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Help

How to set up petboard and run your day in it, one step at a time.

Get set up

Read these in order. If you cannot see Settings, ask the business owner.

Set up your business

Set up your business in petboard by typing its name, your WhatsApp number and your main service.

  1. On "Your business", type your "Business name (or your name)" and your "WhatsApp number". Clients see this name on your messages.
  2. Under "What is your main service?", tap one service. Under "Pets you accept", Dog is already picked. Tap any other pet you take.
  3. Answer "Moving from another app, Excel or a register?". "Also offer (optional)", the price and "City (optional)" can stay empty.
  4. Tick the box for the Terms & Conditions and the box for the Data Processing Addendum. Then tap "Next". petboard opens your first booking.

If this does not work

  • You run a vet clinic: tap "Running a vet clinic? Set up your clinic instead." before you tap "Next".
  • "Next" does not move you on: read the line under each field. It says what is missing, like a 10-digit phone number.
  • You typed something wrong: change it later in Settings, under "Identity & Facility".

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Add your first booking

Add your first booking for one real client and their pet, right after you set up your business.

  1. If you already have clients, tap the client in the list. For someone new, tap "+ New client".
  2. Fill in the client’s phone and name, the pet’s name and the dates. Use a real client, not your own number.
  3. Tick the consent box, then tap "Create booking".
  4. Tap "Send confirmation on WhatsApp" to send it from your own WhatsApp. Then tap "Done".
  5. If you have no booking to add yet, tap "No booking to add right now". You can add one later.

If this does not work

  • You see "This is your own number.": type your client’s phone instead, or tap "Book anyway".

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Send your enquiry link

Send clients your enquiry link from the "Get your next booking" screen, so they can ask you for a booking.

  1. Tap "Send your enquiry link to a client". Then tap "Send on WhatsApp" and pick the client, or tap "Copy link".
  2. Clients fill in their name and phone, and can add their pet and dates. You see them in Clients, and in Intake under "Enquiries".

If this does not work

  • A client filled in your enquiry link, but no booking appeared: an enquiry is not a booking. Open Intake, tap "Enquiries" and contact them.

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Share your intake form

Share your intake form so clients fill in their pet’s details, and their requests go to Intake.

  1. Open Intake. Under "Share with clients", tap "Send" next to "Full Intake Form".
  2. Tap "Send on WhatsApp" and pick the client. Or tap "Copy link" and paste it anywhere.
  3. Send it to your own WhatsApp first to see what clients get.

If this does not work

  • You do not see "Share with clients": tap "Requests" at the top of Intake first.
  • A client sent the form, but you cannot find it: open Intake and tap "Requests".

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Set your rates

Set your rates by adding a price for each service, so you can quote and bill.

Before you start: The business owner, or staff who can open Settings.

  1. Open Settings (on a phone: More, then Settings). Tap "Pricing & Packages", then "Services & Pricing".
  2. Pick a service and set its rate.
  3. For extras like a pool session or a park visit, open "Add-on Services".

If this does not work

  • "Set your rates" stays unticked on your Dashboard: give at least one service a price.

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Import your clients

Import your clients from another app or a spreadsheet, and importing them is free.

Before you start: The business owner, or staff who can open Settings.

  1. Export your client list from your old app as a CSV file.
  2. Open Settings (on a phone: More, then Settings). Tap "Integrations", then "Import my data".
  3. Pick the file. Type how many rows it has, what it holds and which app it came from. Scroll the agreement to the end, tick the box, then tap "Sign & upload".
  4. If you see "Match your columns", match each column and check 5 rows. petboard then imports your clients.
  5. If you see "We have your file", petboard imports it within one working day.

If this does not work

  • Matching the columns is hard: tap "Import it for me". petboard imports it within one working day.

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See what a client fills in

See what a client fills in by trying your form with a sample pet, without saving anything.

