Visual workflow builder with automatic access code sync, smart guest communication, and seamless reservation management

Automations Engine

The Automations Engine is your visual workflow builder that handles guest communication, task creation, and property management automatically. You create multi-step automations by picking triggers (like "new booking" or "2 hours before check-in"), adding optional conditions, and defining what actions to take — no coding required.

Every automation runs reliably in the background, and our AI gatekeeper reviews all guest messages before they're sent to ensure they're accurate, timely, and personalized with the right booking details.

Getting Started

Creating Your First Automation

Go to Automations in your main navigation
Click Create Automation
Give your automation a descriptive name like "Check-in Instructions"
Choose your trigger from the dropdown (when this automation should run)
Add conditions if needed (optional filters to control when it runs)
Define your actions (what should happen when triggered)
Click Save & Activate

[Screenshot: Automation builder interface showing the three-step flow with trigger, conditions, and actions]

Example: Setting Up Check-in Instructions

Trigger: Select "Time-based" → "4 hours before check-in"
Conditions: Leave blank (runs for all bookings)
Actions: Choose "Send message" → Write your check-in instructions with guest portal link
Save: Your automation is now live for all future bookings

How It Works

Once activated, your automations monitor your bookings continuously. When a trigger event occurs (like a new reservation or check-in time approaching), the automation checks any conditions you've set, then executes the actions automatically.

What you'll see:

Automations appear in your Activity Feed when they run
Guest messages show up in your Messages inbox with an "Automated" tag
Created tasks appear in your Tasks list with the automation name
A detailed log tracks every automation execution under each booking
The Lifecycle tab shows all automation activity for any automation type
Voice call summaries and caller phone numbers displayed in your dashboard timeline for quick review

Smart Access Code Management

When guests move their bookings to different properties or change their check-in dates, the system automatically updates their access codes:

Automatic sync — Access codes instantly move with reservations when properties change
Date adjustments — Codes automatically update when check-in or check-out dates shift
No manual work — All code changes happen seamlessly in the background
Device status tracking — Monitor which devices are online and ready for guests
Custom timing — Set exactly when codes reveal to guests (like 10 minutes before check-in instead of hours early)

[Screenshot: Access code management sidebar showing device status and synced codes]

Watchdog System

For Signature portal properties, the system automatically performs readiness checks before guest arrivals to ensure everything is properly configured:

Verifies portal setup and access credentials
Confirms reservation details are synchronized
Catches configuration issues early to prevent guest experience problems
Alerts your team if manual intervention is needed

AI Gatekeeper Protection

Before any message reaches your guests, our AI gatekeeper:

Verifies the message matches current booking details
Ensures timing makes sense (won't send check-in instructions after check-in)
Fills in personalized details like guest names, addresses, and check-in codes
Blocks messages that would be confusing or inappropriate

[Screenshot: Message preview showing AI gatekeeper validation with green checkmarks]

Available Triggers

Event-Based Triggers (instant)

New reservation — When a booking is created
Reservation updated — When booking details change (dates, property, guest info)
Reservation cancelled — When a booking is cancelled
Alteration requested — When a guest requests booking changes through Airbnb
Alteration accepted — When you approve a guest's alteration request
Alteration declined — When you decline a guest's alteration request
Guest message received — When a guest sends a message
Payment received — When a payment is processed
Payment refunded — When a refund is issued
Task completed — When cleaning or maintenance is marked done
Check-in day — On the day of guest arrival
Checkout day — On the day of guest departure
Portal verification completed — When guests finish ID verification in your portal

Time-Based Triggers (scheduled)

Before/after check-in — Run at specific times ("2 hours before check-in")
Before/after checkout — Relative to departure ("1 day after checkout")
Recurring — Daily, weekly, or monthly schedules

Available Actions

Send message — Send to guest via their booking platform (Airbnb, Booking.com, etc.)
Send email — Send to any email address
Send SMS — Send text message
Create task — Generate cleaning or maintenance tasks
Send Slack notification — Post to your team Slack channel
Request review — Ask guests to leave a review with direct link
Portal verification — Send magic link for guests without phone numbers on file
Upsell offers — Present additional services or amenities to guests
Update access codes — Automatically sync codes when reservations change
Call webhook — Send data to external services
Update reservation — Modify booking details
Generate signature documents — Automatically create rental agreements and other documents

