Assigning Primary Musicians and Substitutes in BookLive

Table of Contents

Summary
Two Ways to Assign Musicians
- Method 1: Direct Assignment (Confirmed)
- Method 2: Send Request (Musician Must Respond)
Direct Assignment Step-by-Step
Sending Requests Step-by-Step
What Musicians See When They Receive a Request
When Musician Accepts
When Musician Declines
Auto-Contracting: Automatic Next Musician
Managing Response Deadlines
The Substitute System
Managing Multiple Seat Requests
- Requesting Multiple Musicians at Once
- Priority Order Matters
Tracking Request Status
Resending and Following Up
Changing Your Mind After Assigning
- Removing a Musician
- Replacing a Musician
Email and SMS Notification Details
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Best Practices Summary
- ✅ DO:
- ❌ DON'T:
Related Articles
Getting Help

Summary #

Once you’ve created seats for your performance, the next step is filling them with musicians. BookLive offers two powerful ways to assign musicians: direct assignment (when you’ve already confirmed with the musician) and formal requests (sending an invitation the musician can accept or decline).

This article walks you through both methods, explains how musicians respond to requests, and shows you how to handle substitutes when someone can’t make a gig.

Two Ways to Assign Musicians #

Method 1: Direct Assignment (Confirmed) #

Use When:

You’ve already talked to the musician and they confirmed
This is your regular group and everyone’s always available
No formal request process needed

How It Works:

You create or edit a seat
Select the musician from dropdown
Check the “Confirmed” box (or is_confirmed = 1)
Save

What Happens:

Seat immediately marked as filled
Musician’s Google Calendar updated automatically
Musician receives confirmation email/notification
No accept/decline needed – they’re locked in
Activity logged: “[Musician] added to [Specialty] seat”

Example Scenario:
You call your regular bassist, he confirms he’s available for Friday’s wedding, you open BookLive and directly assign him to the Bass seat. Done! He gets a calendar invite and confirmation email.

Method 2: Send Request (Musician Must Respond) #

Use When:

You’re not 100% sure of availability
You want formal accept/decline tracking
Musician prefers to receive formal requests
You’re reaching out to someone new
You want to give musician time to consider

How It Works:

You create or edit a seat
Select the musician from dropdown
Leave “Confirmed” box unchecked (or is_confirmed = 0)
Optionally set a response deadline
Save

What Happens:

Seat marked as “Requested” (not filled yet)
Musician receives email with details
Musician receives SMS with link
Musician can view details and accept/decline
You get notified of their response
If accepted: seat filled, calendar synced
If declined: seat cleared, you can request next musician

Example Scenario:
You need a violinist for a wedding but you’re not sure if your first-choice player is available. You send a request with a 48-hour deadline. She receives an email and text, clicks the link, sees all the details, and clicks “Accept”. You get notified, and her seat is confirmed.

Direct Assignment Step-by-Step #

Step 1: Navigate to Your Performance #

Go to the performance detail page where you need musicians assigned.

Step 2: Click “Add Seat” or “Manage Musicians” #

Find the musician management section (usually under “Staffing” or “Musicians”).

Step 3: Create or Edit the Seat #

If Creating New Seat:

Click “Add Seat” button
Fill in specialty (instrument)
Set payment and other details

If Editing Existing Seat:

Click on the empty seat
Click “Edit” or “Assign Musician”

Step 4: Select Musician #

Find the Musician:

Search by name
Filter by instrument/specialty
See availability indicator (green = available, red = conflict)

Choose from Dropdown:

Your personnel roster appears first (priority order)
Then other connected musicians
Then all musicians in system (if permission allowed)

Step 5: Mark as Confirmed #

Check the “Confirmed” or “Direct Assignment” Box

This tells BookLive: “This musician is confirmed, don’t send a request.”

