Scheduling a private event

Create a booking as described in our Creating a booking help page.

Once a booking has been created, proceed with adding a payment schedule.

Adding a payment schedule determines the due date(s) and number of payment installments associated with the booking. See the Configuring Private Events help page for more information about payment schedules.

To add a payment schedule to a booking:

1. Access the booking overview.
2. Click the Add payment schedule option.
3. Select which payment schedule the booking should use. By default, No payment schedule will be selected.
4. Check the Activate payment schedule box if the customer should be able to make a payment as soon as the private event booking is confirmed.

5. Click the Submit button to finalize the payment schedule setup.

   

If a different payment schedule should be added instead, click the Change payment schedule option in the booking overview and repeat Steps 3 – 5.

Adding a contract allows you to define the terms a potential customer must agree to in order to book a private event, and facilitates a streamlined signing process for both parties.

To add a contract to a booking:

1. Access the booking overview.
2. Click the Add contract option.
3. Select which contract should be added to the booking. By default, No contract will be selected.

4. Determine whether the contract should have an expiration date. Setting an expiration date can help mitigate confusion about which contract version the most up to date.

   If a contract expiration date is set, customers will not be able to sign the contract as of the set expiration date. Today’s date cannot be set as the expiration date, as the contract will not be signable.

   1. If the contract should have an expiration date:

      a. Check the Select an expiration for this contract box.

      b. Select the desired expiration date using the Expiration date calendar field.

   2. If the contract should not have an expiration date, leave the Select an expiration for this contract box unchecked.

5. If a contract amendment or addendum is necessary for a specific booking, check the Add an amendment/addendum to contract box and detail the contract adjustment in the What amendment/addendum are you making? field.

   (Note: Adding an amendment or addendum to an existing contract will reset its signed status. If the contract has already been signed, it will reset to an unsigned status and must be signed again.)

   Each business is fully responsible and liable for all contract content and enforceability. FareHarbor only provides the basic structure for contracts, amendments, and addendums, and cannot offer legal advice or be held responsible for errors or omissions.

6. Preview the contract’s appearance as needed using the Preview contract button. If the contract has been formatted using Markdown, the additional formatting will appear in the preview.

   

7. Click the Submit button to finalize the contract setup.

If the current contract setup requires revision, click the Edit contract option in the booking overview, and repeat Steps 3 – 6 as needed.

The proposal email provides a record of key event details, including:

• A custom email message (if added to the email before sending)
• A custom proposal email message (if set up for the item)
• Key booking and customer information
• Payment schedule dates, amounts due, and payment statuses (if applicable)
• A link to the associated contract (if applicable)
• A breakdown of the custom fields and associated costs
• Cancellation policies (if applicable)

To send a proposal email:

1. Access the booking overview.
2. Click the Send email or text option.
3. Select whether the proposal will be sent via email or text message, and confirm the customer’s contact information is correct.
4. Select Proposal as the message type.
5. Include an additional message if desired.
6. Click the Send button.

Note: The system will automatically populate From and To email addresses based upon company-level contact settings (for the From address) and booking information (for the To address). Alternate email addresses can be entered manually to ensure updates are conveyed to the most relevant points of contact.

Once the customer has signed the contract sent via proposal email, the booking can be confirmed. To update an event’s proposal status:

1. Access the booking overview.

2. Click the Confirm Proposal option.

   

3. Review the resource information that appears, and determine whether the proposed private event should be confirmed.

   1. If the resource allocation is acceptable, click Confirm proposal to confirm the booking.
   2. If the resource allocation is not acceptable, alternate resource allocation or additional collaboration with the customer may be necessary.

If a private event’s confirmation must be revoked, please note that unconfirming a proposal will clear existing resources.

Revoking confirmation of a booking

A booking’s confirmation may need to be revoked in some instances (for example, if a private event booking’s date must be updated.)

To unconfirm a booking:

1. Access the booking overview.
2. Click the arrow next to the Confirm Proposal option.

3. Click the Unconfirm this proposal message to revoke confirmation.

   

Current payment statuses can be viewed at a booking level and sent directly to the client via a proposal email.

Payment statuses include granular payment information, including:

• The number of payments in the assigned payment schedule
• Payment amounts due
• The status (paid, overdue, or due) of each payment

Learn about payment schedule reporting options.

View payment statuses at a booking level

1. Access the booking overview.

2. Locate the amount due for the booking, and click the dropdown arrow next to the current total. The booking overview will display expanded details.

   

Sending payment statuses to a customer

Any proposal emails sent to the customer will include current payment status information. Learn how to send a proposal.

Inform both customers and Dashboard users about event details using automatic notifications.

Customer notifications

Customers will automatically receive any text or email notifications that are currently set up for the private event item.

If a specific booking should not receive automatic notifications set up for the item, you can disable specific message types to prevent automatic sends. Learn how to disable automatic notifications for a single booking.

User notifications

In addition to the automatic notifications available for Dashboard users at both the company and item levels, users can also receive additional Private Event notifications based on their permissions.

Set up automatic email notifications to alert when:

• A contract is signed.
• A payment rule is paid.
• A payment is overdue.

Setting up company-level private event notifications

Learn how to set up automatic user notifications at a company level for:

• Your personal Dashboard user
• Other users (as a Dashboard administrator)

Setting up item-level private event notifications

Learn how to enable item-level notifications.

Due to the detailed nature of scheduling private events, the process of rebooking can present challenges for both staff and the customer experience. Adjust the start date and time of a private event booking to better accommodate unexpected circumstances.

Private event booking cannot be rebooked. Please change the start date and time of the availability as described below to reschedule.

Check to ensure the necessary resources are available for the new start date and time before making changes to the booking.

To adjust a private event booking’s schedule:

1. If the booking has already been confirmed, it must be unconfirmed before the start date or time can be changed.
2. Navigate to the item’s Calendar, and click on the relevant availability.
3. Select Actions & Settings from the pop-up menu.
4. In the availability overview, click the Settings option.

5. In the Capacity & Time section, adjust the Starting on date and Start at date as needed.

   

6. Click the Save changes button to finalize your updates.

Once date and time information has been successfully updated, additional follow-up will be needed to realign with the customer. Follow-up can include:

• Sending an updated proposal to the customer.
• Reconfirming the booking’s proposal status.

Select from and customize two different private event resources that can help prepare for the upcoming event.

• Private event sheet: Intended to help staff members prepare for the event. This resource includes booking details such as customer contact information, event details, and custom field information.
• Sign-off sheet: Intended for customer review and confirmation. This resource includes the same information as a private event sheet, but is formatted for a customer to confirm via signature and date.

To print private event booking details:

1. Access the booking overview.
2. Select the Print option.
3. Navigate to the Other Options tab.
4. Select the sheet to be printed.

5. Customize which information is included by checking the Hide box for any sections that should be excluded. Any sections that do not have the Hide box checked will appear in the final version of the sheet.

   

6. Click the Print button.

7. Use your browser’s Print menu to select a printer and/or save a copy of the sheet as a PDF.