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Guide for Reception Staff

10-12 minutes

Tutorial 16.4: Guide for Reception Staff

Introduction

As a Receptionist in Luminate, you're the front-desk authority. You run the diary, the roster, the catalogue, the till, and the inbox. You greet customers, book and reshape the day's appointments, manage shifts, take payments and refunds, void gift vouchers, and handle customer communications end-to-end.

Your role is broad on day-to-day operations but excludes staff records, reports, salon settings, and billing — those stay with managers and above.

This guide covers everything you need to master the front desk: booking, the roster, the catalogue, payments and refunds, customer management, and the inbox. You'll learn what you can access, what's outside your role, and how to work efficiently within Luminate.

Who this is for: Team members assigned the Receptionist role in Luminate.

What you'll learn:

  • Your complete access level and permissions
  • Viewing all staff schedules for booking
  • Managing appointments and the waitlist
  • Processing transactions at the POS
  • Sending deposit payment links
  • Customer profile management
  • Handling customer communications
  • Using Lumen, the in-app AI assistant
  • Understanding your role's boundaries

Time to complete: 10-12 minutes

Prerequisites

Before you begin:

  • You should have received a login invitation and completed setup
  • Helpful to have read Tutorial 1.3: Understanding Roles and Permissions
  • Familiarise yourself with the basic navigation (Tutorial 1.1)

What Receptionists Can Do

Receptionists are focused on front-desk operations with broad viewing access:

Feature Area Receptionist Access
Dashboard Today's operations view (no full analytics or revenue)
Appointments Create, edit, cancel any appointment
Time blocks Create, edit, delete time blocks for any staff member
Deposit Links Send deposit payment links from appointments
Waitlist Full management
POS/Transactions Process sales, view transactions
Refunds Full access — can refund any transaction
Gift vouchers Sell, redeem, and void vouchers
Customers Full management — incl. merge duplicates
Staff View staff list and profiles (compensation and HR notes hidden)
Roster Full management — create, edit, delete, duplicate shifts
Leave Request your own leave only
Services Full management — create, edit, archive
Products Full management — create, edit, stock + price changes
Reports No access — managers and above only
Payroll No access
Salon Settings No access
Messages View, send, close, archive
Lumen AI Access with role-limited tools
Billing No access

Understanding Your Unique Role

Receptionists have a special position in Luminate:

You Can See All Schedules

Unlike Staff members who see only their own schedule, Receptionists can view the entire salon calendar. This is essential for booking appointments with any stylist.

You Don't Provide Services

Receptionists are administrative staff. You won't appear in:

  • Staff selection when booking appointments
  • Calendar columns showing staff schedules
  • Roster shift management
  • Waitlist preferred staff options

You can view the staff list and individual staff profiles, but compensation, salary, commission rates, and confidential HR notes are hidden from you. Editing staff records is still restricted to Admins and above.

This is by design — your role is to support the team operationally, not provide services or manage payroll.

You're the Customer's First Contact

Most customers will interact with you more than anyone else. You control their booking experience and often handle their payments.

The Dashboard

Location: Sidebar → Dashboard

Your dashboard shows a tailored view for front-desk operations:

What you can see:

  • Quick stats - Today's appointments, customers served, and key numbers
  • Today's appointments - Full list with staff names so you know who's booked
  • Low stock alerts - Products running low that might affect sales
  • Urgent waitlist - High-priority entries needing attention
  • Pending deposits - Upcoming appointments with deposits due
  • Personal performance - Your revenue, commission, and tips (period-based)
  • Leave allowance - Your leave balance and upcoming time off

What you won't see:

  • Today's revenue progress
  • Full business analytics (sales breakdown, revenue trends)
  • Staff performance rankings
  • Rebook rate data
  • Skin test alerts

The dashboard is designed to give you the operational information you need without the detailed business analytics that Managers and above access.

Viewing All Staff Schedules

Location: Sidebar → Appointments

The calendar is your primary tool. You can see every staff member's schedule at once.

Calendar Views

Switch between views using the tabs:

  • Today - Focus on current day appointments
  • Week - See the full week at a glance
  • Month - Overview of the entire month

Reading the Calendar

Each column represents a staff member who provides services. Appointments appear as blocks showing:

  • Customer name
  • Service type
  • Duration (block height)
  • Status (colour coding)

Filtering by Staff

If the salon is busy, use the staff filter to show only specific team members:

  1. Click the Staff Filter dropdown
  2. Select the staff members to show
  3. The calendar updates immediately

Booking Appointments

Location: Sidebar → Appointments → Book Appointment or click an empty slot

This is your core function. You can book appointments for any staff member.