Step 6: Set Payment & Details (Optional) #

Fill in:

Payment amount
Expected tips
Payment method
Payment info (e.g., “Cash at end of night”)
Hospitality details (e.g., “Dinner provided”)

Step 7: Save #

Click “Save” or “Assign Musician”

Immediate Actions:

✅  Seat marked as filled
✅  filled_at timestamp set to now
✅  Google Calendar event created for musician
✅  Confirmation email sent to musician
✅  Activity logged in performance feed
✅  Availability cache updated
✅  Real-time update broadcast (if others viewing)

Step 8: Verification #

Check That:

Seat shows musician’s name
Status shows green checkmark or “Filled”
Calendar icon appears (indicating Google sync)
Activity feed shows assignment

Musician Receives:

Email: “You’ve been added to [Performance]”
Shows: Title, date, time, venue, specialty, payment, hospitality
Google Calendar invitation (if connected)
Links to performance details

Sending Requests Step-by-Step #

Step 1: Create or Edit Seat #

Same as direct assignment – navigate to performance and open seat management.

Step 2: Select Musician #

Choose the musician you want to request.

Step 3: Leave “Confirmed” Unchecked #

Do NOT check the “Confirmed” box.

This tells BookLive: “Send a formal request to this musician.”

Step 4: Set Response Deadline (Optional) #

Deadline Options:

24 hours
48 hours (recommended)
72 hours
Custom (enter number of hours)
No deadline (not recommended)

Why Set a Deadline:

Ensures timely responses
Automatically moves to next musician if no response
Professional courtesy (shows urgency)
Prevents gigs from falling through

Example:

Gig is Friday. Today is Monday.
Set deadline: 48 hours
Musician has until Wednesday noon to respond.
If no response, system can auto-request next musician.

Step 5: Customize Message (Optional) #

Some systems allow adding a personal message:

Example Messages:

“Hope you’re available! This is a great venue.”
“Client specifically requested you for this gig.”
“Load-in is 30 minutes early, FYI.”
“Parking is challenging – arrive early.”

Step 6: Save/Send Request #

Click “Send Request” or “Save”

Immediate Actions:

📧 Email sent to musician's registered email
📱 SMS sent to musician's phone (with shortened link)
🆔 Unique URL generated: /performance-requests/{uuid}
⏰ Deadline timer started (if set)
📝 SeatProposal record created
🎯 Seat marked as "Requested" (artist_id set, filled_at = null)
📊 Activity logged: "Sent request to [Musician]"

Step 7: Wait for Response #

Tracking:
You can see the request status:

“Sent” – Email and SMS delivered
“Viewed” – Musician opened the link
“Pending” – Awaiting response
“Accepted” ✅ – Musician confirmed
“Declined” ❌ – Musician can’t make it
“Expired” ⏰ – Deadline passed without response

What Musicians See When They Receive a Request #

Email Notification #

Subject: “Performance Request from [Your Name]”

Body Contains:

Your name and group name
Performance title
Date and time
Venue name and address
Your seat: “Violin I” (specialty and part)
Your segments: “Cocktail Hour, Dinner” (if timeline assignments)
Payment: $200.00
Expected tips: $25.00
Payment method: BookLive Pay
Hospitality: “Dinner provided at 6:00 PM”
Other musicians already confirmed
Big “Accept” button
“Decline” button
Link to view full details

SMS Notification #

Format:

[Your Name] just requested you for a [Group Name] performance.
Respond: https://bl.page/abc123

Link is Shortened:
Uses Bitly for clean, short URLs that work on all devices.

Request Details Page #

When musician clicks the link, they see:

Performance Information:

Title: “Smith Wedding Reception”
Date: Saturday, November 15, 2025
Time: 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Venue: The Grand Ballroom, 123 Main St, Chicago, IL

Group & Leader:

Group: Chicago String Quartet
Leader: John Doe
Contact: john@example.com

Your Assignment:

Seat: Violin I
Timeline Segments: Cocktail Hour (6:00-7:00 PM), Dinner (7:00-8:30 PM)
Not needed for: Dancing (you’re done at 8:30!)

