> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.bellabooking.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Clients

> This guide walks you through all core features of the **Clients** section in Bella Booking. 

***

## Introduction

The **Clients** section serves as your comprehensive database for client management.

![Clients list showing name, phone, client since date, and cancellation/no-show badges](https://mintcdn.com/bellabooking/pMkxOjL6eRqe-Aow/images/ClientsList.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=pMkxOjL6eRqe-Aow\&q=85\&s=cadd957b9a70c0d6d4f7b0b09ab42226)

Easily add, update, search, import, and organise client profiles to keep all contact and history information at your fingertips, supporting smooth and efficient operations.

***

## The new-client star (new / first marker)

A small **star** appears next to a client to flag someone who is genuinely **new to your business** - so your team can prepare for a first visit. It shows as **"New"** on client surfaces (your Clients list, the client's record) and as **"First"** on appointment surfaces (the scheduler card, agenda, appointment details and appointment list).

**A client is flagged new only when both of these are true:**

1. **They have never attended before** - they have no appointment that has already happened and wasn't cancelled. (An upcoming booking still counts as new - that's the point of the cue; a no-show doesn't make someone "attended".) It is **not** based on whether appointments were marked *Completed*, so it works even if your team doesn't mark appointments complete.
2. **They were added as a new client in Bella** - created by your team or via online booking. Clients you **imported/migrated** from another system, and older clients from before we started recording how each client was added, are **never** flagged new - so migrating your existing client book doesn't make all your regulars light up.

It's worked out automatically and clears itself once a client has been in - there's nothing to switch on. If a long-standing client is *not* showing the star, that's expected: they've already attended (or they pre-date/were imported into your account).

> [!NOTE]
>
> If a client who has clearly visited before is showing the star, it usually means they were **imported** or created before new-client tracking existed, combined with no in-Bella appointment history yet - reach out to support if a client looks wrong and we'll take a look.

***

## Key features

* **Client List View:** See all clients in a table, including Name, Phone, and Client since. See [Sorting and filters](#sorting-and-filters).
* **Client Statistics:** View total revenue, appointment count, cancellation count, and no-show count for each client.
* **Add Client:** Create new profiles with full contact and notification preferences.
* **Search:** Find any client instantly by name or phone number.
* **Import:** Bring in multiple clients at once using a CSV spreadsheet.
* **Export:** Export your client list to CSV for backups or external use. See [Exporting clients](#exporting-clients).
* **Edit & Details:** View and update client information, files, and appointments using an interactive side panel.
* **Archive & Delete:** Archive clients to hide them from the active list, restore them later, or permanently delete archived clients with no history.
* **Merge Duplicates:** Combine a duplicate client into the one you keep - all appointments, sales, loyalty, credit balance, documents, and family links transfer across, and the duplicate is archived. See [Handling Duplicate Clients](#6-handling-duplicate-clients).
* **Block from Online booking:** Stop a specific client from self-booking through your booking page while keeping their profile active so your team can still book them manually.
* **Note & Document Visibility:** Separate note fields for private (team-only), client-visible, and client-written notes. Files and photos stay in the business dashboard - they are not published to the client's booking portal.
* **Document Management:** Upload, view, and delete files attached to client profiles - including files clients attach on forms.
* **Avatar Photos:** Upload a profile photo for any client - JPG, PNG, WebP, or HEIC (straight from an iPhone). Photos appear across the scheduler, client profiles, and appointment views.
* **Photos & Comparison:** A visual gallery of every image on a client - direct uploads, timeline-note attachments, appointment photos, and form uploads - with Before/After/Progress/Reference categories, side-by-side before/after comparison, and grouping by appointment.
* **Family members:** Link dependents and family members to a client's account, manage relationships, and book appointments on their behalf.
* **Loyalty:** View a client's loyalty points balance, transaction history, and available rewards. Manually adjust points when needed.
* **Communication Consent:** Manage announcement and marketing opt-in preferences, and send direct messages from the client profile. See [Inbox](https://docs.bellabooking.com/messages.md).

***

## Step-by-step usage instructions

### 1. Adding a new client

1. Go to the **Clients** section in the main sidebar.
2. Click the `Add client` button (top-right).
3. In the side panel, enter:
   * **First name** (required)
   * **Last name** (optional)
   * **Email** (optional, for appointment notifications)
   * **Phone number** (optional, for appointment notifications)
   * **Date of birth** (optional; the year is optional too) - used for the [birthday reward](https://docs.bellabooking.com/programmes/birthday.md), the [birthday greeting](https://docs.bellabooking.com/settings/automated-messages.md) and the birthday filters. All three work from the day and month alone, so a birthday with no year is complete. To have clients give theirs when they book online, see [Client details](https://docs.bellabooking.com/settings/booking-policies.md#client-details)
   * **Notes** (optional, for internal business notes)
   * **Automated notifications:** Switch SMS and email on or off for this client. Each switch appears once you've entered the mobile number or email address it sends to.
4. Once all fields are filled, click `Save` at the bottom of the panel.
5. The client is saved. The list keeps its current sort, so they appear where that order places them. To put the newest clients first, sort **Client since** with the arrow pointing down. See [Sorting and filters](#sorting-and-filters).

> [!TIP]
>
> Serving someone who won't give a name or number? You don't need to add a client: book the appointment or ring up the sale to **Walk-in**. See [Walk-ins](#walk-ins).

***

### Sorting and filters

Search and filters choose which rows are listed. They do not change the order.

To change the order, click a column heading that sorts. Unless the page says otherwise, the first click sorts text A to Z, and numbers and dates highest or newest first. Click the same heading again, or the heading the list already opens on, to reverse it. The arrow beside the heading shows the direction: up is A to Z, oldest first or lowest first, and down is Z to A, newest first or highest first.

A heading that sorts by name ignores capital letters: "anna" and "Anna" sort together.

**Name** sorts by first name. The list opens that way, arrow up (A to Z). A down arrow on **Name** is Z to A.

**Client since** is the date the client was added. A down arrow is newest first. An up arrow is oldest first.

**Phone** does not sort. On a narrow screen **Phone** and **Client since** are hidden: widen the window to sort by **Client since**.

**Filters** on this page has its own **Client since** range (after and before). That limits which clients are listed.

**Filters** also covers:

* **Birthday:** clients with a birthday on file, clients without one, birthdays this week or this month, or birthdays in any month you pick.
* **Address:** clients with an address on file or without one, and an **Area** box that finds clients whose suburb (or city), state or postcode contains what you type. The street isn't searched.
* **Last appointment**, **Services received**, **Tags**, **Total spent**, **Attendance issues** (no-shows and cancellations) and **Contact details** (email and phone).

Filters combine: a client has to match every filter you set.

### Exporting clients

Click **Export CSV** under the table. The file has every client that matches your search and filters, not just the page on screen. Its columns are first name, last name, email, phone number, birthday, address, private note, client since, last appointment, total spent (only if you can see client spend), appointments, no-shows, cancellations, tags and status.

To get a list of every client with a birthday on file, open **Filters**, set **Birthday** to **Has birthday**, then click **Export CSV**.

