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Managing Jobs

Quick Reference​

The Jobs page is your command center for tracking active photography projects. Here's how to navigate and manage your jobs effectively.

Quick Actions:

  • View all jobs - Click "Jobs" in the main navigation
  • Filter by status - Show only production or complete jobs
  • Filter by job type - See just weddings, portraits, etc.
  • Search - Find jobs by client name or job number
  • Open job details - Click any job to see full information

Job List Shows:

  • Client name and contact info
  • Job type (wedding, portrait, event, etc.)
  • Job status (production or complete)
  • Session date and days remaining
  • Payment status
  • Job number (e.g., JOB-2026-0015)

Common Tasks:

  • Add notes to jobs
  • Update session details
  • Mark workflow tasks complete
  • Copy portal link to send to client
  • Update job status

Next Steps: Open a job to see the full job detail page with contracts, invoices, workflows, and files.

Detailed Guide​

The Jobs List​

The Jobs page shows all your active and completed projects in one organized view. Think of it as your project dashboard—everything you need to stay on top of your workload.

What You See​

Each job in the list displays:

Client Information:

  • Name (click to view client details)
  • Email and phone (hover for quick copy)
  • Profile photo (if uploaded)

Job Details:

  • Job type with visual indicator (wedding, portrait, etc.)
  • Job number (unique identifier like JOB-2026-0015)
  • Status badge (production or complete)

Session Information:

  • Session date and time
  • Countdown (e.g., "5 days away" or "2 weeks away")
  • Location (if specified)

Financial Status:

  • Payment status indicator (paid, due, overdue)
  • Quick view of what's outstanding

Quick Actions:

  • Open job details (click anywhere on the row)
  • More actions menu (three dots icon)

Filtering and Searching​

As your business grows, you'll have dozens or hundreds of jobs. Here's how to find what you need quickly.

Filter by Status​

Production - Active jobs you're currently working on:

  • Awaiting contract signature
  • Waiting for payment
  • Upcoming sessions
  • In editing
  • Not yet delivered

Complete - Closed projects:

  • Gallery delivered
  • All payments received
  • Job archived
  • No further action needed

Toggle between views using the status filter at the top of the list. Most of the time, you'll work in the "Production" view to focus on active projects.

Pro Tip

Review your production jobs weekly. If a job has been sitting in production for months after delivery, mark it complete to keep your list clean and your metrics accurate!

Filter by Job Type​

Need to see just your wedding bookings or only portrait sessions? Use the job type filter to narrow the list:

  • All Types - Default view, shows everything
  • Wedding - Wedding photography jobs
  • Portrait - Family, senior, couple portraits
  • Event - Corporate events, parties, etc.
  • Maternity - Maternity sessions
  • Newborn - Newborn photography
  • Commercial - Business, product, real estate
  • Custom types - Any custom job types you've created

This is especially useful when you want to review pricing, workflows, or scheduling patterns for a specific type of photography.

The search box lets you find jobs by:

  • Client name - First or last name
  • Job number - Exact or partial match (e.g., "0015" or "2026")
  • Email - Client email address

Just start typing and the list filters in real-time!

Example searches:

  • "Sarah" → Shows all jobs for clients named Sarah
  • "2026" → Shows all jobs from 2026
  • "wedding" → Shows all wedding jobs

Sort Options​

Click column headers to sort:

  • Client name - Alphabetical (A-Z or Z-A)
  • Session date - Chronological (soonest first or latest first)
  • Job number - Numerical order
  • Status - Groups by production/complete

The sort preference is saved, so it stays consistent when you return to the page.

The Job Detail Page​

Click any job in the list to open the detail page—this is where all the action happens!

The job detail page is organized into sections with everything you need to manage the project from start to finish.

Overview Section​

At the top, you'll see:

Client Card:

  • Name, email, phone
  • Quick actions: Send email, call, view client profile
  • Secondary contact info (for weddings with two clients)

Job Summary:

  • Job type and number
  • Session date, time, and location
  • Status (production or complete)
  • Created date and last updated

Quick Stats:

  • Total job value
  • Amount paid vs. amount due
  • Days until session (or days since, if past)
  • Number of workflow tasks complete
Map Integration

If you entered GPS coordinates or an address for the session location, you'll see a "View on Map" link. Click it to open the location in your default map app for directions!

Status Badge​

The status badge shows the current job state:

Production (Green) - Job is active:

  • Working through workflow
  • Waiting for client action (sign contract, pay invoice)
  • Session coming up or recently completed
  • Editing in progress

Complete (Blue) - Job is closed:

  • All deliverables sent
  • All payments received (or written off)
  • No outstanding tasks
  • Archived for records

To change the status, click the badge and select a new status from the dropdown. Only change to "Complete" when everything is truly finished!

