# Story 3.8: Consultation Reminders
## Epic Reference
**Epic 3:** Booking & Consultation System
## User Story
As a **client**,
I want **to receive reminder emails before my consultation**,
So that **I don't forget my appointment and can prepare accordingly**.
## Story Context
### Existing System Integration
- **Integrates with:** consultations table, Laravel scheduler, email notifications
- **Technology:** Laravel Queue, Scheduler, Mailable
- **Follows pattern:** Scheduled job pattern
- **Touch points:** Email system, consultation status
## Acceptance Criteria
### 24-Hour Reminder
- [x] Sent 24 hours before consultation
- [x] Includes:
- Consultation date and time
- Type (free/paid)
- Payment reminder if paid and not received
- Calendar file link
- Any special instructions
### 2-Hour Reminder
- [x] Sent 2 hours before consultation
- [x] Includes:
- Consultation date and time
- Final payment reminder if applicable
- Contact information for last-minute issues
### Reminder Logic
- [x] Only for approved consultations
- [x] Skip cancelled consultations
- [x] Skip no-show consultations
- [x] Don't send duplicate reminders
- [x] Handle timezone correctly
### Language Support
- [x] Email in client's preferred language
- [x] Arabic template for Arabic preference
- [x] English template for English preference
### Quality Requirements
- [x] Scheduled jobs run reliably
- [x] Retry on failure
- [x] Logging for debugging
- [x] Tests for reminder logic
## Prerequisites & Assumptions
### Consultation Model (from Story 3.4/3.5)
The `Consultation` model must exist with the following structure:
- **Fields:**
- `status` - enum: `pending`, `approved`, `completed`, `cancelled`, `no_show`
- `scheduled_date` - date (cast to Carbon)
- `scheduled_time` - time string (H:i:s)
- `type` - enum: `free`, `paid`
- `payment_status` - enum: `pending`, `received`, `not_applicable`
- `payment_amount` - decimal, nullable
- `user_id` - foreign key to users table
- `reminder_24h_sent_at` - timestamp, nullable (added by this story)
- `reminder_2h_sent_at` - timestamp, nullable (added by this story)
- **Relationships:**
- `user()` - BelongsTo User
- **Factory States:**
- `approved()` - sets status to 'approved'
### User Model Requirements
- `preferred_language` field must exist (values: `ar`, `en`)
- This field should be added in Epic 1 or early user stories
### Route Requirements
- `client.consultations.calendar` route from Story 3.6 must exist for calendar file download link
## Technical Notes
### Reminder Commands
#### 24-Hour Reminder Command
```php
addHours(24);
$windowStart = $targetTime->copy()->subMinutes(30);
$windowEnd = $targetTime->copy()->addMinutes(30);
$consultations = Consultation::where('status', 'approved')
->whereNull('reminder_24h_sent_at')
->whereDate('scheduled_date', $targetTime->toDateString())
->get()
->filter(function ($consultation) use ($windowStart, $windowEnd) {
$consultationDateTime = Carbon::parse(
$consultation->scheduled_date->format('Y-m-d') . ' ' .
$consultation->scheduled_time
);
return $consultationDateTime->between($windowStart, $windowEnd);
});
$count = 0;
foreach ($consultations as $consultation) {
try {
$consultation->user->notify(new ConsultationReminder24h($consultation));
$consultation->update(['reminder_24h_sent_at' => now()]);
$count++;
$this->info("Sent 24h reminder for consultation #{$consultation->id}");
} catch (\Exception $e) {
$this->error("Failed to send reminder for consultation #{$consultation->id}: {$e->getMessage()}");
\Log::error('24h reminder failed', [
'consultation_id' => $consultation->id,
'error' => $e->getMessage(),
]);
}
}
$this->info("Sent {$count} 24-hour reminders");
return Command::SUCCESS;
}
}
```
#### 2-Hour Reminder Command
```php
addHours(2);
$windowStart = $targetTime->copy()->subMinutes(15);
$windowEnd = $targetTime->copy()->addMinutes(15);
$consultations = Consultation::where('status', 'approved')
->whereNull('reminder_2h_sent_at')
->whereDate('scheduled_date', $targetTime->toDateString())
->get()
->filter(function ($consultation) use ($windowStart, $windowEnd) {
$consultationDateTime = Carbon::parse(
$consultation->scheduled_date->format('Y-m-d') . ' ' .
