Getting started
Welcome to Studio Lifesaver! This guide walks you through the recommended
setup sequence so each feature builds on the last. Follow the steps in
order and you’ll be fully operational — clients, invoicing,
automations, social media, and galleries — with minimal
backtracking.
Key principle: data before workflows, workflows before
sessions, sessions before social. Each layer depends on what came before it.
Make it yours before anything else. Start in Pro → Settings.
- Add your Business Name and address under Pro → Settings → Business Settings.
- Set your custom URL under Pro → Settings → Email & Domain Settings. This is where all your client-facing pages (invoices, galleries, proposals) will live.
- Verify your email address on the same page. This allows you to send emails for invoices, proposals, and galleries.
- Upload your logo and set brand colors to match your style under Settings → Branding Settings.
- Connect your Stripe account to enable invoicing and payments under Settings → Payment Settings.
- Connect Google Calendar to sync sessions and events.
- If migrating from HoneyBook, Dubsado, or Sprout Studio — request the free data migration now, before adding any data manually.
Open for business — set up the full client journey in Pro → Service Packages.
- Configure your session types with pricing, duration, and deposit settings.
- Set up any products you offer.
- If you offer bundled sessions and products, configure those bundles by adding multiple sessions or products into a Service Package.
- Run a test booking end-to-end to make sure everything is set up properly.
Populate your database — this powers everything downstream.
- Import existing clients under Pro → Contacts.
- Complete each client profile with contact details, notes, and social handles.
- Set up your lead capture form in Pro → Settings → Lead Form so new inquiries flow in automatically.
Build your templates under Pro → Templates.
- Create your standard contracts.
- Set up client questionnaire and form templates. Use the AI conversion tool to upload your previous templates for easy setup.
- Add your invoice templates for standard invoices that fall outside of standard sessions.
Connect your audience with posts that tag themselves. Click Social in the upper left to find all the social options and posting.
- Connect your social accounts (Instagram, Facebook, etc.) in Social → Profiles.
- Click the Voice Profiles tab to create a voice profile. Enter your social profile and the AI will analyze your unique voice to write in your style.
- Build your vendor and location library with their social handles in Social → Settings → Locations and Social → Settings → Vendors.
- Prompt clients to enter their social tags when booking, or enter them in Social → Settings → Clients.
- Create and schedule your first post. Tags for each contact and tagged vendor should appear automatically.
Deliver a beautiful, branded experience. Galleries can be attached to a session or standalone.
- Set up gallery branding, themes, and custom colors.
- Configure expiration controls and full-resolution download settings.
- Enable email-gated access or passwords for privacy.
- Set up WHCC print and album ordering if you offer print products.
- Upload a test gallery and walk through the full client experience.
If you work with second shooters or assistants, set them up in Pro → Team.
- Invite second shooters and assistants from the Team section.
- Set up your second shooters including their roles and dates.
- Invite team members to their Team Portal — they can view upcoming requests and gigs, and track invoices and payments.
- Assign team members to upcoming sessions on the Session Detail page.
Wire your business together so it runs itself.
- Set trigger-based automations (date-based reminders, status changes).
- Configure payment reminder automations.
- Add conditional logic for different session or client types.
- Use the AI-powered automation builder to speed up workflow creation.
Your command center — check it daily.
- Confirm your Pro Dashboard surfaces upcoming sessions, outstanding invoices, and tasks correctly.
- Check weather and sunrise/sunset times are showing for your session locations.
- Bookmark the dashboard as your daily home base.
- Review the community roadmap — your feedback shapes what gets built next.
Quick reference: setup checklist
| # |
Phase |
Key actions |
| 1 |
Account & Brand |
Custom URL, logo, brand colors, Stripe, Google Calendar |
| 2 |
Sessions & Booking |
Session types, pricing, products, packages, test booking |
| 3 |
Clients & Leads |
Import clients, complete profiles, lead capture form |
| 4 |
Templates |
Contracts, questionnaires, invoice templates |
| 5 |
Social Media |
Connect accounts, AI voice training, vendors, first post |
| 6 |
Client Galleries |
Branding, downloads, expiration, WHCC, test gallery |
| 7 |
Team |
Invite team, set roles, assign sessions (if applicable) |
| 8 |
Workflows |
Automations, triggers, conditional logic |
| 9 |
Daily Dashboard |
Verify dashboard data, bookmark, join community |
Need help?
Studio Lifesaver offers real human support and a community-driven roadmap.
Request a free CRM migration and we’ll move your clients, sessions,
and templates for you. Have an idea? Submit it on the Help & Support
page — the roadmap is 100% community-driven.
You’ve got this. Now get back behind the lens.