Compensation:

Payment: $200.00
Expected Tips: $25.00
Total Potential: $225.00
Payment Method: BookLive Pay (direct deposit)
Payment Info: “Released 24 hours after performance”

Hospitality:

Meal: Dinner provided at 5:30 PM
Parking: Valet available, complimentary
Attire: Black concert dress

Other Musicians:

Violin II: Jane Smith ✅
Viola: Bob Johnson ✅
Cello: Mary Williams ⏳ Requested

Calendar Options:

“Add to Google Calendar” button
“Download iCal” button

Response Deadline:

“Please respond by: Wednesday, Nov 12, 2025 at 5:00 PM”
Countdown timer: “23 hours remaining”

Response Buttons:

Large “Accept This Gig” button (green)
“Decline” button (gray)
Optional message field: “Add a note to the bandleader (optional)”

When Musician Accepts #

What Happens Automatically #

1. ✅  Seat marked as filled

📅 Google Calendar Updated


   - Event created in musician's calendar
   - Title: "Smith Wedding Reception"
   - Time: 6:00-8:30 PM (their specific timeline segments)
   - Location: Venue address
   - Description: Group name, payment, hospitality

🔔 Notifications Sent


   - Bandleader: "Jane accepted your request!"
   - Musician: "You've been confirmed for Smith Wedding"
   - Family members: Optional notification to musician's family

🔗 Connections Created


   - If first time working together: Connection established
   - Both parties can now message each other
   - Musician added to bandleader's network

📝 Activity Logged


   - "[Musician] accepted the [Specialty] seat"
   - Visible in performance activity feed
   - Timestamp recorded

🔄 Availability Updated


   - This musician marked unavailable for other gigs on same date
   - ArtistAvailability cache refreshed
   - Other bandleaders see conflict

📡 Real-time Broadcast


   - MusiciansUpdated event fired
   - Anyone viewing this performance sees instant update
   - Seat changes from yellow (requested) to green (filled)

Musician’s View After Accepting #

Confirmation Screen:

✅  You're Confirmed!

Smith Wedding Reception Saturday, November 15, 2025 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM The Grand Ballroom

This gig has been added to your calendar. Payment: $200.00 (BookLive Pay)



[View Performance Details]
[Message the Bandleader]
[View Your Upcoming Gigs]

In Their Dashboard:

Gig appears in “Confirmed Gigs”
Shows on calendar
Shows in upcoming performances list
Payment tracked in earnings

Bandleader’s View After Acceptance #

Notification:

🎉 Jane Smith accepted your request!

Smith Wedding Reception Violin I seat is now filled.



[View Performance] [Send Message]

Performance Page Updated:

Violin I:  [Jane Smith] ✅  Filled  $200  [Edit] [Remove]

Activity Feed:

5 minutes ago: Jane Smith accepted the Violin I seat

When Musician Declines #

What Happens Automatically #

1. ❌ Seat Cleared
   - Seat returns to "Empty" status

🔔 Notifications Sent


   - Bandleader: "Jane declined your request"
   - Shows decline reason (if provided)

📝 Activity Logged


   - "[Musician] declined the [Specialty] seat"
   - Optional reason: "Scheduling conflict"

🤖 Auto-Contracting (if enabled)


   - System automatically requests next musician in roster
   - Uses priority order from personnel list
   - Sends request immediately
   - New deadline calculated

🔄 Availability Updated


   - This musician can be requested again later
   - Marked as "already asked" for this performance
   - Won't appear in available musicians list for this gig

Musician’s View After Declining #

Confirmation Screen:

Request Declined

You’ve declined the Smith Wedding Reception.

Your reason: “I have a scheduling conflict that evening.”

This has been communicated to John Doe.



[View Other Opportunities] [Return to Dashboard]

Bandleader’s View After Decline #

Notification:

Jane Smith declined your request.

Reason: “I have a scheduling conflict that evening.”

Smith Wedding Reception – Violin I seat is still open.



What would you like to do?
[Request Next Musician] [Manually Assign] [Edit Seat]

Performance Page:

Violin I:  [Empty] ⭕ Open  $200  [Assign] [Request Next]

Activity Feed:

2 minutes ago: Jane Smith declined the Violin I seat
Reason: Scheduling conflict

Auto-Contracting: Automatic Next Musician #

What Is Auto-Contracting? #

Auto-contracting is a feature where BookLive automatically requests the next available musician when someone declines or doesn’t respond by the deadline.