### 2. Viewing and editing a client’s details

1. Locate the desired client:
   * Use the **Search** bar at the top to type part of their name or phone number.
   * Or, navigate through the paginated list with Next/Previous.
2. Click **any client row** in the list. This opens the side panel with several tabs. Tabs with content show a count badge, and the tabs run in this order: record tabs, then money & programmes, then admin:
   * **Overview:** The landing view - next appointment, last appointment, appointment and photo counts, active programmes and balances, pinned timeline notes, quick notes, the client's latest online booking attempts, and the latest timeline entries. Every figure links straight into the tab it comes from. Online booking attempts are the bookings the client started on your booking page while signed in, and whether each was booked: see [Incomplete Bookings](https://docs.bellabooking.com/scheduler/incomplete-bookings.md#online-booking-attempts-on-the-client-record). They show to team members who can manage the waitlist.
   * **Details:** View/edit personal info, notes, and notification settings, plus an **Agreements** block once the client has agreed to your terms and conditions or waiver before booking (the date, IP address and the exact document). Make changes and click `Save` to update.
   * **Timeline notes:** Keep a dated history of this client - consultation notes, colour formulas, observations - each entry with its author, category, and optional file or photo attachments. Pin important entries to keep them at the top of the tab and surface them on the scheduler and the new-appointment form.
   * **Photos:** A visual gallery of every image on the client - direct uploads, timeline-note attachments, appointment photos, and photos from form uploads - with Before/After/Progress/Reference categories, filtering, before/after comparison, and grouping by appointment.
   * **Files:** Every file on the client's record in one list - direct uploads (added here with `Add`), files attached to timeline notes, files from the client's appointments, and files from form uploads - each labelled with its source (form files show as **Form - \{template name}**). When files come from more than one source, filter pills let you narrow to direct uploads, timeline notes, appointments, or Form. Files are deleted where they were added - note and appointment files are view-only here.
   * **Appointments:** Upcoming first (nearest at the top), then past (most recent first). Each group shows up to five appointments, then **Show more** if there are more. **View** opens the appointment. The three-dot menu has **Confirm** (if Booked), **Check in** / **Start** / **Undo** (on Booked or Confirmed), **Rebook**, **Cancel** (including a completed appointment), and **Permanently delete** on a cancelled one. Confirm opens the same confirmation as everywhere else, including **Notify the client**. When notify is on, the dialog lists whether Email and SMS will send, or why not. Permanently delete opens a simple confirm. **Rebook** at the top of the tab copies the most recent past appointment. The three-dot **Rebook** on a row copies that appointment. Both open the scheduler in a new tab (so this record stays open) on the suggested next date, so you can tap a time on the calendar. Upcoming Booked and Confirmed appointments have a tick box, to [confirm or cancel several at once](#confirming-or-cancelling-several-appointments). Cancelled appointments are hidden until you add **Cancelled** to the status filter, and the count on the tab leaves them out too.
   * **Treatment plans:** The client's treatment plans. Open one to read or edit its overview and phases, or start a new plan, from scratch or from a saved template. Needs the Treatment plans feature on your plan.
   * **Forms:** Every form submission for this client. Open one to read the answers in place, under the client's name; **Forms** at the top goes back to the list.
   * **Payments:** Every sale, refund, tip and deposit for the client, newest first, with a filter by type and **Send receipt** on each sale. Each row opens in a new tab: a sale or a sale refund opens the sale with its items, and a tip, a deposit or a deposit refund opens its appointment. Needs the permission to view sales.
   * **Products:** Every product the client has bought, newest first or grouped by product. Needs the permission to view sales. See [Products a client has bought](#products-a-client-has-bought).
   * **Wallet:** The client's balances and rewards in one tab, switched with pills at the top: **Loyalty** (points balance, available rewards, full transaction history - Owners and Admins can manually adjust points; see [Loyalty programme](https://docs.bellabooking.com/loyalty.md)), **Credit** (stored-value balance split into the client's own money and promotional bonus, top-ups, and the full ledger - applies automatically at checkout; see [Client credit](https://docs.bellabooking.com/client-credit.md)), and **Referrals** (the client's refer-a-friend link and referral activity - see [Referrals](https://docs.bellabooking.com/programmes/referrals.md)). Clients find the same link themselves on your booking site under **Account → Refer a friend** (not on My profile).
   * **Packages:** Prepaid packages the client has bought, each with its sessions remaining and expiry.
   * **Memberships:** The client's memberships with their status (Active, Past due and so on), and **Enrol client** to add one.
   * **Family:** Manage family members and dependents linked to this client. Add, edit, or remove family relationships.
   * **Activity:** View a chronological history of all activities related to this client, including appointment creation, confirmations, reschedules, cancellations, and notifications sent. A change to the client's name, email, phone or date of birth shows what each one changed from and to.

A client you open from the list sits beside the list, so you can move from one client to the next. A client you open from anywhere else (the calendar, an appointment, a sale, a message, a report, search or a notification) opens across the whole page. On a larger screen, **Maximise panel** (the two arrows in the panel's header) widens a client that sits beside the list, and **Restore panel** puts the list back beside it. Filling a form in for the client opens it at the record's size, and closing it takes you back to the record.

![Client side panel opening on the Overview tab with next appointment, last appointment, counts, balances, notes, and latest timeline entries](https://mintcdn.com/bellabooking/pMkxOjL6eRqe-Aow/images/ClientOverview.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=pMkxOjL6eRqe-Aow\&q=85\&s=d6714354777ab35acd1cc2e78bcd53b6)

![Client side panel showing the Details tab with contact details, date of birth and address](https://mintcdn.com/bellabooking/pMkxOjL6eRqe-Aow/images/Edit-client.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=pMkxOjL6eRqe-Aow\&q=85\&s=f1aab30c6f40205f3d6b7ddadf478e60)

![Client Appointments tab with two upcoming appointments ticked and the bar showing Confirm and Cancel](https://mintcdn.com/bellabooking/5ielbwTGBEHBQUdZ/images/client-appointments-magnified.webp?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=5ielbwTGBEHBQUdZ\&q=85\&s=d65978fa030fa74010b45771364c14f0)

![Client history details showing appointment breakdown with services and team members](https://mintcdn.com/bellabooking/pMkxOjL6eRqe-Aow/images/ClientHistoryDetails.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=pMkxOjL6eRqe-Aow\&q=85\&s=557f665a71892aeabe6d6aa84266fb77)

![Client history panel with AI-powered rebook suggestion based on previous appointments](https://mintcdn.com/bellabooking/pMkxOjL6eRqe-Aow/images/ClientHisotryAndRebookSuggestion.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=pMkxOjL6eRqe-Aow\&q=85\&s=65b6932fe2d115a96f9689aa82b8a1f5)

![Client Activity tab showing a chronological history of appointment, series and form events](https://mintcdn.com/bellabooking/pMkxOjL6eRqe-Aow/images/ClientActivityHistory.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=pMkxOjL6eRqe-Aow\&q=85\&s=07bee2b458b93878aee39eb8394c1bed)

***

### Confirming or cancelling several appointments

Every upcoming **Booked** or **Confirmed** appointment on a client's **Appointments** tab has a tick box, so a run of them can be confirmed or cancelled in one go: a standing booking, repeats imported from another system, or some dates but not others.

1. Open the client and go to **Appointments**.
2. Tick the appointments. **Select all** in the **Upcoming** heading ticks every one, including those under **Show more**, up to 100 (with more than that it reads **Select first 100** and ticks the nearest).
3. Choose **Confirm** or **Cancel** in the bar at the bottom.

These are the same actions as ticking appointments on the [Appointments](https://docs.bellabooking.com/appointments.md#cancelling-an-appointment) page. **Cancel** asks once for a reason, **Notify the client** (on by default: the client gets one cancellation email listing every cancelled date and one text naming up to 10 of them), the **Forfeit redeemed rewards & credits** switch and what happens to any **paid product orders**. It keeps deposits and charges no cancellation fee: the result links each appointment that kept a deposit, so you can give it back with **Refund deposit**. To refund by your cancellation policy or charge a fee, cancel that appointment on its own. **Confirm** confirms or approves them and schedules the standard reminders, with the same **Notify the client** switch.

Completed and cancelled appointments have no tick box, and up to 100 appointments go in one action. If you run more than one location, only the appointments at the location you're working in have a tick box: switch to the other location to tick its appointments. **Cancel** needs the **Appointments > Cancel** permission. **Confirm** needs **Appointments > Edit** and **Clients > Edit**, and isn't offered on an archived client.

### Products a client has bought

The **Products** tab lists every product the client has bought, newest first, from their sales. Each line says where it was sold:

* **At the till:** a sale with no appointment.
* **Appointment:** sold at an appointment's checkout.
* **Product Shop:** ordered and paid through your [Product Shop](https://docs.bellabooking.com/products/sell-online.md).
* **Phone order:** a phone order, once it has been paid at the till. Until then it is only in **Sales → Client orders**.
* **Imported:** brought across from your previous system.

Each line shows the product, how many, what was charged for it after any discount on that product, who sold it, and **View sale**. If the sale was refunded, the line stays and is marked **Refunded** or **Partly refunded**. Voided sales aren't listed.

