If you’re a photographer looking to simplify your client booking process, learning how to automate mini sessions in Dubsado is a game-changer.
Mini sessions can fill your calendar fast—but they can also create serious back-end chaos. Manually managing scheduling, payments, contracts, and reminders? That’s a fast track to burnout.
Luckily, Dubsado makes it easy to automate everything from booking to final delivery. With the right setup (or the right template), you can stay fully booked without lifting a finger after launch.
Why You Should Automate Mini Sessions in Dubsado
Automating mini sessions in Dubsado helps you:
- Cut down on time-consuming admin tasks
- Send reminders automatically (no ghosting!)
- Deliver a seamless and professional experience
- Track every session clearly in your project pipeline
Dubsado has the tools—you just need to put them to work.
What You Need to Automate Your Mini Sessions
📚 Step 1: Prep Work Before You Build
Before setting anything up in Dubsado, you’ll need to decide on a few logistics:
- Session Date
- Time blocks you’ll offer
- Length of each session
- Session Cost
- Location
This info will be needed for forms, scheduler, emails, and contracts.
📅 Step 2: Create Project Tags & Statuses
Project Tag:
- Minis
Lead Status:
- Mini Abandoned
Job Statuses:
- Upcoming
- Editing
- Delivered
These keep your projects organized in Dubsado.
Need help creating statuses? Check out Dubsado’s guide.
📄 Step 3: Design Your Forms
You’ll need just two forms:
1. Mini Session Public Proposal
- Collects client info
- Simple design for website embedding
- Set a custom lead title in form settings
2. Mini Session Contract
- Create one per date/location combo
- Cannot use smart fields for this—must manually enter specifics
📧 Step 4: Write Your Emails
Create the following 8 emails:
- Booking Follow-Up
For leads who abandoned the booking.“Hi [Client], I noticed you started booking your mini session but didn’t finish. Still interested? Book here: [Scheduler Link]” - Confirmation Email
Sent right after scheduling.- Smart fields:
{{appointment.title}},{{appointment.start | mediumDate}},{{appointment.start | shortTime}},{{appointment.location}},{{appointment | calendarLink}}
- Smart fields:
- Send Contract
- Smart field:
{{job | contractLink}}
- Smart field:
- Reminder #1 Sent X days before the session with prep info
- Reminder #2 Sent day before the session
- Thank You / Next Steps Reassure them about what comes next
- Gallery Delivery
- Include gallery link
- Review Request Ask for feedback or a testimonial
⏰ Step 5: Build the Scheduler
- Name: Public Mini Session Scheduler (make it on-brand and fun)
- Attached Form: Mini Session Public Proposal
- Confirmation Email: Email #2
- Invoice: For this workflow to run correctly, the invoice must be set to charge the full session price up front. Dubsado doesn’t support split payments in this type of mini session setup when starting from a scheduler – and honestly, that’s a good thing. Mini sessions are one-time, high-demand slots. Asking for full payment ensures clients are committed and prevents no-shows, making the process smoother for you and fairer for others trying to book.
- Reminders: Emails #4 and #5
- No email sent immediately (handled via workflow)
⚖️ Step 7: Create the Workflows
Workflow 1: Mini Session Part 2 (triggered after full payment)
| Action | Trigger | Content |
|---|---|---|
| Change project status | 0 hr after start | Upcoming |
| Add tag | 0 hr | Minis |
| Send contract | 15 min | Mini Session Contract + Email #3 |
| Create To Do | 0 hr after prev | “[Client Name]: Mini Session Complete” |
| Change status | 0 hr after prev | Editing |
| Send email | 15 min | Email #6 (Next Steps) |
| Create To Do | 0 hr after prev | Deliver final gallery (Email #7) |
| Change status | 0 hr after prev | Delivered |
| Send email | 0 hr after prev | Email #8 (Review Request) |
Workflow 2: Mini Session Part 1 (starts when lead fills scheduler form)
| Action | Trigger | Content |
| Change project status | 1 day after start | Mini Abandoned |
| Send email | 1 day | Email #1 (Booking Follow-Up) |
| Archive project | After previous | Ensures abandoned leads don’t stay active |
| Start Workflow | After full payment | Triggers Workflow 1 |
| Pause Workflow | After full payment | Stops the abandoned follow-up for booked leads |
🚀 Step 8: Launch Your Mini Sessions!
Embed your Dubsado scheduler on your website or share the public link. You’re now ready to:
- Get booked without back-and-forth
- Automate every touchpoint
- Deliver a pro client experience from first click to final gallery
✨ Want the Shortcut? Use the Mini Session Kit to Save Time
Our Mini Session Kit 🎉 makes it easy to automate mini sessions in Dubsado without starting from scratch.
You’ll get:
- Pre-written, customizable email templates
- Branded proposal and contract forms
- A done-for-you scheduler setup
- Step-by-step workflows that work together seamlessly
It’s everything you need to book, confirm, prep, and follow up – on autopilot.
How the Automation Works
Here’s a breakdown of the system included in the Mini Session Kit:
Booking Flow:
- Client selects a time slot
- Pays in full
- Contract is automatically sent
- Prep emails + reminders go out
- Final gallery delivery and review request sent without delay
You’ll never wonder what’s next for any client.
Add Your Brand’s Personal Touch
Automation doesn’t mean impersonal.
With the Mini Session Kit, you can:
- Customize your forms to match your brand style
- Add personality to every email
- Deliver a warm, polished client experience—without doing it manually every time
Ready to Launch?
Once your scheduler is live, your booking system runs itself. Whether you’re planning seasonal minis or a new client promo, it’s the easiest way to scale without stress.
→ Get the Mini Session Kit Now
💬 Bonus: Get the Full Story
Forms & Flows CEO Cait Potter originally built this system from scratch as a photographer. This version is a systems-focused walkthrough designed for Forms & Flows users.