Mobile Overview
Quick Reference
The ShootPath mobile apps for iOS and Android bring your photography business to your pocket. Manage leads, check job details, view your calendar, and stay connected with clients—whether you're on location, meeting with clients, or away from your desk.
Available For:
- iOS - iPhone and iPad (iOS 17+)
- Android - Phones and tablets (Android 10+)
What Mobile Apps Do Best:
- Check today's sessions and upcoming schedule
- View job and client details on the go
- Review session information during shoots
- Quick status updates after sessions
- Access client contact information
- View galleries and portfolio
- Respond to leads and inquiries
- Monitor dashboard metrics
What Mobile Apps DON'T Do:
- Full quote building (use desktop)
- Complex workflow customization (use desktop)
- Bulk photo uploads to galleries (use desktop)
- Detailed financial reporting (use desktop)
- Contract template editing (use desktop)
- Email template management (use desktop)
Download:
- iOS: App Store → Search "ShootPath"
- Android: Google Play Store → Search "ShootPath"
Detailed Guide
What Are the ShootPath Mobile Apps?
Think of the mobile apps as your "field companion" for running your photography business. They're not meant to replace your desktop workflow for building quotes or editing contracts, but they excel at keeping you informed and responsive when you're away from your computer.
The mobile apps are designed for photographers who are:
- On location at photo shoots
- Meeting with clients in person
- Commuting between sessions
- Traveling for destination work
- Away from the desk but need quick access to information
Why Mobile Matters
Stay Responsive
When a hot lead comes in while you're shooting a session, you can review their inquiry and respond quickly with a professional message. Fast responses win more bookings—and you don't need to wait until you're back at your desk.
Professional On-Site Experience
During a session, pull up the client's questionnaire on your phone to review their preferences. Check the timeline for a wedding. Verify session details. You look organized and prepared, which builds client confidence.
Confidence Between Sessions
Know exactly what's coming up without opening your laptop. Check your calendar while grabbing coffee. Review tomorrow's session details before bed. See which jobs need attention. This awareness reduces stress and keeps you ahead of your schedule.
Quick Updates
After wrapping a session, mark workflow tasks complete from your phone. Update job status. Add quick notes about the shoot. These micro-actions keep your system current without dedicating desk time.
Mobile vs. Desktop: Understanding the Difference
The ShootPath mobile apps are read-focused with selective write capabilities. Here's how they differ from the desktop web app:
What Mobile Does Well
Information Access:
- View all jobs, leads, clients
- See complete job details (pricing, dates, client info)
- Check calendar and upcoming sessions
- Review dashboard metrics and stats
- Access client contact information
- View galleries and photos
- Read workflow tasks and progress
- See timeline activity for jobs
Quick Actions:
- Mark workflow tasks complete
- Update job status (e.g., mark session as completed)
- Add notes to jobs
- Send quick messages to clients
- Record payments (simple cases)
- Respond to leads
- Check notifications
- Pull up session addresses and directions
On-Location Tools:
- Session details at a glance
- Client questionnaire responses
- Emergency contact information
- Timeline tracking during events
- Quick status updates
What Requires Desktop
Complex Creation:
- Building detailed quotes with packages and add-ons
- Creating contracts from templates
- Setting up workflows and automation rules
- Designing email templates
- Configuring questionnaires
- Creating mini session events
Bulk Operations:
- Uploading galleries (especially 100+ photos)
- Batch editing client information
- Mass email campaigns
- Generating complex reports
- Exporting financial data
Configuration:
- Business settings and branding
- Integration setup (Stripe, Gmail, etc.)
- Team member management
- Invoice template customization
- Contract template editing
- Payment schedule configuration
Why the split?
Some tasks are legitimately better suited to larger screens, keyboards, and desktop workflows. Quote building benefits from seeing all pricing details at once. Contract review needs careful reading on a full screen. Photo uploads work best with file browsers and stable wifi.
Mobile focuses on what matters when you're mobile: quick access, status updates, and staying informed.
Getting Started with Mobile
Installation
iOS (iPhone/iPad):
- Open the App Store
- Search for "ShootPath"
- Tap Get / Install
- Wait for download to complete
- Open ShootPath from your home screen
Android (Phone/Tablet):
- Open Google Play Store
- Search for "ShootPath"
- Tap Install
- Wait for download to complete
- Open ShootPath from your app drawer
First Launch and Login
When you first open the app:
- Welcome screen - Tap Log In
- Enter credentials - Use the same email and password from your desktop account
- Multi-tenant selection (if applicable) - If you belong to multiple studios, select which one to access
- Grant permissions (optional but recommended):
- Notifications - Get alerts for new leads, session reminders, and payment notifications
- Calendar access - Sync ShootPath sessions with your device calendar
- Location access - For navigation to session locations
- Initial sync - The app downloads your data (jobs, leads, calendar)
- Dashboard appears - You're ready to use ShootPath mobile!
