availability/inventory_items) --- ## How do I reorder questionnaire tabs? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/35-can-i-change-the-order-of-tabs-in-a-questionnaire *Category: Questionnaires* *Clients see questionnaire tabs in the order you set them. If you want the song request tab before the timeline tab, just drag it.* Clients see questionnaire tabs in the order you set them. You can reorder tabs, duplicate them, or remove ones you don't need using the Additional Tab Settings menu. -> Go to Questionnaires (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/suggestion_lists) ### How to reorder tabs 1. Open the questionnaire template you want to edit. 2. Click Additional Tab Settings in the upper right corner of any tab. 3. Choose Move Tab (Left or Right) to reorder, or drag tabs directly into the order you want. 4. Save your changes. ### Other tab options The Additional Tab Settings menu also lets you: - Duplicate an existing tab to save time when creating similar sections - Remove tabs you no longer need > Tip: Put your most important tabs first. Clients often fill out the first few tabs completely but may skip later ones if the questionnaire feels too long. --- ## How do I offer backdrop-only rentals? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/473-how-do-i-offer-backdrop-only-rentals *Category: Packages* *Learn the two ways to sell backdrop rentals without a photo booth, how to price tiers, and how to keep backdrops free with booth packages.* You already sell photo booth packages and clients pick a backdrop as part of booking. Now someone wants just the flower wall for a baby shower, no booth, no attendant. Check Cherry can book that, but there is one rule to know first: every booking needs a Package. Backdrops cannot be booked on their own. A backdrop-only rental is a package, usually under its own Service, that sells the backdrop. The setup is one generic Backdrop Rental package that pulls from the same backdrop library as your booth packages. Clients pick the package, enter their date, and choose from the backdrops available that day. Availability is shared, so a backdrop can never be double-booked between a booth booking and a rental. ### Setting up the rental package Create a Service called something like Backdrop Rental with a single package inside it, then turn on the backdrop step for that package. Clients choose the package, enter their date, and see the backdrops available on that date from the same library your photo booth packages use. **Where to find it:** Manage > Packages > Select the package > Advanced (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/event_categories) 1. Go to Packages and add a Service named Backdrop Rental. 2. Add a package called Backdrop Rental. Set the price (see Pricing the rental below). 3. On the Pricing & Scheduling tab, set the package length to match how you rent, usually a full day. 4. Open the package, go to the Advanced tab, and set Does this package require the user to choose a backdrop? to Yes. > Inventory is shared across all packages. If you own two of a backdrop, set the count under Manage > Availability so two bookings can use it on the same day. See managing double-sided backdrops for how double-sided backdrop counts work. #### Pricing the rental Your backdrops already have a price, and for most businesses that is the with-booth price, usually $0. Keep that. The Backdrop Rental package price is the standalone premium. Package price + backdrop price = what the client pays. The package price is set in the package's pricing settings (see adding packages). Each backdrop's price and its Include at no charge with certain packages setting are on the backdrop itself (see the Backdrop Manager). That one rule covers the three situations we see most: - Free with a photobooth, additional fee to book separately. Leave the backdrop price at $0 and put the full rental price on the Backdrop Rental package. If a backdrop is normally an extra fee even with a booth, keep its price and turn on Include at no charge with certain packages with your booth packages selected. Either way, photobooth clients get it free and backdrop only rental clients pay the package price. - Smaller upcharge with a booth. Say the floral wall is $399 on its own but $349 when added to a booth. Set the backdrop price to $349 and the backdrop only rental package to $399. Booth clients see +$349, rental clients pay $399. No include-at-no-charge setting needed. - Tiers. Cloth at one price, floral or premium at another. Either price the package at the base tier and put the difference on each premium backdrop's Price (or the category's Default Price in Backdrops), or create one rental package per tier, such as Standard Backdrop Rental and Floral Backdrop Rental, and on each backdrop use Include at no charge with certain packages with Free with these packages pointing at its tier package. The client picks the tier, then picks from the backdrops that belong to it. Backdrop categories map naturally to tiers, so if you have not organized your backdrops yet, see organizing backdrops into categories first. > Warning: Avoid creating a separate package for each backdrop (Ivory Drape Backdrop, White Flower Wall, and so on). Those packages are not connected to the backdrops in Manage > Backdrops, so the same wall can be rented on its own and chosen with a booth package on the same day, and you end up maintaining two catalogs. One rental package with the backdrop step turned on gives you one catalog and shared availability. ### Contract, deposit, and lead time A rental usually needs terms a photo booth booking does not: pickup and return times, who sets it up, what happens if it comes back damaged. Add these as optional terms assigned to the rental package so they only appear on rental contracts. See custom contract terms for specific packages. The deposit and payment schedule are set per package, so a rental can take full payment up front while your booth packages keep a deposit and balance. If a backdrop has to ship to you before the event, turn on Does this backdrop require lead time? on the backdrop or its category and enter the number of days. Clients will not be able to book it inside that window. ### Putting it on your website Every Service and package has its own booking link (see getting a link to a service), so you can put a Rent a Backdrop button on your site that drops the client straight into online booking. If you want them to browse the catalog first, embed the backdrop gallery widget and link to booking from there. See embedding a backdrop gallery on your website. -> Go to Packages (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/event_categories) --- ## How do I create or update my email signature? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/73-how-do-i-create-a-custom-email-signature *Category: Messaging* *Your emails should look like they come from your business, not a generic template.* Your emails should look like they come from your business, not a generic template. A custom email signature adds your logo, contact info, and social links to every email automatically. ### Creating Your Signature **Where to find it:** Manage > Business Settings (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/brands) 1. Go to Business Settings. 2. Click Edit Brand on the brand you want to add a signature to. 3. Scroll to the bottom to find the Email Signature section. 4. Add your customized signature — you can include images, links, and formatting. 5. Click Save. > Tip: Send yourself a test email to see how your signature looks before using it in client communications. ### Adding It to Automated Emails To include your custom signature in automated emails, you'll add a signature token to your email templates. **Where to find it:** Manage > Automated Messages (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/automated_events) 1. Go to Automated Messages. 2. Click Edit on the template you want to add the signature to. 3. Copy this token: {{brand_signature}} 4. Paste the token into the email body where you want your signature to appear. 5. Click Save. > The signature token works in all automated email templates — proposals, payment reminders, booking confirmations, and more. --- ## How do I secure my account? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/164-how-secure-is-my-check-cherry-account *Category: Staff* *Practical steps to keep your Check Cherry account secure: two-factor authentication, strong passwords, controlling team access, and avoiding phishing.