Mini session sign up sheet: fill your slots from one link

Mini sessions fill fast, and a shared sheet fills with crossed-out names. I would rather post one link and read the requests in order.

About you

Parent name, email and phone, so you can confirm a slot and reach them if the weather turns.

About the session

First and second slot choice, how many people, children's ages and the setup they prefer. Ages help you plan how long a group needs. The setups and times are examples, so rename them to your own.

Practical details

Outfit colours, a pet tick, a rain plan and a tick that the session is short and runs on time. These answer the questions that otherwise arrive on the morning.

Who fills it and who reads it

Parents fill it. A parent's AI might ask "Which time slot would you like?" Then "How many people are in the photos?" Then "What should we do if it rains?" It shows the answers and sends only after a yes. See agent-fillable forms. You read the CSV from the top.

A tip

The form cannot lock a slot, so two people can ask for the same time. Confirm the first, and write to the other with their second choice. Set max_responses to your number of slots. Once confirmed, send a portrait session questionnaire, and ask for permission with a photo release. More ideas are in forms for photographers.

Questions

Can the form stop two people taking the same slot?

No. It cannot lock a slot. Read the CSV in order, confirm the first request for each time, and offer the others their second choice.

How do I close sign-ups when I am full?

Set max_responses to your number of slots and close_at to a final date, so the form stops taking requests at that point.

Should I ask for children's names?

I ask only for ages. You need those to plan the group, not to book the slot. Take names at the session or in your reply.

Or paste the JSON

Give this to your AI. It needs the AI Form API MCP server or an API key. It makes the form and sends you the link.

text

Create this form with the AI Form API create_form tool (or POST https://aiformapi.com/v1/forms with my API key). Then reply with the public_url.

{
  "title": "Book your mini session",
  "description": "Pick the time you would like. Mini sessions are short and run on time. We will confirm your slot by message.",
  "fields": [
    {
      "id": "parent_name",
      "label": "Your name",
      "type": "short_text",
      "required": true,
      "max_length": 150
    },
    {
      "id": "parent_email",
      "label": "Your email",
      "type": "email",
      "required": true
    },
    {
      "id": "parent_phone",
      "label": "Your phone",
      "type": "phone",
      "required": true,
      "help": "We text if the weather changes the plan."
    },
    {
      "id": "first_slot",
      "label": "Your first choice of time",
      "type": "single_choice",
      "required": true,
      "options": [
        "Saturday 9:00",
        "Saturday 9:30",
        "Saturday 10:00",
        "Saturday 10:30",
        "Saturday 11:00"
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "second_slot",
      "label": "Your second choice of time",
      "type": "single_choice",
      "options": [
        "Saturday 9:00",
        "Saturday 9:30",
        "Saturday 10:00",
        "Saturday 10:30",
        "Saturday 11:00"
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "group_size",
      "label": "How many people will be in the photos?",
      "type": "number",
      "required": true,
      "min": 1,
      "max": 10
    },
    {
      "id": "kids_ages",
      "label": "Ages of any children",
      "type": "short_text",
      "max_length": 100
    },
    {
      "id": "set_choice",
      "label": "Which setup do you prefer?",
      "type": "single_choice",
      "options": [
        "Autumn leaves",
        "Pumpkin patch",
        "Cosy studio corner",
        "Holiday backdrop"
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "outfit_colours",
      "label": "Outfit colours",
      "type": "short_text",
      "max_length": 200
    },
    {
      "id": "pet_joining",
      "label": "A pet will join us",
      "type": "checkbox"
    },
    {
      "id": "rain_plan",
      "label": "If it rains, what should we do?",
      "type": "single_choice",
      "options": [
        "Move me to another day",
        "Keep my time and go ahead",
        "Call me to decide"
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "short_session_ok",
      "label": "I understand mini sessions are short and run on time",
      "type": "checkbox",
      "required": true
    }
  ]
}