No account yet?
You cannot create a new ShootPath account from the mobile app. Sign up at the ShootPath website on desktop first, then log in on mobile.
Navigation Basics
The mobile app uses a tab bar at the bottom for primary navigation:
Dashboard Tab (House icon)
- Quick overview of your business
- Today's sessions
- Action items needing attention
- Revenue and lead metrics
Leads Tab (Person+ icon)
- All inquiries and potential bookings
- Filter by status (new, contacted, quoted)
- Respond to inquiries
- Convert to jobs
Jobs Tab (Camera icon)
- Active and completed jobs
- Filter by job type or status
- View job details, timelines, and files
- Mark tasks complete
Calendar Tab (Calendar icon)
- Visual schedule of all sessions
- Mini session events
- Blocked time
- Week and month views
More Tab (Ellipsis icon)
- Mini-sessions management
- Settings and preferences
- Notifications configuration
- Log out
Pull to refresh: Throughout the app, pull down on any list to refresh data from the server.
Understanding Mobile Sync
The mobile app syncs with your ShootPath server in near-real-time.
What "sync" means:
When you open the mobile app, it downloads the latest data from your account:
- Jobs created or updated on desktop
- New leads that came in
- Calendar changes
- Client updates
- Payment status changes
When you make changes on mobile (mark a task complete, add a note), those sync back to the server immediately, so the desktop app sees them too.
Sync status:
Watch the sync indicator at the top of the Dashboard:
- Green checkmark - Synced successfully, data is current
- Spinning icon - Syncing now
- Yellow warning - Sync delayed (slow connection)
- Red error - Sync failed (no internet or server issue)
Manual refresh:
Pull down on any screen to force a refresh. This is useful if you've been offline and just reconnected, or if you know someone updated something on desktop and you want to see it immediately.
Offline mode:
The app caches recently viewed data, so you can still browse jobs, clients, and calendar when offline. However, you cannot:
- Create new records
- Update information
- Send messages
- Load new data
Once you reconnect, any queued actions will sync automatically (if supported—most read-only browsing is cached, but writes require connectivity).
Mobile Security and Privacy
Biometric Login (Recommended)
After your first login, the app offers to enable Face ID (iOS) or Fingerprint / Face Unlock (Android) for faster, more secure access.
Benefits:
- Skip typing password every time
- Stronger security than a short password
- Faster access when checking something quickly
Enable biometric login:
- Open the app and log in with password
- Go to More > Settings
- Toggle Enable Biometric Login
- Confirm with your face or fingerprint
Session timeout:
For security, the mobile app logs you out after 14 days of inactivity. This prevents someone accessing your account if your phone is lost or stolen weeks later.
If your phone is lost or stolen:
Immediately:
- Log in to ShootPath on desktop
- Go to Settings > Security
- Click Revoke All Mobile Sessions
- Your lost device will be logged out remotely
Then change your password and re-login on your new/recovered device.
Mobile App Settings
Access settings by tapping More tab, then Settings (gear icon if available) or various options listed.
Available Settings:
Notifications:
- Session reminders (1 day before, 1 hour before)
- New lead alerts
- Payment received notifications
- Contract signed alerts
- Gallery delivery reminders
- Push notification sound and badges
Data & Sync:
- Auto-refresh interval
- Cache size
- Clear cached data
- Download limit for galleries
Calendar:
- Sync with device calendar
- Default calendar view (week/month)
- First day of week
- Time zone handling
Appearance:
- Light/Dark mode (or follow system)
- Color scheme preferences
About:
- App version
- Privacy policy
- Terms of service
- Support contact
Getting the Most from Mobile
Daily Habits:
Morning:
- Open Dashboard to see today's sessions
- Tap any session to review details
- Check Needs Attention for urgent tasks
Before Sessions:
- Open the job detail for the session
- Review client questionnaire responses
- Check session location and directions
- Screenshot the client's contact number (for easy access if app is closed)
After Sessions:
- Mark "Conduct Photo Session" task complete
- Add quick notes: "Gorgeous light!" or "Client requested extra family portraits"
- Update job status if appropriate
End of Day:
- Quick scan of new leads
- Respond to any that came in during the day
Weekly:
- Review upcoming week's schedule
- Confirm session details and locations
- Check that all needed equipment is ready
When You Get a Lead:
Even if you're away from your desk, you can:
- Open the lead from the notification
- Read their inquiry details
- Send a quick reply: "Thanks for reaching out! I'd love to photograph your wedding. I'll send a detailed response and pricing within 24 hours!"