* Your Check Cherry account holds client data, payment information, and business records. We protect the platform on our end with encryption, secure payment processing, and strict access controls. There are also a few things you control that make the biggest difference in keeping your account safe. > Want the details on how Check Cherry protects your data at the platform level, including encryption, PCI compliance, and privacy? See our Security Overview. ### Turn on two-factor authentication Two-factor authentication (2FA) adds a second layer of protection beyond your password. When it is on, signing in also requires a one-time code sent to your phone, so your account stays protected even if your password is ever exposed. **Where to find it:** Profile > Two-Factor Authentication (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/profile/edit) 1. Click your name in the upper right. 2. Go to your Profile. 3. Find Two-Factor Authentication. 4. Click Enable and follow the setup steps. > Tip: Enable 2FA on all admin accounts. Staff accounts with extended permissions should use it too. ### Use a strong, unique password Your password is the first thing standing between your account and everyone else. A few habits go a long way: - Make it long. A longer password is much harder to guess than a short, complex one. - Use it only for Check Cherry. Reusing a password from another site means a breach somewhere else can reach your account here. - Consider a password manager. It creates and remembers strong, unique passwords for you. ### Give each person their own login Avoid sharing one password across your team. Give every team member their own account instead. That way you can see who did what, and you can remove one person's access without disrupting everyone else. ### Give people only the access they need Not everyone needs full admin access. Use roles and permissions to give each team member only what their job requires. Fewer admin accounts means fewer ways for something to go wrong. ### Remove access when someone leaves When a team member leaves, archive their account so they lose access right away. If they ever used a shared password, change it. ### Watch out for phishing Check Cherry will never ask for your password by email or text. If a message asks you to log in or "verify" your account, do not click the link. Go to Check Cherry directly in your browser and sign in there. > Tip: Check Cherry also helps protect you automatically. After several failed sign-in attempts, an account is temporarily locked to block guessing. For more on how we keep the platform secure, see our Security Overview. --- ## How do I set an unavailable message? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/29-can-i-add-a-message-for-when-i-m-unavailable *Category: Messaging* *A client visits your booking page outside your business hours.* When clients select an event date and/or time outside your availability hours or when you're fully booked, they see an unavailable message instead of your normal booking flow. This is your chance to set expectations and keep the conversation going. **Where to find it:** Manage > Booking Engine > Unavailable Notices (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/booking_engine/overbook_notices) 1. Go to Unavailable Notices. 2. Edit the default message that appears when you're unavailable. 3. Optionally create custom messages for specific packages if they need different messaging. > Tip: Even when unavailable, clients can still submit lead forms to reach you. Mention this in your message so they know they can still get in touch. ### What to include A good unavailable message tells clients when you'll be back and gives them an alternative way to connect. Most businesses include: - When you'll be available again ('back Monday' or 'available after 9am') - How to reach you in the meantime ('send a message' or your phone number) - Your typical response time ('I'll get back to you within 24 hours') Keep it friendly and reassuring. Clients who see an unavailable message are interested enough to visit your booking page — don't lose them with a generic 'we're closed' message. --- ## How do I show design templates when a specific add-on is booked? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/27-how-do-i-show-design-templates-when-a-specific-add-on-is-booked *Category: Packages* *A client adds your premium add on upgrade, and suddenly they need to pick an overlay design that matches.* A client adds your premium backdrop upgrade, and suddenly they need to pick an overlay design that matches. Assign design collections to specific add-ons so the right templates show up automatically. ### Assigning Design Collections to Add-Ons **Where to find it:** Manage > Design Collections (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/design_template_categories) 1. Go to Design Collections 2. Choose the design collection you want to edit. 3. Click the Settings tab. 4. In the Applies to section, click Add-ons and select which add-ons should trigger this collection. 5. Click Save. When a booking includes one of the selected add-ons, the client will see templates from this collection during checkout. -> Go to Design Collections (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/design_template_categories) --- ## How do I get a link to all packages in a service? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/176-link-to-all-packages-in-a-service *Category: Packages* *Want to send a client directly to your photo booth packages without them seeing your DJ or bartending services? Each service has its own shareable link.* **Where to find it:** Manage > Packages (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/event_categories) Want to send a client directly to your photo booth packages without them seeing your DJ or bartending services? Each service has its own shareable link that takes clients straight to online booking for just that service. Each service gives you two different links to share: - Public packages only — shows packages marked as public - All packages — includes both public and private packages ### How to get your service links 1. Go to your package manager. 2. Click the menu button on any service title bar to copy its link. > Tip: Use the public-only link when sharing on your website or social media. Use the all-packages link when sending custom proposals with private packages to specific clients. -> Go to Packages (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/event_categories) --- ## Can I undo changes on a booking? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/175-is-there-a-way-to-undo-changes-i-ve-made-on-a-booking *Category: Bookings* *Changed something on a booking and wish you had not? Check Cherry keeps an activity log on each booking showing every change, who made it, and when.* Changed something on a booking and wish you hadn't? Check Cherry keeps an activity log on each booking showing almost every change, who made it, and when. You can't undo with one click, but you can see exactly what changed and correct it manually. **Where to find it:** Sales > Bookings (in your Check Cherry account: /events) 1. Find and open the booking. 2. Click Manage Booking. 3. Select Change Log. The change log shows most modifications with timestamps and user details. Use this information to identify what needs to be corrected, then make the adjustments manually in the booking details. > The same steps work for proposals — click Manage Booking and select Change Log. -> Go to Bookings (in your Check Cherry account: /events) --- ## What will happen if I disconnect a template provider integration? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/248-what-will-happen-if-i-disconnect-a-template-provider-integration *Category: Packages* *If you disconnect a design template provider (like Bespoke Booth or PB Backdrops), the associated design collection will be removed.* If you disconnect a design template provider (like Bespoke Booth or PB Backdrops), the associated design collection will be removed. However, bookings that already have a design selected will keep their choices. ### Disconnecting a Provider **Where to find it:** Manage > Business Settings > Integrations (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/third_party_integrations) 1. Go to Integrations. 2. Click the Disable button next to the template provider. 3. Confirm the removal. > Existing bookings retain their design choices even after disconnecting. Only new bookings will no longer have access to templates from that provider. -> Open Integrations (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/third_party_integrations) --- ## How do I add documents to a user account? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/28-can-i-add-a-document-to-a-user-s-account *Category: Staff* *Keep important documents like W-9s, insurance certificates, or signed agreements attached to user accounts so you can find them when you need them.* If you work with staff or subcontractors, you'll need to collect documents like W-9s, insurance certificates, or signed agreements. Rather than juggling email attachments or folder systems, you can store these files directly on user accounts where they're easy to find when tax season rolls around or a client asks for proof of insurance. ### Adding documents to a user account **Where to find it:** Manage > User Accounts (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/users) 1. Find the user and click their name. 2. Click Edit User. 3. In the Attachments section, upload your files. 