Quick Start Checklist
Complete these five steps before doing anything else. Every AI feature, automation, and personalized output in FrameOps depends on this foundation being in place.
App Overview
FrameOps is organized into three layers: your core business tools, AI-powered creative tools, and a public-facing client portal. Here's how everything connects.
Plans & Feature Access
FrameOps has three tiers. All plans include a 14-day free trial — no credit card required.
- Full CRM & project management
- Proposals, contracts & e-signatures
- Client gallery delivery
- Finance tracker & invoicing
- Google Calendar & Drive sync
- Up to 25 active clients
- AI generation features
- Daily briefing
- Mini session self-booking (Pro)
- Everything in Starter
- AI inquiry replies (25/mo)
- AI shot list generator (10/mo)
- Daily briefing & AI co-pilot
- Location scouting AI
- Workflow automations
- Business analyst insights
- Unlimited clients
- Business Brain (Pro only)
- Everything in Studio
- Unlimited AI generations
- Business Brain — your docs
- Hands-free voice assistant
- Live On-Set AI Director
- Mini session self-booking
- AI Culling & Creative AI
- AI sounds like you wrote it
- Priority support
- Lock in current pricing forever
Founders Program: Early supporters who joined during the founding period receive lifetime Pro access at a locked-in rate — all Pro features, forever, at the price they signed up at. If you're a Founder, your plan badge will reflect that in Settings.
The Dashboard
Your daily command center. Open this every morning before checking email — it gives you a complete picture of your studio in seconds.
- Daily Briefing (AI) — Opens automatically each morning when you first open the app. Summarizes your day: upcoming shoots, pending invoices, new leads, and a prioritized to-do list. Includes action chips you can tap to jump directly to relevant pages. A listen button lets you hear it read aloud.
- KPI Widgets — Total revenue, pipeline revenue, expenses, net profit, active projects, and pending inquiries — all live data
- Upcoming Projects — Your next 5 shoots in order with client, type, and date. Click any to jump to the Project Detail
- Recent Inquiries — Your 3 newest unread leads with quick access to the Inquiries page
- Proactive AI Insights — One unsolicited business observation per session, powered by your live data (e.g., "You haven't raised wedding prices in 2 years")
- Weather Alert — Auto-flags potential weather issues for outdoor shoots in the next 7 days if your location is set in Settings
- Quick Actions — Shortcuts to Add Client, Add Expense, Add Inquiry, New Project, and AI Culling
Pro Tip: The Proactive Insights card often catches things you weren't looking for — like 3 projects without signed contracts or a pricing gap. Don't dismiss it without reading it.
Client Manager
Your complete CRM. Every client record, project, document, gallery, and communication in one searchable place.
- Click Add Client in the top right
- Enter name, email, phone, address, and notes (e.g., "prefers golden hour," "referred by Jane Smith")
- Save — the client now appears in your list and can be linked to projects, proposals, and contracts
- Editable profile (name, contact, notes)
- All associated projects with status badges and direct links
- Complete email history — every AI-drafted email you saved for this client
- Documents, contracts, galleries, and questionnaires tied to this client
Use the notes field strategically. Notes like "dog-friendly," "anxious about posing," or "prefers casual communication" are read by the AI when drafting emails and creating shot lists — making every output more personalized.
Projects & Pipeline
Your full business pipeline in one view. Every shoot, every client, every status — and the single source of truth for each individual job.
- Inquiry → Booked → In Progress → Completed → Delivered → Archived
- Drag and drop cards between columns to update status, or change status inside the project
- Workflow automations fire based on status changes — keep them accurate
- Overview Panel — Name, date, location, type, fee, status, payment status. Quick-link to schedule on calendar
- Shot List — Manually add or AI-generate. Check off during the shoot. Syncs with On-Set Director
- Task List — Project-specific to-dos (edit selects, export gallery, send contract). AI can auto-generate from project type
- Financial Summary — Project fee vs. all linked expenses. Shows profit margin
- Timeline — Visual horizontal milestone timeline (booked → shoot → completion → delivery)
- Email History — All AI-drafted emails associated with this project
- Upsell Suggestion (AI) — Reads project context and suggests relevant add-ons or follow-up sessions
Mark invoices as Paid when payments arrive. The Finance Tracker and Business Analyst only show accurate numbers if payment statuses are kept current.