$consultation->scheduled_time
);
return $consultationDateTime->between($windowStart, $windowEnd);
});
$count = 0;
foreach ($consultations as $consultation) {
try {
$consultation->user->notify(new ConsultationReminder2h($consultation));
$consultation->update(['reminder_2h_sent_at' => now()]);
$count++;
$this->info("Sent 2h reminder for consultation #{$consultation->id}");
} catch (\Exception $e) {
$this->error("Failed to send reminder for consultation #{$consultation->id}: {$e->getMessage()}");
\Log::error('2h reminder failed', [
'consultation_id' => $consultation->id,
'error' => $e->getMessage(),
]);
}
}
$this->info("Sent {$count} 2-hour reminders");
return Command::SUCCESS;
}
}
```
### Scheduler Configuration
```php
// In routes/console.php or app/Console/Kernel.php (Laravel 12)
use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Schedule;
Schedule::command('reminders:send-24h')->hourly();
Schedule::command('reminders:send-2h')->everyFifteenMinutes();
```
### Migration for Tracking
```php
// Add reminder tracking columns to consultations
Schema::table('consultations', function (Blueprint $table) {
$table->timestamp('reminder_24h_sent_at')->nullable();
$table->timestamp('reminder_2h_sent_at')->nullable();
});
```
### 24-Hour Reminder Notification
```php
preferred_language ?? 'ar';
return (new MailMessage)
->subject($this->getSubject($locale))
->markdown('emails.reminders.24h.' . $locale, [
'consultation' => $this->consultation,
'user' => $notifiable,
'showPaymentReminder' => $this->shouldShowPaymentReminder(),
]);
}
private function getSubject(string $locale): string
{
return $locale === 'ar'
? 'تذكير: موعدك غداً مع مكتب ليبرا للمحاماة'
: 'Reminder: Your consultation is tomorrow';
}
private function shouldShowPaymentReminder(): bool
{
return $this->consultation->type === 'paid' &&
$this->consultation->payment_status === 'pending';
}
}
```
### Email Template (24h Arabic)
```blade
# تذكير بموعدك
عزيزي {{ $user->name }}،
نود تذكيرك بموعد استشارتك غداً:
**التاريخ:** {{ $consultation->scheduled_date->translatedFormat('l، d F Y') }}
**الوقت:** {{ \Carbon\Carbon::parse($consultation->scheduled_time)->format('g:i A') }}
**المدة:** 45 دقيقة
**النوع:** {{ $consultation->type === 'free' ? 'مجانية' : 'مدفوعة' }}
@if($showPaymentReminder)
**تذكير بالدفع:** يرجى إتمام عملية الدفع قبل موعد الاستشارة.
المبلغ المطلوب: {{ number_format($consultation->payment_amount, 2) }} شيكل
@endif
تحميل ملف التقويم
إذا كنت بحاجة لإعادة جدولة الموعد، يرجى التواصل معنا في أقرب وقت.
مع أطيب التحيات،
مكتب ليبرا للمحاماة
```
### Email Template (2h Arabic)
```blade
# موعدك بعد ساعتين
عزيزي {{ $user->name }}،
تذكير أخير: موعد استشارتك خلال ساعتين.
**الوقت:** {{ \Carbon\Carbon::parse($consultation->scheduled_time)->format('g:i A') }}
@if($showPaymentReminder)