[Screenshot: Action selector showing the full list with icons]

Access Code Automation

Automatic Code Management

Access codes now automatically stay in sync with your reservations without any manual intervention:

What happens automatically:

Property changes — When a reservation moves to a different property, codes are deleted from the old property and created on the new one
Date changes — When check-in or check-out dates shift, code timing updates to match
Device monitoring — Track which locks are online and ready for guest arrival
Custom reveal timing — Set precise code reveal times per device (like 10 minutes before check-in for lockboxes)

Setting up access code automations:

Trigger: Select "Reservation updated"
Conditions: Leave blank (handles all reservation changes automatically)
Actions: Choose "Update access codes" → System detects what changed and syncs accordingly
Your codes will automatically move with reservations and update timing as needed

Per-device code settings:

Code reveal timing — Override default hours with precise minutes for lockboxes
Offline mode — Force specific devices to use offline codes instead of online bridge codes
Device status monitoring — See which locks are online and responding

[Screenshot: Device settings showing code reveal timing options and offline mode toggle]

Signature Document Automation

Automatic Document Generation

Signature document automations now work seamlessly with portal verification. When guests complete ID verification in your portal, the system automatically creates personalized signature documents without any manual setup.

How it works:

Guest completes portal verification (uploads ID, provides required information)
System automatically triggers signature document creation
Documents are pre-filled with all reservation details (guest name, check-in/out dates, listing address, length of stay)
Guest receives document link for electronic signature
Signed documents are stored in your reservation records

Available reservation data for templates:

Guest name and contact information
Property address and listing details
Check-in and check-out dates
Number of nights
All custom fields collected during verification

Setting up signature automations:

Trigger: Select "Portal verification completed"
Actions: Choose "Generate signature documents" → Select your template
Template variables: Use reservation data like {{guest.name}}, {{listing.address}}, {{numberOfNights}}
Your documents will automatically populate with real booking information

[Screenshot: Signature automation setup showing portal verification trigger and document template selection]

Alteration Management

Airbnb Alteration Workflows

When guests request changes to their bookings through Airbnb (like extending their stay or changing dates), these requests now appear directly in your Vanio dashboard with full automation support:

Automatic notifications — Get instant alerts when alteration requests come in
Clear payout breakdown — See exactly how the changes affect your earnings
One-click decisions — Accept or decline requests directly from your dashboard
Full automation support — Trigger workflows when alterations are requested, accepted, or declined
Access code sync — Codes automatically update when alterations involving date or property changes are accepted

Common Alteration Automations

New Request Alert (trigger: alteration requested) → Slack notification to your team
Guest Acknowledgment (trigger: alteration accepted) → "We've approved your booking changes" message
Decline Explanation (trigger: alteration declined) → Polite explanation with alternative suggestions
Operations Update (trigger: alteration accepted) → Create tasks for cleaning schedule adjustments
Code Updates (trigger: alteration accepted) → Automatically sync access codes with new dates/property

[Screenshot: Alteration request in dashboard showing payout changes and accept/decline buttons]

Common Automation Examples

Guest Communication Flow

Welcome Message (trigger: new reservation) → Send booking confirmation
Portal Access (trigger: 24 hours before check-in) → Send verification link for guests without phone numbers
Check-in Instructions (trigger: 4 hours before check-in) → Share access details
Check-in Follow-up (trigger: check-in day) → "Hope you arrived safely" message
Review Request (trigger: 1 day after checkout) → Ask for review with direct link

Access Code Management Flow

Code Creation (trigger: new reservation) → Generate access codes for the property
Automatic Updates (trigger: reservation updated) → Sync codes when dates or properties change
Code Reveal (trigger: custom timing before check-in) → Show codes to guests at the perfect moment
Device Monitoring (trigger: daily recurring) → Check device status and alert if offline

Signature Document Workflow

Portal Verification (trigger: 24 hours before check-in) → Send guest verification link
Automatic Agreement (trigger: portal verification completed) → Generate and send rental agreement
Follow-up Reminder (trigger: 12 hours after document sent, condition: not signed) → Gentle reminder to complete signature
Confirmation (trigger: document signed) → "Thanks for completing your rental agreement" message