Finance Tracker
Every dollar in and out of your business — revenue, expenses, mileage, and P&L reporting. The most underused tool that pays for itself in tax deductions alone.
- Expenses Tab — Log every business expense with date, vendor, amount, category, project link, and receipt photo. Use the AI Receipt Scanner (camera icon) — photograph your receipt and the AI fills in vendor, amount, date, and category automatically
- Recurring Expenses Tab — Add your monthly subscriptions and fixed costs (Lightroom, Dropbox, insurance). These feed directly into P&L calculations and are easy to miss during tax prep
- Mileage Log Tab — Enter start/end locations, the app calculates driving distance via Google Maps API automatically. Set to your IRS rate in Settings (default $0.67/mile). Log every shoot, client meeting, and equipment run
- If Google Sheets is connected, click Export to send your full expense list to a new sheet
- Already formatted for accountants — do this every quarter
Don't skip small recurring expenses. $15/mo Lightroom + $20/mo Dropbox + miscellaneous tools = $540+ in annual deductions that photographers routinely miss.
Inquiries & Lead Management
Your lead inbox. AI scores every lead, drafts a personalized reply in one click, and converts qualified leads to clients without re-entering any data.
- New → Contacted → Qualified → Proposal Sent → Booked → Not a Fit
- Use "Not a Fit" instead of deleting — those leads give the Business Analyst data about what you're turning away
- AI Reply Generator — Reads the specific inquiry, your packages from Settings, and Business Brain docs to draft a personalized reply in your voice. Review and send
- Lead Scoring (1–10) — AI analyzes the lead and scores likelihood to book with an explanation. Score 8+ = prioritize and consider a phone call
- Sentiment Analysis — Reads emotional tone (excited, budget-conscious, anxious) so you can calibrate your approach
- Convert to Client + Project — One click creates a new client record and project pre-filled with the inquiry data
- Manual — Click Add Inquiry to log leads from phone calls, DMs, or in-person conversations
- Google Sheets Import — If your website contact form writes to Google Sheets, import it here to auto-populate your inbox
- Public Inquiry Form — Share your
/submit-inquiry/[id]URL on your website as a contact form replacement
Respond within 2 hours when possible. The AI reply generator cuts your response time to under 5 minutes. Speed of response is one of the highest-impact factors in booking rate.
Proposals & Contracts
Build beautiful proposals with a client-facing viewer. Clients accept online. When accepted, convert to a project in one click.
- Click New Proposal, select a client and project type
- Add a personalized intro/cover note for this specific client
- Build your package: add line items (services, add-ons, travel, usage rights). Total auto-calculates
- Use the AI Suggest feature to get recommended line items based on project type and your Settings
- Set an expiration date to create urgency
- Copy the public link and send to client
- You receive a notification — client accepted or declined on the public viewer page
- Click Convert to Project on the Proposals Dashboard — creates a project pre-filled with proposal name, fee, and client
Contract Manager
Generate legally structured photography contracts in seconds. AI writes a complete contract from your studio info. Share a public link for clients to view.
- Select a client and project, choose contract type (Wedding, Portrait, Commercial, Event)
- Click Generate — a professionally structured template is populated with your studio details, client info, dates, fees, and deposit via merge fields
- Review in the Document Editor. Add or adjust your cancellation/refund policy and any jurisdiction-specific language
- Save to the client's record and share the public link — clients can read and e-sign directly from the link
Always review contracts before sending. Templates are thorough starting points but may not reflect your jurisdiction's specific requirements. Consider having an attorney review your templates.
Document Generator & Library
Generate any business document — invoices, model releases, questionnaires, thank you letters — and store everything in one searchable library.
- Invoice, Contract, Model Release, Photography Agreement
- Questionnaire, Shot List, Quote/Estimate
- Thank You Letter, Gallery Delivery Instructions, Custom
Generate invoices immediately after delivering a project — don't wait. And store every document in the library, not just on your desktop. When a client questions something 6 months later, you'll have it instantly.
