Book an appointment on behalf of a client, invite them to choose their own time, or make a scheduler available in their client portal. You can do all of this from within a project using one of your existing scheduler templates.
Scheduling overview
Your Events tab inside a project (or a contact record) is where all appointment scheduling happens. Clicking Add Scheduler opens the Select a scheduler to send modal, which gives you three ways to proceed:
Invite client to book — sends the client an email with a link so they can pick a time that works for them
Book for client — opens the public scheduler page so you can select a date and time on your client's behalf
Apply to project only — makes the scheduler available in the client portal without sending an email or booking a time immediately
All three options require an existing scheduler template. If you haven't created one yet, head to the scheduler templates article to get one set up first.
Invite a client to book
Use this option when you want the client to choose their own appointment time. Dubsado sends them a pre-filled email with a link to your scheduler.
Open the project and click the Events tab.
Click Add Scheduler in the sidebar. The Select a scheduler to send modal opens.
Select a scheduler or group from the Scheduler or group dropdown.
Under Sending options, choose Invite client to book.
Click Continue. The email composer opens with the scheduler link already filled in.
Edit the email as needed, then send it.
The scheduler also appears automatically in the client portal and under All Schedulers in the project's Events tab.
The email that opens uses the invitation email template configured on the scheduler. If no template is set on the scheduler, the workspace default is used. To change either, open the scheduler in the builder and go to the Advanced tab ➔ Invitation & Confirmation Emails card.
If you start from a contact record instead of a project, a Project dropdown appears in the modal. Select the project you want to associate the scheduler with, then continue as normal.
Book for a client
Use this option when you already know the appointment time and want to complete the booking yourself. The scheduler opens so you can select the date and time on your client's behalf.
Open the project and click the Events tab.
Click Add Scheduler in the sidebar. The Select a scheduler to send modal opens.
Select a scheduler or group from the Scheduler or group dropdown.
Under Sending options, choose Book for client.
Click Continue. The public scheduler page opens in a new browser tab.
Select a date and time for the appointment.
Click Submit and Finish.
A confirmation email sends to the client automatically once the booking is complete. The scheduler also appears in the client portal and under All Schedulers in the project's Events tab.
When booking on behalf of a client, if you choose a scheduler template that includes a required form and/or payment, those steps must be completed to finish booking.
You can complete the required form or payment yourself, or consider using a scheduler template that does not include a form or payment instead.
Apply a scheduler to a project only
Use this option when you want to make the scheduler available in the client portal without prompting the client right away. No email is sent and no time is booked — the client can book at their own convenience through the portal.
Open the project and click the Events tab.
Click Add Scheduler in the sidebar. The Select a scheduler to send modal opens.
Select a scheduler or group from the Scheduler or group dropdown.
Under Sending options, choose Apply to project only.
Click Continue.
A "Scheduler applied to project" confirmation appears, and the scheduler becomes available in the client portal immediately.
Send or book from an already-applied scheduler
Once a scheduler has been applied to a project, you can send the scheduler link or open it to book without going through the modal again. This is useful if you applied a scheduler earlier and are now ready to take action on it.
Open the project and click the Events tab.
Select All Schedulers from the sidebar.
Select the scheduler from the list to open its details.
In the scheduler header, use one of the two action icons:
Send — opens the email composer with the scheduler link, the same as Invite client to book
Open — opens the public scheduler page in a new tab, the same as Book for client
Confirmation emails
Whenever an appointment is booked — whether by you or your client — a confirmation email sends to the client automatically.
The confirmation email template is set per scheduler template. To configure it, open the scheduler in the builder ➔ Advanced tab ➔ Invitation & Confirmation Emails card.
If no confirmation email is configured on the scheduler template, Dubsado uses the default confirmation email. To edit the default, navigate to Messages ➔ Default templates ➔ Appointment Confirmed.
The same Invitation & Confirmation Emails card is also where you configure the invitation email — the one that goes out when you send the scheduler link to a client.
FAQ
What is the difference between creating an event on the calendar and booking via a scheduler?
Clicking New Event in the standalone Events page adds an appointment to your own calendar only. Your client does not receive a notification or confirmation. To book an appointment that notifies the client and integrates with your scheduler settings — including forms, payments, reminders, and confirmation emails — use a scheduler template from within a project.
Can I schedule an appointment from a contact record instead of a project?
Yes. Open the contact record, click the Events tab, and click Add Scheduler. The modal includes a Project dropdown so you can select which project to associate the scheduler with. The scheduler is then applied to that project.
Can I create a new scheduler template from within a project?
No. The modal only lets you select from existing scheduler templates and groups. To create a new scheduler template, navigate to Events ➔ Scheduler Templates and build it there. Once saved, you can apply it to any project.
Why can't I see scheduler options in my project?
Schedulers require the Premier plan. If you are on the Starter plan, the Add Scheduler button is not available, and scheduler-related items (All Schedulers, Sent, Not Sent, Scheduler Templates, Group Templates) do not appear in the Events sidebar.