When you cancel, mark a no-show, or reschedule, a Let the client know checkbox (or Notify client on reschedules) decides whether the client gets an email. You choose — except when their money was taken, in which case the notice is always sent.
Can I cancel an appointment without emailing the client?
Yes. Untick Let the client know in the cancel dialog and no cancellation email or SMS goes out. The one exception: if the cancellation takes the client's money — a cancellation fee is charged, or their deposit is kept — the checkbox locks on and shows "Always sent — they were charged, so we have to tell them." A client whose card was charged must always be told, so a silent charge can never happen.
Where the choice appears
| Action | Where | Default |
|---|---|---|
| Cancel an appointment | The cancel dialog, under the fee and deposit choices | On — the email sends |
| No-show | The "Mark this appointment as a no-show?" dialog | Off — no email |
| Cancel or no-show a party | The "Cancel entire group?" / "No-show entire party?" dialog | On for cancel, off for no-show |
| Cancel a recurring series | The same cancel dialog — the series inherits your choice | On |
| Reschedule | Notify client about the new time in the reschedule panel | On, and your last choice is remembered |
The defaults follow how each action is usually used: a cancellation is news the client needs, while a no-show notice ("you missed your appointment") is often deliberately skipped for a regular you'd rather call.
When notification is automatic
Owneli overrides an unticked box and sends the notice whenever the action took the client's money:
- A late-cancellation or no-show fee was charged to the card on file
- A deposit was kept (forfeited) instead of refunded
In a party, this is decided guest by guest: a guest who was charged is emailed even if you unticked the box, while guests who weren't charged stay silent.
What counts as a reschedule notice
Only a change to the start time triggers the reschedule email. Extending or shortening the appointment without moving its start — say 2 hours to 2 hours 30 — sends nothing, though the reminder timing is quietly re-armed to match. If the notify send fails, the confirmation toast turns into a warning so you know the client wasn't reached.
Common questions
Why did the client get an email when I unticked the box?
Because money moved. A charged fee or a kept deposit always sends the notice — the checkbox shows a lock and amber text when this applies. In a party, any charged guest is notified individually.
Does unticking also stop the SMS?
Yes. The SMS for a lifecycle event only fires after its email is sent, so suppressing the email suppresses both.
If I cancel a whole repeating series, does the client get one email per visit?
No. One cancellation notice is sent for the earliest upcoming visit, standing in for the whole series — if you left Let the client know ticked.
Does skipping the notice skip the cancellation fee too?
No. The fee and deposit decisions are separate controls in the same dialog. See Deposits, cancellation and no-show fees.