Introduction
When you first sign up, Bella Booking walks you through a guided setup flow to get your business ready to take appointments. The flow has nine steps, most of which are optional — you can skip any step and come back to it later. Your progress is saved automatically after each step, so you can close the browser and pick up where you left off. A sidebar tracks which steps are complete, skipped, or still pending.The 9 Steps
1. Business Info
Enter your mobile number, select one or more business types (hair, beauty, med spa, wellness, physio, chiro, and more), and optionally paste your website URL. If you provide a URL, Bella’s website extraction runs in the background and pre-fills services, team members, working hours, and brand colours in later steps.2. Team & Setup
Select your team size and tell us which system you’re switching from (Fresha, Timely, Shortcuts, etc.) — or whether you’re starting fresh. This helps Bella tailor your workspace and offer migration tips.3. Working Hours
Set the default days and hours your business is open. If website extraction found your opening hours, they’ll be pre-filled. You can adjust individual team member schedules later.4. Booking Policies
Choose how clients book — instant online booking, online with approval, or manual only. Then pick a policy template (Standard, Relaxed, Protective, or Strict) that sets your cancellation window, rescheduling rules, and no-show policy in one click. You can customise every field afterwards.5. Services
Add the services you offer. If website extraction found your services, they’ll appear ready to confirm. Otherwise, choose from suggested templates based on your business type, or add custom services with your own names, prices, and durations.6. Clients
Add a few clients manually to get started, or skip this step and bulk-import from a CSV file later. If you’re switching from another system, you’ll see a tip about importing your full client list from the Clients page.7. Team
Add team members with their name, email, phone, and role. Toggle App Access on to let them log in. This step is automatically skipped if you selected “Just me” in Step 2.8. Payments
Connect your Stripe account to accept deposits, process payments, and enforce cancellation policies. You can also set a deposit policy here. If you’re not ready, skip and connect Stripe later from Settings.9. Style
Pick a brand palette for your dashboard and booking page. If website extraction detected your brand colour, Bella suggests the closest matching palette. You can also choose a custom colour or change it anytime from Settings.Setup Assessment
After completing the steps, Bella shows a setup health assessment — a summary of what you’ve configured and personalised recommendations for what to do next. This includes a priority-ordered list of next steps based on what you skipped or haven’t set up yet.What’s Next
Once onboarding is complete, here are the key tasks to get your business fully operational:Connect Stripe
Accept online payments, deposits, and enforce your cancellation policy.
Enable Online Booking
Go live with your booking page so clients can self-serve 24/7.
Import Clients
Bulk-import your client list from a CSV file.
Invite Your Team
Add remaining team members and set individual schedules.
FAQs
Can I go back to a previous step?
Can I go back to a previous step?
Yes. Click any step in the sidebar to jump back. Your progress is saved automatically.
What happens if I skip a step?
What happens if I skip a step?
Skipping is fine — you can complete any step later from the relevant page in the main app. Skipped steps appear in your setup assessment so you don’t forget.
Can I close onboarding and return later?
Can I close onboarding and return later?
Yes. Progress is saved after every step. When you return, you’ll land on the first incomplete step.
How does website extraction work?
How does website extraction work?
Paste your business website URL in Step 1. Bella scans the site and extracts services, team member names, opening hours, and brand colours. Extracted data pre-fills later steps — you review and confirm before anything is saved.
Can I change my business type or team size later?
Can I change my business type or team size later?
Yes. Update your business information anytime from the Settings page.
What if my business type isn't listed?
What if my business type isn't listed?
Select “Other” and type your business type. You’ll still get a selection of common services, and you can add custom services specific to your business.
Can I reopen onboarding after completing it?
Can I reopen onboarding after completing it?
Yes. Reopen the setup wizard anytime from the menu — look for “Setup & recommendations”.