Vignette release notes October 16, 2026
Booking billing contacts, automatic session reminders, recurring storefront availability, richer gallery formats and downloads, safer mini-session moves, and optional text alerts make their debut.
New this week
Invite a billing contact without changing the client
Full sessions can now include an optional billing contact with their own secure, booking-scoped invitation. That person can review the booking, sign contracts on the client’s behalf, view and pay invoices, and receive billing reminders, receipts, refund notices, and contract copies—without creating a duplicate Person or replacing the primary client. A Billing contact menu in the booking header and Upcoming Bookings shows Not invited, Invited, or Accepted, and provides direct send, resend, and edit actions. Replacing or removing the address revokes the old link, canceling the booking removes access, and an active or settling checkout is handled before the assignment changes so private payment access never leaks between people.
Learn howSchedule session reminders and customize every booking email
Account → Automated messages now controls automatic client session reminders one, two, or three days before the event at an hour chosen in the event’s local time. Open Customize emails on a full session or mini session to switch between Invitation and Session reminder, edit each subject and message independently, preview the exact responsive email, and send or resend it without leaving the workspace. Mini-session messages are personalized for each booked client with that person’s name, slot time, and private link. Manual reminder sends skip anyone who already received one, reschedules create a fresh reminder cycle, and a one-day reminder never duplicates a day-before run sheet.
Learn howRepeat storefront availability automatically
Storefront availability can now repeat weekly or monthly instead of being rebuilt one date at a time. Add one or more time windows, choose the repeat interval and days or monthly pattern, then set a fixed duration, custom end date, or no end date. Every quarter-hour inside a window becomes a potential start in the studio time zone, while Vignette exposes only starts where the chosen package fits completely and no booking, appointment, meeting buffer, or blocked time conflicts. Rules can be named, edited, paused, resumed, or deleted from Calendar or Storefront without changing existing bookings.
Learn howDeliver HEIC, AVIF, GIF, and animated WebP galleries
Gallery uploads now accept JPG, PNG, WebP, GIF, HEIC, HEIF, and AVIF. HEIC, HEIF, and AVIF photos are converted into browser-ready JPEGs for client delivery while the photographer’s original remains available in owner downloads. Animated GIF and WebP files play as efficient, muted clips in the client gallery, preview, fullscreen viewer, and Manage workspace, with pause and replay controls, capped autoplay, and reduced-motion support. Watermarked galleries protect every animation frame, and downloads preserve the original motion format or its protected rendition.
Learn howLet clients choose their gallery download size
Every client gallery download now offers High resolution for printing and archiving or Web optimized for websites, social media, messaging, and quick sharing. The same focused choice appears for one photo, a selection, an album, favorites, or the complete gallery; web versions stay within a 1600-pixel long edge and each ZIP contains one chosen size. Download allowances continue to count unique photos rather than renditions, so choosing both sizes at different times does not spend the same photo twice.
Learn howMove a mini-session client to another open slot
A booked mini-session client can now move to another valid open slot without rebuilding their workflow. Vignette transfers the reservation identity, private link, contract, gallery, and paid payment history together, while keeping any previous occupant’s financial history isolated. Only truly available destinations appear, the final move is checked again while the event is locked, and the Activity history keeps the change traceable.
Learn howChoose optional text alerts for studio activity
Where text notifications are available, Account → Notifications now supports consent-based setup for a U.S. mobile number, a six-digit verification step, and individual event choices that all begin turned off. The account shows only the final four digits after setup, and removing the number disables delivery and clears its verification. Carrier replies such as STOP take effect immediately; Vignette explains when START or UNSTOP is required instead of suggesting that an account switch can override a carrier opt-out. In-app notifications remain the durable record, and client texting remains separate from these photographer alerts.
Learn howFixes and refinements
Mini-session clients keep the right identity and next action
Mini-session slot cards, booking search, notifications, run sheets, and linked gallery names now use the person who actually reserved that slot instead of a shared household contact. Search can find mini sessions and storefront bookings by reservation name, completed or canceled spots are never offered another invitation, and Send invitations targets only booked clients who have not received one. Resume shortcuts disappear when their reservation is over, and moving or canceling one household member cannot expose another person’s link, payment history, or reminder state.
Learn howRecurring availability stays accurate through conflicts and clock changes
Recurring rules now publish every quarter-hour start, measure whether the complete package fits in elapsed time, and handle daylight-saving gaps without creating an impossible window. Existing bookings and protected meeting buffers continue to win over generated availability, legacy rules load with their saved values, and a failed availability or package read no longer looks like an empty schedule. Edits refresh the visible calendar and public picker immediately, while stale or invalid public selections create no partial contact or booking.
Learn howGallery processing fails closed instead of exposing the wrong file
Converted photos and animated files remain in a clear preparation state until their safe display and download variants exist. A failed or unfinished variant cannot fall back to an unwatermarked original, watermarked animations stay protected in single downloads and ZIPs, and a processing cover shows a preparation state instead of a broken image. Password grants travel through the protected download request rather than a visible address, single-image responses cannot be cached, and the browser explains when a web rendition is not ready rather than starting an incomplete download.
Learn howEmail actions reflect the message that will actually send
Invitation and reminder drafts remain independent when switching tabs, generated invitation subjects stay current, and the preview refreshes after delivery. Send buttons reject double clicks, disappear when no eligible recipient remains, and stay disabled while the active draft has unsaved edits. Reminder status now distinguishes scheduled, partially sent, already sent, waiting for invitations, and replaced by a same-day run sheet; readable send-limit errors and direct settings links make recovery clearer.
Learn howPayments and refunds keep uncertain work visible and private
Refunds that cannot be confirmed or retried automatically now show Needs attention instead of remaining Pending forever, with the same state in booking and Finance views. Payment history follows the correct mini-session client during a slot move, an old destination occupant’s history remains separate, and the current slot is resolved again under the booking lock before a refund or recovery changes anything. Closing or revoking a billing-contact checkout now keeps its hosted URL private and prevents an in-flight settlement from being mistaken for a completed access change.
Learn howAccount, Finance, booking, and gallery workspaces fit more screens
Account settings now use a clearer action hierarchy, steadier save feedback, and layouts that hold together at laptop widths. Finance and billing-contact flows have more consistent labels and spacing, booking helpers no longer jump as content loads, and shared form controls avoid iOS focus zoom. Workspace drawers open at the side on smaller desktops, gallery cards no longer clip at common wide-laptop sizes, and refreshed package and storefront data appears after related changes instead of leaving a stale choice on screen.
Learn how