  1. On "Get your next booking", tap "See what a client fills in".
  2. Later, open Settings (on a phone: More, then Settings) and tap "Messages". Under "Shareable Links", tap "Preview what clients see".
  3. Answer the questions as a client would. You see the note "Preview. Nothing you type here is saved."
  4. At the end of the form, tap the send button. You then see what you would see on that pet’s booking.
  5. Tap "Back" to go back.

If this does not work

  • You worry the test reached a client: the preview sends nothing and saves nothing.

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Use the Getting Started list

The "Getting Started" list on your Dashboard shows which setup steps are left, and none of them are required.

  1. Open your Dashboard. If "Getting Started" shows as one line, tap "Show".
  2. Tap a step, or its button, to do it.
  3. "Set your rates" ticks when one of your services has a price. "Add your first pet & booking" ticks when you have a booking.
  4. "Share your intake link" ticks when you send or copy your link, or a client sends a form. "Send your first photo update" ticks when you send one.
  5. The list goes away when every step is ticked.

If this does not work

  • You do not see "Getting Started": it shows every day in your first 30 days. After that, it shows only on days with no pets in or arriving.

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Bookings, check-in and check-out

Answer a new enquiry or request

Enquiries and requests from clients wait on the Intake page until you answer them.

  1. Open Intake. Tap "Requests" for forms clients sent you, or "Enquiries" for people who want you to contact them.
  2. Under "Requests", open "New". Tick the consent box, then tap "Book it". If a date or a rate is missing, petboard asks for it.
  3. To get all the details first, tap "Send Full Form". When the client sends it, it shows under "Ready to Confirm". Tap "Confirm Booking".
  4. To say no, tap "Reject", then "Confirm Reject". After you book or say no, petboard offers a WhatsApp message to the client.
  5. Under "Enquiries", tap a name. Tap "WhatsApp" to message them, or "Convert to client" to add them as a client.

If this does not work

  • "Book it" does not work: tick the consent box first.
  • You will not take an enquiry: tap it, then "Not interested", then "Mark not interested".

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See and add bookings

Bookings you confirm show on the Bookings page, under "Upcoming" until they start.

  1. Requests from your intake form wait in Intake. Tap "Confirm Booking" there to make a booking.
  2. "Upcoming" lists bookings that have not started, with the amount due on each.
  3. Tap "New Booking" to add a booking yourself.

If this does not work

  • A booking is missing from "Upcoming": it may have started. Tap "Active", or tap "Past" for finished ones.
  • A request from your form is not in Bookings: open Intake and confirm it first.

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Check a pet in

Check a pet in from Arrivals on your Dashboard when it arrives.

  1. On the pet’s card, tap the button to check in.
  2. If petboard asks for a room, tap a free one. You can skip this.

If this does not work

  • The pet is not in Arrivals: open Bookings, find the pet under "Upcoming" and check it in there.
  • You checked in the wrong pet: open Bookings, tap "Show details" on its card, then "Undo check-in".

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Mark daily care tasks done

Open Tasks to mark the day’s feeding, walks and medicines done.

  1. Tap a task to mark it done.
  2. If a task needs a photo, petboard asks for one first.

If this does not work

  • You do not see Tasks: ask the business owner.

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Send a photo update

Open Updates to send a client a photo update from your own WhatsApp.

Before you start: "Photo Updates" is on for new accounts. If someone turned it off, it is in Settings, under "Advanced".

  1. Add photos and a note, then choose the pets.
  2. Tap "Prepare share", then send it from your own WhatsApp.
  3. If a staff member has "Review on", their update waits until someone approves it.

If this does not work

  • You do not see Updates: turn on "Photo Updates" in Settings, under "Advanced". Or ask the business owner.

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Check a pet out and see the bill

For a boarding or daycare booking, open Departures on your Dashboard and tap the check-out button on the pet’s card to see the bill.

  1. To change a rate, tap "Edit rate, discount or add-ons".
  2. On that page, a vet bill you paid for the client goes under "Reimbursables".

