Real-Time Pricing Updates During Customer Portal Booking (Update Service Pricing on the Go)
In OctopusPro, you can enable Update service pricing on the go to show customers a real-time estimated total while they are booking through your Customer Portal. This is especially useful when your services include priced options (custom fields/add-ons) that change the final cost.
What this setting does
- Updates the quoted/estimated service total instantly as customers select options that have additional prices (e.g., upgrades, add-ons, size/type selections).
- Helps customers understand how each selection affects the total before they continue to checkout.
Why it’s useful (benefits)
- Pricing transparency: customers see the impact of each option immediately.
- Fewer disputes: reduces “I didn’t know that cost extra” complaints.
- Higher conversion: customers are less likely to abandon checkout due to surprise pricing.
- Better self-selection: customers can remove optional extras if the total exceeds their budget.
Common examples
- Cleaning: “Heavy stain treatment” (+$X), “Extra bathroom” (+$X)
- Beauty/salon: “Blowout” (+$X), “Straightening” (+$X)
- Trades: “High ceiling access” (+$X), “Extra room” (+$X), “Premium materials” (+$X)
- Delivery/handyman: “Stairs/elevator access” (+$X), “Extra items” (+$X)
Prerequisites (recommended)
- Your service must have custom fields/options with additional prices configured. (Example: giving a custom field value a price/surcharge.)
- Optional: enable other pricing visibility tools (e.g., show pricing lists) depending on how much detail you want customers to see.
How to enable “Update service pricing on the go”
- Go to Settings → Customer Portal → Flags & Permissions.
- Scroll to Booking Flags.
- Enable Update service pricing on the go.
- Click Save.
How pricing updates appear to customers in the Customer Portal
1) Before selecting any priced options
When the booking window opens, customers see the base service price (without add-ons/options) at the top.
2) After selecting a priced option (custom field/add-on)
As soon as the customer selects an option with an additional cost, the system updates the Total estimate immediately by adding the option price to the service price.
This way, customers stay informed about the total price throughout the booking flow—before they proceed to checkout.
What happens if this flag is disabled?
If Update service pricing on the go is disabled, the total quoted pricing will not keep updating during the option-selection step. Instead, the customer will see the final total only after completing all selections, on the service summary page before adding the service to the cart.
Best-practice tips
- Name options clearly: use customer-friendly labels like “Extra room (+$25)” or “Premium finish (+$40)”.
- Use required vs optional fields correctly: make essential choices required, and keep upgrades optional.
- Keep pricing consistent: ensure add-on prices match your real operational costs to avoid manual adjustments later.
- Test the booking flow: make a test booking in the Customer Portal to confirm totals update as expected.
Troubleshooting
- Total isn’t changing: confirm the service has custom field values with additional pricing configured, and that the flag is enabled under Customer Portal → Flags & Permissions.
- Customers still see pricing only at the end: make sure you saved the flag change and refresh the Customer Portal page.
- Add-on pricing isn’t visible until selection: that is expected unless you also enable pricing visibility flags (e.g., showing custom field pricing on the service view page or full pricing list).
Related guides
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