4. Click Save. > Tip: Most businesses keep W-9s for all contractors and insurance certificates for staff who work events directly. Having these attached to user accounts means you can find them instantly instead of searching through email or file folders. ### How clients access their documents Documents you upload to user accounts aren't automatically shared with clients. If you need to provide a client with documents like insurance certificates or contracts, you can attach it to the booking and send it to the customer.: - Upload the document to the Attachments tab of their booking and mark it as "Available to Client" so they can download it from their client portal - Email the document to the customer. The documents stored on user accounts are for your internal record-keeping. Think of them as your digital filing cabinet rather than a client-facing document sharing system. --- ## How do I connect SmugMug to Check Cherry? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/449-how-do-i-connect-smugmug-to-check-cherry *Category: Integrations* *Connect SmugMug to deliver client galleries straight from a booking and import your SmugMug photos anywhere you pick images.* The event is over, the photos are edited, and the gallery is live on SmugMug. Now you need to get it to the client, which usually means copying a link, digging up the gallery password, and writing the same delivery email you wrote last week. The SmugMug integration connects that last step to Check Cherry. It does two things: it lets you attach a SmugMug gallery to a booking and send it to the client in a couple of clicks, and it makes your SmugMug photos available anywhere you pick images in Check Cherry. ### Connect your SmugMug account **Where to find it:** Manage > Business Settings > Integrations (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/third_party_integrations) 1. Go to Integrations and find SmugMug in the Galleries section. 2. Click Connect. 3. Sign in to SmugMug and authorize the connection. You will land back in Check Cherry with your account connected. The Integrations page shows which SmugMug account is connected, so if you ever need to double-check, that is the place to look. ### Send a gallery to your client Every booking has a Deliverables panel where the gallery link and viewing instructions live. With SmugMug connected, you can fill those in by picking the album instead of copying and pasting. **Where to find it:** Bookings > Select a booking > Deliverables > Manage (in your Check Cherry account: /events) 1. Open the booking and click Manage on the Deliverables panel. 2. Click Browse SmugMug Albums. 3. Search for the album by name and click it. The search works across your whole SmugMug account, so this stays fast even if you have thousands of albums. 4. That is it. The booking's Gallery URL and Instructions fill in automatically. #### Password-protected albums If the album is password protected, Check Cherry asks about the password before finishing, because SmugMug does not let us read an album's existing password. You will see the album's password hint if one exists, plus two options: enter the password if you know it, or reset it to a new one. If you reset, Check Cherry suggests a short, easy-to-share password (you can change it or generate another) and updates the album on SmugMug. Either way, the password is written into the booking's Instructions so the client receives it with the gallery link. > Warning: Resetting changes the album's password on SmugMug itself. Anyone you already gave the old password will need the new one. #### Sending the gallery details Once the gallery details are set, a Send Gallery Information to Client box appears at the top of the Deliverables page with Send via Email and Send via SMS buttons (SMS appears if SMS is enabled for your account). Each opens a message pre-filled from the Send Gallery template with the client's name, the gallery link, and the instructions already in place. Review it, tweak the wording if you like, and send. > Tip: The Send Gallery templates (one for email, one for SMS) are seeded for every account and are customizable like your other automated message templates. Worth a few minutes to make the default message sound like you, since you will be sending it after every event. The Deliverables page also has fields for video: a Video/Video Gallery URL and its own Instructions. The SmugMug picker fills the photo fields; video details you enter yourself. And the page tracks when the gallery details were first set and last updated, which is handy when a client asks whether their photos went out. ### Use SmugMug photos in your media library Once connected, SmugMug also appears as a source in the Media Library browser, which opens anywhere you pick images in Check Cherry: package photos, proposals, website content, and the Media Library page itself. Browse your albums as tiles, click into one to see its photos, and import the ones you want. It is an easy way to put real photos from your own events on your packages and proposals instead of stock images. > Imports use the largest web size of the photo rather than the original file, which keeps pages fast and is plenty sharp for packages and proposals. Only photos can be imported; video files in an album are skipped. -> Connect SmugMug (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/third_party_integrations) --- ## How do I change the way my proposals look? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/253-how-do-i-change-the-way-my-proposals-look *Category: Proposals* *Your proposal is often the first professional impression a client gets.* Your proposal is often the first professional impression a client gets. The way it looks — cover image, layout, colors — sets the tone before they even read the pricing. ### Why Proposal Design Matters A polished proposal signals professionalism. Clients comparing quotes from multiple vendors will notice the one that looks like it came from an established business. The right theme can also highlight what makes your service special — whether that's elegance, fun, or simplicity. ### Choosing a Theme Check Cherry includes six proposal themes, each with a different feel: - Classic — Clean and professional. A safe choice that works for any service. - Luxury — Elegant with refined typography. Great for high-end events. - Tuscan — Warm and inviting. Works well for rustic or outdoor events. - Mist — Light and airy. A modern, minimal look. - Vineyard — Rich and textured. Good for wine country or upscale settings. - Midnight Pulse — Bold and dark. Stands out for entertainment and nightlife. > Tip: Not sure which theme to pick? Start with Classic — it works for everyone. You can always switch later without affecting existing proposals. ### Setting Up Your Proposal Theme **Where to find it:** Manage > Business Settings > Proposals (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/proposal_presets) 1. Go to Proposal Settings. 2. Browse the available themes and click Preview to see how each one looks. 3. Click Save on the theme you want to use. 4. Upload a cover photo — either from your computer or your media library. This is the hero image clients see first. 5. Choose which packages and brands this theme applies to. ### Cover Photo Tips The cover photo is the first thing a client sees when they open your proposal. Choose an image that represents your work — a great event photo, your setup in action, or a professional brand image. > Tip: Use a high-quality, landscape-oriented image. Check Cherry will crop it to fit the theme layout, and you can adjust the crop after uploading. ### Using Different Themes for Different Services If you offer multiple services (e.g. both photo booths and bartending), you can assign different themes to different packages. A fun, colorful theme for party services and a refined theme for corporate events — each client sees the design that fits their event. > Multi-brand accounts can also assign themes per brand, so each brand has its own proposal look. -> Manage Proposal Themes (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/proposal_presets) --- ## How do I organize my backdrops into categories? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/17-how-do-i-organize-my-backdrops-into-categories *Category: Packages* *If you offer multiple backdrops, organizing them into categories makes it easier for clients to browse and choose.* If you offer multiple backdrops, organizing them into categories makes it easier for clients to browse and choose. Categories also let you set different pricing tiers. For example, "Standard" backdrops included in the base price and "Premium" backdrops at an extra charge. ### Creating a New Category **Where to find it:** Manage > Backdrops (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/photobooth_backgrounds) 1. Click New Category. 