Benefit: You don’t have to manually request each musician one by one. The system handles it for you based on your personnel list priority order.

Enabling Auto-Contracting #

Method 1: Performance Settings

Go to Performance → Settings
Find “Auto-Contracting” or “Automatic Musician Requests”
Enable the feature
Save

Method 2: Contract Settings
When you auto-contract a performance (send contracts automatically), auto-contracting for musicians is enabled.

How Auto-Contracting Works #

Setup:

Your Violin Personnel List (Priority Order):

Jane Smith
Bob Wilson
Mary Davis
Tom Anderson
Lisa Brown

Workflow:

Day 1, 10:00 AM: Request sent to Jane Smith (48-hour deadline)
Day 2, 9:00 AM: Jane declines
Day 2, 9:01 AM: System auto-requests Bob Wilson (48-hour deadline)
Day 3, 3:00 PM: Bob doesn't respond by deadline
Day 3, 3:01 PM: System auto-requests Mary Davis (48-hour deadline)
Day 4, 10:00 AM: Mary accepts ✅ 
Day 4, 10:00 AM: Seat filled! Auto-contracting stops for this seat.

Benefits:

No manual intervention needed
Fast turnaround time
Respects priority order
Continues until seat filled or list exhausted
Activity logs every step

Stopping Auto-Contracting #

Auto-contracting stops when:

Musician accepts – Seat is filled
You manually assign someone – You take control
Personnel list exhausted – No more musicians to ask
You disable it – Turn off in settings
Performance date passes – Too late

Managing Response Deadlines #

Why Use Deadlines? #

Without Deadline:

Musician might forget to respond
You’re left waiting indefinitely
Gig date approaches without confirmation
Last-minute scramble to fill seat

With Deadline:

Creates urgency for response
Automatic handling if no response
Professional expectation set
Smooth workflow to next musician

Setting Appropriate Deadlines #

24 Hours:

Use for: Emergency fill (gig is soon)
Risk: Musician might not check email daily
Best for: Musicians you know are active on BookLive

48 Hours (Recommended):

Use for: Standard requests
Sweet spot: Gives time to consider, not too long
Best for: Most situations

72 Hours (3 Days):

Use for: Less urgent gigs
Gives: More time for musicians to check schedule
Best for: Gigs several weeks away

Custom:

Use for: Specific situations
Example: “Need response by Monday morning” = calculate hours until then

No Deadline:

Use for: Extremely flexible timing
Risk: May never get response
Best for: Casual inquiry, not urgent

What Happens When Deadline Passes? #

Automated Process:

1. ⏰ System checks for expired deadlines (runs hourly)

📧 Musician notified: “Request expired”
📧 Bandleader notified: “No response from [Musician]”
📝 Proposal marked: expired_at = now(), response = “Expired”
❌ Seat cleared: artist_id = null
🤖 Auto-contract: Next musician requested (if enabled)
📊 Activity logged: “Request to [Musician] expired without response”

Extending a Deadline #

Scenario: Musician says “I need another day to check my schedule.”

How To:

Go to seat details
Click on active request
“Extend Deadline” button
Add hours: +24, +48, custom
Save

What Happens:

Deadline timestamp updated
Musician notified: “Deadline extended to [new time]”
Countdown timer resets
Activity logged

The Substitute System #

When You Need a Substitute #

Scenarios:

Musician Gets Sick: Day of the gig, violinist calls in sick
Schedule Conflict: Musician realizes they double-booked
Emergency: Family emergency, can’t make the gig
Proactive Replacement: Musician knows in advance they can’t make it

How Substitute Requests Work #

Process:

Step 1: Original Musician Requests Substitute

Musician logs into BookLive
Goes to their gig
Clicks “Request Substitute” on their seat
Confirms they need replacement

Step 2: System Creates Substitute Seat

New Seat Created:

All details copied from original

Step 3: Requests Sent to Available Musicians

System finds available musicians from personnel list
Skips musicians who:

– Already have a gig that day
– Have blackout dates
– Already declined this gig

Sends requests to top priority musicians

Step 4: Musicians Receive Substitute Request
Email clearly states:

🔄 Substitute Request

John Doe needs a substitute for: Smith Wedding Reception Saturday, November 15, 2025 Violin I – $200

This is a substitute position covering for another musician.



