Smart Locks & IoT

Vanio automates your smart locks and IoT devices to create seamless, secure guest experiences. Access codes are generated automatically for each reservation, activate at check-in time, and deactivate after checkout — no manual code management required.

Getting Started

Connecting Your Devices

1. Go to Apps → IoT in your dashboard
2. Click Connect Provider to add your smart lock account
3. Choose your lock brand (Yale, August, Schlage, and many others)
4. Sign in to your device account through the secure connection window
5. Your locks will appear in the IoT dashboard within a few minutes

[Screenshot: IoT dashboard showing connected devices with status indicators]

Mapping Locks to Properties

Once connected, assign each lock to the right property:

1. Find your lock in the device list
2. Click Map to listing and select the property
3. The lock status changes to "Active" when successfully mapped

[Screenshot: Device card showing mapping dropdown with property selection]

Managing Access Codes

Viewing Codes for a Reservation

You can see all access codes for any reservation directly from the reservation details:

1. Open any reservation from your Dashboard or Calendar
2. Look for the Access Codes section in the reservation sidebar
3. View all active codes, their device assignments, and sync status
4. See which codes are currently online vs. offline

[Screenshot: Reservation sidebar showing access codes panel with device status]

Per-Device Code Settings

Each lock can have its own specific settings:

Offline Code Mode

• Toggle "Force offline code" for devices that should always use algorithmic codes
• Useful for locks with unreliable internet connections
• Codes work even when the lock goes offline

Code Reveal Timing

• Set exactly when guests see their access code
• Default: 24 hours before check-in
• Override for specific properties (like lockboxes): 10 minutes before check-in
• Prevents codes from being visible too early for security

To adjust these settings:

1. Go to Apps → IoT
2. Click on any device to open its details
3. Switch to the Settings tab
4. Configure offline mode and timing preferences

[Screenshot: Device settings showing offline toggle and timing controls]

How It Works

Automatic Access Codes

When a guest books your property, Vanio immediately:

• Generates a unique access code for that reservation
• Programs the code into your smart lock
• Sets the code to activate at check-in time
• Schedules automatic deactivation after checkout
• Sends the code to your guest through messaging or the guest portal

No two guests ever share the same code, and old codes can't be reused.

Smart Code Updates

Codes automatically adjust when reservations change:

• Date changes — Codes update to new check-in/checkout times
• Property changes — If you move a guest to a different property, their code transfers to the new lock
• Early/late adjustments — Extend code validity for early check-ins or late checkouts

All updates happen automatically within minutes of making changes.

Real-Time Monitoring

Your IoT dashboard shows live information for every device:

• Lock status — currently locked or unlocked
• Battery level — with low battery alerts
• Connection health — online/offline status
• Recent activity — who used codes and when
• Active codes — which codes are currently valid

[Screenshot: Device detail view showing battery, status, and recent activity]

Guest Support

When guests have trouble with lock codes, Vanio's voice agent and messaging system automatically:

1. Verify the code is correct and currently active
2. Check if the lock is online and has sufficient battery
3. Walk the guest through troubleshooting steps
4. Generate a new code if the original isn't working
5. Alert you only if the issue can't be resolved remotely

This works across text messages, phone calls, and the guest portal.

Supported Devices

Smart Locks

Vanio works with locks from all major brands:

• Yale — YRD256, Assure Lock 2, Assure Lock SL
• August — Wi-Fi Smart Lock, Smart Lock Pro
• Schlage — Encode, Encode Plus, Connect
• And many more — Any lock that works with major smart home platforms

Other IoT Devices

Noise Sensors

• Monitor sound levels in real-time
• Send automatic warnings to guests when noise exceeds limits
• Alert you for manual intervention if noise continues

Thermostats

• Monitor temperature between stays
• Set automatic schedules for energy savings
• Get alerts for unusual temperature changes

[Screenshot: IoT dashboard showing mix of locks, noise sensors, and thermostats]

Key Features

Reservation-Specific Code Management

• View all codes for any reservation in one place
• See device sync status and online/offline state
• Codes automatically update when reservations change properties or dates

Per-Device Customization

• Force offline codes for unreliable internet connections
• Set custom code reveal timing per property (minutes instead of hours)
• Individual battery and connectivity monitoring