2. Enter a category name (e.g., "Basic," "Premium," "Seasonal"). 3. Add a sub-header to help clients understand the category (e.g., "Included with your package" or "Add for $50"). 4. Configure the default settings for backdrops in this category. ### Editing Category Settings To edit an existing category, click the menu button in the upper right corner of the category title bar. You can change the category name and sub-header, plus set default settings that apply to all backdrops in the category: - Default price for backdrops in this category - Whether backdrops are taxable - Lead time requirements (how many days notice clients need to give) - Whether to display these backdrops in your Backdrop Gallery Widget - Which packages can access backdrops from this category > Default settings apply to all backdrops in the category, but you can override them on individual backdrops if needed. ### Changing the Order Categories Appear In Categories appear in the order you set, both in your admin and on the client booking page. Put the category most clients should choose from first. 1. Click the menu button in the upper right of the category title bar. 2. Choose Move Up or Move Down. 3. Repeat until the categories are in the order you want. That same menu is also where you duplicate a category. ### Changing the Order Backdrops Appear In Backdrops are ordered within their category, so you set the order one category at a time. Lead with your strongest sellers. Most clients pick from the first row or two they see, so the order you choose does real work. 1. Click the menu button in the upper right of the category title bar. 2. Choose Reorder Backdrops. 3. Drag the rows into the order you want. Each change saves as you drop it. 4. On a long list, use the menu at the end of a row to send it straight to the top or bottom. > There are no position numbers to type in. Ordering is drag and drop, and it applies to your booking page, proposals, and your Backdrop Gallery Widget. > Tip: Use descriptive sub-headers on categories. They show up on the booking page and help clients understand what's included versus what costs extra. -> Manage Backdrops (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/photobooth_backgrounds) --- ## How do I add company info to proposals? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/255-how-do-i-add-company-info-to-proposals *Category: Proposals* *Clients choose based on trust as much as price.* Clients choose based on trust as much as price. Adding your story, credentials, and client reviews to proposals helps them feel confident about booking with you. ### About Us Section **Where to find it:** Manage > Business Settings > Proposals (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/proposal_presets) 1. Go to Proposal Presets. 2. Fill in the About Us section with your background and what makes your business unique. 3. Save. ### Trust Indicators Below the About Us, you can add trust indicators like years in business, events hosted, or certifications. Most businesses add 2-3 of these. They give clients a quick reason to trust you before reading the full proposal. ### Reviews Add your best client reviews to proposals. You can assign reviews to specific packages so the most relevant testimonials show up. 1. On the same Proposals tab, scroll to the Reviews section. 2. Add reviews with the client name, quote, and optionally assign to specific packages. 3. Save. > Tip: Use real quotes from real clients. Generic testimonials feel fake and do more harm than good. -> Open Proposal Presets (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/proposal_presets) --- ## Integrating Appointments with Zoom or Google Meet https://www.checkcherry.com/help/246-integrating-appointments-with-zoom-or-google-meet *Category: Bookings* *Connect your Zoom or Google Meet account to Check Cherry so a video meeting link is automatically created when a client books an appointment.* If you offer consultations, Check Cherry can automatically generate a Zoom or Google Meet link the moment a client books an appointment — no manual scheduling, no link-sharing back and forth. The meeting link goes straight into the confirmation, and both you and the client have everything you need without any extra steps. ### Connecting Zoom or Google Meet Start by connecting your video account in Appointment Scheduling settings. You only need to do this once. 1. Click your name in the upper right and select Appointment Scheduling. 2. Click Connect Zoom or Google Meet. 3. Sign in with your Zoom or Google account and grant the requested permissions. ### Enabling video meetings for appointments Once your account is connected, tell Check Cherry where appointments should take place. This is what activates automatic link generation. 1. In Appointment Scheduling, find the Where will appointments take place? setting. 2. Select Zoom or Google Meet. 3. Save your settings. > Tip: From this point on, every new appointment booking will automatically include a unique meeting link in the confirmation sent to you and your client. ### Disconnecting To disconnect, go to Appointment Scheduling and click Disconnect next to the provider logo. Meeting links on existing appointments are not affected — those links will continue to work. -> View Appointments (in your Check Cherry account: /appointments) --- ## How to write effective calls-to-action on your website https://www.checkcherry.com/help/243-how-to-write-effective-calls-to-action-on-your-website *Category: Payments* *Most people who visit your website will leave without reaching out.* Most people who visit your website will leave without reaching out. A good call-to-action (CTA) tells visitors what to do next and makes it easy to take that step. ### What Makes a CTA Effective? - Use a contrasting color so the button stands out from the rest of the page. - Keep the text short and action-oriented: "Book Now", "Check Availability", "Get a Quote". - Place the CTA where people naturally look: top right corner, after describing your services, and at the bottom of the page. ### What to Avoid - Avoid weak CTAs like "Contact Us" or "Learn More." These do not tell the visitor what will happen next. - Do not use the same CTA text everywhere. Mix it up: "Book Now" at the top, "See Pricing" in the middle, "Check Availability" at the bottom. - Do not hide your CTA. If someone has to scroll to find the button, many will leave before they get there. ### Placement Include a CTA at the top of each page so visitors see it immediately. Add more as they scroll, especially after key sections like pricing, testimonials, or package descriptions. Always include one at the bottom of the page. > Tip: Link your CTA buttons directly to your Check Cherry booking page. You can get the link from Website Integration. --- ## Why is my client getting an error paying with an AMEX card? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/4-why-is-my-client-getting-an-error-paying-with-an-amex-card *Category: Payments* *A client tries to pay and gets an error. Before you troubleshoot the payment processor, check which security code they are using.* American Express cards have two security codes, and most people grab the wrong one. The 4-digit code on the front is what they see first, but online payments require the 3-digit code on the back. ### The Two AMEX Security Codes - 4-digit CID: On the front of the card, above the card number. This is NOT the code to use for online payments. - 3-digit CVV: On the back of the card. This is the correct code. ![What Does CVV Stand For? – iHerb Customer Self Service](https://www.checkcherry.com/rails/active_storage/blobs/redirect/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsiZGF0YSI6NDUwMDE4MiwicHVyIjoiYmxvYl9pZCJ9fQ==--ffb90b5066d053e45b0e9f5c14535ea0e8dfff23/article_why-is-my-client-getting-an-error-paying-with-an-amex-card_img_2.png?disposition=inline) > Tip: Most payment errors with AMEX cards resolve once the client uses the 3-digit code from the back instead of the 4-digit code from the front. ### If the Payment Is Still Declined 1. Confirm the client is using the 3-digit code from the back. 2. Ask them to try a different card. 3. Have them contact their card issuer to make sure the card is not blocked for online transactions. --- ## How do I troubleshoot Zapier issues? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/242-how-do-i-troubleshoot-zapier-issues *Category: Integrations* *If your Zapier integration is not working as expected, start by enabling enhanced logging to see what is happening.* If your Zapier integration is not working as expected, start by enabling enhanced logging to see what is happening. ### Enabling Enhanced Logging **Where to find it:** Manage > Business Settings > Integrations (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/third_party_integrations) 1. Go to Integrations. 2. Click on your Zapier integration. 3. Enable Enhanced Logging. 4. Trigger the action that was failing. 