Checklist for switching your lab in GotPhoto

Table of contents

• Overview
• Timing
• Your checklist
• The takeaway

Overview

There may be situations where you need to switch your lab - for example, due to product availability or because you've found a lab that better fits your needs. This guide outlines the next steps to ensure a smooth transition for all affected jobs and unprocessed orders in GotPhoto.

Timing

We do not recommend switching labs during the busy season or mid-job. This helps avoid issues or delays that could affect your customers. Ideally, make the switch during the low season. This allows time to:

• Get familiar with your new lab
• Transfer open orders and batches to your existing lab
• Adjust your lab settings in GotPhoto
• Update your packages, price lists, and jobs

Do not deactivate your existing lab yet. Please review the following checklist carefully to ensure a smooth transfer.

Your checklist

1. Create a customer account with your new lab. This will provide a customer ID you need to activate the lab in GotPhoto.
2. Activate your new lab in GotPhoto. Review this article: Activate your lab partner in GotPhoto (North American customers)
3. Review your currently used price listsunder Products > Price Lists. You can:
   • See how many jobs and albums use each list
   • See which include background options
   • Export each as a PDF to recreate them later

4. If you need a full overview of which jobs use which price list, contact our team for assistance.

5. Create new product packages using items from your new lab.
   • Make package names clearly distinguishable from the existing ones during the transition period (e.g., “Premium Package 2025” instead of “Premium Package”)
   • Avoid using the lab’s name in customer-facing titles
   • More info: Create a product package
6. Build your new price lists with the newly created packages.
   See: Create and manage price lists
7. Assign your new price list to all jobs still in planning mode. In case you plan to reactivate your archived jobs at some point, remove the old price list or update it to a new one.
8. Review active jobs currently set to selling:
   • If using direct shipping only:
     • Release all orders in Manual Revision or Order Entry to your old lab
     • Filter for unpaid or pending orders — send reminders or cancel them
     • Change the price list once orders are transferred. Also check and update the advanced job settings
   • If using direct and batch shipping or batch only:
     • Release orders in Manual Revision or Order Entry to the batch
     • Release all open batches to your old lab
     • Create new batches using your updated price list
     • Filter and cancel unpaid or pending orders as needed
     • Update price list and advanced job settings once orders are transferred
9. Delete your old packages.
   Filter for product packages using your old lab. Open each one in a new tab and delete it.
   
10. Delete your old price lists.
    Filter for price lists with old lab products. Click Action > Delete on each.
    
11. Deactivate your old lab from the partner lab overview page.
    Only do this after completing all previous steps in the checklist.

The takeaway

By following this guide, you've ensured a seamless transition from your old lab to a new one. You've preserved customer experience, cleaned up outdated configurations, and prepared your GotPhoto account for future jobs.