Switch to **By product** to see, for each product, how many times the client bought it, how many in total, and when they last bought it. Fully refunded purchases are left out of this view. Use **Search products** to find one product in a long history.

A product sold on a family appointment shows on the record of the client the sale was rung up for.

***

### Client statistics

When viewing a client's details, you can see key statistics at a glance:

| Statistic | Where it shows | Description |
| - | - | - |
| **Sales** | Under the client's name | Number of the client's sales. Voided sales aren't counted |
| **Spent** | Under the client's name | What the client's sales come to after refunds: services, products, packages and anything else sold. Shown to roles that can view client financials |
| **Client since** | Under the client's name | Date when the client was first added |
| **Appointments** | Overview tab | Number of appointments, cancelled ones left out: the same count as the Appointments tab |
| **Cancellations** | Client list, filters, export | Number of cancelled appointments. The client list flags a client from 2 |
| **No-shows** | Client list, filters, export | Number of no-show appointments. The client list flags a client from 1 |

On a wide screen the record shows these in a **Summary** card on its right, with the next appointment, points and forms under it. Click any of those three to open its tab.

These statistics help you:

* Identify your most valuable clients by total spend
* Track appointment history and patterns
* Monitor cancellation and no-show rates per client
* Make informed decisions about client management

***

### Note and document visibility

Clients and appointments each have three **quick-note** fields to control who can see what:

**Quick-note fields:**

| Field | Who can see it | Who can edit it |
| - | - | - |
| **Private note** | Your team only | Owners and Admins |
| **Note for client** | Your team and the client (on **My profile** and on every appointment in the booking portal) | Owners and Admins |
| **Note from client** | Your team (and the client on the appointment as "Your notes") | The client (e.g. when booking online) |

* **Private note** is for internal information like colour formulas, medical details, or personal preferences.
* **Note for client** on the **client profile** is a standing note. The client sees it as **From the business** on **My profile** and on **every appointment** in the booking portal (shown to your team with a "Shared with client" badge). Use it for allergies, accessibility needs, or standing instructions that apply across every appointment. This is separate from the appointment **Note for client**, which appears only on that appointment as **For this appointment**.
* **Note from client** is written by the client (for example when booking online) and is shown to your team on the client record and on that appointment. It appears to the client on the appointment page as **Your notes**.
* These quick notes are **not** included in SMS or appointment confirmation/reminder emails. For a one-off message on a receipt, use the [Receipt note](https://docs.bellabooking.com/settings/receipts.md#adding-a-note-to-a-single-receipt) at checkout instead.

**Document visibility:**

* Files and photos on the client or appointment record are for **your team in the dashboard** - they are not shown in the client’s booking portal.
* There is no public/private toggle that publishes a file into the booking site. *(Sharing a file with the client online is not available yet.)*

***

### Timeline notes

The quick-note fields above hold the client's *current* state - you overwrite them as things change. The **Timeline notes** tab is different: it's a **history** of dated entries. Use it to log consultation notes, colour formulas, and observations over time.

Each timeline entry records:

* **Who** added it and **when** - captured automatically.
* A **category** - General, Formula, or Consultation - to keep entries organised.
* **Formatted text** - use **bold**, *italic*, and bullet or numbered lists to keep longer consultation notes readable.
* Optional **attachments** - add a file or photo (PDF, Word, Excel, image incl. HEIC and TIFF, or text, up to 20 MB) directly to the entry.

**Pinning:** pin an entry to flag it as important. Pinned notes stay at the top of the Timeline notes tab, under **Pinned**, however many notes you add after them. They also surface on the **scheduler tooltip** and the **new-appointment form**, so the team sees key information (allergies, preferences, alerts) without opening the client record.

**Editing:** to change what a note says, choose **Edit note** from its **⋮** menu, change the text and click **Save**. The note keeps its original date and its place in the timeline, and shows **Edited by** with who changed it and when. Only the latest wording is kept. A locked note can't be edited.

**Locking and amendments:** for records that need to stay tamper-proof - consultation sign-offs, consent, clinical observations - **lock** an entry. Once locked it can't be edited or deleted, and it shows who locked it and when. If you need to correct or add to a locked note later, choose **Amend note**: this adds a new entry linked back to the original, so the full history stays intact. Locking is permanent.

Timeline notes live in the business dashboard only - they are never shown to clients online.

***

### Profile photos

Every client can have a small profile photo (avatar) that appears across the scheduler, client list, client profile, and appointment views. It can come from three places:

* **You upload one** - open the client's edit panel and click their avatar to upload a photo (JPG, PNG, WebP, or HEIC - straight from an iPhone).
* **The client uploads one** - clients with an online account can add or change their own photo from the **My profile** page of your booking site.
* **A default from the client's Gravatar** - when a client signs in to your booking site, Bella checks [Gravatar](https://gravatar.com), a public profile-picture service many people have linked to their email address (often years ago, through WordPress or a blog). If the client has a public Gravatar, it's used as their starting default photo - the same way Slack, GitHub, and ChatGPT use Gravatar for new accounts. If they don't, no photo is stored and their initials show instead. Bella never takes photos from Google, Facebook, social media, or the client's phone; a client can manage or delete their Gravatar itself at gravatar.com, and a deleted Gravatar is cleared from Bella at their next sign-in.

To **change or remove** a photo, click the avatar in the client's edit panel, or use **Change photo** / **Remove photo** in the client's **⋮** menu (on the Clients list or the client record) - and the client can do the same from My profile on your booking site. A removed photo stays removed: the Gravatar default is never applied again after you or the client delete it.

***

### Client photos

> [!NOTE]
>
> Client photos are internal records. They are only ever seen by you and your team, never on your booking page. The photos clients see while choosing what to book are [service images](https://docs.bellabooking.com/service-catalog/images.md).

The **Photos** tab gathers every image on a client's record into one visual gallery - photos you upload here directly, image attachments from timeline notes, photos taken on the client's appointments, and photos clients attach on forms - so you can see their whole history at a glance. It's ideal for skin clinics, med spas, and cosmetic tattoo artists documenting progress over time. Form photos show their provenance as **Form - \{template name}**.

Each photo can be tagged with a **category** - Before, After, Progress, or Reference - and the gallery's filter pills show one category at a time. Tag a photo when you upload it, or change it later from the photo's menu.

* **Add photos** - click `Add` (or drag and drop) to upload JPG, PNG, WebP or HEIC images, up to 20 MB each (iPhone HEIC photos are converted automatically). Optionally choose a category, and link the photo to one of the client's appointments so it groups under that appointment.
* **Group by appointment** - switch the view to *By appointment* to see photos organised under each appointment's date and services.
* **Before/after comparison** - click `Compare`, select any two photos, and view them side by side with a shared zoom. Download the pair as a single image for a consultation record or to share.
* **Full screen** - click any photo to open it full screen, with thumbnails and zoom.
* **Download** - save the original image from a photo's menu, or from the full-screen view's download button.

Photos taken on a client's appointments also appear here automatically - it's the same image shown on both the appointment and the client gallery, not a copy. The link works both ways: a photo uploaded here and linked to an appointment also shows on that appointment's Photos tab. Each photo is managed where it was added and is view-only on the other surface.

Like timeline notes, client photos live in the business dashboard only - they are never shown to clients online.

#### Annotate a photo

You can mark up any gallery image - a client photo or one taken on an appointment - to highlight treatment areas, map injection points, or note progress. Use Photos for uploaded images (JPG, PNG or WebP), or Files for [PDF annotation](#annotate-a-pdf). Word, Excel and text attachments cannot be annotated.

1. Find the photo in the **Photos** gallery and open its **⋮** menu.
2. Choose **Annotate**. The **Annotate photo** dialog opens with a canvas over the image.
3. Mark it up with the tools provided - **pen**, **rectangle**, **ellipse**, **arrow**, and **text** - and set the **colour** and **stroke width**. Use **undo** to step back.
4. Click **Save annotated copy**.

Saving creates a **new copy** of the photo (named "\{original} (annotated)") with an **Annotated** badge in the gallery. The original image is never changed, so you keep both the clean reference and the marked-up version. You need the same upload permission used for adding photos.