5. Check the logs to see what went wrong. > Enhanced logging stays on for one week and then turns itself off automatically. The logs show the data being sent and any error messages. Chat with us if you need help interpreting them. ### Check the trigger is the one you want A Zap that never fires is often listening for something Check Cherry doesn't send. Confirm your trigger against the full list in Automating Check Cherry with Zapier. > Tip: New leads are delayed about a minute before the trigger fires, and leads from an incomplete booking are delayed roughly twenty minutes. If a Zap looks slow, give it a few minutes before assuming it's broken. **Related articles:** - [Automating Check Cherry with Zapier](https://www.checkcherry.com/help/453) - [How do I connect Check Cherry to Zapier?](https://www.checkcherry.com/help/218) --- ## Hide Staff contact info from Client https://www.checkcherry.com/help/356-hide-staff-contact-info-from-client *Category: Getting started* To hide a staff member's contact info from clients, edit their user account and uncheck the setting 'Allow customers to see this staff's email and phone when assigned to a booking.' **Where to find it:** Manage > Users > Edit a user account (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/users) 1. Go to Users. 2. Click Edit on the staff account. 3. Uncheck 'Allow customers to see this staff's email and phone when assigned to a booking.' 4. Save the account. -> Go to Users (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/users) --- ## How do I postpone or cancel an event? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/191-how-do-i-postpone-or-cancel-an-event *Category: Bookings* *The client called and the event is off, or they need to push it to a later date. Here is how to handle both without losing any booking data.* The client called and the event is off, or they need to push it to a later date. Here is how to handle both without losing any booking data. ### Postponing 1. Open the booking or proposal. 2. Click the status badge. 3. Select Postponed. When you postpone an event, all booking info is preserved (messages, questionnaires, payments). The date becomes available for other bookings. To find postponed bookings, filter your bookings list by the Postponed status. ### Cancelling Change the status to Cancelled the same way. The date becomes available again. > Warning: Cancelling a booking does not automatically refund payments. You will need to process refunds manually. ### Reactivating To reactivate a postponed or cancelled booking, click the status badge and change it back to the desired status. --- ## Set up Two-factor authentication for login https://www.checkcherry.com/help/386-set-up-two-factor-authentication-for-login *Category: Getting started* Two-factor authentication (2FA) adds a second layer of protection to your Check Cherry account. Even if someone gets your password, they still need access to your phone to log in. It takes about a minute to set up and is worth doing. ### How it works When 2FA is enabled, logging in requires two things: your password and a verification code sent to your phone via SMS. Without both, access is denied — even with the correct password. > Tip: If you share your account with staff members, each person manages 2FA through their own profile. Encourage anyone with admin access to enable it. ### Set up two-factor authentication 1. Click your name in the upper right corner of the app and go to My Profile. 2. Scroll to the More Options section on the right side of the page. 3. Click Two-Factor Authentication. 4. Enter your phone number and follow the prompts to complete the verification process. > Make sure the phone number you enter is one you have reliable access to. If you lose access to that number, you may be locked out of your account. Contact support via the chat bubble in the lower right if that happens. --- ## How do I use my Canva designs in Check Cherry? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/450-how-do-i-use-my-canva-designs-in-check-cherry *Category: Integrations* *Connect Canva to Check Cherry and import designs straight from your Canva Projects wherever you pick an image.* If you design your own package photos, promo graphics, and website banners in Canva, you know the routine: export a PNG, find it in your downloads, upload it to Check Cherry, repeat every time you tweak the design. The Canva integration cuts out the export step. Connect your Canva account once, and your designs show up right inside the image picker in Check Cherry, ready to import with a click. ### Connect your Canva account **Where to find it:** Manage > Business Settings > Integrations (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/third_party_integrations) 1. Go to Integrations. 2. Click Connect on the Canva card. 3. Sign in to Canva and authorize the connection. You will land back in Check Cherry with your account connected. ### Use a Canva design in Check Cherry Once connected, Canva appears as a source inside the Media Library browser. That browser opens anywhere you pick images in Check Cherry: package photos, proposals, website pages, backdrops, and the Media Library page itself. 1. Open the image picker wherever you want to add an image, then choose Canva as the source. 2. Browse your Canva Projects. Folders show up as tiles in the grid, and you can click into them to drill down. A breadcrumb trail at the top (for example, Projects / Weddings) lets you navigate back up. 3. Click a design to import it. It is added to your Check Cherry media library as an image, and you can use it like any uploaded image. > Tip: Designs are sorted newest first, so the design you just finished in Canva will be waiting at the top of the grid. ### Keeping designs up to date Importing a design brings a copy into Check Cherry. It does not stay linked to Canva, so when you update a design in Canva, import it again in Check Cherry to use the new version. The old import stays in your media library until you remove it. A couple of things the integration does not do, so expectations are right: it does not edit designs inside Check Cherry (all design work still happens in Canva), and it does not send anything to your clients. It is a faster way to get your Canva work into Check Cherry, nothing more. -> Connect Canva (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/third_party_integrations) --- ## How do I import backdrops from PB Backdrops? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/160-how-do-i-import-backdrops-from-pb-backdrops *Category: Packages* *PB Backdrops offers a library of backdrop designs. Connect your account and their collection syncs into Check Cherry automatically.* PB Backdrops offers a library of backdrop designs that sync into Check Cherry automatically. This lets you offer their designs without manually uploading each one. ### Setting Up Your PB Backdrops Account 1. Go to widget.pbbackdrops.com. 2. Make sure the backdrops you want to import are checked. 3. Copy your API key. ### Connecting to Check Cherry **Where to find it:** Manage > Business Settings > Integrations (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/third_party_integrations) 1. Click the Enable button on the PB Backdrops integration. 2. Enter the API key from your PB Backdrops account and click Save. > Depending on how many backdrops you have, it may take a few minutes for them to appear. Check Cherry syncs with PB Backdrops daily, but you can force a re-sync anytime from the Integrations page. ### Setting Prices Once your backdrops are imported, the easiest way to set prices is to edit the backdrop category and assign a price that applies to all backdrops in that category. -> Manage Backdrops (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/photobooth_backgrounds) --- ## How do I see a list view of all my packages? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/174-is-there-a-way-i-can-see-all-my-packages-or-add-ons-in-a-list *Category: Packages* *The Package Manager shows your packages in a nested tree.* The Package Manager shows your packages in a nested tree format. If you need a flat list of everything with booking data, the Packages & Add-ons report gives you exactly that. **Where to find it:** Reporting > Packages & Add-ons (in your Check Cherry account: /report/events) 1. Go to Reports. 2. Click the Packages & Add-ons report. 3. Click the Columns button to choose what information to include in the report. You can view different types of items by choosing the appropriate tab at the top — packages, add-ons, backdrops, or extra categories. Each tab shows how many times each item was booked, along with any other columns you've selected. > Tip: This report is useful for seeing which packages are popular and which ones might need better positioning or pricing adjustments. --- ## How do I share my backdrop gallery before a client books? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/62-can-i-share-my-backdrops-with-a-client-even-if-they-haven-t-booked-yet *Category: Packages* *A client is browsing your website and wants to see backdrop options before they commit.* Potential clients often want to see backdrop options before they commit to booking. Instead of describing your backdrops over email or directing everyone to your full online booking flow, you can share a standalone gallery that showcases your collection without any booking pressure. You have two ways to share your backdrop gallery: a direct link you can send via email or text, or embed code to display the gallery directly on your website. **Where to find it:** Manage > Website Integration (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/integrations) 1. Go to Website Integration. 2. Select Backdrop Gallery. 3. Choose how you want to share it: Link only (sends a direct link to your gallery) or Embed code (displays the gallery on your website). 4. Copy the link or embed code and share it with potential clients. > Tip: The embedded gallery looks professional on your website and lets visitors browse at their own pace. A direct link works great for quick sharing via email or social media. --- ## How do I see how much sales tax I have collected? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/41-can-i-get-a-report-for-how-much-sales-tax-i-ve-collected *Category: Reporting* *If you collect sales tax, you need to know how much you have collected and for which regions. The Sales Tax report gives you an itemized breakdown.* If you collect sales tax, you need to know how much you've collected and for which regions. The Sales Tax report gives you an itemized breakdown by tax zone and date range. **Where to find it:** Reporting > Sales Tax (in your Check Cherry account: /report/event_tax) 1. Go to Sales Tax Report. 2. Select the Sales Tax report. 3. Click Customize to set your date range and other criteria. 4. Click Run Report to generate the breakdown. ![Sales Tax report showing breakdown by region and date](https://www.checkcherry.com/[INTERCOM_IMG_3]) After you run the report, you can download it as a CSV file to import into a spreadsheet for your tax filing. > For setting up sales tax collection, see sales tax setup. --- ## What countries can I use Check Cherry in? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/229-what-countries-can-i-use-check-cherry-in *Category: Getting started* *Planning to serve clients in Canada, the UK, or Australia? Check Cherry works internationally.* > Warning: Check Cherry is currently only available in English. Check Cherry works in multiple countries, but your account's home country affects currency, time zones, address formats, and which app stores can download the mobile app. The following countries are supported: - United States (USD) - Canada (CAD) - United Kingdom (GBP) - Australia (AUD) - New Zealand (NZD) - United Arab Emirates (AED) - Singapore (SGD) - Malaysia (MYR) - Thailand (THB) > The Check Cherry app for iOS and Android only appears in app stores for supported countries. App stores require us to declare supported regions upfront. The web app works from anywhere with an internet connection. ### Multiple Countries If you do business in multiple countries, open a separate Check Cherry account for each one. This ensures proper currency handling, local address formats, and compliance with regional regulations. If you need multiple accounts, you can use the refer-a-friend program to get a discount on your additional account. **Where to find it:** Manage > Refer Friends (in your Check Cherry account: /referrals) --- ## Can I send and receive text messages to my customers? (How to set up the Twilio integration) https://www.checkcherry.com/help/358-can-i-send-and-receive-text-messages-to-my-customers-how-to-set-up-the-twilio-integration-1 *Category: Messaging* Integrate Twilio with your Check Cherry account to send and receive SMS messages to and from your customers. Automate your leads, follow ups, payment reminders and more via text and track the messages in the lead or booking record in Check Cherry. To enable your Twilio integration with your Check Cherry account, start in Check Cherry by clicking on Manage --> Business Settings --> Integrations. Find the Twilio integration and click the Enable button. If you are asked for your "Phone Number SID", go to your Twilio account, expand the Phone Numbers menu in the left sidebar, and select Manage --> Active Numbers. 1. Log in to your Twilio account. 2. Go to the Phone Numbers menu in the left sidebar 3. Click Manage --> Active Numbers 4. Under Active Numbers --> Properties look to the Phone Number. ### My text messages are showing as Undelivered If you are getting an undelivered error on your text messages through Check Cherry, check your Twilio account to see what the cause of the error may be. From your account dashboard, click on the Monitor tab, then look for the Error logs below: > A2P 10DLC refers to a system in the United States that allows businesses to send Application-to-Person (A2P) type messaging via standard 10-Digit Long Code (10DLC) phone numbers. Carriers in the US consider all Twilio traffic to be A2P. Carriers' A2P 10DLC offerings provide better delivery quality and lower filtering risk than long code SMS of the past, using the same phone numbers. ### Do I need to register for A2P 10DLC? Yes, if you send SMS or MMS to U.S. phone numbers using long code numbers, you need to register for A2P 10DLC. ### How do I register for A2P 10DLC? Registration is done through the Twilio Console. If you're an ISV, you can also use our registration APIs to register yourself and your customers. You can register through your Twilio account: https://help.twilio.com/articles/1260801864489-How-do-I-register-to-use-A2P-10DLC-messaging ### Helpful tips to keep in mind when setting up your account: 1. Prepare your business information 2. Be transparent with campaign details 3. Follow Content & Compliance Rules 4. Optimize your campaign setup 5. Watch out for common pitfalls ### You need to set up webhooks in order to receive sms replies If you would like Check Cherry to log incoming messages and notify you upon receipt, you must configure a "Messaging Webhook" on your phone number. To do that, enter the following settings: - Under "A Message Comes In", choose "Webhook" - For the URL enter https://yourcompanyurl.checkcherry.com/webhooks/twilio/message_received - Make sure HTTP POST is selected > Note that if you are already using other software to handle your incoming SMS messages, these settings may cause that to stop working. ### What if I still need help? You can reach out to Twilio's AI powered help chat using this link: Twilio Help Desk. You may also find their Quick Start Guide useful. Twilio also has a library of helpful documents that may help you find what you need. https://www.twilio.com/docs#communications ### I'm getting an error code in Twilio Twilio error codes are listed here. Search for the code you're getting and click Learn More to discover what the error means and how to resolve it. https://www.twilio.com/docs/api/errors --- ## How do I include one item for free in a package and charge for additional ones? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/472-how-do-i-include-one-item-in-a-package-and-charge-for-additional-ones *Category: Online booking* *Include a set number of characters, props, cocktails, or lights in a package price and charge the item price for each one a client adds beyond that.* Some packages come with one of something, and each additional one costs more: one character at a birthday party, one signature cocktail at a wedding, one prop set, a base number of uplights. Building a separate package or add-on for every count multiplies fast once you also sell 60-minute, 90-minute, and 2-hour versions. Instead, say how many items in a category are included with a package. The first picks are free and every pick after that is charged at the item price. ### How it works This is a setting on extra categories, the pick-from-a-list selections clients make during online booking. Each package decides, per category, how many picks are included at no charge. Everything else about extras stays the same: items live in a category, each item has its own price, and the category is enabled per package. If you have not set up extras before, start with the extras overview and come back. - Included count is set on the package, not the item. The same Characters category can include 1 on a party package and 0 on an appearance-only package. - It works with both selection policies: any number allowed, or a fixed maximum. With a fixed maximum, the included count cannot exceed it. - It applies to packages only. Extras enabled on add-ons are always charged. - The default is 0, so nothing changes on existing packages until you set it. ### Setting it up #### Create the category and items **Where to find it:** Manage > Booking Engine > Extra Categories (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/extra_categories) 1. Go to Extra Categories and create a category. Name it what the client is choosing: Characters, Cocktails, Props, Uplights. 