Step-by-Step Booking

  1. Open the booking form:

    • Click Book Appointment in the top-right, or
    • Click an empty slot on the calendar

  2. Select or create the customer:

    • Search for existing customers by name or phone
    • Or click New Customer to create a profile

  3. Choose the staff member:

    • Select from the dropdown
    • Only service providers appear (not other receptionists)

  4. Select the service:

    • Choose from available services
    • Multiple services can be added

  5. Confirm date and time:

    • Pre-filled if you clicked a slot
    • Or select manually

  6. Review and save:

    • Check the summary
    • Click Save

Conflict Checking

The system automatically checks for:

  • Staff availability (roster)
  • Existing appointments
  • Time off or leave

If there's a conflict, you'll see a warning before saving.

Quick Tips

  • Double-booking: The system prevents overlapping appointments
  • Buffer time: Some services may have automatic buffers
  • Drag to reschedule: Drag appointments to new slots on the calendar

Managing Appointments

Editing Appointments

  1. Click on the appointment
  2. Click Edit
  3. Make changes (time, service, staff)
  4. Click Save

Cancelling Appointments

  1. Click on the appointment
  2. Click Cancel
  3. Confirm the cancellation
  4. The slot becomes available again

Updating Appointment Status

Help track customer flow:

  • Arrived - Mark when customer arrives
  • In Progress - When service begins
  • Completed - When finished

Click on the appointment and update the status from the details panel.

Handling No-Shows

If a customer doesn't arrive:

  1. Click on the appointment
  2. Mark as No-Show or Cancelled
  3. The slot is freed for potential walk-ins

Sending Deposit Payment Links

If your salon uses online deposits, you can send deposit payment links directly from the appointment detail page:

  1. Click on the appointment
  2. Click Send Deposit Link
  3. Choose the notification channel (email or SMS)
  4. The customer receives a link to pay their deposit online

This is useful for securing bookings, especially for high-value services or new customers. The deposit amount is set per service by your Manager or Admin.

Working with the Waitlist

Location: Sidebar → Waitlist

The waitlist helps you manage customers wanting appointments when slots aren't available.

Adding to the Waitlist

  1. Navigate to Waitlist
  2. Click Add to Waitlist
  3. Select or create the customer
  4. Optionally set:
    • Preferred service
    • Preferred staff member
    • Priority level (normal, high)
    • Notes
  5. Click Save

Managing Waitlist Entries

For each entry, you can:

  • Contact - Mark that you've reached out
  • Convert - Turn into a booking when a slot opens
  • Cancel - Remove from the list

Converting to Appointment

When a slot opens:

  1. Find the relevant waitlist entry
  2. Click Convert to Appointment
  3. Select the available slot
  4. Confirm the booking
  5. The entry is automatically removed from the waitlist

Processing Transactions

Location: Sidebar → POS

You can process customer payments for services and products.

Creating a Transaction

  1. Navigate to POS
  2. Click New Transaction or Quick POS
  3. Select the customer
  4. Add items:
    • Services from completed appointments
    • Retail products
  5. Apply any discounts if authorised
  6. Select payment method:
    • Cash
    • Card
    • Split payment
  7. Complete the transaction

Linking to Appointments

When a customer pays for services:

  1. Their unbilled appointments appear automatically
  2. Select the appointments to include
  3. The items are added to the transaction

Split Payments

For payments across multiple methods:

  1. Add the first payment amount and method
  2. Click Add Payment
  3. Add the remaining amount with the second method
  4. Complete when the total is covered

Printing/Emailing Receipts

After completing a transaction:

  • Click Print Receipt for a physical copy
  • Click Email Receipt to send to the customer

Refunds and Gift Voucher Voiding

Receptionists can refund completed transactions and void gift vouchers from the POS:

  1. Open the transaction (or voucher) detail page
  2. Click Refund (or Void for vouchers)
  3. Select the refund method (card or cash)
  4. Confirm

The refund flows through the system's transaction state machine, which handles stock restoration, deposit refunds, cash drawer changes, and customer notifications automatically.

Customer Management

Location: Sidebar → Customers

You have full access to customer profiles.

