Turning an inquiry into a booking

You've replied, talked it through, and your client wants to go ahead. Everything you need to turn that into real work sits on the inquiry itself, and your client's details carry across, so there's nothing to retype.

Pick the right next step

You want to…	Use	Where
Put an agreed session straight in the calendar	Create booking	Button at the top of the inquiry
Let them choose a package, sign and pay a deposit in one go	Create proposal	Three-dot menu
Get details or paperwork before committing	Send questionnaire or Send contract	Three-dot menu
Bill for work that's already agreed	Create invoice	Three-dot menu

For weddings, commercial jobs and anything higher value, a proposal is usually the stronger choice. For a quick portrait session where everything's settled, booking directly is faster.

Booking it directly

1. Open the inquiry and click Create booking.
2. The new booking form opens with Related to set to Inquiry, your client selected, and the service filled in from the inquiry.
3. Check the Title and add a Description of what you've agreed.
4. Set the date and time, and the location or meeting link.
5. Turn on Collect payment if you want to send an invoice with it, and add your Invoice items.
6. Click Create Booking and confirm.

The inquiry moves to Booked, and its main action becomes View booking. Full details of the form are in Adding a booking yourself.

Sending a proposal instead

1. Open the inquiry and choose Create proposal from the three-dot menu.
2. Add your packages and any optional extras, attach a contract, and set the payment (a deposit, for example).
3. Turn on Create a booking so acceptance turns into a booking.
4. Send it.

Here's the order things happen in, because it surprises people:

1. Sending creates nothing. The proposal waits with your client.
2. Accepting locks their choices and creates the contract and invoice.
3. The booking appears last, once they've signed, answered any questionnaire in the proposal and made the first payment. It arrives already confirmed.

Your own countersignature never holds the booking up. See Creating a proposal and What happens when a client accepts.

Proposals on the Free plan

On Free you can create and save proposals, but sending them needs Plus or Pro. See CoreHue plans and pricing.

Contracts, questionnaires and invoices on their own

Sometimes you need something before you commit. Send questionnaire gathers details like the venue or timeline. Send contract gets paperwork signed. Create invoice bills for a deposit when there's nothing left to agree. Each one opens with your client already filled in and is listed on the inquiry afterwards.

These don't move the inquiry to Booked. Only a booking does.

Tips that win more work

• Reply fast. A short "thanks, full details by this evening" within the hour beats a perfect reply tomorrow.
• Give them the number. Attach your pricing to your first reply rather than asking for a call first. Inquiries waiting on a price go cold.
• Work from the inquiry. Converting is one click when the conversation lives here, instead of retyping from your inbox.

Frequently asked questions

What happens to the inquiry once it's booked?

The inquiry moves to Booked and links to the booking with View booking. Your client's original message and answers stay on the inquiry for reference.

I closed an inquiry, but the client accepted my proposal. What now?

Closing doesn't withdraw a proposal you'd already sent. If your client accepts it and the booking is created, the inquiry moves to Booked by itself.

Can I create a booking for someone who didn't send an inquiry?

Yes. Start from their contact page with Create booking, or from All bookings → New booking, and choose Contact under Related to.

How do I send my client their booking details?

Open the booking and click Share booking. Copy the link to send yourself, or choose Share via email to send it with a note from CoreHue.