2. Add one item per option. Give each a photo. Clients pick by image, and the description only shows when they click it. 3. Price each item at the additional-item rate. This is what a client pays for the second one, the third one, and so on. The first one is handled by the package. #### Enable the category on the package **Where to find it:** Manage > Packages > (select package) > Advanced (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/event_categories) 1. Go to Packages, select the package, and open the Advanced tab. 2. Find the category section and set the selection policy to allow selections. 3. Set How many are included at no charge to 1 (or however many the package comes with). 4. Optional: cap the total. Choose the fixed-number policy and enter the maximum a client can pick, for example 3 characters. The included count has to be at or below the cap. 5. Save. Repeat on each package that includes the category. The packages bulk editor has the same field if you want to set it on several packages at once. > Tip: Most businesses set the included count to 1 and leave the total open. Cap it only when you genuinely cannot deliver more, for example a fixed roster of performers or a limited set of props. #### Stop the same performer being booked twice When an item is a person or a single physical thing, give it a booking limit so it cannot be booked at two events at the same time. Open Availability under Business Settings, find the item under its extra category, and set Max Bookings to 1. For performers, 1 is almost always the right number. Skip this for items you can supply in any quantity, like cocktails or lighting. -> Open Availability (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/availability/booking_limit) ### Pricing the items Each item can be priced flat or by the hour (the price method called Multiply by Package's Hours). Flat is simpler when you sell one length. Hourly lets one price scale across a 30-minute, 60-minute, and 2-hour package without creating separate items for each. Worked example. A character company charges $625 for a 2-hour party with one character and $750 with two. Set it up as one package at $625, a Characters category with 1 included, and each character priced at $125 flat. > The included pick is free regardless of price method. The item price only kicks in from the first pick beyond the included count. ### What the client sees During online booking the pick button reads Choose (included) until the free picks are used, then switches to the price, for example Choose for $150. The cart and the deposit breakdown show the included item as Included with no charge. If the client removes their included pick, the next pick automatically becomes the included one, so they are never charged for the first item in the category. On proposals and invoices the included item is listed at $0.00, the same way add-ons bundled into a package appear. Clients see that it was part of the package without a separate charge. ### Changing it for one booking The package setting is the default. If a specific client negotiates something different, for example two characters included because they booked a second event, open the booking, click the Manage Settings button, select Edit Booking Settings, and change the included count for that category on that booking only. The package and every other booking stay as they were. -> Open Packages (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/event_categories) --- ## How do I schedule a meeting with a client on a booking? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/172-how-do-i-schedule-a-meeting-with-a-client-on-a-booking *Category: Bookings* *The client wants to meet before the event to walk through the venue or discuss details.* The client wants to meet before the event to walk through the venue or discuss details. You can add an appointment directly to their booking so everything stays connected. ### Adding an Appointment to a Booking **Where to find it:** Bookings > Select a booking > Manage Booking (in your Check Cherry account: /events) 1. Open the booking, proposal, or lead. 2. Click Manage Booking. 3. Click Create Appointment. 4. Set the date, time, and details. 5. Save. An email notification is sent to the client by default. > Uncheck the notification box if you do not want to email the client about the appointment. ### Sending a Scheduling Link Instead If you want the client to pick the time, send them your appointment scheduling link. They will choose from your available slots. Get your link from your name (upper right) > Appointment Scheduling. You can also convert an appointment to a booking if needed. -> View Appointments (in your Check Cherry account: /appointments) --- ## How do I counter-sign a contract? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/185-how-do-i-counter-sign-a-contract *Category: Contracts* *Some clients want you to sign the contract too. Check Cherry supports counter-signing after the client has signed.* Some clients want you to sign the contract too. Check Cherry supports counter-signing after the client has signed. > The client must sign first. Counter-signing is only available after the client's signature is on the contract. ### How to Counter-Sign 1. Open the booking. 2. Click the Manage Booking button. 3. Select Edit Contract Terms 4. Click on Counter-sign Contract. 5. Type your signature.6. Save. After counter-signing, both signatures appear on the contract. The client can see your signature when they view their contract in the client portal. -> Open Contract Terms (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/terms/edit) --- ## Can I download a list of payments I've received? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/342-can-i-download-a-list-of-payments-i-ve-received-1 *Category: Getting started* Check Cherry's reporting feature lets you download a full payment history across all payment methods. You can also save the report and schedule it to run automatically on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis — useful if you want a regular copy sent to your bookkeeper. **Where to find it:** Sales > Reporting (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/reports) 1. Select the Payment History report. 2. Click Columns to choose what data to include. 3. Click Filter to narrow results by time frame or location. 4. Download the report as a spreadsheet, or save it to schedule automatic delivery. > Tip: When you save a report, you can schedule it to re-run every day, week, or month and have it emailed automatically — handy for sharing with a bookkeeper. -> Go to Reporting (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/reports) --- ## How can I track bookings that don't come from my website? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/365-how-can-i-track-bookings-that-don-t-come-from-my-website *Category: Getting started* Use our built-in referral tracking system to track bookings that come from other websites that are not your own or where you can't embed your booking link. ### You need to enable referral tracking first The referral tracking is turned off by default. To enable it, click on Manage --> Business Settings --> Referrals and set it to Yes. ### What is the referral tracking system and how does it work? Once the referral system is enabled, every user in Check Cherry will be given a unique referral code that they can use which will display the referring user's name when someone refers a client to your business. Go to Manage --> User Accounts and search for the user's name to find their unique referral code. When a user shares that url with someone else, and a booking is created from that url, the referring partner will be shown on the booking's overview page. Video: https://www.youtube.com/embed/N4BQraRFjzQ --- ## How do I send a client a payment link? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/199-how-do-i-send-a-client-a-payment-link *Category: Payments* *Each booking has a unique payment link that you can send to a client so they can make a payment without logging in.* Each booking has a unique payment link that you can send to a client so they can make a payment without logging in. ### Finding the Payment Link **Where to find it:** Sales > Bookings > Select a booking > Make a Payment (in your Check Cherry account: /events) 1. Open the booking and go to the Make a Payment page. 2. Scroll to the bottom to find the payment link. 3. Copy the link and send it to the client. When the client clicks the link, they see the Make a Payment page for that booking where they can enter their card details and pay. ### Payment Notifications When a payment is recorded, both you and the client receive an email notification with a receipt and the remaining balance. You can customize the payment notification email under Automated Messages in the System Templates tab. -> Go to Bookings (in your Check Cherry account: /events) --- ## How do I send a message to session bookings? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/150-how-do-i-send-a-message-to-session-bookings *Category: Messaging* *Your session has 15 clients booked across different time slots. Send one message and everyone gets it.* When you have a session with multiple clients booked across different time slots, you don't need to message each one individually. Send one message from the session and everyone gets it — whether it's weather updates, parking instructions, or last-minute changes. > Tip: Session messages save time when you need to communicate with everyone at once. Each client still sees the message in their individual booking record too. ### How to Send a Session Message 1. Open the session. 2. Go to the Messages tab. 3. Compose your message or choose a template. 4. Click Send. ![Messages tab with New Email and Quick Send options](https://www.checkcherry.com/rails/active_storage/blobs/redirect/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsiZGF0YSI6NDUwMDM3NCwicHVyIjoiYmxvYl9pZCJ9fQ==--36f4e28c351a90abf737be89fa4d9e4c0764926a/article_how-do-i-send-a-message-to-session-bookings_img_3.png?disposition=inline) ![Selecting which clients receive the message](https://www.checkcherry.com/rails/active_storage/blobs/redirect/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsiZGF0YSI6NDUwMDM3NSwicHVyIjoiYmxvYl9pZCJ9fQ==--c6452c823c19166f2346f6fbb2de99db27ffacb5/article_how-do-i-send-a-message-to-session-bookings_img_4.png?disposition=inline) ### Where Messages Appear Your message appears in two places: - The session's Messages tab (where you sent it) - Each individual booking's Messages tab This way, if you need to reference the message later or a client asks about it, you can find it both at the session level and on their specific booking. --- ## How do I import expenses? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/48-how-do-i-import-expenses *Category: Reporting* *If you have existing expenses in a spreadsheet, you can import them into Check Cherry in bulk instead of entering them one at a time.* If you have existing expenses in a spreadsheet, you can import them into Check Cherry in bulk instead of entering them one at a time. ### Importing Expenses **Where to find it:** Sales > Expenses (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/expenses) 1. Go to Expenses. 2. Click the down arrow next to New Expense and choose Bulk Import. 3. Upload your CSV file and map the columns to the correct fields. 4. Review and confirm the import. ### Recurring Expenses For expenses that repeat (like monthly subscriptions or insurance), set them up as recurring expenses so they are logged automatically. -> Open Expenses (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/expenses) --- ## What will happen if I disconnect a template provider integration? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/372-what-will-happen-if-i-disconnect-a-template-provider-integration-1 *Category: Integrations* Disconnecting a template provider integration — like a design partner — removes the connection between Check Cherry and that provider. But it does not automatically remove any design collections you have already imported. Here is what to expect and how to clean things up if needed. ### How to disconnect a template provider **Where to find it:** Manage > Business Settings > Integrations (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/third_party_integrations) 1. Go to Integrations. 2. Find the integration you want to remove and click Configure. 3. In the lower right of the configuration screen, click the Disconnect link. ### Your design collections are not removed automatically Disconnecting the integration leaves your existing design collections in place. Any bookings that already have a design selected will keep that selection. If you want to stop offering those designs on future bookings, you will need to delete the collection manually. #### How to delete a design collection 1. Go to Manage → Design Collections. 2. Click the down arrow next to the View Templates button on the collection you want to remove. 3. Select Delete Collection. 4. A confirmation window will appear. By default, the option to remove the collection from existing bookings is checked — leave it checked if you want it removed from bookings where no template has been chosen yet. > Warning: Bookings with a chosen design keep it. If a client has already selected a design from the collection, that choice is preserved even if the artwork has not been finalized yet. Deleting the collection only removes it from bookings where no template has been selected. --- ## How do I send a message to my mini session bookings? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/367-how-do-i-send-a-message-to-my-mini-session-bookings *Category: Getting started* Once clients have booked slots in your session, you can send them messages directly from the session — whether that's a quick reminder, a location update, or a pre-event note. You can write a one-off email or send a pre-built template to all clients at once. ### Sending a message **Where to find it:** Sessions > Select a session > Messages (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/mini_session_settings/terms) 1. Go to the Messages tab inside the session. 2. Click New Email to write a custom message, or Quick Send to select a pre-built template. 3. If writing a new message, choose which clients should receive it. The default is to send to all booked clients. 4. Send the message. --- ## How do I duplicate a booking in the mobile app? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/366-how-do-i-duplicate-a-booking-in-the-mobile-app *Category: Mobile app* ### Start by going to the booking or proposal you want to duplicate You can search for the booking/proposal using the global search bar, or tap the Confirmed Bookings or Proposals button. In the booking overview, tap the settings gear and select Duplicate Set the new event date & status (Confirmed, Proposal Date Reserved, Proposal Date Open, or Confirmed Awaiting Signature) --- ## How does the design revision request email work? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/13-automated-email-template-design-revision-requested *Category: Messaging* *A client picks their overlay design, you create the artwork, and they want changes.* A client picks their overlay design, you create the artwork, and they want changes. When they request a revision through their booking portal, Check Cherry sends you an email with their name, booking details, and revision notes so you can make the changes. There is a system email template already set up in your account. You can customize it to include any additional information you want. The system will automatically generate emails from this template and send them to your business contact email. > The revision request email is part of the design approval workflow. For the full process, see design collections. ### Editing the Template **Where to find it:** Automated Messages > System Templates (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/automated_events) 1. Go to Automated Messages and click the System Templates tab. 2. Find the template called Design Revision Requested. 3. Edit the template as needed, then click Save. -> Go to Automated Messages (in your Check Cherry account: /admin/automated_events) --- ## How can I share the booking link to my mini sessions photo page? https://www.checkcherry.com/help/364-how-can-i-share-the-booking-link-to-my-mini-sessions-photo-page *Category: Getting started* Once you have your sessions set up, sharing the booking link is how clients find available time slots, choose one, and pay to reserve their spot — all without any back-and-forth. You can share the link on social media, in emails, or anywhere else you promote the event. ### Finding the booking link The booking link can be copied from the list of bookings, or from the Manage Mini's button on the overview. #### Option 1: From the booking list The share link appears right in the booking list, so you can grab it without opening the session. **Where to find it:** Bookings (in your Check Cherry account: /events) 1. Go to Bookings. 2. Click the Sessions filter or search for the session title. 3. Find the Share Link at the bottom right of the session in the list. #### Option 2: From inside the session You can also get the link from the session's overview. 1. From the booking list, click on the session to open its overview page. 2. Click Manage Mini. 3. Copy the link for that specific mini, link to all mini's, or a link to all mini's grouped by location. Video: https://www.youtube.com/embed/ATSOVIiu2Cg > Tip: You can set up automated messages to send when a client books a slot — useful for confirmations, reminders, and pre-session details. Set these up in your messaging templates.