Already have clients you work with outside the platform? You can bring them onto It’s Complicated and start using all of our practice management tools with them — scheduling, video sessions, invoicing, notes, intake forms, and secure document storage.
How it works
It’s Complicated lets you work with clients in two ways: as external clients (no account needed) or as registered clients (with a full platform account). Both give you access to the same tools — the difference is how much your client can do on their end.
- External clients — you manage everything from your side. Your client receives appointment confirmations, invoices, and intake forms via email, but doesn’t need to log in or create an account.
- Registered clients — your client creates an account on It’s Complicated. They can message you through the platform, manage their own bookings, view invoices, and join video sessions directly from their dashboard.
You can start with external clients and invite them to register later — there’s no pressure to do everything at once.
Option 1: Add an external client
This is the quickest way to start using It’s Complicated’s tools with a client who isn’t on the platform yet.
Step 1: Go to your Client Center and click Add client. Enter the client’s name and email address — this creates an external client profile.
Step 2: Once the profile is created, you can immediately start using all of our tools with this client:
- Schedule appointments — create bookings and your client will receive a confirmation email. See Getting started with appointment booking.
- Send invoices — invoice your client directly through the platform, with prepay or post-session billing. See Getting started with invoicing.
- Send intake forms — collect important information before the first session. Your client fills in the form via a link sent by email. See Getting started with intake forms.
- Take session notes — keep encrypted clinical notes tied to this client’s profile. See Getting started with notes.
- Store documents securely — upload and manage client documentation in one place. See Practice Vault.
- Hold video sessions — run GDPR-secure video calls directly through the platform. See Getting started with video calling.
Your client receives everything they need via email — appointment confirmations, invoice links, intake form links — without needing to create an account or download anything.
💡 Tip: You can also add an external client on the fly while creating an appointment. Just start typing a name that isn’t in your client list yet, and you’ll be prompted to add them right there.
Option 2: Invite a client to register
If you’d like your client to have their own account on It’s Complicated — so they can message you, manage bookings, and access everything from their own dashboard — you can invite them to register.
Invite an existing external client
If you’ve already added someone as an external client, you can send them a registration invite directly from their client profile. They’ll receive an email inviting them to create an account, and once they do, their existing history (appointments, invoices, notes) will carry over automatically.
Share your profile link
Alternatively, you can share your It’s Complicated profile link with your client. When they visit your profile and send you a message, they’ll be prompted to create an account. Once registered, they can book sessions, communicate with you through the platform, and manage their own appointments and invoices.
Which option should I choose?
- Start with external clients if you want to get going quickly, your client isn’t especially tech-savvy, or you just need the tools without asking your client to sign up for anything.
- Invite them to register if you want them to be able to message you through the platform, manage their own bookings, or join video sessions from their own dashboard.
Many therapists start by adding their clients as external clients and then invite them to register once they’re comfortable with the platform. There’s no wrong approach — you can switch at any time.
💡 Tip: Existing clients you bring onto the platform are treated as repeat clients for invoicing purposes. This means the lower repeat-client fee applies from their very first invoice, rather than the new-client rate. See Information on It’s Complicated memberships for details.