This guide covers the following:
How Text to Pay works
Before you begin
Booking with Text to Pay on the web
Booking with Text to Pay in the iOS app
What your patient sees
Tracking appointments awaiting payment
Common questions
How Text to Pay Works
What the patient receives depends on how the service and your Cancellation Policy are set up.
Your setup | What the patient receives | What happens when they finish |
Service Deposit required (with or without a Cancellation Policy) | A secure payment link for the deposit amount | The deposit is charged and an invoice is created. The card is saved to the patient's profile and linked to the appointment. If a Cancellation Policy is on, that card can be used for cancellation or no show fees. |
Cancellation Policy only, no Service Deposit | A secure payment link to enter card details | The card is saved to the patient's profile and linked to the appointment. Nothing is charged and no invoice is created. |
In both cases, the appointment is held for 30 minutes. If the patient doesn't finish in time, the appointment is canceled automatically and the time slot opens back up.
Before You Begin
Where it's available. Text to Pay works when your team books from inside Aesthetic Record, on the web or in the iOS app. It isn't offered in your Online Booking portal, where patients already enter their own card details.
Service Deposit or Cancellation Policy. The service must require a deposit, or your clinic must have a Cancellation Policy turned on. Both are set in Smart Configuration: go to Appointments, click the wrench icon at the top right of the calendar, and select Smart Configuration.
To require a deposit, click Services and open the service. Set Does This Service Require a Deposit? to Yes, enter the deposit amount in Price, and click Save.
To turn on your Cancellation Policy, click Other Settings, open Cancellation Policy, and switch the toggle on.
Patient phone number. The patient needs a mobile number on their profile that can receive texts.
Booking with Text to Pay on the Web
Go to Appointments and click Create.
Choose the provider and clinic.
Select the service. If the service requires a deposit, a Confirmation Required! pop up shows the deposit amount. Click Confirm to keep the deposit.
Choose the date and click a time slot.
Under Patient, start typing the patient's name and select them from the list. Check that their phone number is correct, because that's where the link is sent.
Under Additionally, check Text to Pay (send payment link).
Click Save.
A pop up confirms the appointment is on hold and that the patient was texted a secure payment link. The appointment is held for 30 minutes.
Click Done to close the pop up, or click Copy payment link to copy the link and share it another way.
Booking with Text to Pay in the iOS App
Open Calendar and start a new appointment.
Choose the appointment type, provider, and clinic.
Select the service, this example requires no deposit but has the cancellation policy enabled.
A pop up confirms the appointment is on hold. The message depends on the service:
Service Deposit: the patient was texted a secure link to pay the deposit. Once they pay, the card is saved to their profile and can be used for your Cancellation Policy, if you have one.
Cancellation Policy only: the patient was texted a secure link to enter their card details and enroll in your Cancellation Policy.
Tap Done, or tap Copy payment link (deposit) or Copy card details link (Cancellation Policy only) to share the link another way.
What Your Patient Sees
The text. The patient gets a text with the service, your clinic's name and address, the appointment date and time, and a secure link.
For a deposit, it reads: "Hi! To secure your [service] appointment at [clinic and address] on [date and time], a deposit of [amount] is required. Complete your payment within 30 minutes, otherwise your appointment will not be confirmed: [link]"
For Cancellation Policy only, it asks them to provide their card details within 30 minutes to enroll in your cancellation policy.
The payment page. The link opens a secure page showing the invoice number and deposit amount. The patient's email is already filled in. They choose Apple Pay or Card and tap Pay.
The confirmation. A page tells them they're all done, their payment went through, and their appointment is confirmed.
The follow up. For a deposit, they receive an emailed receipt. They also receive your usual appointment confirmation text.
Tracking Appointments Awaiting Payment
While the link is open, the appointment stays on your calendar and is marked as awaiting payment.
Calendar: hover over the appointment to see it marked Not Confirmed. Click it to open Appointment Details, which shows a banner saying the slot is held until the link is paid.
Upcoming Appointments on the patient's profile: the appointment shows a Pending Payment status. Once the patient finishes, the status changes to Upcoming. In the iOS app, Appointment Details shows the same awaiting payment banner.
After the patient finishes, Appointment Details shows the Cancellation Policy icon and the Service Deposit icon, so your team can see at a glance which card and policy apply.
If the Patient Doesn't Finish
The 30 minutes run out. The appointment is canceled automatically and the slot opens back up. To try again, book a new appointment and send a new link.
The patient changes their mind. Cancel the pending deposit invoice. The appointment is released from the calendar and removed from Upcoming Appointments right away.
Common Questions
I don't see the Text to Pay option. Check that the service requires a deposit or that your Cancellation Policy is turned on. See Before You Begin above.
The patient says they didn't get the text. Confirm the mobile number on the patient's profile. Then open the appointment and click Text link again, or click Copy payment link and send it another way.
Can patients use Text to Pay when they book online? No. Your Online Booking portal already collects card details on its payment step, so Text to Pay is only for appointments your team books.
Can patients pay with Apple Pay? Yes. The payment page offers Apple Pay and Card.
What if the appointment has one service with a deposit and another without? The patient receives a payment link for the deposit. The card they use is saved and also covers your Cancellation Policy.
Can I still enter a card myself? Yes. Enter Credit Card Details is still available under Additionally. Use Text to Pay whenever a patient books by phone, so card numbers are never read aloud.
How do I charge a cancellation or no show fee? The saved card works like any other card on file. When you cancel the appointment or mark it as a no show, your Cancellation Policy fee is charged to that card.
If you still need help, contact your Aesthetic Record support representative with the patient's name, the appointment date, and what you see on screen.