Turn on intake automations
Stop sending intake emails manually. Automate the intake form, portal invite, and reminder cadence, so every new client gets the same clean onboarding without anyone in your practice having to remember.
What automating actually saves you
Every practice runs the same five steps for every new client: send intake, invite to portal, remind them if they ghost, confirm the appointment, follow up. Done manually, that's around ten minutes per client, and it's easy for one step to slip.
Automated, it runs on its own. The point isn't to be impersonal. It's to make sure the boring stuff happens on schedule, so your attention goes on the interesting stuff.
Turn on the new-client workflows
- Open Workflows from the left sidebar.
- Under Client & Documentation events, find Send intake (auto-sends every template in your default intake folder when a client is created) and Automate portal invites (sends the portal invite).
- Toggle each to Enable, then Save.
Both run silently from then on. To change what they send, edit the templates and the default-intake folder, not the workflow itself.
Set up the default intake folder
- Open Templates and hover the intake form you want to auto-send.
- Click Move to folder and select the Intake folder (the starred one). Drag-and-drop works too.
Everything in this folder auto-sends to new clients while the Send intake workflow is enabled. The folder holds up to 9 forms, so you can layer intake + PHQ-9 + consent.
Reminders for clients who go quiet
Workflows → Basic reminders is where the nudges live. Each reminder is independent:
- Appointment reminders: hours before the appointment.
- Intake reminders: days after the form was sent.
- Portal-invite reminders: days after the invite went out.
- Invoice reminders: covered in Lesson 4.4.
Click + New reminder, choose email or SMS (both SMS and automated email reminders require a paid plan), set the timing, personalise with smart chips, Preview, then Save. Toggling a reminder off keeps its configuration but stops it firing.
Five new-client automations worth turning on tomorrow.
Each is a real cadence, copy whatever resembles your practice.
Send intake immediately. Reminder 3 days after if no response. Portal invite at booking confirmation. Appointment reminder 24h before.
Intake + injury history + consent (three templates in the default folder). Reminder at 2 days. SMS appointment reminder 24h before.
Intake auto-send, portal invite manual (only after first visit). Reminder 1 day before next appointment, SMS.
Intake + goals questionnaire on creation. Portal invite same time. Reminder 5 days if no response, generous because coaching clients move slower.
Intake + insurance card upload on creation. Invoice reminder 3 days overdue, then 7 days overdue. Appointment reminder 48h before.
How do I auto-send an intake form to new clients?
Workflows → Send intake → Enable → Save. The workflow then sends every template in your default intake folder whenever a client is created. Customise what gets sent by editing the templates in that folder.
What's the default intake folder?
A dedicated template folder (starred in the Templates view). Up to 9 templates. Anything in there auto-sends when the Send intake workflow is enabled. Move forms in by hovering and choosing Move to folder, or drag-and-drop.
How do I set up an appointment reminder?
Workflows → Basic reminders → Appointment reminders → + New reminder. Pick email or SMS, set how many hours before, customise content with smart chips, preview, save.
Can I personalise reminders with client name and appointment details?
Yes, use smart chips from the reminder editor toolbar to insert client name, appointment details, and more. They get replaced with the real values when the reminder fires.
Are SMS reminders on the Free plan?
No, both SMS and automated email reminders require a paid plan (Plus or Advanced). Free users see Workflows but can't send automated reminders or edit workflow templates.
Why aren't my reminders being sent?
Three things to check: the workflow is enabled, the reminder itself is set up under Basic reminders, and the client's notification method allows email or SMS (Lesson 2.2).
Can I turn off automations temporarily without losing the setup?
Yes, toggle any workflow or any individual reminder to disabled. The configuration stays intact and you can re-enable it any time without rebuilding.