# Instant Booking

Skip the Shopify checkout process and let customers book services in just 3 simple steps.

## What is Instant Booking?

Instant Booking allows customers to book appointments without going through the standard Shopify checkout flow. Instead of adding to cart and checking out, customers can complete their booking in just 3 quick steps:

1. **Select time** on the calendar
2. **Enter customer details**
3. **Confirm** - Done! Service is booked

[**Try it yourself →**](https://demo.sesami.co/products/haircut) - Book a service in just 3 steps on our demo store

## Booking Options

When you enable Instant Booking, you can choose how to handle orders and payments:

### Option 1: Just Book (No Shopify Order)

* **No order created** - Booking exists in Sesami only
* **Perfect for** - Free consultations, internal bookings, services that don't need payment tracking
* **Payment** - Not collected (or handled outside Shopify)

### Option 2: Book + Create Shopify Order

* **Shopify order created** - Order appears in your Shopify orders
* **Payment capture options**:
  * Enter card manually in Shopify
  * Mark invoice as paid manually
  * Mark as pending (pay later)
* **Perfect for** - Services that need order tracking but flexible payment timing

## How It Works

### Customer Experience

1. **Calendar** - Customer selects an available time slot and clicks confirm
2. **Customer details** - Customer enters their contact information
3. **Confirm** - Booking is complete immediately

No cart, no checkout pages, no payment flow (unless you choose Option 2 with manual payment).

### Admin Experience

Bookings created via Instant Booking appear in:

* **Sesami calendar** - Just like regular bookings
* **Sesami upcoming appointments list** - Manage, reschedule, cancel
* **Shopify orders** (if using Option 2) - Track orders and payments

## Enabling Instant Booking

{% stepper %}
{% step %}

#### Open service settings

1. Go to **Sesami > Services** in your Shopify Admin
2. Click **Manage** on the service you want to enable Instant Booking for
   {% endstep %}

{% step %}

#### Enable Instant Booking

1. Scroll to the **Instant Booking** section
2. Toggle **Enable Instant Booking** to ON
3. Choose your option:
   * **Just Book** (no Shopify order)
   * **Book + Create Order** (with manual payment options)
     {% endstep %}

{% step %}

#### Save and test

1. **Save** your changes
2. Visit the service product page on your storefront
3. Test the 3-step booking flow

The booking experience is now streamlined for this service.
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}

## When to Use Instant Booking

Instant Booking is ideal for:

* **Free consultations** - No payment needed
* **Internal bookings** - Staff or partner bookings
* **High-volume bookings** - Reduce friction for quick appointments
* **Walk-in customers** - Book on-site with minimal steps
* **Pay in person** - Collect payment at appointment time
* **Manual invoicing** - Send invoice after booking

## When NOT to Use Instant Booking

Instant Booking may not be suitable for:

* **Paid services requiring upfront payment** - Use standard checkout instead
* **Deposit collection** - Use standard checkout with [Deposits](/payments/deposits.md)
* **Complex pricing** - Multiple add-ons or options
* **Shopify payment gateway** - When you need automatic payment processing

## Best Practices

* **Clear pricing** - Even without checkout, show the price clearly on the product page
* **Confirmation emails** - Ensure customers receive booking confirmation via email
* **Payment instructions** - If using "pay later," include clear payment instructions in confirmation email
* **Test the flow** - Book a test appointment to see the 3-step experience
* **Staff training** - Ensure your team knows how to handle Instant Bookings in admin

## Comparison: Instant Booking vs. Standard Checkout

| Feature                    | Instant Booking      | Standard Checkout                               |
| -------------------------- | -------------------- | ----------------------------------------------- |
| **Steps to book**          | 3 steps              | 5+ steps (add to cart, cart, checkout, payment) |
| **Payment collection**     | Manual or none       | Automatic via Shopify                           |
| **Shopify order**          | Optional             | Yes                                             |
| **Deposits**               | No                   | Yes                                             |
| **Discounts/coupons**      | No                   | Yes                                             |
| **Checkout customization** | N/A                  | Full Shopify checkout                           |
| **Best for**               | Speed, free services | Paid services, deposits, complex pricing        |

## Managing Instant Bookings

### Viewing Bookings

* **Sesami Calendar** - All bookings appear here
* **Upcoming Appointments** - Filter and manage bookings
* **Shopify Orders** - If using "Book + Create Order" option

### Rescheduling or Canceling

Manage Instant Bookings the same way as regular bookings:

1. Find the booking in Sesami calendar or upcoming appointments
2. Click the booking to view details
3. Use **Reschedule** or **Cancel** buttons

### Payment Collection (for Option 2)

If using "Book + Create Order":

1. Find the order in **Shopify > Orders**
2. Click the order
3. Use **Collect payment** or **Mark as paid**

## Troubleshooting

<details>

<summary>Instant Booking option not appearing</summary>

Check:

* You're using **Sesami Admin Portal** or latest Shopify App version
* Service is properly configured with resources
* You have the correct permissions to edit services

</details>

<details>

<summary>Customers not receiving confirmation emails</summary>

Check:

* **Notification emails** are enabled in Sesami Settings
* Email templates are configured
* Check spam/junk folders
* Verify customer email address is correct

See: [Notification Emails](/notifications/notification-emails.md)

</details>

<details>

<summary>Order not appearing in Shopify</summary>

Check:

* You selected **"Book + Create Order"** option (not "Just Book")
* Order was successfully created (check Sesami booking details)
* You're looking in the correct Shopify location (if multi-location)

</details>

## Related

* [Group Appointments](/booking/booking-features/group-appointments.md) - Multi-participant bookings
* [Deposits](/payments/deposits.md) - Collect partial payment upfront
* [Cancellations & Rescheduling](/booking/booking-features/cancellations-rescheduling.md) - Customer self-service
* [Notification Emails](/notifications/notification-emails.md) - Email confirmations
* [Services](/admin/services.md) - Configure services


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