How to Add Guests to a Family Account

Learn how to add guest accounts for family members, including children who may not have email addresses. Guest accounts allow you to create profiles for family members that can be managed by a parent or guardian.

Before You Begin

• You must be logged in to your account at https://app.joinzipper.com
• You need permission to manage customers (typically organization owners and admins have this permission)
• The parent/guardian account should already exist in your roster

Steps

Step 1: Navigate to Parent's Customer Profile

1. Log in to your account at https://app.joinzipper.com/auth/login
2. Click CRM in the left sidebar
3. Search for and find the parent/guardian
4. Click on the customer to open their profile

What happens next: You'll see the parent's customer profile.

Step 2: Find Family Accounts Section

1. Scroll down to find the Family Accounts section
2. You'll see:
   • Any existing family members linked
   • Option to add children/dependents
   • Family relationship information

Step 3: Add a Guest (Child)

1. Click Add child or Add family member

2. In the form that appears, enter:

   • First name: Required
   • Last name: Required
   • Email: Optional (can be left blank for children)
   • Phone: Optional
   • Date of birth: Optional but recommended for children

3. Important: Email is NOT required for guest accounts

   • Leave email blank for children who don't have email
   • The parent's email can be used for notifications

4. Click Save or Create

What happens next: The guest account is created and linked to the parent.

Step 4: Configure Permissions

After creating the guest:

1. Review the relationship settings

2. Configure what the parent can do:

   • Make purchases: Pay for child's classes, events, products
   • Manage bookings: Register child for classes and events
   • View information: See child's account information
   • Use parent payment methods: Enable parent's cards for payment

3. Save the permission settings

What happens next: The parent can now manage the child's account.

How Guest Accounts Work

For accounts without email:

• Account is created using name only
• Parent receives notifications on behalf of child
• Booking confirmations go to parent's email
• Child appears in rosters and registration lists

Parent management:

• Parent can book classes and events for child
• Parent's payment methods are available for child purchases
• Parent sees child's schedule in their dashboard
• Parent can cancel or modify child's bookings

Account features:

• Full participation in classes and events
• Purchases tracked in child's account
• Attendance and history recorded
• Can be upgraded to full account later if needed

Creating Guest Without Parent

You can also create standalone guest accounts:

1. Go to CRM > Customers
2. Click Add customer
3. Enter name and optional information
4. Leave email blank if not available
5. Save the customer
6. Link to a guardian afterwards if needed

Tips

• Always add date of birth for children - helps with birthday features
• Use consistent naming conventions for family accounts
• Set up guardian relationships before booking sessions
• Parent payment methods simplify checkout for families
• Consider creating a "Child" or "Minor" tag for easy filtering

Troubleshooting

Problem: Can't leave email field blank Solution: Check that:

• You're adding a guest/child, not a primary account
• The email validation isn't set to required
• You have permission to create accounts without email

Solution: If required by your organization settings, use a placeholder or parent's email.

Problem: Guest can't be found in search Solution: Check that:

• Guest account was created successfully
• You're searching by name (not email, since they don't have one)
• Account is active and not archived

Solution: Search by first or last name instead of email.

Problem: Parent can't see child's bookings Solution: Check that:

• Guardian relationship is properly configured
• Permissions are set correctly
• Parent is logged into correct account

Solution: Review the family account settings and ensure the relationship exists.

Problem: Notifications aren't going to parent Solution: Check that:

• Parent's email is valid
• Parent email notifications are enabled
• Relationship allows notification forwarding

Solution: Verify parent's email address is correct and notifications are enabled.

Converting Guest to Full Account

When a child gets their own email:

1. Go to the guest's profile
2. Add their email address
3. Enable account claiming
4. Send an account claim invitation

The guest can then set up their own password and access their account independently.