[Accept] [Decline]

Step 5: First Musician to Accept Gets It

When substitute accepts:

✅  Substitute seat marked as filled
❌ Original seat deleted
📧 Original musician notified: "Your substitute is confirmed!"
📱 Original musician receives SMS: "You are released from that performance!"
📧 Other candidates notified: "Position has been filled"
📱 Other candidates receive SMS: "Substitute request filled by another musician"
🔔 Bandleader notified: "Substitute found for [Original] seat"
📝 Activity logged: "[Substitute] will replace [Original]"

Substitute vs. Regular Assignment #

Bandleader’s Role in Substitutes #

What You See:

Performance: Smith Wedding Reception

Seats:
Violin I: [Jane Smith] ⏳ Substitute Requested
  └─ Substitute Requests Sent:
     • Bob Wilson (pending)
     • Mary Davis (pending)

What You Can Do:

Monitor Progress: See who’s been asked
Intervene: Manually assign a substitute if needed
Cancel Request: If you resolve it differently
Approve/Deny: Some setups require bandleader approval

Notifications You Receive:

“Jane Smith requested a substitute for Violin I”
“Bob Wilson accepted the substitute request”
“Substitute confirmed: Bob Wilson will replace Jane Smith”

Best Practices for Substitutes #

✅ DO:

Request Early: Give time to find replacements
Communicate: Tell bandleader as soon as you know
Be Professional: This is your responsibility to cover
Vet Substitutes: Only request from qualified musicians

❌ DON’T:

Wait Until Last Minute: Day-of is very difficult
No-Show: Never just don’t show up
Request Unqualified Players: Must match skill level
Forget to Cancel: If you become available again

Managing Multiple Seat Requests #

Requesting Multiple Musicians at Once #

Scenario: You need to fill 8 violin seats for an orchestra concert.

Efficient Method:

Step 1: Create All Seats

Create 8 seats: “Violin I” (quantity: 8)
All have same payment, hospitality, etc.

Step 2: Bulk Request

Select all 8 empty violin seats
Click “Request All” or “Send Requests”
System automatically assigns from personnel list in order

Step 3: What Happens

Violin Personnel List:

Jane Smith → Seat 1 (requested)
Bob Wilson → Seat 2 (requested)
Mary Davis → Seat 3 (requested)
Tom Anderson → Seat 4 (requested)
Lisa Brown → Seat 5 (requested)
Mike Chen → Seat 6 (requested)
Sarah Johnson → Seat 7 (requested)
Chris Lee → Seat 8 (requested)



All 8 receive requests simultaneously.

Tracking:

Dashboard shows: “8 requests sent”
Real-time updates as musicians respond
Auto-contract continues for declined/expired requests

Priority Order Matters #

Your Personnel List is Key:

The order of your personnel list determines who gets requested first.

Setting Priority:

Go to Group → Roster → Personnel Lists
Select “Violins” (or relevant specialty)
Drag to reorder musicians
Top = First choice, Bottom = Last resort
Save

Why Order Matters:

Auto-contracting uses this order
Bulk requests follow this order
Ensures your preferred musicians get first opportunity
Professional hierarchy respected

Tracking Request Status #

Status Dashboard #

Performance Detail Page Shows:

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ MUSICIANS                                           │
│                                                     │
│ Violin I   [Jane Smith]    ✅  Filled    $200       │
│ Violin II  [Bob Wilson]    ⏳ Requested  $200       │
│ Viola      [Empty]         ⭕ Open       $175       │
│ Cello      [Mary Davis]    ⏳ Requested  $175       │
│                                                     │
│ 2 Filled • 2 Requested • 1 Open                    │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Status Indicators:

✅ Green Checkmark = Filled (confirmed)
⏳ Yellow Clock = Requested (awaiting response)
⭕ Gray Circle = Open (needs musician)
🔄 Blue Arrow = Substitute Requested

Request Details #

Click on a Requested Seat to See:

