Consultations
Schedule pre-booking meetings that can overlap bookings but still respect availability rules.
Consultations are used for meetings and conversations with clients before a booking is made. In TatTool, consultations work almost exactly like bookings, with a few key differences in purpose and scheduling rules.
How consultations are different
Consultations can overlap bookings, so you can schedule pre-booking conversations without blocking tattoo capacity.
Consultation Conflict Rules
Consultations are flexible compared to bookings:
- Consultations can overlap bookings and other consultations.
- Consultations cannot overlap the member’s time off.
- Consultations cannot be scheduled inside a location closure.
- If the member is guesting at another location, the consultation cannot be scheduled at a different location during that time.
Creating A Consultation
You can create a consultation in the same places you create bookings:
- Click Create in the calendar
- Click Create in the header
In the Event Sheet, choose Consultation as the event type.
Date And Time
At the top of the Event Sheet, set the date and time for the consultation.
You can:
- Type the date and time directly
- Click the calendar icon to open the date picker popover
This works the same way as for bookings.
Location And Participant
Next, choose:
- Location: where the consultation will take place
- Participant: the person who will perform the consultation and talk to the client
Both fields support search and select, making it quick to find the right location and member.
Client Details
The client section works the same way as for bookings.
- Email is required
- As you type the email, TatTool searches existing clients
- If no match is found, TatTool treats it as a new client automatically
For new clients, you can optionally add:
- First name
- Last name
- Phone number
If an existing client is selected, these fields are filled automatically.
There is no separate "create client" step. Typing an email is enough.
Editing the client on an existing consultation
On an existing consultation, editing the client fields updates the current linked client.
You can correct that client’s name, email, or phone number from the consultation, but you cannot replace the consultation with a different client record.
Comments And Flows
You can optionally:
- Add a comment to the consultation
- Select flows, and see which flows are set to run automatically for consultations
This lets you trigger messages, reminders, or follow-ups just like with bookings.
Viewing And Editing Consultations
Once created, consultations appear in the calendar.
- Click a consultation to open it
- Click any value (date, time, participant, client, and so on) to edit it
Changes are saved the same way as bookings.
If the wrong client is attached to a consultation, create a new consultation for the correct client instead of trying to swap the client on the existing event.
You can also upload images to a consultation, for example reference images or inspiration shared by the client.
Canceling Or Deleting A Consultation
Consultations can be managed just like bookings:
- Cancel a consultation if it will not take place
- Delete a consultation to remove it entirely
Canceled consultations stay visible for reference. Deleted consultations are removed from the calendar.
How Consultations Differ From Bookings
While consultations look and feel like bookings, they are treated differently by the system:
- Consultations are intended for pre-booking conversations
- They can overlap with bookings and other consultations
- They still respect time off, location closures, and guesting elsewhere
- They follow the same creation, editing, and client-handling flow as bookings
This makes it easy to schedule consultations without blocking your booking capacity.