Slips don’t usually exist in isolation — they’re tied to an event, an activity or a booking. PortalHQ can link slips to these other modules so the slip becomes a prerequisite or auto-generated artefact.
Slips as prerequisites for booked events
A common pattern: parents must complete a slip before they can book a specific Booked Event.
For example, a Year 12 camp needs a Year 12 Camp Consent slip submitted before the parent can book the camp’s interview slot.
To set this up:
- Create the slip (see Creating a slip).
- Open the booked event.
- In the Slip prerequisite section, link the slip.
The parent’s experience:
- They see the booked event on their dashboard.
- They click Book.
- PortalHQ checks if the slip has been submitted.
- If not, they’re redirected to the slip first.
- After submitting, they return to the booking flow.
See Setting eligibility and slip prerequisites for the Booked Events side.
Slips auto-generated from events
For events on the calendar (the Events module) that require parent consent, you can configure the event to auto-generate a slip when approved:
- Open the event request.
- Tick Generate permission slip.
- Fill in the permission note details (intro, location, departure info, transport, return, dress, additional requirements).
- Submit the event.
- When the event is approved, a slip is automatically created with the form structure and student list derived from the event.
The slip targets the students assigned to the event (year groups, classes involved, etc.). Parents see the outstanding slip on their dashboards.
This avoids manually building a slip for every approved excursion — the workflow runs off the event itself.
Slips linked to Co-Curricular activities
For activities that require seasonal consent (e.g. Year 9 Hockey 2026 Term 2):
- Create a slip targeting all students signed up to the activity group.
- Optionally, configure the activity group to require the slip before students can fully participate.
The slip becomes part of the signup process — parents fill it in after signing up but before the first session.
Linking to existing slips
For slips that already exist and you want to link to an event or booking after the fact:
- Open the event, booking or activity.
- Find the Linked slips or Permission slips section.
- Pick the existing slip.
- Save.
The link applies forward — new bookers/signups will be subject to the slip; existing ones aren’t automatically required.
When NOT to use linked slips
- One-off ad-hoc consent — a single email asking for parent agreement. Use Forms or an email.
- General school-wide policies — the I agree to the school’s privacy policy slip can be standalone; doesn’t need event linkage.
- Information collection without consent — use Forms, not Slips.
Visibility and ordering
A slip linked to multiple things (e.g. a Year 9 Camp slip that applies to both a booked event interview and the camp itself):
- The slip is the same single artefact.
- The parent fills it in once.
- It satisfies the prerequisite for every linked context.
This avoids parents being asked to sign the same consent multiple times for the same trip.
Audit and reporting
When a slip is linked to an event or booking, the slip’s audit trail includes the link. Useful when, for example:
- A staff member needs to confirm consent was obtained for a specific excursion.
- A compliance review checks that every camp had its consent slips in.
Reports can filter by linked event so you see all slips related to the Year 9 Camp.
Tips
- Build the slip and the linked event together. Don’t release one without the other; orphan workflows confuse parents.
- Use auto-generation where possible. Calendar events with Generate permission slip save manual effort.
- Test the linked workflow. Book the event from a test parent account; confirm the slip prompts correctly.
- Communicate the linkage in the event description. A line like Note: requires completion of the Year 9 Camp Consent slip first sets expectations.