Job Actions Menu​

The actions menu (three dots or "Actions" button) provides quick access to:

Communication:

  • Send email to client
  • Copy portal link (for client access)
  • View email history

Job Management:

  • Edit job details
  • Update session date/location
  • Change job type
  • Assign to team member (if multi-user)

Status Changes:

  • Mark as complete
  • Cancel job (with reason)
  • Archive job

Danger Zone:

  • Delete job (use cautiously—removes all data)

Job Notes​

Every job has a notes section where you can record important information:

What to add:

  • Client preferences ("Prefers natural light," "Wants lots of candid shots")
  • Special requests ("Include extended family portraits")
  • Venue details ("Arrives at 2pm, ceremony at 4pm")
  • Logistics ("Parking behind building," "Check in at front desk")
  • Post-session notes ("Client loved sunset shots," "Wants to book again for family portraits")

Why notes matter:

  1. Memory aid - Months later, you'll remember specific client preferences
  2. Team coordination - If you have assistants or second shooters, they can review notes
  3. Future bookings - Returning clients get better service when you remember their preferences
  4. Business insights - Track patterns (e.g., "Many wedding clients ask for engagement sessions")

Notes are timestamped and attributed, so you can see when each note was added and by whom (if you have a team).

Pro Tip

Add notes immediately after client calls or sessions while details are fresh. Don't wait—you'll forget the little things that matter!

Tabs Navigation​

The job detail page uses tabs to organize information:

Overview Tab - Summary and quick stats (default view)

Contract Tab - Contract status, signing, and download

Invoices Tab - Payment schedule, invoices, and transaction history

Workflow Tab - Task checklist and progress tracking

Files Tab - Uploaded files, questionnaires, and gallery

Timeline Tab - Chronological activity log of everything that's happened

Click any tab to view that section. The active tab is highlighted so you always know where you are.

Job Statuses Explained​

Understanding job statuses helps you organize your workload and track progress.

Production Status​

A job is in "Production" when there's still work to be done. This is the default status for new jobs.

Common production scenarios:

  • Booking phase - Contract not signed yet, deposit not paid
  • Pre-session - Booked and paid, waiting for session date
  • Post-session - Session complete, editing in progress
  • Delivery phase - Gallery ready, finalizing delivery

When to use production: Keep jobs in production until everything is 100% complete—deliverables sent, payments received, client is happy, and there's no further action needed.

Don't rush to mark jobs complete if there's any chance of follow-up (additional edits, print orders, etc.).

Complete Status​

Mark a job complete when the entire project is finished and closed.

Criteria for completion:

  • ✅ All deliverables sent (gallery, files, prints, albums)
  • ✅ All payments received (or written off if not collectible)
  • ✅ No outstanding client requests
  • ✅ No planned follow-up
  • ✅ Job is ready to archive

What happens when you mark complete:

  • Job stays in your database but doesn't show in default views
  • Removes from "jobs in production" dashboard count
  • Can still be accessed via filter or search
  • Client portal remains accessible (if needed)

Can you reopen a completed job?

Yes! If a client comes back with a request ("Can you add 5 more photos to the gallery?"), you can change the status back to production. Nothing is permanent.

Cancelled Status​

Use "Cancelled" for jobs that were booked but didn't happen:

  • Client cancelled before the session
  • Weather-related cancellation (outdoor shoot)
  • Rescheduled to a new job
  • Client no-show

When you cancel a job, you'll be prompted to add a reason. This helps you track patterns and understand your business better.

Financial handling: Cancelled jobs may have partial payments (deposits). You'll need to handle refunds manually (via Stripe dashboard) if applicable. ShootPath tracks the cancellation but doesn't automatically process refunds.

Quick Actions from Job List​

You don't always need to open the full job detail page. The job list offers quick actions via the three-dots menu on each row:

Quick View - See summary info in a popup (faster than opening full page)

Copy Portal Link - Grab the client portal URL to send via text or email

Send Reminder - Prompt client about unsigned contract or unpaid invoice

Mark Complete - Change status without opening job (if you're sure!)

View Client - Jump to client profile instead of job details

These actions save time when you're triaging multiple jobs or doing bulk updates.

Managing Multiple Jobs Efficiently​

As you take on more clients, you'll have many jobs in various stages. Here's how to stay organized:

Weekly Job Review​

Set aside 30 minutes each week to review your production jobs:

  1. Check upcoming sessions - Are locations confirmed? Equipment prepped?
  2. Review payment status - Any overdue invoices? Send reminders
  3. Check workflow progress - Any stuck jobs? What's blocking them?
  4. Mark completed jobs - Delivered galleries? Mark complete to clear the list

This weekly review keeps things from falling through the cracks.

Priority Views​

Create mental priority buckets:

Urgent (Handle today):

  • Session is tomorrow and contract isn't signed
  • Payment is overdue and session is in 3 days
  • Gallery delivery deadline is today

Important (Handle this week):

  • Sessions next week need final details confirmed
  • Editing for jobs with deadlines approaching
  • Follow up on quotes from last week

Routine (Handle when possible):

  • Jobs with sessions 2+ weeks away
  • Completed jobs that need status update
  • Client requests with no urgency

Use filters and sorts to surface urgent items first.