#### Annotate a PDF

![Drawing and text on a PDF in the annotation editor](https://mintcdn.com/bellabooking/ppuVBnwZjzncBG6V/images/PdfAnnotation.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=ppuVBnwZjzncBG6V\&q=85\&s=735059f685fb32e3dbbc66fdb059b90a)

Open a PDF in the **Files** tab on its client or appointment record, then choose **Annotate PDF** from the file menu or preview. You need permission to edit that record. Files mirrored from another record are view-only: open the record where the file was added. Timeline-note attachments remain on their note; upload a separate PDF in Files to make an annotated copy.

1. Choose **pen**, **rectangle**, **ellipse**, **arrow** or **text**, then set the colour and width.
2. Use **Previous page** and **Next page** to move through the PDF. Your marks stay on each page.
3. Use **Zoom in** for detail and **Fit page** to see the whole page. Choose **Pan page** to drag or swipe to another part of a zoomed page, then choose a drawing tool to keep marking.
4. Choose **Save annotated copy**. The new file is named "\{original} (annotated).pdf" and appears alongside the original in Files.

The original PDF is never changed. Existing text stays searchable, and unmarked pages remain in the copy. Filled form fields become part of the saved copy rather than fields you can fill again. Earlier saved marks are part of the copy: you can add more marks, but cannot move or erase earlier ones in Bella.

Both the original and saved copy must fit the 20 MB file limit. If an upload fails or the copy is too large, your marks stay in the editor. Closing with unsaved marks asks you to discard them or keep editing.

Password-protected, digitally signed and XFA forms cannot be annotated. Use an unlocked, unsigned standard PDF copy instead. You can still preview or download the original where the browser supports it.

This is for your team marking a saved document. It does not add a drawing field to a form your client completes.

***

### 3. Importing clients (CSV upload)

> [!TIP]
>
> **Free data migration service** - Don't want to prepare the file yourself? We offer a **free data cleanup and import service**. Send us your client data in any format (CSV, spreadsheet, export from another system - anything you have) and our team will clean it up and import it for you. Just reach out via **Support** in the sidebar or email **[hello@bellabooking.com](mailto:hello@bellabooking.com)** to get started.
>
> **Switching from another platform?** See our [step-by-step migration guide](https://docs.bellabooking.com/getting-started/switching-from-other-software.md) for export instructions covering Fresha, Vagaro, Phorest, Timely, Square Appointments, Shortcuts, Kitomba, Mindbody, Booker, Acuity Scheduling, Ovatu, and Client Diary. Export your data, email it to **[hello@bellabooking.com](mailto:hello@bellabooking.com)** along with a short team list, and we'll import everything for you within one business day.

If you prefer to do it yourself:

1. In the Clients section, click the `Import` button.
2. Download the provided **template CSV** to see required fields and formatting.
3. Fill in your client data in the CSV. Save the file.
4. Back in Bella Booking, upload the completed CSV file.
5. Map your CSV columns to Bella Booking fields (first name is required; last name, email, phone, date of birth, notes, and family relationships are optional). Dates of birth in ambiguous numeric formats are read using your business's country format.
6. Review the preview - the importer runs a **validation and duplicate check** before anything is saved:
   * **Within your CSV:** Rows with the same email or phone number as another row are flagged as duplicates.
   * **Against your existing clients:** Rows matching an existing client's email or phone number are flagged as duplicates.
   * Flagged rows appear in a **"Needs attention"** tab with clear error messages. You can fix each row inline, drop the offending field, skip the row, or download the flagged rows as a CSV to fix and re-import.
7. Only rows that pass all validation are imported. You'll see a summary of successful and failed rows.
8. Newly imported clients appear in your client list.

> [!NOTE]
>
> **Importing family members** - to bring in family members who share a primary
> client's contact (for example, a child on a parent's phone or email), add a
> **Main client email** or **Main client phone** column with the primary account
> holder's contact, plus a **Relationship type** column (Child, Spouse, Partner,
> Sibling, Parent, Friend, Pet, or Other). Each family member is imported as
> their own client record, linked to the primary - and a dependant is allowed to
> share the primary's email or phone without being flagged as a duplicate.

> [!NOTE]
>
> The importer **prevents duplicate records automatically**. You don't need to
> worry about creating duplicates - any row that matches an existing client by
> email or phone will be rejected with a clear message, so you can decide how to
> handle it.

***

### 4. Archiving, restoring, and deleting clients

Bella Booking uses an **archive-first** approach to client management. You cannot delete a client directly - you must archive them first. This protects against accidental data loss.

#### Archiving a client

Archiving hides a client from the active list while preserving all their records (appointments, history, notes, documents, family links, and loyalty points).

**From the client list:**

1. Find the client you wish to archive.
2. Click the **three-dot menu** next to their row.
3. Select **Archive**.
4. Confirm in the dialog. The client is now hidden from the active list.

**From the client detail panel:**

1. Open the client's side panel by clicking their row.
2. Click the **three-dot menu** in the panel's header.
3. Select **Archive**.
4. Confirm in the dialog.

> [!WARNING]
>
> You cannot archive a client who has non-cancelled appointments, active
> waitlist entries, or a non-zero [client credit](https://docs.bellabooking.com/client-credit.md) balance.
> Cancel or complete all appointments, remove any waitlist entries, and zero any
> credit balance (pay it out or write it off via an adjustment) first.

#### Viewing archived clients

1. On the **Clients** page, use the **Status** filter dropdown at the top of the table.
2. Select **Archived** to see only archived clients, or **All** to see both active and archived clients.
3. Archived clients are displayed with an "Archived" badge next to their name.

#### Restoring an archived client

**From the client list:**

1. Filter the client list to show archived clients using the status filter.
2. Click the **three-dot menu** next to the archived client.
3. Select **Restore**.
4. The client returns to the active list with all their records intact.

**From the client detail panel:**

1. Open the archived client's side panel.
2. Click the **three-dot menu** in the panel's header.
3. Select **Restore**.

> [!NOTE]
>
> Archiving is reversible. All appointment history, notes, documents, family
> members, and loyalty points are preserved while archived.

#### What you cannot do with an archived client

While a client is archived:

* Their profile details are **read-only** - you cannot edit their information
* You cannot create new appointments for them
* You cannot upload or delete files from their profile
* You cannot adjust their loyalty points
* Activity history and loyalty history are view-only
* **They are blocked from online booking** - they will not be able to book appointments through your booking page

To make changes or allow them to book online again, **restore** the client first. If you only need to stop a client from booking online (without archiving them), use the [Block from Online booking](#5-blocking-a-client-from-online-booking) toggle instead.

#### Permanently deleting a client

Permanent deletion is only available for archived clients and has strict requirements:

**From the client list:**

1. Filter the client list to show archived clients.
2. Click the **three-dot menu** next to the archived client.
3. Select **Permanently delete** (shown in red).
4. A confirmation dialog appears. **You must type the client's full name** to confirm.
5. Click **Permanently delete** to remove the client and all their data.

**From the client detail panel:**

1. Open the archived client's side panel.
2. Click the **three-dot menu** in the panel's header.
3. Select **Permanently delete** (shown in red).
4. Confirm in the dialog.

> [!WARNING]
>
> **Permanent deletion requirements:** A client can only be permanently deleted if they have:
>
> * **No appointment history** (including cancelled and archived appointments)
> * **No sales history** (including archived sales)
> * **No waitlist entries** (including archived entries)
> * **No client credit balance** - the [client credit](https://docs.bellabooking.com/client-credit.md) balance must be zero (pay it out or write it off first)
>
> If the client has any of these records, permanent deletion is not available. The client will remain in an archived state. This is by design - it preserves your business records and reporting accuracy.

> [!WARNING]
>
> **Important:** Once a client is permanently deleted, the system has no record
> of them. If they use online booking in the future, they will appear as a **new
> client** and will not be blocked. If you want to prevent a client from booking
> online, **archive them instead** - archived clients are blocked from online
> booking while their records are preserved.