Adding New Customers

  1. Click Add Customer
  2. Enter their details:
    • Name (required)
    • Phone number
    • Email address
    • Any notes or preferences
  3. Set marketing consent preferences
  4. Click Save

Editing Customer Profiles

Update information as needed:

  • Contact details
  • Preferences and notes
  • Marketing consent

Viewing Customer History

Each customer profile shows:

  • Appointment history - Past bookings and services
  • Transaction history - Payment records
  • Unbilled appointments - Services awaiting payment

This helps you provide informed service.

Managing the Roster

Location: Sidebar → Roster

You have full control over the roster. Use it to add shifts, shuffle them when staff arrive late or swap, and duplicate weeks to set up future schedules.

What You Can Do

  • View the full roster across all rosterable staff
  • Create, edit, and delete shifts for any staff member
  • Adjust break times and shift notes
  • Duplicate a week's roster forward into future weeks

Time Blocks

Within the calendar you can also create time blocks (lunch, breaks, holidays-in-day, training) on any staff column, and edit or delete blocks others have created.

Best Practice

Roster changes feed straight into payroll calculations and customer-facing availability. Keep them accurate and communicate any large reshuffle to the team.

Messages

Location: Sidebar → Messages

You can participate in customer communications.

What You Can Do

  • View all conversations
  • Read customer messages
  • Send replies
  • Close conversations once resolved
  • Reopen conversations
  • Archive old threads to keep the inbox tidy

What You Cannot Do

  • Configure notification templates or channel settings
  • Manage notification settings for the salon

If you need notification settings changed, ask a Manager or Admin.

Using Lumen, Your AI Assistant

Location: Click the chat icon in the bottom-right corner of any page

Lumen is Luminate's built-in AI assistant. It can help you find information and answer questions without leaving the page you're working on.

What Lumen Can Help With

As a Receptionist, Lumen can:

  • Look up customer details - Find a customer's contact info, appointment history, or preferences
  • Check appointments - Find upcoming bookings, check availability, or look up appointment details
  • Search transactions - Look up payment history for a customer
  • View services and products - Check service details, pricing, or product information
  • Check the roster - See who's working on a given day
  • Find schedule gaps - Identify available slots for booking
  • Check the waitlist - See who's waiting for an appointment
  • Your revenue - Ask "How much revenue have I generated this week?" to see your personal figures
  • Search documentation - Get help with how to use Luminate features

What Lumen Cannot Access for You

Some Lumen tools are restricted based on your role:

  • Salon settings - Cannot look up salon configuration
  • Staff details - Cannot pull up staff profiles or contact details
  • Notification logs - Cannot check message delivery history
  • Leave requests - Cannot view or manage other staff members' leave
  • Salon-wide revenue and reports - Cannot see overall sales figures or commission breakdowns (ask a Manager)
  • SMS credits - Cannot check SMS balance or usage

For these, ask a Manager or Admin. For full details on using Lumen, see Tutorial 15.4: Using Lumen, Your In-App AI Assistant.

Requesting Leave

Location: Sidebar → Leave

You can request your own time off.

Submitting a Request

  1. Navigate to Leave
  2. Click Request Leave
  3. Select:
    • Leave type (holiday, sick, etc.)
    • Start and end dates
    • Half-day options if applicable
  4. Add any notes
  5. Click Submit

Tracking Your Request

Your requests show their status:

  • Pending - Awaiting approval
  • Approved - Confirmed time off
  • Rejected - Not approved

Who Approves Your Leave?

Receptionist leave requests go to Managers, Admins, or the Owner for approval.

What Receptionists Cannot Access

Understanding your boundaries helps you work efficiently:

Reports

You have no access to the Reports section. This includes:

  • Revenue reports
  • Staff performance
  • Customer analytics
  • Gift voucher reports
  • VAT and accounts receivable reports
  • Payroll data

If you need information for a customer query, ask a Manager.

Data Exports

You cannot export salon data (full salon export, customer exports, transaction exports). These require an Admin or Owner.

Salon Settings

You cannot access salon settings, notification template configuration, or staff/payroll management. Changes to opening hours, deposits, branding, etc. are handled by Admins.

Staff Records

You cannot add, edit, deactivate, or manage staff profiles or login accounts. You also cannot see other staff members' compensation (salary, commission, hourly rate) or confidential HR notes.

