We heard you! Online Booking is here for myStratus! Your clients can now book sessions online.

Here are some of the key features included in myStratus Online Booking:

Requirements:

It's easy to get going! First use the new Online Booking Preferences in myStratus Desktop to activate and set up online booking, then create some online time slots, and finally add the link/iframe to your website.

Check out the help pages listed below to get started.

+ Online Booking Overview
+ The Online Booking Experience
+ Setting up Online Booking

You can now create time slots that are reserved for certain types of sessions. These time slots are a required component of myStratus Online Booking, but can also be used with both Spectra and myStratus to control when sessions are scheduled on the calendar internally.

Time slots can be created by going to Maintenance > Session > Scheduling Time Slots or by simply right-clicking on the calendar.

+ More about scheduling time slots

Credit card processing requirements are becoming more and more stringent. That's a good thing, but it also means changes for you! The new EMV (chip-based) cards are the new standard and the ability to process them becomes mandatory this month. We've got you covered! StudioPlus Spectra and myStratus Desktop are now EMV certified! The 2015 Volume 2 release includes a new integration with the Genius® Customer Engagement Platform® by Cayan™.

Implementing the Genius solution not only moves you to an EMV-certified platform, it also gives you the following benefits:

+ Read our recent blog post about EMV cards, the liability shift, and Genius
+ More about implementing the Genius solution

We've added an optional integration with Cayan's gift card program. Gift cards are provided by Cayan and then sold and activated by you. Cayan treats them like any other credit card. Gift cards can be used for any purchase, including InSpiredByYou orders and myStratus Online Booking. Note: This program replaces internally issued gift certificates.

Activate this new integration on the Credit Cards tab in your Company Preferences.

+ More about Cayan gift cards

You can now copy a session and attach it to the same client or a different one! All the session information, custom fields, advanced calendar information, session promotions, participant, and session notes will be copied to the new session.

Just open a session, click Copy Session on the File tab of the ribbon, and then choose the client for the new session.

+ More about copying a session

A handy email option has been added to the final page of any built-in wizard that creates an invoice. The Email Invoice option will create an email using the chosen form letter and attach the invoice PDF. The email will be available to modify before sending.

Set up defaults for this option with the Wizard Builder.

+ More about the Wizard Builder

The software can now automatically add items to a session fee invoice created during the booking process (with the Scheduling and Session Wizards or through myStratus Online Booking). This can significantly speed up your booking process, as well as eliminate potential errors! For example, when you book a deluxe portrait session, the software can automatically add your "Deluxe Session Fee" to the invoice.

You set up which fees and/or products should be added to the invoice for each of your session types in Maintenance > Session > Session Types. Open each session type, click the Price List Items tab, and choose the items.

+ More about session types

The myStratus Mobile app is now available for Android devices! View, add, and update clients, sessions, and tasks right from your mobile device. Work offline and updates are synced as soon as you reconnect.

+ Download the app
+ More about the myStratus Mobile apps