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How Do I Set Up Mini Sessions on Scheduler?

Jul 16 2026 | By: PhotoBiz Knowledge Base

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How to Create Mini-Sessions Using the PhotoBiz Scheduler

Overview

PhotoBiz Scheduler allows clients to reserve available appointment times for your mini-sessions directly through your website. You can offer sessions on specific dates, control the available hours, collect payment, add booking questions, and offer optional upgrades.

This guide explains how to create a mini-session using the Custom Dates service type. You will also learn how Scheduler generates appointment times, removes booked times automatically, and determines when an appointment is officially reserved.

Mini-Sessions Shorter Than 15 Minutes

PhotoBiz Scheduler supports Service Durations in 15-minute increments. Consider using the PhotoBiz Form & Contract Builder when offering 5-minute or 10-minute mini-sessions.

PhotoBiz includes the following predesigned booking forms:

  • Mini Session, designed for 30-minute sessions
  • 5-Minute Sessions
  • 10-Minute Sessions

Each template can be customized with your own dates, appointment times, prices, questions, and payment settings.

For instructions, see How to Create a Mini-Session Booking Form

Prerequisites

You can create an Active for Booking Only service without connecting a merchant account.

To collect payment during booking, you must have an active merchant account connected through the ECommerce Dashboard. Configure your sales tax settings before enabling CHARGE TAX for the service.

STEP ONE

Log in to your PhotoBiz account and click SCHEDULER in the left-side menu.

This opens your Scheduler control panel, where you can create services, manage appointments, and configure your booking settings.

STEP TWO

Click SERVICES at the top of the Scheduler control panel.

The Services section displays your existing Scheduler services and gives you the option to create a new one.

STEP THREE

Click NEW SERVICE. When the service type menu opens on the right side of the page, click CUSTOM DATES.

The Custom Dates service type allows you to offer appointments on specific dates instead of using the same recurring weekly schedule. This makes it a good choice for seasonal mini-sessions, limited events, and sessions offered on selected days.

STEP FOUR

Enter a clear SERVICE NAME and add a DESCRIPTION that explains what clients receive when they book. These will be visible to your clients on your booking page. 

Set the SERVICE DURATION to the amount of time reserved for each client. Scheduler supports durations in 15-minute increments, up to 24 hours. The duration determines the appointment start times clients will see within your available hours.

Enter the PRICE and choose whether to enable CHARGE TAX. Under ACTIVE STATUS, select whether the service should accept bookings and payments, accept bookings without payment, or remain unavailable to clients.

Click NEXT when you finish entering the service information.

STEP FIVE

Click ADD DATE and select the date when your mini-sessions will take place.

Enter the starting and ending times for the full period when you are available that day. You do not need to create each appointment time separately.

For example, if the Service Duration is 15 minutes and your availability is from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM, Scheduler will divide that period into individual 15-minute appointment times.

Click CREATE SERVICE to add the date and availability to your service.

Repeat this process when your mini-sessions are available on additional dates or during separate time ranges.

STEP SIX

Review the dates, start times, end times, and Service Duration you entered.

You can return to the AVAILABILITY section later to add dates, remove dates, or update the available hours.

FINAL STEP

Customize any additional settings you want to use, including the service image, booking questions, optional upgrades, confirmation message, email automation, SEO settings, and tags.

When the service is ready, click WEBSITE in the left-side menu and open the page where clients should book the mini-session. Add a Scheduler Block or open an existing Scheduler Block, then configure it to display the new service.

Click Save in the Website Builder to apply the update to your website. There is no separate publish button.

Review the client-facing page and complete a test booking when possible. Confirm that the correct dates, appointment times, price, questions, payment options, and confirmation message appear.

For complete instructions, see How to Link a Scheduler Service to Your Website.

How Appointment Availability Works

Scheduler automatically updates the booking calendar as clients complete their appointments. Once a time is successfully booked, it is removed so future visitors only see the dates and times that remain available.

When every appointment on a date has been booked, that date will no longer display available times. When every date and time for the service has been booked, the service will not display any available booking options.

The point when an appointment becomes reserved depends on the service’s ACTIVE STATUS.

Active for Booking & Payment

Clients can reserve an appointment and submit payment during checkout. An active merchant account is required.

When a client selects an appointment, the service is added to the booking cart. The appointment remains available to other visitors until the client completes checkout and submits payment.