Operations Management

Cleaning Dispatch (trigger: guest checkout) → Create cleaning task for your team
Alteration Processing (trigger: alteration requested) → Notify team and update schedules
Maintenance Alerts (trigger: task overdue) → Slack notification to operations team
Payment Confirmations (trigger: payment received) → Email receipt to guest
Portal Readiness Check (trigger: 48 hours before check-in) → Verify Signature portal setup

Tips & Best Practices

Message Timing

Send check-in instructions 2-4 hours before arrival (not too early, not last-minute)
Request reviews 1-2 days after checkout when the experience is fresh
Follow up on unanswered messages after 24-48 hours
Send portal verification links 24-48 hours early for guests without phone numbers
Respond to alteration requests quickly to maintain good host ratings
Allow 2-3 days for signature document completion before check-in

Access Code Best Practices

Set lockbox codes to reveal 10-30 minutes before check-in (not hours early)
Use offline mode for devices with unreliable internet connections
Monitor device status daily to catch connectivity issues early
Let the system handle code updates automatically when reservations change
Test code reveal timing with a few bookings before rolling out widely

Template Variables

Use {{guest.name}} for personalization
Include {{reservation.checkIn}} and {{reservation.checkOut}} for dates
Add {{listing.address}} for property-specific details
Use {{numberOfNights}} for stay duration in signature documents
The AI gatekeeper automatically fills these with real data

Testing Your Automations

Use conditions to test on specific bookings first
Check the automation log to verify messages were sent correctly
Monitor guest responses to refine your messaging
Start with simple automations and add complexity over time
Review the Lifecycle tab to track automation performance across all types
Test alteration workflows with different scenarios (extensions, shortenings, date changes)
Test signature document generation with sample reservations before going live
Verify access code sync works correctly when moving test reservations between properties

Managing Multiple Properties

Create separate automations for different property types
Use conditions to filter by listing or booking platform
Group related automations with consistent naming
Set up watchdog checks for properties with portal access
Configure alteration handling differently for high-demand vs. flexible properties
Customize signature document templates for different property categories
Set device-specific code reveal timing based on property type (faster for lockboxes, standard for smart locks)

[Screenshot: Automation dashboard showing multiple active automations with execution counts]

Common Questions

Can I turn off automations for specific bookings? Yes, you can pause automations for individual reservations from the booking details page. This is helpful for VIP guests or special circumstances.

What happens if a guest responds to an automated message? Their response appears in your normal Messages inbox, and you can reply manually. Some automations can also trigger follow-up actions based on guest replies.

How do I know if an automation failed? Failed automations show up in your Activity Feed with error details. Common issues include missing guest contact info or platform connection problems. You can retry failed automations manually or fix the underlying issue.

What if a guest doesn't have a phone number for portal access? The system can automatically send a magic link using their email address instead. This is especially useful for Booking.com reservations where phone numbers aren't always provided. The portal verification action handles this automatically.

Can I automate responses to alteration requests? Yes, you can set up automations to automatically accept or decline alteration requests based on your criteria (like availability windows or minimum stay requirements), or just get notified so you can decide manually. The system shows you exactly how each change affects your payout before any action is taken.

Do signature documents automatically include reservation details? Yes, once a guest completes portal verification, signature documents are automatically generated with all their reservation information including guest name, check-in/out dates, property address, and length of stay. No manual setup is required.

What happens to access codes when reservations change? Access codes automatically sync when reservations move between properties or dates change. The system deletes codes from the old property and creates new ones on the correct property with updated timing. You don't need to do anything manually — it all happens in the background.

Can I control exactly when access codes appear to guests? Yes, you can set custom reveal timing per device. For example, set lockbox codes to appear 10 minutes before check-in instead of the default hours. This is especially useful for outdoor lockboxes where you want minimal exposure time for security.

Can I see summaries of voice calls from guests? Yes, your dashboard timeline now displays voice call summaries and caller phone numbers so you can quickly review all guest conversations in one place alongside your other automation activity.