Billing

You cannot access subscription billing or payment method changes. These are owner-only.

Your Daily Workflow

Opening the Day

  1. Log in to Luminate
  2. Check today's appointments on the calendar
  3. Review any waitlist for potential gaps
  4. Confirm first appointments are still on (if salon policy)

Throughout the Day

  • Greet customers as they arrive
  • Mark arrivals in the system
  • Book walk-ins if there's availability
  • Process payments as customers finish
  • Handle phone/online enquiries
  • Manage the waitlist as slots open

End of Day

  1. Check tomorrow's schedule for early appointments
  2. Review unbilled appointments that might need processing
  3. Ensure all transactions are complete
  4. Note any issues for the Manager

Common Pitfalls

"I can't find myself in the staff list when booking"

This is expected. Receptionists don't provide services, so you won't appear in the booking staff selection.

"I can't access Reports to check something"

Reports aren't available to Receptionists. Ask a Manager for the information you need.

"I can see a staff member but can't see their salary"

Compensation, commission rates, hourly rate, and confidential HR notes are hidden from Receptionists. The basic profile (name, role, email, phone, avatar) is visible so you can identify them on the calendar and contact them.

"I booked an appointment but it's not showing"

Check you clicked Save after booking. Also verify the date filter—you might be viewing a different day.

"The customer's appointment shows with the wrong stylist"

Edit the appointment to change the staff member. Make sure you save your changes.

Tips and Best Practices

  1. Keep the calendar visible - The appointment calendar is your main tool. Keep it open throughout the day.

  2. Check before booking - Always verify staff availability before confirming with customers.

  3. Update statuses promptly - Mark arrivals and completions in real-time for accurate tracking.

  4. Use customer notes - Record preferences and allergies for better service.

  5. Manage the waitlist actively - When cancellations happen, check the waitlist first.

  6. Communicate clearly - If you can't do something (like pull a report), explain who can help.

  7. Know your team - Understand each stylist's specialities for better customer matching.

  8. Use Lumen for quick lookups - Instead of navigating between pages, ask Lumen to find customer details, check availability, or look up appointment information.

  9. Send deposit links proactively - For high-value or first-time bookings, send a deposit link straight from the appointment to secure the booking.

Related Tutorials

  • Tutorial 1.3: Understanding Roles and Permissions - Complete role reference
  • Tutorial 2.1: Managing Your Appointment Calendar - Calendar details
  • Tutorial 2.2: Booking and Managing Appointments - Booking workflow
  • Tutorial 2.3: Working with the Waitlist - Waitlist management
  • Tutorial 2.4: Processing Transactions at the Point of Sale - POS guide
  • Tutorial 3.1: Adding and Managing Customer Profiles - Customer management
  • Tutorial 6.2: Requesting and Managing Leave - Leave requests
  • Tutorial 15.4: Using Lumen, Your In-App AI Assistant - AI chat help
  • Tutorial 16.5: Guide for Service Providers - Understanding your colleagues
  • Tutorial 17.1: Daily Opening Procedures - Opening routine

Frequently Asked Questions

Why don't I appear in the staff dropdown when booking?

Receptionists are administrative staff who support service providers. You don't appear in booking dropdowns because you don't provide services to customers.

Can I see how much a stylist is earning?

No. Performance and commission data are in Reports, which Receptionists cannot access. This is by design—financial data is restricted to management roles.

What if I need to reschedule many appointments quickly?

On desktop, use drag-and-drop on the calendar — click and drag an appointment to a new slot. On mobile, tap the appointment and use Edit to change the time, or use Cut to move it via the clipboard. Both methods are faster than editing each appointment individually.

Can I give a customer a discount?

This depends on salon policy. The POS allows discounts to be applied, but check with your Manager about what discounts you're authorised to give.

How do I handle a complaint?

Listen to the customer, note their concern, and involve a Manager if needed. You can add notes to the customer profile for future reference.

Can Lumen look up anything I need?

Lumen can access most of the information you work with—customers, appointments, transactions, services, products, the roster, and the waitlist. However, it cannot access staff profiles, salon settings, notification logs, or leave management data for your role. If you need that information, ask a Manager.

Can I access Luminate from my phone?

Yes. Luminate works on mobile devices. The interface adapts to smaller screens while keeping core functionality available.

Last Updated: May 2026 Verified against Luminate codebase: May 2026