Leaving the appointment in the cart does not hold the time. If multiple clients select the same appointment, it is reserved for the client who completes checkout and payment first.

Active for Booking Only

Clients can reserve an appointment without submitting payment.

When a client selects an appointment, the service is added to the booking cart. The appointment remains available to other visitors until the client reviews the cart and clicks BOOK NOW.

If multiple clients select the same appointment, it is reserved for the client who completes the booking first.

Not Active

The service remains in your PhotoBiz account but cannot be booked by clients.

Use this status when registration has not opened, registration has closed, or you want to temporarily remove the service from the booking process.

Customize Your Mini-Session Service

After creating the service, use the available settings to customize the booking experience.

Details

Update the Service Name, Description, Service Duration, Price, Charge Tax setting, or Active Status.

Changing the Service Duration may affect the appointment times generated from your existing availability ranges. Review your availability after changing the duration.

Image

Upload an image or select an image from your clipboard to represent the service on your website.

Choose an image that clearly reflects the mini-session theme, location, or experience. Review the Scheduler Block on your website to confirm that the image crops correctly in the selected layout.

Options

Add free or paid upgrades that clients can select while booking. Options can be used for choices such as:

  • Additional images
  • Alternate backdrops
  • Location choices
  • Additional participants
  • Product upgrades
  • Extended session time

You can also create sub-options when a primary choice requires additional selections.

For more information, see How to Add Options and Sub-Options to Scheduler Services.

Availability

Use this section to review, add, or update your custom session dates and time ranges.

Each availability entry represents the full period when appointments may be booked. Scheduler uses the Service Duration to generate the individual appointment times within that period.

Special Instructions

Add a custom question when you need information from clients before they complete their booking.

The Label and Description will both be visible text to your clients on the booking page.

You can make the question required or optional. This can be useful for collecting participant names, ages, preferred backdrops, accessibility information, or other details needed to prepare for the session.

Thank You

Enter the email addresses that should receive booking notifications. Leave the field blank to send notifications to your PhotoBiz login email, or enter multiple email addresses separated by commas.

Customize the Thank You Message clients see after completing their booking. This message also appears in the appointment confirmation email.

Include important next steps such as arrival instructions, location details, preparation recommendations, cancellation terms, or a reminder that additional information will be sent later.

Email Automation

Assign an email automation series to send scheduled messages related to the service.

Email automation can be used for appointment reminders, preparation tips, follow-up instructions, review requests, or promotional messages. Messages that meet their scheduling criteria are processed at 9 AM in your account’s time zone.

For more information, see Setting Up Email Automation For PhotoBiz Scheduler

SEO & Search

Add keywords that help visitors find the service through your website’s on-site search.

Use the Search Engine Preview settings to customize the meta title, meta description, and keywords used for the service. Describe the mini-session clearly and include relevant terms such as the session type, location, season, or intended audience.

Tags

Use tags to organize your services and control which services appear in Scheduler Blocks.

Tags can also:

  • Improve results in your website’s on-site search
  • Group services by session type, season, theme, or location
  • Filter the services displayed in a Scheduler Block
  • Add the selected tag to a client’s contact record after booking

Use consistent tag names when you plan to offer similar mini-sessions in the future.

Helpful Mini-Session Planning Tips

Include setup, cleanup, and transition time when selecting the Service Duration. The duration represents the full amount of time reserved for each client.

Use a clear service name that identifies the theme or date when you offer multiple mini-session events. For example, use Fall Family Mini-Sessions, October 17 instead of a general name such as Mini-Sessions.

Include the session location, number of included images, payment terms, cancellation policy, and other important expectations in the Description or Thank You Message.

Review the booking experience from your website before promoting the service. Confirm that the correct dates, appointment times, price, payment method, questions, and confirmation message appear.

Because adding an appointment to the cart does not reserve it, consider reminding clients to complete the booking process promptly when availability is limited.

Want Personalized Help?

PhotoBiz 1-on-1 Coaching Services can help you configure Scheduler, plan your booking workflow, and prepare your website for clients.

Learn more about 1-on-1 Coaching Services: https://support.photobiz.com/coaching

Need Help?

Support Hours: Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm EST

Phone: 866.463.7620

Support Channels: Phone, Live Chat, Support Ticket

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