Galleries & Photo Delivery
Client gallery management, delivery, favoriting, and AI-powered editing. Replace Pixieset or third-party gallery tools entirely.
- Create a new gallery linked to a client and project
- Upload your edited selects (stored securely in the cloud)
- Share the public gallery link (
/gallery/[id]) with your client - Clients browse, view full-size, and heart/favorite their preferred images
- View client favorites in your admin panel — use these to drive album design
- Gallery Story Generator — Writes a narrative caption or blog intro for your delivery email. Personal, specific to client and location. Takes 30 seconds and makes delivery feel premium
- AI Album Designer — Once client has favorited 15+ photos, click Design Album for AI-suggested layout: cover shot, spread order, groupings, caption copy
- AI Photo Editing — Select any photo for Enhance, Background Replace, Sky Replace, or Remix (Gemini API). Great for client previews and social concepts
Always maintain independent backups of your originals and edited files. Do not rely on FrameOps as your only photo backup.
Mini Session Manager
Create public booking pages for mini session events. Clients self-book time slots — no back-and-forth scheduling required.
- Click Create New Event
- Fill in: event name, date, location, duration per slot, price, and number of slots
- Click Generate Details for AI-written event description copy (more compelling than most photographers write)
- Save — a public booking URL is created automatically
- Share the link on social media, in emails, and in your Instagram bio
- Watch bookings fill in real time. Create a project for each booked slot to keep your pipeline accurate
Create events 4–6 weeks in advance to give yourself marketing time. The public booking page works as a standalone link — no login required for clients.
Studio Calendar
Full monthly calendar of shoots, payment due dates, reminders, and mini session events — with Google Calendar sync.
- 🔵 Projects — Shoot dates from your project records
- 🟢 Payments — Payment due dates. Click to mark as paid
- 🟡 Reminders — Custom reminders you set. Appear on Dashboard too
- 🟣 Mini Sessions — Event dates from Mini Session Manager
Add a reminder 1 week before each shoot for prep tasks (charge batteries, format cards, confirm with client). Sync to Google Calendar so your phone gives you native notifications.
Questionnaire Manager
Create and send pre-shoot questionnaires. Clients fill them out online. AI analyzes responses so you walk into every session fully prepared.
- Wedding — Vows style, must-have shots, family formals list, bridal party count, timeline concerns, special details
- Portrait — Style preferences, outfit count, location preferences, mood references, what they love or dislike about previous photos
Read the AI analysis the day before each shoot — it summarizes the client's priorities and concerns so you can tailor your approach without re-reading every answer.
The Notebook
A freeform capture space for notes, ideas, shot lists, and voice memos — all linked to clients and projects.
- Note, Idea, Shot List, Creative Concept, Client Note, Business Thought, Voice Memo
- Each entry can be linked to a client and/or project — it then appears in their records
- Click the microphone icon to record a voice memo
- Stop recording — AI transcribes it automatically via Gemini audio transcription
- Great for capturing thoughts in the car between shoots without looking at your phone
Use voice recording immediately after every shoot — sit in the parking lot and capture your impressions before they fade. What worked, what was challenging, what creative ideas came up.
Workflow Automations
Set trigger-based automations that draft emails, generate documents, and create deliverables automatically when events happen in your business.
| Template | Trigger | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Booking Confirmation | New project created | Draft confirmation email |
| Sneak Peek & Thank You | Status → Completed | Draft sneak peek email (1-day delay) |
| Generate Invoice | Status → Completed | Generate invoice document |
| Gallery Delivery | Status → Delivered | Draft gallery delivery email |
| Review Request | 7 days after shoot | Draft review request email |
| Album from Favorites | Client favorites 15+ photos | AI designs album layout |
| Social Post | Delivered + Fee > $2,000 | Draft social media post (2-day delay) |
- Triggers: New project created, status changes, X days after shoot, client favorites N photos
- Actions: Draft email, generate document, design album, generate social post
- Conditions: Filter by project name, fee threshold, or project type
- Delays: Add a delay in days before the action fires
Check your Dashboard daily to review triggered workflow actions and approve AI drafts before they send. Triggered workflows appear in the Dashboard approvals queue — not on the Workflows page. The Review Request automation alone can significantly increase your 5-star review count.
