Assign a client before starting a visit from an appointment that does not have one yet. This includes preset appointments already on the calendar with a time and type set, so you do not need to delete and recreate one just to add a client.
Steps
Open the appointment in Scheduler.
Select Assign client in the appointment details panel. This option is available whether the appointment has no client at all or shows a placeholder name only, with the note "This name is stored only on this appointment".
Search for and select the client. You can type the full name in either order, for example "Smith Jane" or "Jane Smith", and CoolFocus matches it against first and last name. If the client isn't in CoolFocus yet, select Add new client, enter their details, and save. If CoolFocus finds a similar existing client while you type, it shows a possible match so you can pick that client instead of creating a duplicate.
Save the appointment.
Start Visit becomes available once the appointment has a linked client, but it only works for appointments scheduled for today. You can assign a client to a past or future appointment, but you still can't start a visit from it until the appointment date arrives. Once a client is linked, click their name in the appointment to open their client record.
A placeholder name does not show a date of birth or phone number, because those fields live on the client record, not on the appointment. Sending consent documents from the appointment also requires a linked client record, even if that record only has basic details filled in so far.
Visit Board
Appointments without a linked client still appear on the Visit Board. Their Start Visit button stays disabled and explains why: "This appointment isn't linked to a client."
Open the appointment, assign the client, and save before starting the visit.
Sending forms and consents
An appointment that only carries a typed-in name, with no linked client record, can't send client forms or consent documents either. The send screen explains this and offers a Create or assign client button that opens the same assign-client flow described above.