Removing or Deactivating Team Members

Safely offboard artists from your shop while preserving important data.

Overview

When an artist leaves your shop or you need to remove a team member, Apprentice provides options to handle the transition smoothly. You can either deactivate an artist (preserving their data and history) or permanently remove them. This guide walks through both processes and helps you choose the right approach for different situations.

Deactivate vs. Remove: Which to Choose?

Deactivation (Recommended)

When to use:

• Artist is leaving temporarily (maternity leave, sabbatical)
• You want to preserve booking history and client relationships
• Artist may return in the future
• You need to maintain records for tax or legal purposes

What happens:

• Artist loses access to shop dashboard
• Their profile is hidden from public booking
• All historical data is preserved
• Past appointments and clients remain viewable
• Can be reactivated later without data loss
• Does not free up an artist slot in your subscription

Permanent Removal

When to use:

• Artist will never return to your shop
• You need to free up an artist slot
• You want to completely remove their association with your shop
• Employment ended on bad terms (after consultation with legal counsel)

What happens:

• Artist is permanently removed from your shop roster
• Their Apprentice account remains active (they keep their data)
• Their public artist page is unlinked from your shop
• Shop references are removed from their profile
• Historical appointments show "Former Artist" instead of name
• Frees up an artist slot immediately
• Cannot be easily reversed

Deactivating a Team Member

Step-by-Step: Deactivate an Artist

1. Navigate to Shop Settings → Team
2. Find the artist you want to deactivate
3. Click the ⋮ menu icon next to their name
4. Select Deactivate Artist
5. Review the deactivation confirmation dialog
6. Optionally add a reason (for internal records only)
7. Click Deactivate
8. The artist's status changes to "Inactive"

What Gets Deactivated

Access Removed:

• Shop dashboard access
• Booking calendar (can't accept new appointments)
• Client chat access
• Shop team communications
• Reception board access

Data Preserved:

• Past appointment records
• Client relationships and notes
• Portfolio and work history
• Earnings records
• Communication history
• Analytics data

Important: Existing appointments are NOT canceled. The artist can still complete scheduled sessions.

After Deactivation

The Deactivated Artist:

• Receives an email notification about deactivation
• Can no longer log into your shop's dashboard
• Keeps their Apprentice account (for future use)
• Can still access their personal portfolio and past work
• May reapply or be reinvited to a different shop

You (Shop Owner/Admin):

• See the artist as "Inactive" in team list
• Can view their historical data and appointments
• Can reassign their pending bookings to other artists
• Can reactivate them at any time

Removing a Team Member Permanently

Step-by-Step: Remove an Artist

1. Navigate to Shop Settings → Team
2. Find the artist you want to remove
3. Click the ⋮ menu icon next to their name
4. Select Remove from Shop
5. ⚠️ Warning dialog appears explaining the permanence
6. Review what will happen:

• Artist loses all shop access
• Historical data is anonymized
• Artist slot is freed up
• Action cannot be easily undone

7. Type the artist's name to confirm (safety check)
8. Optionally add a reason (for internal records)
9. Click Remove Permanently
10. Artist is removed from your shop

What Gets Removed

Shop Association:

• Artist is unlinked from your shop
• Shop no longer appears on their public profile
• Their public booking link is disconnected from your shop
• They no longer appear in your team roster

Access Removed:

• All shop dashboard access
• Shop client database access
• Shop calendar access
• Team communications

Data Handling:

• Historical appointments remain but show "Former Artist"
• Client relationships are preserved but attributed generically
• Financial records remain for your accounting
• Their personal Apprentice account is NOT deleted

After Removal

The Removed Artist:

• Receives notification that they've been removed
• Keeps their Apprentice account
• Can create a new shop or join a different shop
• Loses all connection to your shop's data
• Cannot see your shop's client list anymore

You (Shop Owner/Admin):

• Artist slot is immediately available
• Can invite a new artist to fill the slot
• Historical data remains but artist is anonymized
• Cannot easily reinstate the artist (would need to re-invite)

Handling Pending Appointments

When deactivating or removing an artist with pending appointments:

Option 1: Reassign Appointments

1. Go to Shop Settings → Team → [Artist Name]
2. Click View Pending Appointments (shows before deactivation)
3. Select appointments to reassign
4. Choose a new artist from the dropdown
5. Add a note explaining the reassignment (optional)
6. Click Reassign Selected
7. Clients receive automatic notification of the change

Option 2: Cancel Appointments

1. View the artist's pending appointments
2. Select appointments to cancel
3. Choose cancellation reason
4. Enable Refund deposit if applicable
5. Click Cancel Selected
6. Clients receive cancellation notification with refund details

Option 3: Let the Artist Complete

If the artist is leaving on good terms:

• Keep them active until all appointments are completed
• Set an end date for their access
• Deactivate after their last session

Pro Tip: Reassign appointments at least 72 hours before they're scheduled to give clients time to adjust.

Reactivating a Deactivated Artist

If a deactivated artist returns:

1. Go to Shop Settings → Team
2. Filter by Inactive status
3. Find the artist
4. Click the ⋮ menu icon
5. Select Reactivate Artist
6. Confirm reactivation
7. Their access is immediately restored
8. All historical data becomes accessible again
9. They can start accepting bookings

Important: Reactivating counts against your subscription's artist limit. Make sure you have an available slot.

Best Practices

Before Deactivating/Removing

✅ Do This First:

• Communicate directly with the artist about the decision
• Give appropriate notice (check your local labor laws)
• Export any necessary data or reports
• Reassign or cancel pending appointments
• Notify affected clients
• Document the reason (for internal records)
• Back up important communications or agreements

❌ Don't Do This:

• Remove an artist without warning (except in extreme circumstances)
• Delete an artist during an active session or appointment
• Remove without handling pending bookings
• Act impulsively during a conflict

During the Transition

• Set a clear end date for their access
• Create a transition plan for their clients
• Offer clients the option to continue with a different artist
• Preserve important client notes and preferences
• Export any reports or analytics they've contributed to

After Removal

• Monitor for any client confusion or complaints
• Ensure reassigned artists have context on new clients
• Update your shop's public roster
• Adjust team schedules and availability
• Review and redistribute workload

Legal and HR Considerations

⚠️ Important: Removing a team member from Apprentice does not constitute employment termination. You must:

• Follow your local employment laws
• Provide proper termination notice
• Handle final payouts separately
• Maintain employment records as required by law
• Consult with HR or legal counsel for complex situations

Apprentice is a booking and management tool, not an HR platform. Treat removal from the platform as a separate step from employment termination.

Data Retention

For Deactivated Artists

• All data is retained indefinitely
• You can access their historical performance
• Financial records remain intact
• Client relationships are preserved

For Removed Artists

• Historical appointment data is anonymized
• Financial records are preserved for accounting
• Client data remains but artist attribution is removed
• You cannot recover the direct association

For Shop Owners

• You're responsible for compliance with data retention laws
• Export important records before permanent removal
• Maintain financial records for tax purposes (typically 7 years)

Tips

• Deactivate First: If unsure, deactivate rather than remove. You can always remove later.
• Communication is Key: Talk to the artist before taking action (except in extreme cases)
• Handle Bookings: Always address pending appointments before deactivating/removing
• Document Everything: Keep records of why and when you deactivated/removed someone
• Be Professional: Even if the departure is contentious, handle it professionally
• Give Access to Final Payouts: Allow artists to view their final earnings before removing them

Common Issues

• Issue: Accidentally removed instead of deactivating → Solution: Contact support immediately. If caught quickly, data can sometimes be restored. Otherwise, you'll need to re-invite the artist.
• Issue: Artist still appearing in booking links → Solution: Clear browser cache and update public pages. Changes may take up to 15 minutes to propagate.
• Issue: Can't remove artist - error message → Solution: Artist may have pending appointments. Reassign or cancel them first, then try again.
• Issue: Deactivated artist needs temporary access → Solution: Reactivate temporarily, then deactivate again when done. Set a calendar reminder.
• Issue: Removed artist's clients are confused → Solution: Send a shop-wide announcement introducing the new artist and explaining the transition.
• Issue: Need to remove artist but at subscription limit → Solution: Removal frees up the slot immediately. You can then invite a replacement.

Updated on: 19/01/2026