If this does not work

  • The bill shows the wrong rate: tap "Edit rate, discount or add-ons" before you finish.
  • You need to refund a client or change an invoice: ask the petboard team.

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Fix the dates or cancel a booking

Fix the dates or cancel a boarding or daycare booking from the pet’s card on the Bookings page.

  1. Open Bookings, find the pet and tap "Show details". Tap "Edit dates", change the dates, then tap "Save".
  2. If the pet is checked in, only the check-out date can change. To change the check-in date, tap "Undo check-in" first.
  3. To cancel a booking that has not started, tap "Cancel", then "Cancel booking".
  4. To cancel for a pet that is checked in, tap the bin icon, then "Cancel booking".

If this does not work

  • You need to refund a client, or change an invoice or a credit note: ask the petboard team.

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Find a past booking

Find a past boarding or daycare booking on the Bookings page under "Past", along with cancelled bookings.

  1. Open Bookings and tap "Past".
  2. The list starts at "This month". To look further back, pick "All time" or another range.
  3. Type the pet name, client name or phone in the search box.
  4. Or open Clients (on a phone: More, then Clients) and tap the pet’s name. The "History" tab lists that pet’s bookings.

If this does not work

  • The search finds nothing: pick "All time" first, then search again.

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Book regular daycare days

Book regular daycare days, like every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, in one go.

  1. Open Bookings and tap "New Booking". Search for the client and tap their name. If they have more than one pet, tap the pet.
  2. Pick Daycare as the service, and set the date of the first day.
  3. Under "Quick: weekly schedule", tap the days of the week you want. Then pick how many weeks.
  4. Tap the button that makes the dates. Then tap "Create Booking". Each day becomes its own booking.
  5. You can add up to 30 more days at a time. To book further ahead, make a second booking that starts after the last day.

If this does not work

  • petboard makes none of the bookings: the client’s daycare package may have fewer days left than you picked. Pick fewer weeks.

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Set up rooms and put a pet in one

Set up rooms or kennels for boarding, then put each pet in a room when it checks in.

Before you start: Needs a boarding or board-and-train service. The business owner, or staff who can open Settings, adds the rooms.

  1. Open Settings (on a phone: More, then Settings). Tap "Identity & Facility" and go to "Rooms / Pens".
  2. Tap "+ Add Room" to add one room. To add many, tap "Add multiple", fill in "How many", "Name prefix" and "Type", then tap the button that adds the rooms.
  3. Change a room’s name, type or "Capacity" in its row. Capacity is how many pets share the room. Changes save by themselves.
  4. When you check in a boarding pet, petboard shows "Assign Room". Tap a free room, or tap "Skip — Check in without room".
  5. To move a pet later, open Bookings and tap "Show details" on its card. Next to "Room", tap the room name or "Unassigned".

If this does not work

  • You want to see every room and who is in it: open Rooms (on a phone: More, then Rooms).
  • You do not see "Assign Room" at check-in: you have no rooms yet, or the pet already has a room.
  • You do not see "Rooms / Pens": it shows only if you offer boarding or board-and-train.

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Log a training session and share progress

Log a training session on the pet’s card on the Bookings page, then send the client a progress link.

Before you start: Needs a training service.

  1. Open Bookings. If you see a "Training" button, tap it. Then tap "Trainees".
  2. Find the pet’s card. If it shows "Start program", tap that first. Then tap "Log session".
  3. Fill in "What we worked on" and "Homework for client". Then tap the button that logs the session.
  4. To share progress, tap "Show details" on the pet’s card, then "Share with client". WhatsApp opens with a link to the pet’s progress page.
  5. The client sees each session, what you worked on and the homework. They do not see "Private notes".

If this does not work

  • You do not see "Log session": the program has not started. Tap "Start program" first.

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Clients and pets

Add a pet to a client

Add a pet to a client you already have, without making a booking.