**هام:** لم نستلم الدفعة بعد. يرجى إتمام الدفع قبل بدء الاستشارة.
@endif
إذا كان لديك أي استفسار طارئ، يرجى التواصل معنا على:
[رقم الهاتف]
نتطلع للقائك،
مكتب ليبرا للمحاماة
```
### Testing
```php
use App\Console\Commands\Send24HourReminders;
use App\Models\Consultation;
use App\Notifications\ConsultationReminder24h;
use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Notification;
it('sends 24h reminder for upcoming consultation', function () {
Notification::fake();
$consultation = Consultation::factory()->approved()->create([
'scheduled_date' => now()->addHours(24)->toDateString(),
'scheduled_time' => now()->addHours(24)->format('H:i:s'),
'reminder_24h_sent_at' => null,
]);
$this->artisan('reminders:send-24h')
->assertSuccessful();
Notification::assertSentTo(
$consultation->user,
ConsultationReminder24h::class
);
expect($consultation->fresh()->reminder_24h_sent_at)->not->toBeNull();
});
it('does not send reminder for cancelled consultation', function () {
Notification::fake();
$consultation = Consultation::factory()->create([
'status' => 'cancelled',
'scheduled_date' => now()->addHours(24)->toDateString(),
'scheduled_time' => now()->addHours(24)->format('H:i:s'),
]);
$this->artisan('reminders:send-24h')
->assertSuccessful();
Notification::assertNotSentTo($consultation->user, ConsultationReminder24h::class);
});
it('does not send reminder for no-show consultation', function () {
Notification::fake();
$consultation = Consultation::factory()->create([
'status' => 'no_show',
'scheduled_date' => now()->addHours(24)->toDateString(),
'scheduled_time' => now()->addHours(24)->format('H:i:s'),
]);
$this->artisan('reminders:send-24h')
->assertSuccessful();
Notification::assertNotSentTo($consultation->user, ConsultationReminder24h::class);
});
it('does not send duplicate 24h reminders', function () {
Notification::fake();
$consultation = Consultation::factory()->approved()->create([
'scheduled_date' => now()->addHours(24)->toDateString(),
'scheduled_time' => now()->addHours(24)->format('H:i:s'),
'reminder_24h_sent_at' => now()->subHour(), // Already sent
]);
$this->artisan('reminders:send-24h')
->assertSuccessful();
Notification::assertNotSentTo($consultation->user, ConsultationReminder24h::class);
});
it('sends 2h reminder for upcoming consultation', function () {
Notification::fake();
$consultation = Consultation::factory()->approved()->create([
'scheduled_date' => now()->addHours(2)->toDateString(),
'scheduled_time' => now()->addHours(2)->format('H:i:s'),
'reminder_2h_sent_at' => null,
]);
$this->artisan('reminders:send-2h')
->assertSuccessful();
Notification::assertSentTo(
$consultation->user,
ConsultationReminder2h::class
);
expect($consultation->fresh()->reminder_2h_sent_at)->not->toBeNull();
});
it('includes payment reminder for unpaid consultations', function () {
Notification::fake();
$consultation = Consultation::factory()->approved()->create([
'scheduled_date' => now()->addHours(24)->toDateString(),
'scheduled_time' => now()->addHours(24)->format('H:i:s'),
'type' => 'paid',
'payment_status' => 'pending',
'payment_amount' => 200.00,
]);
$this->artisan('reminders:send-24h')
->assertSuccessful();
Notification::assertSentTo(
$consultation->user,
ConsultationReminder24h::class,
function ($notification) {
return $notification->consultation->type === 'paid'
&& $notification->consultation->payment_status === 'pending';
}
);
});
it('respects user language preference for reminders', function () {
Notification::fake();
$user = User::factory()->create(['preferred_language' => 'en']);
$consultation = Consultation::factory()->approved()->create([
'user_id' => $user->id,
'scheduled_date' => now()->addHours(24)->toDateString(),
'scheduled_time' => now()->addHours(24)->format('H:i:s'),
]);
$this->artisan('reminders:send-24h')
->assertSuccessful();
Notification::assertSentTo($user, ConsultationReminder24h::class);
});
```
## Definition of Done
- [x] 24h reminder command works
- [x] 2h reminder command works
- [x] Scheduler configured correctly
- [x] Only approved consultations receive reminders
- [x] Cancelled/no-show don't receive reminders
- [x] No duplicate reminders sent
- [x] Payment reminder included when applicable
- [x] Arabic emails work correctly
- [x] English emails work correctly
- [x] Logging for debugging
- [x] Tests pass for reminder logic
- [x] Code formatted with Pint
## Dependencies
- **Story 3.4:** Consultation model and booking submission (`app/Models/Consultation.php`, `database/factories/ConsultationFactory.php`)
- **Story 3.5:** Booking approval workflow (creates approved consultations)
- **Story 3.6:** Calendar file generation (provides `client.consultations.calendar` route)
- **Epic 1:** User model with `preferred_language` field (`app/Models/User.php`)
- **Epic 8:** Email infrastructure (mail configuration, queue setup)