> [!NOTE]
>
> In practice, most clients who have ever had an appointment cannot be
> permanently deleted. Archiving is the recommended way to manage inactive
> clients.

***

### 5. Blocking a client from online booking

Use this when you want to stop a specific client from self-booking through your booking page - for repeated no-shows, payment disputes, or anyone you'd rather book in manually - but you still want to keep their profile, history, and the ability to book them yourself.

Blocking is a **softer alternative to archiving**. The client stays on your active list; only the self-service booking path is closed.

#### How a blocked client sees it

When a blocked client opens your booking page, they see a generic "Online booking unavailable. Please contact us." message - the same message archived clients see. They are **not** told they have been specifically blocked, which keeps the experience low-confrontation for both sides.

#### Blocking a client

1. Open the client's side panel from the Clients list.
2. On the **Details** tab, scroll down to the **Online booking access** card (below Communication preferences).
3. Turn the **Block from online booking** toggle on.
4. Click **Save**. An amber **Blocked** badge appears next to the client's name on the list and in the panel header.

#### Unblocking a client

1. Open the client's side panel.
2. On the **Details** tab, find the **Online booking access** card.
3. Turn **Block from online booking** off, then click **Save**. The Blocked badge disappears and the client can self-book again.

#### What stays the same when a client is blocked

* Their profile, notes, family links, loyalty points, and history are untouched.
* Your team can still book appointments for them from the scheduler - blocking only affects self-service through the booking page.
* Any **existing future appointments stay confirmed**. Blocking does not cancel anything that's already on the calendar. Automated reminders continue to fire as normal.
* If they ever had a Bella online-booking account, they can still sign in to view their existing appointments, and cancel one if your policy allows self-service cancellation - but they can't create a new booking or reschedule an existing one themselves.

#### When to block vs archive

| Situation | Use |
| - | - |
| Client still uses you (in-person) but you don't want them self-booking | **Block** |
| Client no longer uses you at all and you want them off the active list | **Archive** |
| Banned outright - no future bookings of any kind | **Archive** (and don't restore) |

> [!NOTE]
>
> Blocking only affects the **online booking page**. Anyone with your \*\*Clients
>
> * Edit\*\* permission can apply or remove a block; no extra permission is
>   required.

***

### 6. Handling duplicate clients

#### Prevention during import

The CSV importer has **built-in duplicate detection** - it checks every row against your existing clients by email and phone number, and also checks for duplicates within the CSV itself. Possible duplicates are flagged in the preview so you can decide how to handle each one - **merge** into the existing client, **link as a family member**, **keep both**, or **skip** - before anything is saved. See [Importing Clients](#3-importing-clients-csv-upload) for details.

#### Reviewing possible duplicates

Bella also scans your existing list for you. On the **Clients** page, open the **Possible duplicates** tab (the badge shows how many records could be merged away). It lists active clients who share a phone number or email address and have the same or a nearly identical name. It leaves out family members who share a contact, two records that each have their own online booking login, and any phone number or email address more than five clients share.

Each pair offers the right action in place:

* **Merge** - when the duplicate record has no appointments, sales, or other history, you can merge it right from the list (after a confirmation). If it carries history, family links, or differing contact details, Bella takes you to the full merge preview instead so you can review before confirming.
* **Keep both** - if they're genuinely two different people, choose Keep both and the pair won't be listed again. (You can undo this straight away if you tap it by mistake.)

After each merge you're returned to the list, so you can work through several duplicates in one sitting. The tab needs the same clients-delete permission as merging.

#### Merging existing duplicates

If you already have duplicate client records (for example, from manual entry, or spotted after an import), you can **merge** them so no history is lost - either from the **Possible duplicates** tab above, or manually:

1. Open the client profile you want to **keep**.
2. From that client's **"⋯" menu**, choose **Merge with another client**.
3. **Search for the duplicate** you want to fold in. (Try partial searches like "Sarah J" or "0412" to catch variations.)
4. **Review the preview.** Bella shows exactly how many appointments, sales, loyalty entries, documents, and family members will move across, flags anything you should check first, and shows the profile you'll end up with - if the client you're keeping is missing a surname or an email, it's filled in from the duplicate automatically. When the two have different mobile numbers and one has an online booking account, the preview says whose account ends up on the client you keep, so you can check they're the same person first.
5. **Resolve any differences** - if the two profiles have different email addresses, phone numbers, or loyalty balances, choose which to keep (or combine the points).
6. **Confirm the merge.** Every appointment, sale, loyalty entry, document, note, and family link transfers to the client you kept, and the duplicate is archived automatically. A same-currency [client credit](https://docs.bellabooking.com/client-credit.md) balance is combined too; if the two profiles hold credit in different currencies, zero one balance before merging.

> [!WARNING]
>
> Merging is permanent and can't be undone - double-check you've opened the
> client you want to **keep** before you confirm. Merging requires the
> clients-delete permission.

A few combinations can't be merged automatically - for example, when **both** profiles have an online booking login or a saved card on file, when the two are already linked as family members, or when both hold a credit balance in different currencies. The preview explains what's blocking the merge. Resolve the conflict first (unlink the duplicate's online booking login, remove its saved card, or remove the family link), then merge - or consolidate the records manually:

1. **Copy important notes** from the duplicate into the profile you're keeping.
2. **Rebook future appointments** under the profile you're keeping.
3. **Archive the duplicate** once everything important has been moved across.

***

### 7. Managing client files and documents

Each client profile can have attached files such as consent forms, photos, or any relevant documents.

#### Viewing client files

1. Click on a client to open their side panel
2. Navigate to the **Files** tab
3. You'll see every file on the client's record - direct uploads, timeline-note attachments, files from the client's appointments, and files from form uploads - including:
   * File name
   * File type
   * Source (where the file was added - form files show as **Form - \{template name}**)
   * Upload date

When the list spans more than one source, filter pills appear so you can narrow to direct uploads, timeline notes, appointments, or Form. Note and appointment files are managed where they were added and are view-only here. Form uploads also land on the submission itself; clients re-view them on the completed form - there is no separate documents inbox in the booking portal.

#### Uploading files to a client profile

1. Open the client's side panel
2. Go to the **Files** tab
3. Click **Add** to browse for files on your computer
4. Select a file to upload
5. **File Requirements:**

   * **Maximum size:** 20 MB per file
   * **Allowed file types:**
     * Documents: PDF, DOC, DOCX, TXT
     * Images: JPG, PNG, WEBP, HEIC (iPhone photos), TIFF (scanners)
     * Spreadsheets: XLS, XLSX

   > [!NOTE]
   >
   > HEIC photos straight from an iPhone are converted to JPEG in your browser as they upload, so
   > they always display. TIFF scans are stored as-is and appear in the Files list as a download -
   > browsers can't display TIFF, so they don't show in the Photos gallery.
6. Wait for the upload to complete
7. The file appears in the client's file list

#### Downloading client files

1. In the **Files** tab of a client's side panel
2. Find the file you want to download and click on it to open the preview window
3. Click the **Download** button to download the file
4. The file will download to your device. In Bella opened from the Home Screen on an iPhone or iPad, the share sheet opens instead: tap **Save to Files**, or **Save Image** for a photo

#### Deleting client files

1. In the **Files** tab
2. Locate the file you want to remove and click on **Toggle menu** (three dots)
3. Click the **Delete**
4. Confirm the deletion
5. **Note:** Once deleted, the file cannot be recovered

**File Management Tips:**

* Use clear, descriptive file names before uploading (e.g., "consent-form-2024.pdf")
* Organise files by date or type for easy retrieval
* Regularly review and remove outdated files
* Keep file sizes under 20 MB (the system limit)
* Ensure sensitive documents comply with privacy regulations

***

### 8. Managing family members

The **Family** tab lets you link dependents and family members to a client's account. This is useful for parents booking on behalf of children, partners sharing an account, or any situation where one client manages appointments for others.

> [!NOTE]
>
> Once family members are linked, you can book several of them on **one
> appointment**: a line for each member, each having their own service, with the
> account holder paying once and their benefits funding every line. See
> **[Bookings for more than one person → Family and multi-client
> booking](https://docs.bellabooking.com/service-catalog/bookings-for-more-than-one-person.md#2-family-and-multi-client-booking)**.