This fast acknowledgment keeps leads warm and prevents them from moving on to another photographer.
Mobile App Updates
Auto-updates:
On both iOS and Android, the ShootPath app updates automatically if you have auto-update enabled in your device settings.
Manual updates:
iOS:
- Open App Store
- Tap your profile icon (top right)
- Scroll to Available Updates
- Find ShootPath, tap Update
Android:
- Open Google Play Store
- Tap menu icon (three lines)
- Tap My apps & games
- Find ShootPath, tap Update
Why update?
Updates include:
- Bug fixes and stability improvements
- New features and capabilities
- Security enhancements
- Performance optimizations
- Compatibility with latest iOS/Android versions
Update notifications:
ShootPath occasionally notifies you of important updates within the app. These are only shown for critical updates that fix security issues or add important functionality.
Mobile App Limitations (Important)
Understanding what mobile cannot do prevents frustration and helps you plan your workflow appropriately.
Cannot Create:
- New quotes (must use desktop)
- New contracts (must use desktop)
- New email templates (must use desktop)
- New workflows (must use desktop)
- Mini session events (must use desktop)
Cannot Edit:
- Existing quotes (view only)
- Contracts (view only)
- Email templates (view only)
- Workflow definitions (view only)
- Business settings (view only)
Cannot Bulk Upload:
- Galleries with 50+ photos (desktop is far more efficient)
- Client imports (desktop only)
- Payment history (desktop only)
Cannot Configure:
- Integrations (Stripe, Gmail, etc.) - desktop only
- Team permissions (desktop only)
- Branding and templates (desktop only)
- Advanced financial settings (desktop only)
Why these limitations?
These actions require:
- Careful review and editing (better on large screens)
- File management (better with file browsers)
- Complex forms (easier with keyboards)
- Visual design tools (need precision)
Mobile excels at quick access and simple updates. Desktop excels at detailed creation and configuration. Use each for what it does best!
Cross-Platform Consistency
The same account works everywhere:
Log in with the same credentials on:
- iOS app
- Android app
- Desktop web browser
- Tablet browser
Your data syncs across all devices. A job you view on iPhone appears on your Android tablet. A task you complete on desktop shows as complete on mobile.
Multi-studio support:
If you belong to multiple photography studios (perhaps you assist for another photographer, or you run two businesses), you can switch between tenants/studios from the More tab:
- Tap More
- Tap Switch Studio
- Select the studio to view
- The app refreshes with that studio's data
Each studio's data is completely separate—jobs, leads, clients, and calendar are unique to each business.
When Mobile Isn't Enough
Recognize when it's time to use desktop:
- Building a quote - Use desktop for full pricing control
- Editing contracts - Large screen for reviewing legal text
- Uploading galleries - Desktop for bulk uploads over wifi
- Creating workflows - Desktop for detailed automation setup
- Financial reporting - Desktop for generating reports
- Configuring integrations - Desktop for API keys and settings
- Team management - Desktop for setting permissions
Mobile complements desktop—it doesn't replace it. Use mobile for awareness, responsiveness, and quick actions. Use desktop for creation, configuration, and bulk operations.
Mobile App Support
Getting help:
If you encounter issues with the mobile app:
- Check app version - Ensure you're running the latest version (Settings > About)
- Restart the app - Close completely and reopen
- Check internet connection - Some features require connectivity
- Re-login - Log out and log back in to refresh authentication
- Contact support - Use the help widget or email support@shootpath.com
Common issues:
"Cannot connect to server"
- Check internet connection
- Verify server URL is correct (if self-hosted)
- Try switching from wifi to cellular (or vice versa)
"Session expired"
- Log out and log back in
- Check password is correct
- Ensure account is active
App crashes or freezes:
- Update to latest version
- Clear app cache (Settings > Data & Sync)
- Restart device
- Reinstall app if problem persists
What's Next?
Ready to master the mobile app? Explore these articles:
Mobile Features - Complete guide to what you can do on mobile
On-Location Workflows - Using mobile during photo shoots
Mobile Settings - Configure notifications, sync, and preferences
Related Topics:
Jobs Overview - Understand the data you're viewing on mobile
Calendar Overview - How mobile calendar integrates with your schedule
Workflows - Task management and automation (configured on desktop, viewed on mobile)
Questions? Check the mobile settings for support links, or reach out via the help widget!