# How do I take cake orders without Instagram DMs?

> Keep Instagram for enquiries and move the order onto one link with an order form, a deposit, one calendar and written terms. The fields to ask for, and a reply to copy.

Keep Instagram for the first hello and move the order itself onto one link.
When someone messages "do you do a 3 tier for the 14th?", reply with your order
link instead of a price. The link collects the details, shows the price, takes
the deposit and puts the date in your calendar, so nothing that matters lives
in a chat thread. A working system has four parts: an order form, a deposit at
booking, one calendar and written terms.

## 1. An order form with the fields that matter

Every field below answers a question you would otherwise ask in three more
messages:

| Field | Why it is there |
|---|---|
| Event date and collection or delivery time | Checks availability before anything else |
| Pickup or delivery, and the address | Delivery changes the price and the day |
| Servings | Sets the size, which sets the price |
| Flavour and filling | Usually priced by option |
| Design notes and reference photos | Photos replace ten messages of description |
| Allergies and dietary needs | Written down by the customer, in their words |
| Name, mobile and email | So the order is not tied to one app's inbox |
| Budget, for custom work | Saves quoting a design they cannot afford |
| Agreement to your terms | One tick, linked to the full terms |

Make date, servings, allergies and contact details required. Make everything
else optional, or the form becomes the reason they go back to DMs.

## 2. A deposit at booking

A date is not booked until a deposit is paid. Take it by card at the moment the
customer confirms, not when they "get around to the transfer". For how much to
take and when the balance should fall due, see
[how much deposit for a custom cake](/blog/how-much-deposit-for-a-custom-cake).

## 3. One calendar

Every order, from every channel, goes into one calendar with its status:
enquiry, quoted, deposit paid, paid in full. A DM order that never made it into
the calendar is how the same Saturday gets booked twice.

## 4. Written terms

Cancellation, design changes, allergens and delivery should be in writing and
agreed before the deposit. A tick box on the form is the minimum; for weddings
and large orders, a signed agreement is worth the extra minute.
[The terms worth getting signed](/blog/terms-to-get-signed-for-custom-cake-orders)
covers what each clause should say.

> **A reply to copy into your DMs**
>
> "Thanks so much. To check the date and get you a
> price, pop your details in here: [your link]. Your date is held once the
> deposit is paid."

## How ibakepro does it

ibakepro turns the DM into an order, whether you bake from home or run a
bakery with a team answering messages:

- **The DM itself.** Instagram DMs, Facebook Messenger and SMS arrive in the
  Social Media inbox. From a conversation you can link it to a customer, create an enquiry
  or send a link for their contact details, so the chat becomes an order
  without retyping.
- **The order form.** Your website takes enquiries on every plan, and on Growth
  and Business the [storefront](/features/online-storefront) lets
  customers choose size and flavour, pick a date, see allergens and pay.
  Custom fields ask the questions specific to your work.
- **The deposit.** Each order gets its own page where the customer chooses
  between quote options, fills in details and allergens, uploads photos, agrees
  to your policies and pays the deposit by card through your own Stripe account.
  The balance is chased on a schedule. See
  [payment schedules and deposits](/features/payment-schedules-and-deposits).
- **One calendar.** Every order lands in one calendar, and syncs to Google
  Calendar if you use it.
- **Signed terms.** Contracts are signed online with [e-sign](/features/e-sign)
  on every plan, and the signed copy is filed against the customer.

Orders, quotes, deposits and the inbox are on every plan, from US$17, A$26 or
£13 a month, with a 14-day free trial. See
[orders and quotes](/features/orders-and-quotes) for the full order flow.