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How to: Setup/ Activate Guest Portal

Rahul Chadha
  • Updated

How to: Setup/ Activate Guest Portal

 

Introduction

This guide walks you through setting up and activating the Guest Portal: creating the templates it relies on, configuring the Automation that sends the guest their portal link, branding the portal, and adding a test reservation to confirm everything works before you go live.

The article is categorized into the following sections:

  1. Introduction
  2. When to use this Guide
  3. Step-by-Step Resolution
    1. Part 1: Create Templates
    2. Part 2: Automation
    3. Part 3: Brand the Guest Portal
    4. Part 4: Add a Test Reservation
Before commencing the setup and testing, make sure that the selected property is populated with as much available information as possible. Refer: Add/ Edit Property Details

When to use this Guide

  • Recommendation: Select a property for testing when you begin the process.
  • Select a property with a lock and smart devices added.
  • Select a property with no upcoming stays in the next 7 days.

Step-by-Step Resolution

Part 1: Create Templates

Step Actions
Step 1 Create Templates (How To: Set up Templates)
Step 2

Templates that work with the Guest portal:

  • Arrival Instruction
  • Guidebook
  • Checkout
  • Others
Step 3 The booking confirmation is usually the first Email and SMS to go out, It should contain the tag <<GUEST_PORTAL_WELCOME_LINK>> so that the guest can log in to the Guest Portal 
<<GUEST_PORTAL_WELCOME_LINK>> is a system-generated tag that contains a Guest portal Signup/login link unique to each guest.

Part 2: Automation.

Step Actions
Step 1 Go to Automation
Step 2 Select the test property on which Messaging and Automation is to be tested
Step 3 How To: Set up Automations.
Step 4

1. Select your send time: 60 Days before check-in

2. Select Format: Guest Portal

Screenshot_2021-10-27_at_1.47.45_PM.png

Part 3: Brand the Guest Portal.

Step Actions
Step 1 Go to the left-hand menu and select Guest Portal. This section now houses every Guest Portal configuration for the account, so branding is no longer set up from inside Groups.
Step 2 The Guest Portal section automatically displays a list of every configuration that has been created. Use the filters to sort by property so you can see at a glance which white-label settings are currently enabled or disabled for a given location.
Step 3 Click a configuration to expand it. From here, you can view its details, edit its White Label and Email & Guest Portal display settings, and manually copy the static link needed to connect that Guest Portal to your Property Management System (PMS).
Step 4 Click on the plus sign and click on "Add a New Guest Portal Settings"
Step 5 Enter the Guest Portal name and select the group where you want to create the guest portal.
Step 6 Now you can configure each setting from there.

 

Each Guest Portal configuration (formerly a group-level setting) is now independently accessible from the left-hand Guest Portal menu — you no longer need to open a Group to find it. To apply the same White Label and Email & Guest Portal Display settings to all properties, apply the configuration to a group that contains all properties; if you have a different brand for each location or for each Hotel/ Hostel, apply the configuration to a group made for each brand in your portfolio. When creating a new configuration, only one group can currently be selected at a time (multi-group selection is planned for a future update), and the PMS static link is no longer shown automatically — copy it manually from the expanded configuration.


Part 4: Add a Test Reservation.

Step Actions
Step 1 How To: Add a Manual Reservation
Step 2 Use your alternate/ personal Email and phone number in the Test reservation, as you may already have a Lynx account using your work email and phone.

 

Lynx_Logo.png To test the Guest Portal, click Go Live Testing: Messaging, Automation and Guest Portal

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