Setting Up a Service Calendar for Your Photography Business

What is a Service Calendar?

A Service Calendar is a scheduling tool within your CRM that helps you define specific photography services, assign qualified staff members, and allocate resources such as studio rooms and equipment. For a photography business, this allows you to create separate calendars for services like portrait sessions, event coverage, or studio shoots. Each service is linked to the appropriate photographer, location, and gear, ensuring clients can book easily while your team avoids scheduling conflicts.

Key Benefits of Service Calendars

Service Calendars help photography businesses streamline operations and enhance the client experience. Key advantages include:

• Automated Scheduling: Clients can book appointments online without needing to call.
• Resource Management: Assign studio spaces and equipment to prevent double bookings.
• Staff Scheduling: Define individual photographer availability based on their working hours.
• Service Grouping: Organize services into categories like Portraits or Events.
• Flexible Service Menus: Offer multiple services or add-ons in a single booking.
• Professional Branding: Customize booking pages with images and colors to match your brand.

Adding Staff Members and Availability

Before creating services, you must add your photographers as staff members and define their availability.

1. From your dashboard, go to Settings → My Staff → Add User.
2. Enter the photographer’s name, email, and extension number. Set user permissions as needed.
3. Define their weekly availability, such as specific days and hours they are available for bookings.
4. Click Save to add the staff member.

Creating Groups for Photography Services

Groups help categorize your services, each with its own booking link.

1. From the Calendars menu, click Calendar Settings in the top-right corner.
2. Go to Preferences → Account Preference and toggle the Service Menu option on.
3. In the Calendars tab, click + New Group on the left sidebar.
4. Enter a Group Name, Description, and URL slug. Choose a template type and click Create.

Creating a Service Calendar

1. Start Service Creation

Select a group from the left sidebar and click Create Calendar. This begins setup for a specific photography service.

2. Choose Service Booking Type

Navigate to Calendars → Service Menu → Create Service Menu. From the list, select Service Booking.

3. Enter Basic Service Details

Fill in the Service Name, assign staff, set a custom URL, define duration, and specify availability. Click Advanced Settings for more options.

4. Configure Service Details

In the Service Details tab, upload a service logo, enter a clear name and description, assign the service to a group, and create a custom URL for the booking link.

5. Set Up Appointment and Staff

Define the appointment invite title, assign qualified team members, set a meeting location (e.g., studio address or video link), and choose a color for calendar visibility.

6. Assign a Room

In the Rooms tab, link the service to a physical space in your studio, such as a specific set or backdrop area.