  1. Open Clients (on a phone: More, then Clients). Search for the client and tap their row to open it.
  2. Tap "Add pet". The client’s name and phone are already filled in. Do not change the phone.
  3. Type the pet’s name and any other details, then tap "Save pet info".
  4. To change a pet’s details later, tap the pet’s name on the client’s row. On the pet’s page, tap "Edit".

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Change your intake form

Change your intake form by adding your own question, or by turning off a section you do not need.

Before you start: The business owner, or staff who can open Settings.

  1. Open Settings (on a phone: More, then Settings). Tap "Intake". If you offer more than one service, tap the service first.
  2. To add a question, go to "Custom Fields". Under "Household Questions" or "Per-Pet Questions", tap the add button.
  3. Type the question and pick a type. Tick "Required" if clients must answer. Then tap "Add Field".
  4. To stop asking a section, like Training, tap its "On" button so it says "Off". To remove your own question, tap the X next to it.
  5. Tap "Save Changes" to keep your changes.

If this does not work

  • You want to check the form as a client sees it: open Settings, tap "Messages", then "Preview what clients see".

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Send vaccine and appointment reminders

Send vaccine and appointment reminders from your own WhatsApp, once petboard shows you which clients need one.

  1. For vaccines, open Clients (on a phone: More, then Clients) and tap "Reminders". Pets due in the next 30 days, or overdue, are under "Vaccinations due".
  2. Tap "Review & send". Check the message, then tap "Send via WhatsApp" and send it.
  3. Come back to petboard and tap "Mark sent". The card then shows "Sent today".
  4. For a booking with a time, like a groom, open Schedule (on a phone: More, then Schedule) and tap "Today". From 3 hours before, it shows under "Due in the next 3 hours".
  5. Tap "Remind" and send it the same way. If a vaccine date is wrong, tap "Edit dates" on the card.

If this does not work

  • A client got no reminder: petboard does not send reminders by itself. You send each one from your own WhatsApp.
  • You do not see "Today" in Schedule: it shows for grooming and pet-sitting services, or once "Staff Management" is on and you have added staff.

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Money and your plan

For a question about a payment, a refund or an invoice, ask the petboard team.

Start your plan after your free booking

For new accounts, your first booking is free, and your plan starts at your second booking.

  1. Add clients, pets, rates, rooms and imports at any time. They stay free.
  2. When you are ready to take more bookings, open your Dashboard and tap "Choose your plan".
  3. Within 14 days of your first payment, you can ask for that payment back.

If this does not work

  • A new booking does not save after your free booking: new bookings need a plan. Choose your plan, then add the booking again.
  • You want your first payment back within 14 days: ask the petboard team.

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Pay for your plan

Pay for your plan by AutoPay each month, or by a one-time payment link for a yearly plan.

  1. Open your Dashboard and tap the "Setup mode" box, or its "Choose your plan" button. After you choose a plan, it says "Set up payment" or "Confirm your plan".
  2. Pick your plan. Under "How would you like it?", pick "Monthly" or "Annual", then tap "Confirm my plan".
  3. For "Monthly", tick the box, then tap "Approve & pay". You approve AutoPay once, with Razorpay.
  4. For "Annual", the petboard team sends you a one-time payment link. Pay it. Bookings switch on once your payment is recorded.
  5. After your first payment, open Settings (on a phone: More, then Settings) and tap "Billing". Your payments are listed there. The receipt for each payment comes by email. For another copy, write to hello@petboard.in.

If this does not work

  • You do not see "Billing" in Settings: it shows after your first payment.
  • You paid the annual link, but a new booking still does not save: message the petboard team. Bookings open after they record your payment.
  • You have a question about a payment, a refund or an invoice: ask the petboard team.

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Sell a package

Sell a client a package, like 10 daycare days, and their bookings then use it up.

Before you start: The business owner, or staff who can open Settings, sets up the packages.

