Building the checkout flow: common questions

Short answers to the questions shops ask about the checkout their customers go through and the one their staff follow. Each answer links to the full article.

Finding and publishing

Where do I design my checkout?

Click Checkout in the left sidebar (under Website & Checkout). The page is called Checkout Flow and has two tabs: Client view (what customers see and sign) and Business side (the steps your staff follow at pickup and return). See Designing your checkout steps.

What kinds of step can I add?

Press Add Checkout Step and choose: Text Block (notice, instructions or terms, with an optional checkbox), Questionnaire (short text, long text, or multiple choice), Single Add-on (one chargeable extra), Waiver (a waiver the renter must accept), Signature, Delivery Calculator (charge for delivery by distance), Checkbox (one agreement box), and File Upload (a license, proof of insurance or any document).

I changed a step and customers don't see it. Why?

Changes stay a draft until you publish. A badge reads "DRAFT · unpublished changes" while you have edits; press Publish changes and it becomes "Published", then "Live · all changes published". Nothing you edit reaches customers before that.

Why is the publish button greyed out?

When you have no unpublished changes the button reads Published and is greyed out. While a publish is running it reads "Publishing…". As soon as you edit a step it becomes Publish changes again.

Publishing says a Delivery step is "set to Flat rate with no fee". What do I do?

Open that Delivery Calculator step and enter a flat delivery fee above $0, or switch it to Distance-based. A flat-rate delivery with no fee cannot be published.

How do I reorder, edit or remove a step?

In Checkout Steps, click a step to edit it, use the up and down arrows to move it, and the remove button to delete it. Customers go through the steps in the order shown. Full Checkout Preview shows the customer's view in order.

Making steps required or conditional

Can I make a step required?

Yes, each type has its own switch: Required to complete booking (Waiver and Checkbox), Signature required, Upload required to complete booking, Delivery required to complete booking, Required add-on (cannot decline), Require checkbox acknowledgement (Text Block), and Required on each question. A customer who skips one cannot continue.

What does the customer see when a required step is missing?

A message under the Continue button: "Please read, sign, and accept the release of liability before you continue.", "A required signature is missing. Please sign before you continue.", "A required document upload is missing. Please attach the file before continuing.", "A required delivery needs a calculated fee before you continue.", or "Please tick the required acknowledgement before you continue."

How do I show a step only for some products?

In the step's Show this script for menu choose All products (always shown), Only specific products… or All products except…, then tick the products.

How do I show a step only for certain dates or rental lengths?

Use Show this when: Always, Rental crosses midnight (return is on a later calendar day than pickup in your shop's time zone), Rental longer than N hours (exactly N hours does not count), or Pickup on certain weekdays (at least one day stays selected). Until a customer has picked dates, a step with a date rule stays hidden, and if they change their dates and it no longer applies, their answer to it is cleared.

Should a step come before or after payment?

Each step has Before or after payment?. Delivery must be before payment, because it changes what is owed. A File Upload set to After payment asks the customer for the file on the confirmation page.

Can staff fill in a step when they create a booking?

Yes, tick Available in admin booking on the step, and it also shows on the admin New booking page.

What each step type asks you

How does an add-on step charge?

Set the Price (USD) and Billing: Flat per booking, Per day or Per person, plus a description shown under the title. Tick Required add-on (cannot decline) to force it, or Pre-selected by default to start it ticked.

How does the delivery calculator charge?

Set a Starting point (your shop address), then Fee: Distance-based (mileage from the start, with Rate (USD per mile) and Free miles, and an option to let the customer pick round-trip) or Flat rate (the same Flat delivery fee (USD) every time). A round trip creates a drop-off run and a collection run on your Dispatch board. See Delivery and dispatch: common questions.

What can a File Upload collect?

You choose the accepted file types (Images only, Documents, or Any file type) and what it collects (Photo ID / driver's licence, Proof of insurance, Photo, or Other document).

How do I add a question to my checkout?

Add a Questionnaire step and use its question list. Each question can be Short text answer, Long text answer, Multiple choice (single) or Multiple choice (multi), with a Required tick.

What your staff do (Business side)

What can I change on the Business side tab?

Start flow (Pickup) has Require a pickup checkout (off lets staff mark a booking Active with no steps), switches for Readings, Condition and Checklist, and the Payment check. Finish flow (Return) has Require a return checkout and switches for Readings & Condition, Checklist, Work orders, Additional charges, Reviews and Deposit. See Starting a rental and Finishing a rental.

Why are the pickup and return switches greyed out?

Only an owner or manager can change them ("Only an owner or manager can change these settings."); a staff account sees them disabled. The individual step switches also stay off while Require a pickup checkout (or the return checkout) is off. The Payment check can only be changed by an owner.

How do I edit the pickup checklist?

On the Business side tab use the Pickup checklist card: rename, reorder, remove, or Add item, then Save. Every item needs a label, and the maximum is 50 items. An empty list means staff see no checklist at pickup.

How do I edit the return checklist?

You do not edit it there. The Return checklist card says each item comes from a maintenance task marked to show on return, and links to the maintenance task templates.

What are Staff Notes?

Reminders only your team sees, set up at Settings → Staff Notes. Press + New Note, pick a Trigger Point (At Checkout, On Confirmation, Before Pickup, At Pickup or At Return), write the message, and tick Requires Acknowledgment if staff must confirm they read it. You can drag notes to reorder them and untick Active to switch one off. See Notes your staff see during checkout.

What customers experience

How long does a customer have to finish paying?

The storefront holds their items for 10 minutes. If the hold runs out, the payment page asks them to choose their dates again.