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Chapter 15 · Keep it running

Test everything with a fake client

About 15 minutes

Before a real client books, walk one fake client through your whole studio: book, sign, pay, receive a gallery and download it.

Use a fake name and an email address you can open, so you can read the emails Mankai sends.

Have this ready

  • A fake client: a made-up name, and an email address you can open.
  • Card payments connected, as in Connect Stripe or PayPal.
  • A private browser window, so you are not signed in as yourself.
  • A few photos from your computer to use as the gallery.

Step by step

Get there

  1. In the top bar, press the gear icon.

  2. Press Booking, then Booking page.

  3. Press View page, and open the page in your private window.

Book as your client

Every screen is explained in What clients see when they book.

  1. On your booking page, press Book now on a session.

  2. Type your fake client's name, email and phone number, then press Start.

  3. Press a day, then press a time.

    Then press Continue.

  4. Answer the questions, then press Continue.

  5. Type the client's name as the signature and tick the box, then press Continue.

  6. Read the last screen. Due today is the retainer, and your client pays it here with a card.

    Pay it with your own card. The money goes to your own studio account.

See it in your studio

Back in your own browser window. After someone books explains what Mankai set up for you.

  1. Move your mouse over Sessions in the top bar.

  2. Press All Sessions.

  3. Find the booking in the Upcoming list and press it.

Record the balance

A client who pays you by bank transfer, cash or check is recorded like this. See Record cash, a check or a transfer.

  1. Press Actions at the top right.

  2. Choose Record payment.

  3. Choose Remainder and how the client paid, then press Record payment.

  4. Look at the top of the session. It says Paid in full, Questionnaire says Completed and Documents says All signed.

Make and publish a gallery

The details are in Make a client gallery.

  1. Scroll down to Client gallery and press Create gallery.

  2. Press Add photos and choose your photos.

  3. Wait until all your photos appear in the gallery.

  4. Turn on Published at the top left.

  5. Press Publish gallery. Your client gets an email saying the gallery is ready.

Pick favorites as the client

Open the email, or sign in to the client portal as your fake client. What your client sees shows it in full.

  1. In the portal, press Choose beside Choose your favorites.

  2. Press the heart on a few photos.

  3. Press Submit selections.

  4. Press the green Send button to confirm.

    The button counts your picks, for example Send 3 picks.

Deliver the photos

In real life you edit the picked photos first. See Favorites, delivery and downloads.

  1. Back in your own window, press Galleries in the top bar and open the gallery.

  2. Press Deliver at the top right.

  3. Press Deliver gallery. Your client gets an email with the photos.

  4. In the client portal, Your photos are ready appears. Press Open.

  5. Press Download all to download every photo, with no watermark.

You're done when

Your fake client booked, signed, paid and downloaded a gallery, and you saw each step from both sides. Clear out the test afterwards, as the first question below explains.

If something's not right

How do I clear out the fake client's session?

Open the session, press Actions, then Delete session. Delete the gallery from Galleries too, and the fake client from Clients if you will not use them again.

The emails did not arrive

Check the spam folder first. Then open Diagnostics, press Test connection beside Email, and see Send a test email.

I cannot finish booking because card payments are not set up

Connect Stripe or PayPal first, as in Connect Stripe or PayPal, then book again.