  1. Open Settings (on a phone: More, then Settings). Tap "Pricing & Packages", then "Packages".
  2. Tap "+ Add pack", pick the service and the number, and set "Valid for". Then tap "Save Changes".
  3. To sell it, open Clients (on a phone: More, then Clients) and tap the client. Tap "Sell package", pick the package, then tap "Record sale".
  4. When you book for this client, the booking form picks the package for you. You can choose not to use it.
  5. Each booking takes nights, visits or sessions off the package. When it runs out, the rest is charged at your normal rate.

If this does not work

  • A second pet cannot use the package: a package is for one pet. Sell each pet its own package.

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Record a business expense

Record a business expense, like rent, salaries or bills, on the Reports page under "Overhead".

Before you start: The business owner, or staff who can open Reports.

  1. Open Reports (on a phone: More, then Reports). Tap "Overhead", then "+ Add expense".
  2. Pick the "Category" and type the amount. Then pick the "Payment method".
  3. Check the "Date". Under "Description (optional)", you can type a note, like April rent.
  4. For rent or a salary, pick "Monthly — remind after 30 days" under "Recurring? (drives reminders)". Then tap "Add".
  5. After 30 days, the expense shows under "Needs logging". Tap "Log now" to add it again.

If this does not work

  • You do not see Reports: ask the business owner.
  • A tax or GST question about an expense: ask the petboard team.

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Your team

Add staff, and remove someone who left

Add staff so each one gets their own app link, and remove them when they leave so the link stops working.

Before you start: Needs "Staff Management" on in Settings, under "Advanced".

  1. Open Staff (on a phone: More, then Staff). Tap the button that adds a staff member. Type their name and phone, then tap "Add Staff".
  2. Under "Their app link — send it to them", tap "Send" to send it on WhatsApp, or tap "Copy".
  3. They open the link on their phone. Some roles get an email login instead of a link.
  4. When someone leaves, tap "Remove" on their card. Their link stops working at once.
  5. For a short break, tap "Mark on leave". Their link is blocked until you tap "Back from leave".

If this does not work

  • You cannot see Staff: open Settings, tap "Advanced" and turn on "Staff Management". Then tap "Save Changes".

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Assign a groom to a groomer

Assign a groom to one groomer on the Schedule page for today, or on the Matching page for a later day.

Before you start: Needs "Staff Management" on, with your groomers added on the Staff page.

  1. For a groom today, open Schedule (on a phone: More, then Schedule) and tap "Today". Each box is one staff member.
  2. Drag the groom’s card into the groomer’s box. On a phone, press and hold the card, then drag it. You see "Appointment reassigned".
  3. A groom with no staff is in the "Unassigned" box. To book a new groom for one groomer, tap "+ Book" on a free time in their box.
  4. For a groom on a later day, open Matching (on a phone: More, then Matching). Under "Needs Assignment", tap "Assign to staff..." and pick the groomer.

If this does not work

  • You do not see "Today" in Schedule: it shows for grooming and pet-sitting services, or once "Staff Management" is on and you have added staff.
  • You cannot see Schedule or Matching: ask the business owner or the petboard team.
  • You see "You have not added any staff yet.": add your groomers on the Staff page first.

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Settings

If you cannot see Settings, ask the business owner.

Change your business name, logo and address

Change your business name, phone, address and logo in Settings, so clients see the right details.

Before you start: The business owner, or staff who can open Settings.

  1. Open Settings (on a phone: More, then Settings). Tap "Identity & Facility".
  2. Under "Business Profile", change "Business Name", "Phone", "City" or "Address". Your address shows on the bills your clients see.
  3. Under "Logo", tap "+ Upload logo (PNG, JPG, or WebP)" and pick an image. The logo saves at once. Clients see it on your intake form.
  4. If you see "Capacity", type the most pets you can take for each service.
  5. Tap "Save Changes" to save your name, phone and address.

If this does not work

  • Your old logo still shows: tap "Replace logo" and pick the new image.
  • A question about what your bills or invoices must show: ask the petboard team.