Messages Inbox
One place for all client communication. Gmail threads and Telegram messages pulled together so nothing slips through the cracks.
- Gmail threads — Recent client email conversations pulled from your connected Google account, displayed in a clean inbox view
- Telegram messages — Any messages sent to you via the FrameOps Telegram bot appear here as well
- Client context — Messages are linked to client records so you can see the full relationship history in one view
- Reply from the app — Send Gmail replies without leaving FrameOps
Requires Google account connected in Settings → Google Connect. Telegram messages appear automatically once your Telegram bot is linked.
Scheduling Assistant
Let AI handle the back-and-forth. The Scheduling Assistant finds open slots on your calendar and coordinates booking directly with clients.
- Finds available slots — Reads your Google Calendar to identify open windows that fit your preferences and buffer times
- Client coordination — Proposes times to clients and confirms the booking once they accept
- Auto-adds to calendar — Confirmed shoots are added to Google Calendar with all project details attached
- Works with your rules — Respects your shoot-day preferences, lead time requirements, and blocked dates
Requires Google Calendar connected in Settings → Google Connect. The more your calendar reflects your real availability, the better the assistant performs.
Understanding AI in FrameOps
FrameOps uses Google Gemini AI for all intelligence features. Here's exactly how it works, what data it accesses, and how to get the best outputs.
You upload documents (price guide, FAQ, brand voice doc) to Business Brain. When you use any AI feature — drafting an email, answering a business question, generating a proposal — the AI reads those documents as context before responding.
This is why responses sound like you wrote them. The AI isn't guessing at your prices or style — it's reading your actual documents.
FrameOps does not use your client data, photos, business documents, or financial information to train AI models. Your data is your data.
Business Brain documents are read at inference time only — meaning the AI reads them during a session to answer your question, then that's it. Nothing is stored or used to improve any model.
Be specific: "Draft an email to the Williams family portrait session next Saturday" performs far better than "draft an email."
Give context: "I'm thinking of raising my wedding price to $3,200. Based on my booking history, is that realistic?" is much more useful than "should I raise my price?"
Iterate: If a response isn't right, say "try again, make it shorter and warmer" — it adjusts immediately.
Contracts: AI-generated contracts are thorough starting points, not legal advice. Have an attorney review before relying on them.
Pricing: AI pricing suggestions are based on your data and context — not guaranteed market research. Use as a starting point.
Culling: AI analyzes technical quality. It cannot assess emotional significance of a moment. Always do a human review pass.
AI Assistant — Command Center
A conversational AI with full access to your entire business. The most powerful feature in the app — use it for everything from morning briefings to on-the-road business management.
- "What's on my plate today?" — morning briefing in conversational form
- "How much have I earned this quarter?" — instant financial summary
- "Which clients haven't received a gallery yet?" — pipeline audit
- "Draft a follow-up email to the Chen wedding inquiry" — targeted email draft
- "What projects are in progress right now?" — current pipeline snapshot
- "Suggest a price for a 4-hour corporate event shoot" — data-backed pricing
- "Give me 5 ideas to market my drone services for real estate" — creative brainstorm
- Text Chat — Type any question or command. AI responds in text
- Voice Input + Text Response — Click microphone, speak your message. AI responds in text. Good for when you don't want to read aloud
- Hands-Free Mode — Full voice loop: speak → AI transcribes → auto-sends → AI responds in voice → mic reopens. No buttons needed. Designed for driving between shoots
AI Photo Culling
Upload a batch of photos and let AI do the first-pass rejection — catching obvious rejects before you open Lightroom. Works best as a pre-editing filter, not a final decision tool.