#### Relationship types

When adding a family member, you choose a relationship type:

| Relationship | Description |
| - | - |
| **Child** | A minor or dependent child |
| **Spouse** | A married partner |
| **Partner** | An unmarried partner |
| **Sibling** | A brother or sister |
| **Parent** | A parent of the client |
| **Friend** | A friend |
| **Pet** | A pet |
| **Other** | Any other relationship |

#### Adding a family member

The **Add family member** dialog has two modes - pick the one that matches whether the person is already one of your
clients.

**New person** - they don't have a profile yet:

1. Open a client's side panel and go to the **Family** tab.
2. Click **Add family member** and stay on **New person**.
3. In the dialog, fill in:
   * **First name** (required)
   * **Last name** (optional)
   * **Email** (optional)
   * **Phone number** (optional)
   * **Relationship** select from the dropdown (defaults to Child)
4. Click **Add family member** to save.
5. The new family member is created as a separate client record and linked to the primary client.

**Existing client** - they already have their own profile:

1. Open the **Family** tab and click **Add family member**, then switch to **Existing client**.
2. **Search** for them by name or phone number.
3. Choose the **Relationship** to this client.
4. Click **Link**.

Nothing is created and nothing is merged - they keep their own profile and their entire appointment history,
and simply join the family.

> [!NOTE]
>
> **Two clients who want to share an email address or mobile number** - for example a couple where one
> partner books for both - need to be linked as a family *first*. A new or changed email address or mobile
> number can't already belong to another active client unless the two are linked as a family. Link them with
> **Existing client** above, then put the shared address on both profiles. Someone who signs up online with an
> email address already on a client record, but not the mobile number on it, can connect that record with a code
> sent to its email address. If they skip it, they get a record of their own once they need one, and
> [Possible duplicates](#reviewing-possible-duplicates) lists the pair when the names are the same or nearly so, so
> you can merge them.

#### Viewing family members

Each family member card shows:

* Name and relationship badge
* Email and phone number (if provided)
* Whose name their appointment messages carry (see [Messages for family members](#messages-for-family-members))
* A **View profile** link to open the family member's own client record

#### Messages for family members

Confirmations, reminders and the other messages about an appointment booked for a family member go to their own mobile
and email, addressed to them by name. The account holder gets a copy at their own mobile or email, saying whose
appointment it is ("Your appointment for Emily"). A form request is the exception: it goes to the family member alone,
or to the account holder when the member has no email or mobile of their own ([Forms](https://docs.bellabooking.com/forms.md#bookings-for-more-than-one-person)).

* **No mobile or email of their own:** the messages go to the account holder instead, with the same "for Emily". Each
  channel works on its own, so a family member with an email address but no mobile gets their emails, and their texts
  go to the account holder.
* **A mobile or email shared with the account holder:** one message goes to it, addressed to the family member.
* **Texts or emails turned off:** the family member isn't sent them, and the account holder's copy goes only to a
  mobile or email of the account holder's own.

When you confirm, move or cancel a family member's appointment, or send a message from it, the Email and SMS lines
show who each message goes to: the family member, or the account holder by name when that channel goes to them
instead. The account holder's copy isn't listed there.

#### Editing a relationship

1. Click the **three-dot menu** on a family member card.
2. Select **Edit Relationship**.
3. Choose a new relationship type from the dropdown.
4. Click **Save**.

#### Letting a family member book independently

By default the **account holder** (the primary client) books a dependant's appointments online. If a family member should be able to sign in and book for themselves - for example a teenager old enough to manage their own appointments - you can graduate them to independent:

1. Click the **three-dot menu** on the family member's card.
2. Select **Graduate to independent**.
3. Confirm.

The family member stays linked to the account holder, but can now book their own appointments online.

#### Changing the account holder

If a family was set up the wrong way round - for example a parent was added under their child instead of the other way round - you can swap the roles:

1. Click the **three-dot menu** on the family member's card.
2. Select **Make \[name] the account holder**.

The chosen family member becomes the account holder, and the previous account holder becomes a dependant with the relationship reversed (a child becomes a parent, and so on). The demoted account holder keeps the ability to book independently.

> [!NOTE]
>
> Changing the account holder is only available for **two-person families** - an
> account holder with a single linked dependant and no other members. For larger
> families, remove and re-add members to restructure the relationships.

#### Removing a family member

1. Click the **three-dot menu** on a family member card.
2. Select **Remove from Family**.
3. Confirm the removal.

Removing a family member unlinks them from the primary client but does not delete their client record. They remain in your client list as a standalone client.

***

### 9. Viewing loyalty points

The **Wallet** tab's **Loyalty** section shows a client's loyalty programme activity when the [Loyalty programme](https://docs.bellabooking.com/loyalty.md) is enabled. If the programme is paused, the section displays a message that existing points are preserved.

#### Points balance

Two cards are displayed at the top:

* **Available**: The client's current redeemable points balance
* **Lifetime**: Total points the client has earned over time (includes points that have been redeemed or expired)

#### Available rewards

Below the balance, each active reward is listed with:

* Reward name and discount value (e.g., "\$5.00 off · 100 pts")
* A **Can redeem** badge if the client has enough points
* A **Need X more** badge showing the shortfall if they don't

#### Adjusting points manually

**Owners** and **Admins** see an **Adjust points** button below the rewards list. Clicking it opens a dialog where you can:

1. Toggle between **Add points** and **Deduct points**
2. Enter the **Number of points**
3. Enter a **Reason** (required - recorded for the audit trail)
4. Click **Add points** or **Deduct points** to confirm

You cannot deduct more points than the client has available.

#### Transaction history

A chronological list of all point changes for this client. Each entry shows:

* **Transaction type** badge (Earned, Redeemed, Expired, Adjustment, Reversed, or Restored)
* **Description** - service names for earned points, reward name for redemptions, or reason for manual adjustments
* **Date** the transaction occurred
* **Expiry date** (for earned and adjustment transactions, if points expiration is configured)
* **Points** amount (+/- with colour coding)

Click **Load more** at the bottom to see older transactions (loaded 20 at a time).

| Transaction type | What it means |
| - | - |
| **Earned** | Points awarded when an appointment was checked out |
| **Redeemed** | Points spent on a reward at checkout |
| **Expired** | Points that expired after the configured period |
| **Adjustment** | Points manually added or deducted by a team member |
| **Reversed** | Earned points taken back because a completed appointment was cancelled |
| **Restored** | Redeemed points returned because a completed appointment was cancelled or refunded |

**Note:** If the client is archived, the Loyalty section is read-only - you can view the history but cannot adjust points.

For full details on setting up and managing the loyalty programme, see [Loyalty programme](https://docs.bellabooking.com/loyalty.md).

***

### 10. Bulk actions - selecting multiple clients

Tick the checkbox next to any client to select them. A floating action bar appears at the bottom of the page with these options:

* **Email selected** - Starts a new **email campaign** with the selected clients pre-filled as recipients, so you can send them a branded email from Bella Booking. You're taken straight to the campaign builder to compose the message. Requires the **Manage campaigns** permission and an active [Messages Plus](https://docs.bellabooking.com/settings/messaging.md) subscription. See [Emailing your clients](#11-emailing-your-clients) below.
* **Copy emails** - Copies the email addresses of the selected clients to your clipboard (comma-separated, with duplicates removed so family members who share an address appear once). Clients without an email address are skipped. It appears for a team member without the **Manage campaigns** permission; with it, send from Bella instead with **Email selected**, which respects each client's consent, skips addresses that have bounced, and includes an unsubscribe link.
* **Send SMS campaign** - Pre-fills a new **SMS** campaign with the selected clients as recipients. Requires the **Manage campaigns** permission and an active Messages Plus subscription.
* **Send booking portal link** - Opens a campaign with the selected clients as recipients and an invitation to their [booking portal](https://docs.bellabooking.com/getting-started/share-booking-page.md#client-booking-portal-link) already written, ready to adjust and send. Requires online booking, the **Manage campaigns** permission and Messages Plus.
* **Export selected** - Downloads a CSV file with just the selected clients, with the same columns as **Export CSV** (see [Exporting clients](#exporting-clients)). Requires the **Export clients** permission.
* **Copy to location** - For multi-location businesses. The same action is also on a single client's **⋯** menu (on their row or in their record panel) when you only need to copy one - use this floating-bar version to copy several at once. Copies the selected clients' profiles - name, contact details, notification preferences, date of birth, tags, and profile notes - into another of your locations. **Family members are copied too**: a client's whole family travels with them and the family links are kept, so families are never split across locations. A client (or their whole family) is skipped (and told why) when they already exist at that location, or when a member shares an email or phone number with a different client in your selection. You get a summary of how many were copied and skipped. Appointment history, payments, saved cards, loyalty points, account credit, and the client's **timeline notes and files** all stay with the original location.