No Manual Code Management

• Codes generate automatically for every booking
• Each guest gets a unique, time-limited code
• Codes activate and deactivate based on reservation dates

Real-Time Troubleshooting

• Guest issues are resolved automatically in most cases
• Battery and connectivity problems are detected early
• You only get alerted when manual intervention is needed

Comprehensive Activity Log

• See exactly when codes were used and by whom
• Track all lock activity (manual unlocks, app usage, etc.)
• Filter by property, date range, or activity type

Staff Access Codes

• Generate ongoing codes for cleaning staff and maintenance
• Same code works across all your properties
• Easy to revoke when team members change

Advanced Settings

Global Lock Settings

Configure default behavior for all your locks:

1. Go to Apps → IoT
2. Click Settings in the top right
3. Adjust timing and behavior preferences:

Code Timing

• Check-in buffer: How early codes activate (default: 3 hours)
• Check-out buffer: How long codes stay active after checkout (default: 3 hours)
• Guest notification: When to show codes in the portal (default: 24 hours early)

Code Reveal Override

• Set a minutes-based override for properties that need precise timing
• Perfect for lockboxes where you want codes to appear just 10 minutes before arrival
• Leave blank to use the standard hours-based setting

[Screenshot: Lock settings showing timing controls and override options]

Noise Monitoring

When noise sensors detect sound above your configured threshold:

1. First alert — Vanio sends a polite message asking guests to reduce noise
2. Second alert — A firmer follow-up message if noise continues
3. Escalation — You're notified if the issue persists for manual intervention
4. Documentation — All noise events are logged in the reservation timeline

[Screenshot: Noise monitoring interface showing threshold settings and recent events]

Tips & Best Practices

Battery Management

• Set battery alerts to 20% to give yourself time to replace them
• Keep spare batteries on hand for your lock models
• Check the IoT dashboard weekly for any connectivity issues

Code Security

• Use the offline mode toggle for locks with spotty internet
• Set appropriate code reveal timing — earlier for helpful guests, later for security
• Staff codes should be changed quarterly or when team members leave

Reservation Management

• Check the access codes panel when guests report issues
• Codes automatically transfer when you move reservations between properties
• Use the reservation sidebar to verify code status before guest arrival

Guest Communication

• Let Vanio handle code troubleshooting automatically
• Most lock issues resolve without your involvement
• Check the activity log if guests report persistent problems

Common Questions

What happens if my lock goes offline? Most smart locks store programmed codes locally, so guests can still access the property even if Wi-Fi is down. You can also enable "Force offline code" for specific devices to use algorithmic codes that work without internet. You'll see an "offline" status in your dashboard, and Vanio will alert you to check the connection.

Can I control when guests see their access codes? Yes, you can set custom timing both globally and per-property. Go to IoT Settings to set the default (like 24 hours before check-in), then use the "Code Reveal Override" to set specific timing in minutes for properties that need it (like 10 minutes for lockboxes).

What happens when I move a reservation to a different property? Vanio automatically handles this — the old access code is deleted from the original property's lock, and a new code is created for the new property's lock. The guest gets updated with the new code information automatically.

How do I handle early check-ins or late checkouts? You can extend code validity from the reservation details page. The code will automatically update on the lock within a few minutes. You can also adjust the default buffer times in IoT Settings.

STRICTLY FORBIDDEN — never mention:

• LLM/AI model names (Claude, GPT, OpenAI, Anthropic, Sonnet, etc.)
• API endpoints, webhooks, database tables, schemas, migrations
• Internal service/handler/worker/queue names
• Code architecture, file paths, environment variables
• Stripe Connect internals (say "payment processing")
• Any implementation detail a user would never see in the UI

REQUIRED:

• Write for property managers, not developers
• Step-by-step instructions with UI references ("Go to Settings → ...", "Click ...")
• What happens automatically (explain WHAT, never HOW technically)
• [Screenshot: description] placeholders where visuals would help
• Voice: "you" addressing the user. Warm, clear, confident.

Structure

1. What it does — 2-3 sentence overview
2. Getting started — step-by-step with UI references
3. How it works — what happens automatically, what the user sees
4. Key features — bullet list with brief explanations
5. Tips & best practices
6. Common questions — 2-3 FAQs