## Risk Assessment
- **Primary Risk:** Scheduler not running
- **Mitigation:** Monitor scheduler, alert on failures
- **Rollback:** Manual reminder sending if needed
## Estimation
**Complexity:** Medium
**Estimated Effort:** 3-4 hours
---
## Dev Agent Record
### Status
**Ready for Review**
### Agent Model Used
Claude Opus 4.5 (claude-opus-4-5-20251101)
### File List
| File | Action |
|------|--------|
| `database/migrations/2025_12_26_180923_add_reminder_columns_to_consultations_table.php` | Created |
| `app/Models/Consultation.php` | Modified (added reminder columns to fillable/casts) |
| `app/Notifications/ConsultationReminder24h.php` | Created |
| `app/Notifications/ConsultationReminder2h.php` | Created |
| `app/Console/Commands/Send24HourReminders.php` | Created |
| `app/Console/Commands/Send2HourReminders.php` | Created |
| `resources/views/emails/reminder-24h.blade.php` | Created |
| `resources/views/emails/reminder-2h.blade.php` | Created |
| `lang/ar/emails.php` | Modified (added reminder translations) |
| `lang/en/emails.php` | Modified (added reminder translations) |
| `routes/console.php` | Modified (added scheduler commands) |
| `tests/Feature/ConsultationReminderTest.php` | Created |
### Change Log
- Added `reminder_24h_sent_at` and `reminder_2h_sent_at` columns to consultations table
- Created `ConsultationReminder24h` and `ConsultationReminder2h` notification classes with queue support
- Created `Send24HourReminders` and `Send2HourReminders` artisan commands
- Created bilingual email templates (Arabic/English) for both reminder types
- Configured Laravel scheduler to run 24h reminders hourly and 2h reminders every 15 minutes
- Added 11 comprehensive tests covering all acceptance criteria
### Completion Notes
- The story specified `scheduled_date`/`scheduled_time` fields but the existing model uses `booking_date`/`booking_time` - implementation adapted accordingly
- The story specified `type` field but the existing model uses `consultation_type` - implementation adapted accordingly
- Email templates follow the existing project pattern using `@component('mail::message')` with locale-based RTL/LTR support
- Notifications implement `ShouldQueue` for async processing via Laravel's queue system
- Window-based reminder logic prevents edge cases (24h: ±30min window, 2h: ±15min window)
## QA Results
### Review Date: 2025-12-26
### Reviewed By: Quinn (Test Architect)
### Code Quality Assessment
Implementation is solid and well-structured. The developer correctly adapted the story specifications to match the existing codebase conventions (using `booking_date`/`booking_time` instead of `scheduled_date`/`scheduled_time`, and `consultation_type` instead of `type`). The window-based reminder logic is a smart approach that handles edge cases around scheduler timing.
Key highlights:
- Clean separation between Commands, Notifications, and Views
- Proper use of PHP 8 enums throughout
- Bilingual email templates with proper RTL/LTR support
- Comprehensive test coverage with 11 tests all passing
- Proper queue integration with `ShouldQueue`
### Refactoring Performed
None required - implementation meets all quality standards.
### Compliance Check
- Coding Standards: ✓ Pint formatting verified
- Project Structure: ✓ Files in correct locations per Laravel conventions
- Testing Strategy: ✓ Feature tests cover all acceptance criteria
- All ACs Met: ✓ All 15+ acceptance criteria validated
### Improvements Checklist
- [x] Migration properly adds nullable timestamp columns
- [x] Model fillable and casts updated correctly
- [x] Commands use enum constants for status comparison
- [x] Notifications implement ShouldQueue for async processing
- [x] Email templates support both Arabic and English
- [x] Translations added to lang/ar and lang/en
- [x] Scheduler configured in routes/console.php
- [x] Error handling with try/catch and logging
- [x] All 11 tests passing
- [ ] Consider adding a test for 2h reminder with payment scenario (minor - 24h version covers this logic)
### Security Review
No security concerns. The implementation:
- Only sends emails to the consultation owner
- No sensitive data exposed in email content beyond appointment details
- Uses Laravel's notification system with proper escaping
### Performance Considerations
- Notifications are queued (`ShouldQueue`) for async processing
- DB queries filter by date first, then in-memory filter by time window
- For typical consultation volumes (tens to hundreds per day), this is efficient
- Scheduler runs hourly (24h) and every 15 minutes (2h) which is appropriate
### Files Modified During Review
None - no modifications were necessary.
### Gate Status
Gate: PASS → docs/qa/gates/3.8-consultation-reminders.yml
### Recommended Status
✓ Ready for Done
All acceptance criteria are met, tests pass, code quality is high, and no blocking issues identified.