Selections are kept as you move between pages of the list, and cleared when you change the search text or the status filter.

> [!NOTE]
>
> **Email selected**, **Send SMS campaign** and **Send booking portal link**
> appear when you have the **Manage campaigns** permission (the portal
> invitation also needs online booking switched on), and sending them needs
> Messages Plus. **Copy emails** is the reverse - it appears only without that
> permission, since sending from Bella is the better route. **Copy to
> location** appears only when you have more than one location and the **Create
> clients** permission. **Export selected** is always available with the
> **Export clients** permission.

***

### 11. Emailing your clients

To email a group of clients - a promotion, a newsletter, a closure notice, or a seasonal hello - use an **email campaign**. Select the clients you want on the **Clients** page and click **Email selected** in the floating bar: this hands the selection straight to the campaign builder with those clients pre-filled as recipients, ready for you to compose and send.

Email campaigns send from Bella Booking, so there's no recipient cap and nothing to set up in your own email app. They include audience filters, consent handling, an automatic unsubscribe link, branded formatting with images and a **Book now** button, and delivery, open, and click tracking. Email campaigns are part of [Messages Plus](https://docs.bellabooking.com/settings/messaging.md).

For the full walkthrough - composing, scheduling, consent, and unsubscribes - see [Campaigns (SMS and Email)](https://docs.bellabooking.com/messages/campaigns.md).

> [!TIP]
>
> You can also start an email to a single client straight from their record:
> click their email address in the Clients list and choose **Send email**. This
> opens a campaign pre-filled with just that client.

***

## Walk-ins

A walk-in is someone you serve without taking a name or contact details. There's no client to add for them: you book the appointment or ring up the sale to **Walk-in**, and no client record is created.

### Picking Walk-in

The client field on **New appointment**, **Find a time** and **New sale** (**Add sale** on the Transactions page) lists **Walk-in** first, with "No name or contact details" under it. It shows while the search box is empty or while you type "walk", and makes way once you type a client's name, phone or email. The field always starts empty, so Walk-in is never picked for you.

**Edit** and **Checkout** list Walk-in only while the appointment is a walk-in. An appointment booked for a client can't become a walk-in: book a new appointment for the walk-in instead.

Wherever a client's name would appear, a walk-in shows as **Walk-in**: the calendar card and its hover card, the appointment, the Appointments list, the Transactions list and the sale. To find walk-ins, search either list for "walk".

### What's switched off for a walk-in

Anything that belongs to one person needs a client record, so a walk-in doesn't get it:

* **Messages.** Nothing is sent to them and nothing is logged: no confirmation, reminder, follow-up, review request, rebook reminder, payment link, receipt or form. The appointment has no notifications section, and the send and resend actions are hidden. Your team's own notifications (the bell, push and team emails) still arrive, with the client named as Walk-in.
* **Balances and rewards.** A walk-in earns no loyalty points, and membership prices and client credit don't apply to it. Redeeming loyalty points, using a package or referral reward, selling a package, paying with a saved card or online, and refunding to client credit are hidden for a walk-in, and Bella refuses each with a message such as "Pick or create a client to sell a package: this belongs to one person." A walk-in's refund goes back to the original payment method.
* **Prompts.** No confirmation request, no rebook suggestion and no prompt to add a phone or email. Checkout closes the appointment as soon as it's paid, with no "Would you like to rebook this client?" step. The receipt number shows on the appointment and the sale is in **Sales**.
* **Client tabs.** The appointment's **Forms** and **Treatment plans** tabs are hidden.

A walk-in can still have services (on an appointment), products, custom items, gift cards and manual discounts, and pay with Cash, Card (Manual), Other or a gift card. Promo codes need a client: see [Promo code limits](https://docs.bellabooking.com/settings/discounts.md#promo-code-limits).

### Walk-in appointments

* A walk-in appointment is created **Confirmed**. There's no Status choice and no confirmation request.
* A deposit your [payment policy](https://docs.bellabooking.com/settings/payments.md#payment-policy) asks for still applies. A walk-in has no payment link, so take it with **Record deposit** when it's paid, or waive it on the form. Until then the appointment stays Booked, and no time limit cancels it while it is a walk-in.
* Two walk-ins booked at the same time with different team members don't clash.
* A walk-in has no named guests: you can't add family members, guests or guest names to it. To add them, pick or create the client first.
* **Rebook** copies a walk-in appointment as another walk-in.
* A walk-in can't be booked as an [appointment series](https://docs.bellabooking.com/scheduler/appointment-series.md): a series needs a client.

### Naming a walk-in later

If the person gives their details later, open the appointment, click **Edit** and pick or create the client. The appointment becomes theirs: it joins their history, and upcoming reminders go to them as usual. You can also pick the client at **Checkout**, and the sale is theirs too.

A walk-in that still owes a deposit when you name the client keeps waiting for it, and your [team deposit time limit](https://docs.bellabooking.com/settings/payments.md#when-a-team-member-books) starts from that moment. Bella sends the client the deposit request when you save, unless you switch it off under **Notifications** on the form, where it reads **Deposit request** with "Sends on save".

A sale's client can't be changed once the sale is made.

### Walk-ins in your figures

A walk-in counts as a booking and a sale, never as a client. Walk-ins are left out of every client figure: the dashboard's client tiles, and the client counts in Appointments summary, Client retention, At-risk clients, Top spenders and Client lifetime value. Their appointments and takings still count in your appointment, sales, team member and cancellation figures.

***

## FAQs

**Q: How do I book someone who won't give a name?**
A: Pick **Walk-in**, the first option in the client field. No client record is created, and nothing is sent to the person (your team's own notifications still arrive). See [Walk-ins](#walk-ins).

**Q: Do walk-ins count in my client figures?**
A: No. A walk-in has no client record, so it's left out of client counts, retention, at-risk clients, top spenders and lifetime value. Its appointments and takings still count in your appointment and sales figures. See [Walk-ins in your figures](#walk-ins-in-your-figures).

**Q: Do I need all fields to add a new client?**
A: Only the first name is required. Last name, email, and phone are optional.

**Q: Why won't Bella save a client with this email address or phone number?**
A: Another active client already has it. Bella names that client and offers **Open client**, which opens their profile in a new tab, so the form keeps what you typed (a role that can't view clients sees the refusal without the name). If it's the same person, use their profile, or [merge the two](#merging-existing-duplicates) if you already have both. If they're family who share it, link them as a family first (see [Adding a family member](#adding-a-family-member)). This applies wherever you add or edit a client, including a family member and the client field on an appointment or sale.

**Q: Can I customise notification settings per client?**
A: Yes. While adding or editing, use the notification toggles for SMS and email notifications.

**Q: What does the amber bell with a line through it next to a client's name mean?**
A: Email or text messages are switched on for that client, but the email address or mobile number they need is missing, so those messages can't reach them. Hover the bell to read **Missing contact info for notifications**. You'll see it in the client search, such as on the appointment form, **Find a time** and **New sale**. Add the missing detail on the client's **Details** tab, or on the appointment form with **Add email** or **Add mobile** under the client field.

**Q: How do I correct a bulk import mistake?**
A: You can edit individual clients after import. To remove an imported client, archive them first, then permanently delete if they have no history.

