Coordinating large groups—especially those with changing headcounts, multiple boats, and rotating leads—can feel like herding cats. Brindlechute is built to bring order to that chaos.
1. Set Up the Trip Before Assigning Guides
When a large group inquires or books:
Create the trip in Brindlechute right away, using the client name as your anchor.
Hold off on assigning guides until payment is received—this keeps your scheduling flexible as headcounts change.
Track bookings from the calendar for quick reference. Color indicators help flag paid, unpaid, and checklist issues at a glance.
2. Assign Group Leads and Use Notes to Organize
For multi-boat trips:
Assign group leads (e.g., experienced guides) who will handle coordination.
Use Private Notes to document roles, groupings, and plan of action:
Jarrett and Drew are leads. Boat 1–2: Jarrett Boat 3–4: Drew
A = Adult, K = Kid, T = TeenGuides will reference these notes when reviewing trip details.
3. Create Custom Experiences for Unique Group Sizes
If only some boats include 3 anglers, avoid using add-ons (which only modify the invoice):
Instead:
Duplicate the standard experience (e.g. Half Day Float)
Update:
Name: e.g., “Half Day – 3 Anglers”
Max capacity: 3
Price: Include the third angler fee
Set it to hidden so it won’t appear online, but remains available for manual bookings.
This ensures clean tracking and eliminates confusion in trip and guide management.
4. Stay Ahead of Client Documentation
Brindlechute’s checklist system helps prevent surprises on the day of the trip:
Pre-trip tasks (e.g., license uploads) are due 2 days before departure
Red/yellow indicators on the calendar reflect real-time checklist progress
From the trip view:
Check individual task status
Send reminders, upload on behalf of clients, or override if needed
Use “View Itinerary” or copy links for direct sharing
For trip-specific needs (like life jacket sizing or DOB for minors), use manual checklist tasks that keep trips flagged until complete.
5. Clarify Guide Responsibilities
Brindlechute gives guides visibility into:
Client details
Waiver/license status
Assigned trips and fellow guides
That said, not every guide is fluent in the tool. Define clear internal policies:
Who follows up on missing documentation?
When should guides check Brindlechute for updates?
How are checklist gaps handled when the trip is approaching?
Make sure your team knows where Brindlechute fits into your process.
6. Example
Why This Format Works
Each notes section serves a distinct audience and purpose:
Client Notes capture what the client has asked for and how the trip is evolving.
Private Notes document internal planning, guide outreach, and decision history.
Guide Notes serve as a briefing document for guides on the day of the trip.
This separation helps avoid confusion, speeds up handoffs, and ensures each team has the right level of detail.
Section Breakdown with Examples
Client Notes
Client Notes summarize the current understanding of the trip from the client's point of view.
In the Clearwater trip, the client requested:
“Float on the Clearwater River. Current thinking is to break the group up as follows: Adults – 7, Teens – 5, Kids (7–12 yo) – 6.”
They proposed grouping boats accordingly:
Group 1: Boats 1A to 1D for a mix of A-K-T (Adults, Kids, Teens)
Boat 1E was added on 6/15 and removed on 6/18, with both changes clearly logged.
This section is updated frequently to reflect evolving plans and makes it easy for team members to see the current boat and group configuration at a glance.
Private Notes
Private Notes are used for internal tracking — the full context and timeline of communications, decisions, and logistics.
Examples from the same booking include:
“6/12 – Taylor contacted, wants 18 participants for a half-day float.”
“6/14 – Guides contacted: Jordan Valez (A-K-T), Blake Williamson (A-K)…”
“6/18 – Two guides dropped out. Texted Chase to remove from calendar.”
Other notes tracked planning context, such as:
“Taylor is organizing a trip with 35 participants, staying near Big Sky. May add spin casting for kids.”
This log ensures that if someone else takes over the trip or if questions arise later, the full decision trail is visible.
Guide Notes
Guide Notes are the final, simplified version of the plan that guides rely on in the field. It includes only the relevant, confirmed details.
In this example:
Each group had a designated lead:
“Jordan, please lead Group I and coordinate with guides in your group.”
“Devon, you lead Group II.”Client-side contacts were provided:
“Group I Contact: Brooke Emerson (817-000-1234)”
Outstanding information was flagged for follow-up:
“Still need DOBs and weights for the kids.”
These notes are short, clear, and operational. They allow guides to show up, get oriented quickly, and execute the plan with confidence.
Summary Table
Section | Example Entry | Purpose |
Client Notes | “Float Group 1: Boats 1A–1D (A-K-T)” | Share current plan with team |
Private Notes | “6/18 – Two guides dropped out” | Log internal changes and context |
Guide Notes | “Devon, you lead Group II” | Field-ready instructions |
This structure is especially effective when managing large trips with many participants, multiple age groups, or changing logistics. By keeping each section focused on its audience, your team can adapt quickly while maintaining clarity throughout the process.
Bonus Tips
Brindlechute notes can act as your working sheet as bookings evolve.
Avoid spreadsheets: updates are easier, and records are cleaner inside Brindlechute.
Features on the horizon: group pay tools, offline license capture, and auto-validating license uploads.