Violin II - Request Details

Musician: Bob Wilson Status: Pending Response Sent: October 31, 2025 at 2:30 PM Viewed: October 31, 2025 at 3:15 PM (✓ opened email) Deadline: November 2, 2025 at 2:30 PM (23 hours remaining) Response: Not yet responded



[Resend Request] [Extend Deadline] [Cancel Request] [Assign Manually]

Helpful Indicators:

Sent but not viewed: Musician hasn’t seen it yet
Viewed but not responded: Musician is considering
Deadline approaching: May need to follow up or extend

Activity Feed #

Performance Activity Log Shows:

10:30 AM: Sent request to Bob Wilson for Violin II seat
10:31 AM: Sent request to Mary Davis for Cello seat
11:45 AM: Mary Davis accepted the Cello seat
2:15 PM: Bob Wilson viewed the request
2:20 PM: Jane Smith assigned to Violin I seat (confirmed)

Use Activity Feed To:

See timeline of all musician actions
Audit who was asked and when
Track which requests are being ignored
Document the filling process

Resending and Following Up #

When to Resend a Request #

Scenarios:

No Response After 24 Hours: Musician may have missed it
Musician Says They Didn’t Receive: Spam folder?
Deadline Approaching: Gentle reminder
Updated Details: Payment or time changed

How to Resend #

Step 1: Open Seat Details
Click on the requested seat.

Step 2: Click “Resend Request”
Button appears next to request status.

Step 3: Confirm
System asks: “Resend request to Bob Wilson?”

Step 4: What Happens

📧 Email resent (marked "Reminder")
📱 SMS resent (shortened link)
⏰ Deadline extended by original hours (optional)
📝 Activity logged: "Resent request to Bob Wilson"

Note: Musician sees same details, knows it’s a reminder.

Personal Follow-Up #

Sometimes Better to Call/Text:

If it’s your regular musician and deadline is approaching:

Example:

You: "Hey Bob, did you see my BookLive request for the Smith wedding?"
Bob: "Oh! Yes, I just accepted it."

Then Check BookLive:
Refresh the page – seat should update to filled.

Changing Your Mind After Assigning #

Removing a Musician #

Scenario: You assigned Bob, but client wants someone else.

Step 1: Open Seat
Click on Bob’s filled seat.

Step 2: Click “Remove Musician” or “Kick”

Step 3: Confirm Removal

What Happens:

❌ Bob's assignment removed
📅 Google Calendar event deleted from Bob's calendar
🔔 Bob notified: "You've been removed from [Performance]"
📝 Activity logged: "Bob Wilson removed from Violin II seat"
❓ Seat returns to Empty status

Best Practice:
ALWAYS communicate with Bob first! Don’t blindside musicians by removing them without explanation.

Professional Approach:

Call/email Bob: “Client changed requirements, unfortunately we need to go a different direction.”
Remove from BookLive
Bob receives notification confirming what you discussed

Replacing a Musician #

Scenario: You assigned Bob, but need to replace him with Mary.

Method 1: Edit Seat

Click on Bob’s filled seat
Click “Edit” or pencil icon
Change “Assigned Artist” from Bob to Mary
Save

What Happens:

Step 1: Bob removed (calendar event deleted, notified)
Step 2: Mary added (calendar event created, notified)
Activity logged: "Changed musician from Bob Wilson to Mary Davis"

Method 2: Remove Then Assign

Remove Bob (as above)
Assign Mary (new assignment)

Same Result, More Steps

Email and SMS Notification Details #

Email Format #

To: musician@example.com
From: BookLive <notifications@booklive.com>
Reply-To: bandleader@example.com
Subject: Performance Request from John Doe

Body:

John Doe has requested you for a performance!

SMITH WEDDING RECEPTION Saturday, November 15, 2025 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM The Grand Ballroom 123 Main Street, Chicago, IL 60601

YOUR ASSIGNMENT Violin I Segments: Cocktail Hour, Dinner (not needed for dancing!)

