Another Session

Guides · 6 min read

How do you keep track of prepaid lessons and remaining sessions?

Keep a record of how many lessons a client has purchased, which sessions have been used and how many remain. A consistent system makes it easier to manage prepaid packages, avoid mistakes and know when a client needs to purchase more sessions.

Why blocks of lessons get hard to count

Selling a block of lessons is good for everyone. The client commits, you get paid upfront and the diary is steadier. The tracking is where it goes wrong.

A personal trainer sells a ten-session block and three weeks later is not sure whether the client has used six or seven. A tennis coach has a client with a block who also books an extra lesson that should be paid on the day. A music teacher moves two lessons for a school trip and loses track of which ones counted.

The common problems are forgetting how many lessons remain, confusing prepaid and unpaid sessions, losing track of rescheduled lessons, not knowing when a client needs another block, and, worst of all, a disagreement over the balance.

Record the block the day it is bought

Every block needs four facts written down: who bought it, how many lessons, the price, and the date. If it expires, note that too.

Write down whether it has been paid. A block agreed but not yet paid is a different thing from a block paid in full, and mixing them up is how coaches end up teaching for free.

If you are deciding how to structure blocks in the first place, see how to design coaching packages.

Count a lesson only when it happens

The simplest rule is that a lesson uses one from the block when it takes place, not when it is booked.

That way, a rescheduled lesson keeps its place in the block until it actually happens, and a cancelled lesson is easy to handle according to your terms. If your policy is that late cancellations use a lesson, record that clearly at the time, with a note.

Keep extra lessons separate. If a client with a block books a one-off extra session, decide upfront whether it comes from the block or is paid separately, and record it that way. Our guide on handling reschedules covers the conversation.

From a spreadsheet to dedicated software

There are sensible ways to track blocks at every size. Choose the lightest one that you will keep up to date.

  • A card or notebook per client

    Tick a box for each lesson used. Simple and visible, but easy to lose and hard to share.

  • A spreadsheet

    One row per lesson with a column for the block it belongs to, and a formula for the remaining count. Works well until you have many clients or frequent changes.

  • Software that links blocks to sessions

    The block and the lessons live together, so the remaining count updates as you log each lesson and nothing needs copying across.

Know when a client needs another block

Raise the next block when two lessons remain, not after the last one. It gives the client time to decide and avoids an awkward gap.

A short message works: “You have two lessons left on your current block. Would you like me to set up the next ten?” If you invoice monthly instead of in blocks, the routine in creating monthly invoices from lesson records may suit you better.

How Another Session tracks packages

In Another Session you add a package to a client with the number of sessions and the price. Each session you log against it uses one, and the client profile shows how many remain.

The package shows sessions used and sessions remaining, with a progress bar, and whether it has been paid. You can send an invoice for the package, mark it paid in full, or record a part payment if the client pays in instalments. On the Clients list, a client on a package shows their remaining credits, so you can see at a glance who is close to the end.

Sessions covered by a package are marked as covered, so they are never counted as owed on an invoice. A separate one-off session can still be marked paid or left to pay later.

Packages are included on both plans. Free covers up to three active clients and Complete is £8 a month for unlimited active clients, with the same features. There is more on the page for music teachers and the page for private tutors.

Another Session client package showing a 10-session pack with 6 remaining and 4 used, its payment status, and the Send invoice and Mark paid actions.
A 10-session pack with 6 remaining and 4 used. The payment status is recorded separately from the remaining sessions.

Frequently asked questions

Should prepaid lessons expire?

Many coaches give blocks a reasonable time limit, such as a term or a few months, so the diary stays predictable. Whatever you choose, agree it when the block is bought.

What if a client disputes how many lessons are left?

Show them the dated list of lessons used against the block. A clear record usually settles it quickly, which is the main reason to keep one.

Can a client pay for a package in instalments?

Yes. In Another Session you can record part payments against a package, and it shows as paid in full once the payments add up to the price.

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