**Q: Can I delete a client directly?**
A: No. You must **archive** a client first. Once archived, you can permanently delete them only if they have no appointment history, sales history, waitlist entries, or credit balance. See [Archiving, Restoring, and Deleting Clients](#4-archiving-restoring-and-deleting-clients) for details.

**Q: What happens when I archive a client?**
A: The client is hidden from the active list and **blocked from online booking** - they will not be able to book through your booking page. All their records are preserved and you can restore them at any time. Archiving is fully reversible.

**Q: Can an archived client still book online?**
A: No. Archived clients are blocked from online booking. If they try to book, they will be unable to proceed. To allow them to book again, restore the client from the archived list.

**Q: What happens if I permanently delete a client - can they book online again?**
A: Yes. Once permanently deleted, the system has no record of the client. If they use online booking in the future, they will appear as a new client. If your goal is to stop someone from booking online without losing their history, use [Block from Online booking](#5-blocking-a-client-from-online-booking) (or archive them) instead.

**Q: How do I stop a specific client from self-booking online without archiving them?**
A: Open the client's side panel, scroll to **Online booking access** on the Details tab, and turn **Block from online booking** on. They keep their profile, history, and existing appointments - the online-booking page stops accepting new bookings from them, and they can no longer reschedule an existing appointment themselves. Your team can still book and reschedule for them. See [Blocking a Client from Online booking](#5-blocking-a-client-from-online-booking).

**Q: Does blocking a client cancel their existing future appointments?**
A: No. Any appointments already on the calendar stay confirmed and automated reminders continue to fire as normal. The block prevents *new* self-service bookings and stops the client rescheduling an existing appointment themselves - they can still cancel it if your policy allows self-service cancellation, and your team can reschedule for them.

**Q: What does a blocked client see when they try to book?**
A: The same generic "Online booking unavailable. Please contact us." message that archived clients see. They are not told they have been specifically blocked.

**Q: Why can't I permanently delete a client?**
A: Permanent deletion requires the client to have no appointment history, no sales history, no waitlist entries - even archived or cancelled ones - and a zero credit balance. This is by design to preserve your business records. If the client has any history, archiving is the recommended approach.

**Q: Will importing clients create duplicates?**
A: No. The importer automatically checks every row against your existing clients by email and phone number. Any matches are flagged in the preview, where you choose to merge, link as family, keep both, or skip - so duplicates are never created silently. See [Importing Clients](#3-importing-clients-csv-upload) for details.

**Q: Can you import my data for me?**
A: Yes! We offer a **free data cleanup and import service**. Send us your client data in any format and our team will handle everything. Just reach out via **Support** in the sidebar.

**Q: How do I handle duplicate client records that already exist?**
A: Open the client you want to keep, then choose **Merge with another client** from its "⋯" menu and pick the duplicate. All of the duplicate's appointments, sales, loyalty, same-currency credit balance, documents, and family links transfer to the client you kept, and the duplicate is archived. See [Handling Duplicate Clients](#6-handling-duplicate-clients) for the full process.

**Q: Can I filter by more than name or phone?**
A: The search bar matches across name, email, and phone (with formatting and country-code variations handled automatically). You can also filter by status (Active, Archived, or All), plus the **Filters** popover for lapsed dates, spend, no-shows, contact details, the services a client has had, tags, birthdays (on file, this week, this month or any month) and address (on file, or by suburb, state or postcode). Sorting is the column heading. See [Sorting and filters](#sorting-and-filters).

**Q: How do I sort clients so the newest ones are first?**
A: On **Clients**, click the **Client since** column heading. The first click sorts newest first (arrow down), and a second click sorts oldest first. The **Client since** dates inside **Filters** limit the list to a range. On a narrow screen that column is hidden: widen the window. The list opens sorted by first name (arrow up on **Name**).

**Q: Can I get a list of every client who has a birthday recorded?**
A: Yes. On **Clients**, open **Filters**, set **Birthday** to **Has birthday**, then click **Export CSV**. The file lists every matching client with their birthday in its own column. Choose **No birthday** instead to see who is still missing one.

**Q: Can I export my client list?**
A: Yes. Click the **Export CSV** button in the table footer to download your client list, including birthdays and addresses. You can also select specific clients and use **Export selected** from the floating action bar. If you need a full copy of everything we hold for your account, email [hello@bellabooking.com](mailto:hello@bellabooking.com).

**Q: Can I copy a client to another location?**
A: Yes, if you run more than one location. Copy a single client from the **⋯** menu on their row or in their record panel and choose **Copy to location** - or tick several clients on the **Clients** page and click **Copy to location** in the floating action bar to copy them all at once. Bella copies each client's profile - name, contact details, notification preferences, date of birth, tags, and profile notes - into that location. **Family members come along too** - a client's whole family is copied with the family links kept intact, so families are never split across locations. A client (or their whole family) is skipped (and told why) if they already exist there, or if a member shares an email or phone number with a different client in your selection. Appointment history, payments, saved cards, loyalty points, account credit, and the client's **timeline notes and files** stay with the original location and are not copied. You need the **Create clients** permission **at the destination location** to copy into it.

**Q: How do I attach a document to a client?**
A: In the side panel, go to the **Files** tab, then click **Add** to add documents or photos directly to that client's profile.

**Q: Is there a quick way to see all of a client's appointments?**
A: Click on a client and open the **Appointments** tab in the side panel.

**Q: How can I see what actions have been taken for a client?**
A: Click on a client and open the **Activity** tab in the side panel. This shows a chronological history of all activities including appointment creation, confirmations, reschedules, cancellations, and notifications sent.

**Q: What file types can I upload to a client profile?**
A: You can upload PDF, DOC, DOCX, TXT, JPG, PNG, WEBP, HEIC, TIFF, XLS, and XLSX files. Each file must be under 20 MB. HEIC photos from an iPhone are converted to JPEG automatically; TIFF scans are kept as-is and appear in the Files list as a download.

**Q: Can I recover a deleted client file?**
A: No, once a file is deleted from a client profile, it cannot be recovered. Always double-check before deleting important documents.

**Q: How do I email a group of my clients?**
A: Tick the clients you want to include on the Clients page, then click **Email selected** in the floating bar that appears. This starts an [email campaign](https://docs.bellabooking.com/messages/campaigns.md) with those clients pre-filled as recipients, ready for you to compose and send from Bella Booking. See [Emailing your clients](#11-emailing-your-clients) for details. (Requires the **Manage campaigns** permission and an active Messages Plus subscription.)

**Q: Will my clients see each other's email addresses when I email a group?**
A: No. Email campaigns send each client their own individual email - recipients never see each other's addresses.

**Q: Does Bella Booking track email opens or clicks?**
A: Yes. Every email campaign shows delivery, open, and click stats on its detail page.

**Q: How can I send a mass email to all my clients?**
A: Send an **email campaign**: go to **Messaging** → **Campaigns**, click **New campaign**, choose the **Email** channel, pick your audience, and compose a branded email with formatting, an image, and a Book-now button. Campaigns send from Bella Booking with no recipient caps, respect each client's consent, include an automatic unsubscribe link, and track delivery, opens, and clicks. Email campaigns are part of [Messages Plus](https://docs.bellabooking.com/settings/messaging.md) - unlimited sends, fair use. See [Campaigns](https://docs.bellabooking.com/messages/campaigns.md) for the full guide. For text-based outreach, use the **Send SMS campaign** bulk action on the Clients page.

***

## Additional tips

* Use the **Import** function for fast migration when first setting up your account - or let us do it for you with our **free data cleanup and import service** (just reach out via **Support** in the sidebar).
* Regularly update client notes for personal touches that always impress.
* Double-check notification preferences if clients are missing reminder emails or texts.
* Use Search for rapid access, especially during busy shifts.
* **Archive** clients who haven't had an appointment in a long time to keep your active list clean - you can always restore them later.
* Before archiving, cancel or complete any outstanding appointments and remove active waitlist entries.
* When you spot duplicate profiles, merge them (open the client you want to keep → "⋯" menu → **Merge with another client**) so appointment history and loyalty are preserved rather than lost.

***

With these tools, managing your clients in Bella Booking will be seamless and efficient. If you ever need further help, click **Support** in the sidebar to contact our team.


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