PAYMENT Base: $200.00 Expected Tips: $25.00 Total Potential: $225.00 Method: BookLive Pay (direct deposit within 24 hours)

DETAILS Attire: Black concert dress Meal: Dinner provided at 5:30 PM Parking: Complimentary valet

DEADLINE Please respond by Wednesday, November 12, 2025 at 5:00 PM

[ACCEPT THIS GIG] [VIEW DETAILS] [DECLINE]

Already confirmed? View full details at: https://support.booklive.com/performance-requests/abc123xyz



Questions? Reply to this email to reach John Doe directly.

SMS Format #

To: Musician’s mobile
From: BookLive short code

Message:

John Doe requested you for a Chicago String Quartet performance.
Respond: https://bl.page/abc123

Note:

Short and actionable
Bitly link for brevity
Mobile-friendly

Notification Preferences #

Musicians Can Control:

Email notifications: On/Off
SMS notifications: On/Off
Push notifications (mobile app): On/Off
Notification frequency: Immediate, Daily Digest, Weekly

Default: Email + SMS for time-sensitive requests

Troubleshooting Common Issues #

❓ “Musician says they never received the request” #

Possible Causes:

Email went to spam/junk folder
Wrong email address on file
SMS number missing or incorrect
Notification preferences turned off

Solutions:

Check spam: Ask musician to check junk/spam folder
Verify email: Group → Musicians → Edit → Check email
Verify phone: Check that phone number is in E.164 format (+12345678900)
Resend request: Use “Resend” button
Share direct link: Copy /performance-requests/{uuid} and text it manually
Update preferences: Ask musician to check BookLive notification settings

❓ “Musician accepted but seat still shows ‘Requested'” #

Cause: Display lag or caching issue

Solutions:

Hard refresh: Ctrl+Shift+R (Windows) or Cmd+Shift+R (Mac)
Check timestamp: Look at filled_at field – should have timestamp
Check activity log: Should show “[Musician] accepted”
Wait 30 seconds: Real-time broadcast may be delayed
Clear browser cache: Settings → Clear Cache

If Still Not Working:

Open seat detail modal
Check if artist_id is set
Manually mark as filled if needed
Contact support

❓ “Auto-contract isn’t working” #

Possible Causes:

Feature not enabled
Personnel list not set up
No more available musicians
Deadline feature required but not set

Solutions:

Check enabled: Performance → Settings → Auto-Contract = On
Check personnel list: Performance → Settings → Personnel List = [Selected]
Check available musicians: Seat → View Available Musicians
Set deadlines: Auto-contract requires response deadlines

❓ “Google Calendar isn’t syncing” #

Possible Causes:

Musician hasn’t connected Google account
Google OAuth token expired
Calendar permissions insufficient
Sync job failed

Solutions:

Check connection: Musician → Settings → Integrations → Google = Connected
Reconnect: Settings → Integrations → Disconnect → Reconnect Google
Check permissions: Google must have calendar write access
Manual sync: Performance → Musicians → [Musician] → “Sync Calendar”
Share iCal: As fallback, musician can download .ics file

❓ “Substitute request isn’t sending” #

Possible Causes:

No available musicians for that specialty
All musicians on personnel list already assigned or declined
Performance date too soon (no one available)

Solutions:

Check available musicians: System only requests available musicians
Expand personnel list: Add more musicians to your roster
Manual assignment: Find a sub outside system, then manually assign
Request specific musician: Instead of auto-request, send to specific person

❓ “Deadline passed but nothing happened” #

Possible Causes:

Scheduled job hasn’t run yet (runs hourly)
Auto-contract not enabled
No more musicians to request

Solutions:

Wait for job: Check again in 1 hour
Enable auto-contract: Performance → Settings → Auto-Contract = On
Manual action: Click “Request Next Musician” button
Check logs: Activity feed should show expired proposal

Best Practices Summary #

✅ DO: #

Use Direct Assignment When Confirmed

– If you already talked to the musician, mark as confirmed
– Saves everyone time

Set Realistic Deadlines

– 48 hours is usually perfect
– Don’t set 2-hour deadlines

Include Detailed Information

– Payment, hospitality, parking, attire
– Reduces follow-up questions

Follow Up Personally for Important Gigs

– High-profile performances deserve a phone call
– Don’t rely solely on automated requests