- Click Upload Photos and select your JPG/PNG images
- Wait for AI analysis — each photo scored on sharpness, exposure, composition, and emotional quality
- Each photo gets a Keep or Reject recommendation with a brief reason
- Use the Sharpness Threshold slider to adjust strictness (default 30 is good for portraits; lower for intentional motion blur)
- Switch to Focus View for a closer look at borderline images
- Select photos to keep, choose a client + project, and click Save to Gallery
Do not trust AI Keep recommendations blindly. AI cannot assess emotional significance — a slightly soft photo of the exact moment the bride cried is irreplaceable. Use AI culling to eliminate obvious technical failures, then make emotional decisions yourself.
Creative Assistant
AI-powered shot list and creative concept generation. Use before every session to walk in prepared — and use the idea generator when you need a creative spark.
- Enter a creative brief: client names, vibe, location, style references, and special requests
- AI generates a categorized shot list (e.g., Ceremony, Portraits, Details, Reception)
- Assign to a project — list appears in Project Detail and syncs with On-Set Director
- Enter a theme or mood: "moody fall forest," "downtown editorial," "newborn lifestyle"
- Receive 10–15 creative shot ideas, posing concepts, lighting suggestions, and prop ideas
- Great for overcoming creative blocks before styled shoots
Specificity is everything. "Romantic sunset beach engagement for Sarah and Mike — outdoorsy couple, Myrtle Beach, low-key vibe" gives dramatically better shot lists than "beach engagement."
On-Set Director — Live AI
A real-time, bidirectional voice AI that runs during your shoot. Talk to it naturally. It knows your project, shot list, and client details. Think of it as a second shooter that talks back.
- Select the project you're shooting from the dropdown
- Click Connect to establish the live AI session (requires active internet)
- Put your phone in your pocket or set it nearby with a Bluetooth earpiece
- Click the microphone and speak naturally: "What's next on the shot list?" or "Suggest a pose for the first dance"
- AI responds in real-time voice and updates the shot list as you complete items
- "What are we shooting today?" — AI briefs you on the project and shot list
- "What's next on the list?" — moves through your shot list in order
- "Mark ceremony shots as done" — updates the list verbally
- "The light is too harsh, what should I do?" — real-time lighting advice
- "Suggest a pose for the first dance" — creative direction on demand
Test the connection before the shoot starts — not during the ceremony. Use a Bluetooth earpiece so you're never holding the phone. Start with "What are we shooting today?" to brief yourself on the session.
Location Scouting Assistant
Describe your vision, get AI-powered location suggestions with GPS coordinates, best times to shoot, and weather forecasting for scouted spots.
- Enter a location query: "golden hour forest locations near Charlotte, NC" or "urban rooftop spots for editorial portraits in Nashville"
- Receive 4–6 specific suggestions with descriptions, best shooting times, and GPS coordinates
- Locations appear as gold markers on the interactive map. Saved locations appear as green markers
- Click Get Weather on any saved location for a 5-day forecast
Save every good location you discover on a real shoot — including the exact parking spot, best shooting direction, and notes about lighting. You'll thank yourself when returning with another client 6 months later.
Business Analyst
Your AI-powered CFO. Analyzes your real data, answers business questions, generates P&L reports, and gives pricing suggestions backed by your actual booking history.
- Per-Project Profitability Table — See which project types and clients make you the most money, sorted by profit margin
- AI Business Insight — One key observation per click, e.g., "Your average wedding fee is 18% below market for your area"
- Ask a Business Question — "Which month is my slowest?" / "What % of revenue comes from weddings?" / "How much on equipment this year?" — answered with your real data
- P&L Report — Full Profit & Loss for any period. Exportable to Google Sheets
- Pricing Suggestion — Enter a session description, get data-backed pricing based on your history and market context
- Predictive Analysis — Forward-looking forecast: projected annual revenue, likely slow months, recommended actions
Run Predictive Analysis in October/November to understand your winter pipeline and plan marketing to fill the gap. Run Get Insight at the start of each month — it's fast and often surfaces something you weren't thinking about.
Business Brain
Upload documents that define your business and every AI response across the app will incorporate your actual prices, policies, and voice. Pro plan only.