Or call the API

bash

curl -X POST https://aiformapi.com/v1/forms \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $AIFORMAPI_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"title":"Book your mini session","description":"Pick the time you would like. Mini sessions are short and run on time. We will confirm your slot by message.","fields":[{"id":"parent_name","label":"Your name","type":"short_text","required":true,"max_length":150},{"id":"parent_email","label":"Your email","type":"email","required":true},{"id":"parent_phone","label":"Your phone","type":"phone","required":true,"help":"We text if the weather changes the plan."},{"id":"first_slot","label":"Your first choice of time","type":"single_choice","required":true,"options":["Saturday 9:00","Saturday 9:30","Saturday 10:00","Saturday 10:30","Saturday 11:00"]},{"id":"second_slot","label":"Your second choice of time","type":"single_choice","options":["Saturday 9:00","Saturday 9:30","Saturday 10:00","Saturday 10:30","Saturday 11:00"]},{"id":"group_size","label":"How many people will be in the photos?","type":"number","required":true,"min":1,"max":10},{"id":"kids_ages","label":"Ages of any children","type":"short_text","max_length":100},{"id":"set_choice","label":"Which setup do you prefer?","type":"single_choice","options":["Autumn leaves","Pumpkin patch","Cosy studio corner","Holiday backdrop"]},{"id":"outfit_colours","label":"Outfit colours","type":"short_text","max_length":200},{"id":"pet_joining","label":"A pet will join us","type":"checkbox"},{"id":"rain_plan","label":"If it rains, what should we do?","type":"single_choice","options":["Move me to another day","Keep my time and go ahead","Call me to decide"]},{"id":"short_session_ok","label":"I understand mini sessions are short and run on time","type":"checkbox","required":true}]}'

JSON definition

json

{
  "title": "Book your mini session",
  "description": "Pick the time you would like. Mini sessions are short and run on time. We will confirm your slot by message.",
  "fields": [
    {
      "id": "parent_name",
      "label": "Your name",
      "type": "short_text",
      "required": true,
      "max_length": 150
    },
    {
      "id": "parent_email",
      "label": "Your email",
      "type": "email",
      "required": true
    },
    {
      "id": "parent_phone",
      "label": "Your phone",
      "type": "phone",
      "required": true,
      "help": "We text if the weather changes the plan."
    },
    {
      "id": "first_slot",
      "label": "Your first choice of time",
      "type": "single_choice",
      "required": true,
      "options": [
        "Saturday 9:00",
        "Saturday 9:30",
        "Saturday 10:00",
        "Saturday 10:30",
        "Saturday 11:00"
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "second_slot",
      "label": "Your second choice of time",
      "type": "single_choice",
      "options": [
        "Saturday 9:00",
        "Saturday 9:30",
        "Saturday 10:00",
        "Saturday 10:30",
        "Saturday 11:00"
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "group_size",
      "label": "How many people will be in the photos?",
      "type": "number",
      "required": true,
      "min": 1,
      "max": 10
    },
    {
      "id": "kids_ages",
      "label": "Ages of any children",
      "type": "short_text",
      "max_length": 100
    },
    {
      "id": "set_choice",
      "label": "Which setup do you prefer?",
      "type": "single_choice",
      "options": [
        "Autumn leaves",
        "Pumpkin patch",
        "Cosy studio corner",
        "Holiday backdrop"
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "outfit_colours",
      "label": "Outfit colours",
      "type": "short_text",
      "max_length": 200
    },
    {
      "id": "pet_joining",
      "label": "A pet will join us",
      "type": "checkbox"
    },
    {
      "id": "rain_plan",
      "label": "If it rains, what should we do?",
      "type": "single_choice",
      "options": [
        "Move me to another day",
        "Keep my time and go ahead",
        "Call me to decide"
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "short_session_ok",
      "label": "I understand mini sessions are short and run on time",
      "type": "checkbox",
      "required": true
    }
  ]
}

Mini session sign up sheet for a busy photo day