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Change your WhatsApp messages

Change the WhatsApp messages petboard prepares for you to send, so they use your own words.

Before you start: The business owner, or staff who can open Settings.

  1. Open Settings (on a phone: More, then Settings). Tap "Messages".
  2. To change the message sent with your intake form link, edit the box under "Default WhatsApp Message". Then tap "Save Changes".
  3. For other messages, tap "Booking confirmation", "Check-in" or "Ready for pickup". Type your message. Tap a tag, like "pet name", to add the real name.
  4. Check the "Preview", then tap "Save" under that message. To remove your message, tap "Reset to default".
  5. Once you save a "Check-in" message, a checked-in boarding pet’s card in Bookings shows "Send check-in". "Ready for pickup" works the same way.

If this does not work

  • Your intake link message looks wrong: empty the box under "Default WhatsApp Message" and tap "Save Changes". petboard uses its standard greeting again.

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Set photo update times and report cards

Set the photo update times for your team, and the report card questions they answer in each update.

Before you start: The business owner, or staff who can open Settings. The report card needs "Photo Updates" on.

  1. Open Settings (on a phone: More, then Settings). Tap "Comms".
  2. Under "Update Windows", tap "Add Window". Type a name, like Morning, and pick a start and an end time. Then tap "Save Changes".
  3. When a window ends and a staff member has not sent an update for their pet, your Dashboard shows an alert. To stop these alerts, turn off "Missed-update alerts", then tap "Save Changes".
  4. Under "Visit Report Card", tap "Use a starter card" or "Add my own question". Your team answers these questions in each update.
  5. Tap "Save report card". If you change a question later, the updates you already sent do not change.

If this does not work

  • A window you added is gone: give it a name, a start and an end. A window missing any of them is not saved.

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Choose your notifications

Choose your notifications: which alerts show in the bell, and which emails petboard sends you.

Before you start: The business owner, or staff who can open Settings.

  1. Open Settings (on a phone: More, then Settings). Tap "Comms", then "Notifications".
  2. Tap the switch next to an alert to turn it on or off, like "Pending intakes", "Medication reminders" or "Payments overdue".
  3. "Daily email briefing" is the 9:00 email about today’s arrivals, checkouts and medicines. "Setup tips by email" are short emails while you set up.
  4. For "Low package balance", type how many sessions left should send you an alert.
  5. Tap "Save". Nothing changes until you save.

If this does not work

  • Your changes did not stay: tap "Save" before you leave the page.

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Turn features on or off

Turn features on or off in Settings to show or hide the Updates and Staff pages and the staff alerts.

Before you start: The business owner, or staff who can open Settings.

  1. Open Settings (on a phone: More, then Settings). Tap "Advanced". The switches are under "Features".
  2. Turn on "Photo Updates" to see the Updates page, where you send photo updates to clients.
  3. Turn on "Staff Management" to see the Staff page, where you add your staff.
  4. With "Staff Management" on, keep "Require staff assignment" on to get an alert when an arriving booking has no staff member.
  5. Tap "Save Changes".

If this does not work

  • The page does not appear after you turn a feature on: tap "Save Changes". A switch alone does not save.

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Download your data

Download all your business data from petboard as one zip file.

Before you start: The business owner, or staff who can open Settings.

  1. Open Settings (on a phone: More, then Settings). Tap "Compliance & Data".
  2. Go to "Data & Privacy". Under "Download all my data", tap "Download zip".
  3. Wait while the button says "Preparing zip…". For a big business this can take a few minutes.
  4. Open the zip file. Open its spreadsheet (CSV) files, like your clients and pets, in Excel or Google Sheets.

If this does not work

  • A question about privacy or deleting data: ask the petboard team.

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Billing or data problem?

Message Sahil (founder) on WhatsApp about billing or your data. He replies within one working day.

Message on WhatsApp (opens in a new tab)

For how-to questions, use the steps on this page. Questions about pricing or imports? See the questions page.

Help — set up and run your day | petboard