Confirm the booking, completely.
Send the confirmation once the reservation is saved. Include the service, date, time and time zone, the location and a link to manage the booking, and attach an .ics file so customers can add it to their calendar in one tap.
Use a template with variables like {{start_time}} and {{location}} so every confirmation looks the same and contains the right details.
Reminders that respect changes.
Your booking system schedules reminders and calls the API when one is due. Store a version number with each booking: when it changes, cancel the old reminder and build the new one from the latest details.
Include the version in the Idempotency-Key, for example booking-881-v3-reminder, so a retried job never sends the same reminder twice and a reschedule always gets its own email.
Replies that reach the right team.
Set reply_to to the location’s address, or turn on receiving for a subdomain and let replies arrive in your app as webhooks. Match the recipient address to the booking and show the message to staff.
Treat a reply as a request, not a change: let staff or your own rules confirm a cancellation or new time before updating the booking.
Booking emails across the lifecycle
| Send when | Include | |
|---|---|---|
| Confirmation | The booking is saved | Date, time zone, location, .ics file |
| Reminder | 24 hours or 1 hour before | Time, address, reschedule link |
| Reschedule | Time or place changes | Old and new details |
| Cancellation | The booking is cancelled | Refund or rebooking information |
Email for booking systems: common questions
- Can I attach a calendar invite?
- Yes. Attach an .ics file with the content type text/calendar. Most email apps then show an Add to calendar button.
- Who schedules the reminders?
- Your booking system decides when a reminder is due and calls the API at that moment. That keeps reminders in sync with reschedules and cancellations in your own data.
- Can customers reply to cancel or reschedule?
- Yes. Turn on receiving and replies arrive in your app as webhooks, linked to the booking by the recipient address.
- How many emails does one booking use?
- Usually three or four: a confirmation, one or two reminders and sometimes a change notice. Each recipient counts as one email.