Maintain Your Personnel List Priority

– Keep it updated with your preferred musicians first
– Auto-contract uses this order

Communicate Before Removing Musicians

– Never blindside someone
– Professional courtesy matters

Use Timeline Assignments

– Clearly communicate when musicians are needed
– Saves money and reduces confusion

Track Request Status

– Monitor who’s viewed but not responded
– Follow up on pending requests

❌ DON’T: #

Don’t Send Requests to Confirmed Musicians

– If they already said yes, just assign them directly

Don’t Set No Deadline

– Musicians may forget to respond
– Creates uncertainty

Don’t Spam Resend

– One reminder is plenty
– Too many emails/texts is annoying

Don’t Forget to Fill Empty Seats

– Check your performance regularly
– Don’t assume seats will magically fill

Don’t Remove Musicians Without Communication

– Always talk to them first
– Burning bridges is bad business

Don’t Rely Only on Auto-Contract

– Monitor progress
– Intervene if needed

Getting Help #

Need assistance with musician assignment?

Support Options:

📧 Email: support@booklive.com
📞 Phone: 414-253-2504 (Mon-Fri, 9 AM – 5 PM MST)
💬 Live Chat: Click chat icon (bottom right)
📚 Help Center: support.booklive.com

When Contacting Support:

Provide performance ID
Describe the issue (e.g., “Request not sending”)
Include seat specialty and musician name
Mention if gig date is approaching (urgent)

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Updated on October 31, 2025

Summary #

Two Ways to Assign Musicians #

Method 1: Direct Assignment (Confirmed) #

Method 2: Send Request (Musician Must Respond) #

Direct Assignment Step-by-Step #

Step 1: Navigate to Your Performance #

Step 2: Click “Add Seat” or “Manage Musicians” #

Step 3: Create or Edit the Seat #

Step 4: Select Musician #

Step 5: Mark as Confirmed #

Step 6: Set Payment & Details (Optional) #

Step 7: Save #

Step 8: Verification #

Sending Requests Step-by-Step #

Step 1: Create or Edit Seat #

Step 2: Select Musician #

Step 3: Leave “Confirmed” Unchecked #

Step 4: Set Response Deadline (Optional) #

Step 5: Customize Message (Optional) #

Step 6: Save/Send Request #

Step 7: Wait for Response #

What Musicians See When They Receive a Request #

Email Notification #

SMS Notification #

Request Details Page #

When Musician Accepts #

What Happens Automatically #

Musician’s View After Accepting #

Bandleader’s View After Acceptance #

When Musician Declines #

What Happens Automatically #

Musician’s View After Declining #

Bandleader’s View After Decline #

Auto-Contracting: Automatic Next Musician #

What Is Auto-Contracting? #

Enabling Auto-Contracting #

How Auto-Contracting Works #

Stopping Auto-Contracting #

Managing Response Deadlines #

Why Use Deadlines? #

Setting Appropriate Deadlines #

What Happens When Deadline Passes? #

Extending a Deadline #

The Substitute System #

When You Need a Substitute #

How Substitute Requests Work #

Substitute vs. Regular Assignment #

Bandleader’s Role in Substitutes #

Best Practices for Substitutes #

Managing Multiple Seat Requests #

Requesting Multiple Musicians at Once #

Priority Order Matters #

Tracking Request Status #

Status Dashboard #

Request Details #

Activity Feed #

Resending and Following Up #

When to Resend a Request #

How to Resend #

Personal Follow-Up #

Changing Your Mind After Assigning #

Removing a Musician #

Replacing a Musician #

Email and SMS Notification Details #

Email Format #

SMS Format #

Notification Preferences #

Troubleshooting Common Issues #

❓ “Musician says they never received the request” #

❓ “Musician accepted but seat still shows ‘Requested'” #

❓ “Auto-contract isn’t working” #

❓ “Google Calendar isn’t syncing” #

❓ “Substitute request isn’t sending” #

❓ “Deadline passed but nothing happened” #

Best Practices Summary #

✅ DO: #

❌ DON’T: #

Related Articles #

Getting Help #

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