I can say a booking is "good" while four different things are happening underneath.
The client wants the tattoo. We agreed on a date. The deposit arrived. I still have to make the drawing.
All four can be true at the same time.
That is why one green badge is never enough for me. It can tell me the appointment is confirmed and still hide the work I owe before the client walks in.
The four dimensions can move separately
Interest
Interest tells me whether there is a project worth looking at. The request may be detailed or vague. If I see something real in it, I give it my attention and ask for whatever is missing.
This dimension belongs to the conversation. It ends when I decline the project or decide to move it forward.
Date
A date can be offered, chosen, held, awaiting confirmation, confirmed, cancelled, or done. Those words are not interchangeable.
The date dimension answers a blunt question: should the client expect to see me at the shop?
Deposit
A deposit has a life of its own. It can be pending, paid, applied, refunded, waived, retained, or credited. The exact rule belongs to the artist or shop.
For my workflow, I usually expect it within one or two days. Until then, I need to know the deadline and whether I am still protecting the date.
Drawing
The drawing is my responsibility. It can still need research, a deadline, a draft, a revision, or approval after the client has completed every step on their side.
Money moving does not make the project ready. A confirmed appointment can still have a drawing due Thursday.
Friday is confirmed. The drawing is still due.
A client chooses Friday the 18th. I have accepted the project. The deposit is due Tuesday, and the drawing is due Thursday.
The deposit arrives Tuesday night. The appointment becomes Confirmed. Good.
I still have a drawing to make.
If the app shows only Confirmed, it hides the next useful action. I need to see both truths:
- Appointment confirmed: Friday the 18th.
- Drawing due: Thursday.
The booking is real. The work is unfinished. That is normal.
Appointment type and appointment state are different
Type answers what kind of visit is on the calendar: a consultation, tattoo session, retouch, or flash appointment.
State answers where that visit stands. The Affichr appointment model described here uses Pending, Awaiting deposit, Confirmed, Cancelled, and Done.
Consultation does not mean Pending. One is the kind of appointment. The other says where it stands.
A client should not have to guess whether they booked a consultation or the tattoo itself. I should not have to reconstruct the booking to learn whether the deposit arrived or the drawing is due.
The four dimensions are a founder workflow model, not four literal database labels. They combine signals that can move independently around an appointment.
The state should name who moves next
This is a working view of the booking, not one master list of database statuses. It combines request, time option, appointment, deposit, and drawing signals because they can move independently.
| State or signal | Who acts now? | Next action | What ends the state? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Request pending | Artist | Review the idea, placement, references, and fit. Ask for what is missing or make a decision. | The artist declines it or moves the project forward. |
| Options sent | Client | Choose one of the artist's offered times. | A time is chosen, the offer expires, or the artist withdraws it. |
| Pending appointment | Client or artist | Complete the missing confirmation step named in the message. | The appointment moves to Awaiting deposit, Confirmed, or Cancelled. |
| Awaiting deposit | Client | Pay before the deadline or contact the artist. | The deposit is resolved or the date is released. |
| Confirmed, drawing due | Artist | Research, draw, revise, or prepare the design. | The drawing is ready. The appointment can remain Confirmed. |
| Done or Cancelled | Artist, if follow-up remains | Record the outcome, handle any balance or follow-up, then close it. | Follow-up has an owner or nothing else is due. |
Pending on its own is weak. Pending what? Who has to move? When do we stop waiting?
A useful state answers those questions without making me reconstruct the whole booking.
What belongs at the top
The history can keep the long trail. The top of the day should stay simpler.
- Is the client still interested?
- Is the date actually secured?
- Does the deposit need attention?
- Do I owe a drawing?
Then show the next person who has to act.
That is enough to tell me what happened, what needs attention, and what comes next.
Frequently asked questions
Is a consultation a tattoo booking status?
No. Consultation is an appointment type. Pending, Awaiting deposit, Confirmed, Cancelled, and Done describe the appointment's state.
Is the booking work finished when the deposit is paid?
No. The appointment may be confirmed while the artist still has research, drawing, revision, preparation, or reminders to complete.
What should a Pending status tell the artist?
It should identify what is missing, who acts next, and the deadline or event that ends the wait. If it cannot do that, Pending is only a color.