Dashboard Insights​

Your dashboard shows key metrics:

  • Jobs in production - Current workload
  • Upcoming this week - Sessions you need to prep for
  • Payments due - Financial actions needed
  • Awaiting action - Jobs stuck waiting for something

Review these metrics daily to stay on top of your business.

Avoid Over-Booking

Watch your "jobs in production" count. If you have 10 jobs and each requires 10 hours of editing, that's 100 hours of work. Make sure you have capacity before booking more!

Job Numbers​

Every job gets a unique job number when created. The format is typically:

JOB-YEAR-SEQUENCE
Example: JOB-2026-0015

Why job numbers matter:

  1. Unique identifier - No confusion when you have multiple Smiths or Johnsons
  2. File organization - Name folders and exports with the job number
  3. Communication reference - "Regarding JOB-2026-0015..." in emails
  4. Accounting - Reference in invoices and receipts
  5. Easy searching - Find jobs quickly by number

Job numbers are auto-generated and sequential per year, so the first job of 2026 is JOB-2026-0001, the next is JOB-2026-0002, and so on.

Pro Tip

Include the job number in your gallery folder names and file exports. Example: "JOB-2026-0015_Johnson_Wedding_Photos". This makes it easy to find and reference later!

Every job has a unique portal link where clients can:

  • View job details
  • Sign contracts
  • Make payments
  • Fill out questionnaires
  • View and download their gallery

To share the portal link:

  1. Open the job
  2. Click "Copy Portal Link" button
  3. Paste into an email, text, or message to your client

The link looks like:

https://yoursite.shootpath.com/portal/abc123def456/job

The token in the URL (abc123def456) is unique and secure. Clients don't need to log in—the token grants access.

When to share the portal link:

ShootPath automatically emails the portal link when you:

  • Send a quote
  • Send a contract
  • Send an invoice

But you can also manually share the link anytime:

  • Client lost the email
  • Want to give access before sending something formally
  • Easier than emailing (send via text)
Secure Links

Portal links are secure and unique per job. Only someone with the link can access the portal. If you ever need to revoke access, you can regenerate the portal token in job settings.

Bulk Actions (Coming Soon)​

Currently, actions are performed one job at a time. In the future, ShootPath will support bulk actions:

  • Mark multiple jobs complete at once
  • Send reminders to multiple clients
  • Export data for multiple jobs
  • Apply workflow changes to multiple jobs

For now, use filters to work through jobs systematically (e.g., filter for "complete" eligible jobs and mark them one by one).

Tips for Effective Job Management​

Update information as you go - Don't wait until the end of the project to add notes or update details. Real-time updates keep everything accurate.

Use consistent naming - If you have your own system for job naming or file organization, stick with it. Consistency makes future searches easier.

Set calendar reminders - For important milestones (payment deadlines, session dates, delivery dates), set reminders in your personal calendar as backup.

Communicate status to clients - Don't leave clients wondering. Send updates: "Just finished editing your photos, gallery will be ready by Friday!"

Review completed jobs - After finishing a job, take 5 minutes to review what went well and what you'd improve. These insights make future jobs smoother.

Don't let jobs linger - If a job has been in production for 6 months after gallery delivery, either mark it complete or add a note explaining why it's still open.

Use job notes for client history - When a client books again (new job), review notes from their previous job. You'll remember their preferences and deliver better service!

Common Scenarios​

Scenario: Client hasn't signed the contract

  1. Open the job
  2. Go to Contract tab
  3. Check status (should show "Sent" or "Pending")
  4. Click "Resend Contract" or "Send Reminder"
  5. Add a friendly note: "Hey Sarah! Just wanted to make sure you received the contract. Let me know if you have any questions!"

Scenario: Payment is overdue

  1. Open the job
  2. Go to Invoices tab
  3. Find the overdue invoice
  4. Click "Send Payment Reminder"
  5. Optionally, call the client to follow up personally

Scenario: Session date changed

  1. Open the job
  2. Click "Edit Job Details" or go to Overview tab
  3. Update session date and time
  4. Save changes
  5. Send an email to client confirming new date

Scenario: Client requested additional edits post-delivery

  1. Open the job (even if marked complete)
  2. Change status back to "Production"
  3. Add a note: "Client requested 3 more photos edited - working on it"
  4. Complete the edits
  5. Send updated gallery
  6. Mark complete again

Scenario: Job is complete but client might order prints

Keep the job in "Production" until you're confident there won't be print orders. Or mark complete but note that print orders may come later. Either way works—choose what makes sense for your workflow.

What's Next?​

Now that you know how to manage jobs, explore other aspects:

Job Workflows - Learn how workflow tasks keep you on track

Timeline & Scheduling - Manage session dates and calendars

Job Files - Handle contracts, invoices, questionnaires, and galleries

Or jump to other sections:

Contracts - Set up contract templates and signing

Invoices - Configure payment processing and invoices

Galleries - Create and deliver photo galleries

Questions? Use the help widget in ShootPath or reach out to support if you need assistance!