- Your current price guide — AI reads actual package prices and deliverables
- Client FAQ document — AI answers inquiries using your real FAQ
- Brand voice guide — Tell the AI how you communicate (formal or casual, empathetic or direct, emoji usage). Write this yourself: 1 page is enough
- Shooting style and philosophy — Your approach, what makes your work distinctive
- Preferred contract terms and cancellation policy
If AI responses don't sound like you, write a one-page "Brand Voice" doc describing your communication style and upload it to Business Brain. This single upload typically transforms the quality of AI email drafts.
The Ideal Client Journey
Here's how all the tools connect from first lead to final review request — the complete FrameOps-powered client experience.
FAQ — Common Questions
Answers to the questions we hear most often.
/submit-inquiry/[your-id]). Link to this URL from your website's contact page, or embed it in an iframe. Every submission goes directly into your Inquiries inbox with AI scoring applied automatically.Troubleshooting Guide
Common issues and how to resolve them quickly.
- Check your plan tier — Starter has no AI features
- Check if you've hit your monthly generation limit (Studio plan)
- Sign out and back in to refresh your session
- If still failing, contact support at support@frameops.app
- Check internet connection strength at your shoot location
- Test the connection 15+ minutes before the session begins
- Check your Studio or Pro plan is active in Settings → Billing
- Close other bandwidth-heavy apps on the device
- If persistent: use text-based AI Assistant as backup
- Go to Integrations and check Calendar connection status
- Click Reconnect and redo the Google OAuth flow
- Confirm you authorized the correct Google account
- Try manually pushing events from Studio Calendar page
- Check Google Calendar on a different device to rule out display issue
- Check your internet connection — photos load from cloud storage
- Try refreshing the page or clearing your browser cache
- Verify you're logged into the correct account
- If images remain broken, contact support at support@frameops.app
- Check browser microphone permissions (click lock icon in URL bar)
- Allow microphone access for the FrameOps domain
- Test your microphone in another app to confirm it works
- Reload the page after granting permissions
- Voice mode uses Web Speech API — requires Chrome or Edge for best results
- Check your current plan in Account Settings → Billing
- Verify payment method is current and not expired
- If features are locked after upgrade, try logging out and back in
- For unexpected charges, contact support@frameops.app within 60 days
- Include your account email, charge amount, and date in any billing inquiry
Integrations
Connect Google services to extend FrameOps capabilities. All integrations are optional but significantly improve daily use.
| Integration | What It Enables | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| Google Calendar | Syncs shoot dates, payment reminders, and custom reminders to your phone's calendar. Native notifications for upcoming sessions. | 🔴 Do First |
| Google Sheets | Export expenses, P&L, project lists to Sheets for your accountant. Import inquiry leads from Google Forms. | High Value |
| Google Drive | Document backup and file access. Store contracts and important files in your Drive from within the app. | Useful |
| Gmail | Read recent client emails in your Daily Briefing and send emails directly via your Google account without leaving FrameOps. | High Value |
| Google Docs | Export generated documents (contracts, proposals, letters) directly to Google Docs for easy sharing with clients. | Useful |
AI is built-in — no API key needed. All AI features (Daily Briefing, inquiry scoring, contract generation, reply drafts, receipt scanning) are powered by FrameOps directly. Just connect your Google account and you're ready to go.
Telegram Bot
Get FrameOps in your pocket without opening the app. Your AI assistant, reminders, and client lookups — all through Telegram.
- Ask anything — Chat with your AI assistant about clients, projects, finances, and upcoming shoots right from Telegram
- Create clients & reminders — Add a new client or set a reminder with a simple message. It saves straight to FrameOps.
- Manage inquiries — Create inquiries, view existing ones, and update statuses on the go
- Daily Briefing on demand — Type /briefing any time to get your AI-powered daily summary sent directly to your phone
- /help — Sends a list of all available commands in the bot
- Go to Settings → Telegram in the app
- Click Connect — you'll receive a unique one-time link
- Open the link on your phone to launch the FrameOps bot in Telegram
- Hit Start — you're connected. Your account is linked automatically.
Best for on-the-go moments: Use Telegram when you're at a shoot, driving between locations, or just don't want to open the full app. Everything you enter syncs back to FrameOps in real time.
Pro Tips & Best Practices
Hard-won advice from actual studio use. These are the habits that separate photographers who save 15 hours a week from those who save 2.