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Portal: Setting/Customization Overview/How to create a new property

Portal: Dashboard setting insight

Written by Sarah Mousavi

Update Property Details

Keep your property information accurate for communication and branding.

  1. Go to Settings.

  2. Select Property.

  3. Update the property name, email, phone number, address, or logo.

  4. Click Save.

  5. Click on the logo to Remove if necessary.
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Switch Between Properties

If you manage multiple properties, you can switch between them at any time.

  1. Go to Settings.

  2. Open the Properties tab.

  3. Select a property.

  4. Click Go to Dashboard.
    or

  5. Click on the arrow on the top left and search property from the dropdown.
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Add a new property

  1. Go to Setting

  2. Open Organization tab

  3. Click on Add New property

  4. Enter Type, Name, Email, Phone, Address, and Timezone, and click on Add new property button to save it.
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View Team Members

See who has access to your organization.

  1. Go to Settings.

  2. Open the Teams tab.

  3. Review the list of team members.

Adjust Property Customization Settings

Customization settings control how keys, reservations, notifications, time and security work for your property.
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Go to Settings → Customization. Settings are grouped into four tabs: Keys, Reservations, Notifications and Time And Security.

Keys Tab

Manual Key’s Default Start and End Time

Set default start and end times for manually created keys.

  1. Go to Settings → Customization → Keys.

  2. Set the Start time and End time.
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Reuse User's Active Credential

When a user already has an active key, such as an in-house guest with another booking, their new key gets the same doorcode or keycard. Turn this off to give every key its own doorcode or keycard.
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Doorcode Search & Visibility

Control whether Owners and Admin staff can search for keys by doorcode and view doorcodes in key listings and details. Disabled by default due to the sensitive nature of doorcode information.
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Reservations Tab

These settings apply to keys generated from your PMS.
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Key Activation

Choose when the key is granted to users:

  • Grant access at start time – the key is granted at the start time.

  • Grant access on PMS check-in – the key is granted when the user is checked in on the PMS.

  • Grant access on PMS Online Check-in – the key is granted when the PMS sends an online check-in status.
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Reservation Key Recipients

Shows who receives a key when a reservation arrives from the PMS:

  • All guests – the main guest and every companion on the reservation receive their own key.

  • Main guest only – only the main guest on the reservation receives a key.
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To change who receives reservation keys, contact Portal support. The change applies to reservations arriving from tomorrow at your Reservation’s Arrival Time onwards.
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Reservation’s Arrival and Departure Time

Set a default arrival and departure time for keys generated via PMS. These times define when keys become active and expire.

  1. Go to Settings → Customization → Reservations.

  2. Set the Arrival time and Departure time.
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Reservation's Credential Types

Choose which credential types guests receive by default on keys generated from your PMS: Smart Key, Doorcode and/or Keycard. Select every type you want guests to get.

  1. Go to Settings → Customization → Reservations.

  2. Find Reservation's Credential Types.

  3. Select or deselect Smart Key, Doorcode and Keycard.
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How credential types are set up for your property

There are two separate levels:

  • Credential types enabled for your property — set by Portal support. Portal support decides which credential types your property can use (for example Keycard). A type that is not enabled doesn't appear anywhere: not in Customization, the Portal Dashboard or the Portal Staff App. To enable one, contact Portal support.

  • Reservation's Credential Types — set by you. From the types enabled for your property, you choose which ones guests receive automatically on PMS reservations.

So if Keycard doesn't appear in Reservation's Credential Types, keycards are not enabled for your property — contact Portal support. If Keycard appears but isn't selected, keycards are enabled, but guests don't receive one automatically from PMS reservations until you select it.

Send Credentials to PMS

When enabled, the system sends the guest's doorcode and smart key link to the PMS once they are ready. (For now only works on Mews and Cloudbeds.)
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Notifications Tab

Guests – Key Notifications

Notify guests when their keys are ready.

  1. Go to Settings → Customization → Notifications.

  2. Toggle Email on to send an email when keys are ready.

  3. Toggle SMS on to send an SMS when keys are ready.
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Changes are saved automatically and apply immediately.
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Guests – Key's Notification Timing

Configure when guests receive their access details:

  • On Check-in – send the notification when the guest checks in.

  • Scheduled Notification – send the notification at a specific time before the key starts. Use the slider to set how many hours before the key start time access details are shared.
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For more detail, see Portal: Credential notifications – Send on check-in.
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Staff – First Unlock

Get a bell notification in the Portal Dashboard the first time a key opens a door, such as when a guest first enters their room.

  1. Go to Settings → Customization → Notifications.

  2. Toggle Notify on first unlock on.

  3. Choose which doors trigger the notification:

    • Any door – the first door the key opens, including entrances and lifts.

    • Guest room doors – only Private Room, Shared Room and Capsule doors.
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Time And Security Tab

Timezone

The timezone determines how dates, times, and key access windows are calculated. You can view the current timezone under Settings → Customization → Time And Security.
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To change the timezone, contact Portal support. The change applies to all your devices, and they may take some time to fully sync with the new timezone.
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Date & Time Format

Choose formats that match your local standards.

  1. Go to Settings → Customization → Time And Security.

  2. Select a Date Format.

  3. Select a Time Format.
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Security

Toggle Enforce two-factor authentication on to make two-factor authentication mandatory for all property members. For how 2FA works at login, see Portal: Account Access – Password Reset, Login & Security Settings (2FA).
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Timezone Handling

Portal applies the property timezone consistently across the system:

  • All date and time pickers use the property timezone

  • Displayed dates reflect the property timezone

  • Time pickers default to the current local property time
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When creating a new key:

  • Arrival and departure times follow the property settings

  • Access windows are generated based on these times

Permissions & Access

Role

Capability

Admin

View and update all property settings

Manager

View settings and manage customization

Staff

View property information only

Tips / Best Practices

  • Set the correct timezone before creating keys

  • Use consistent date and time formats across properties

  • Review notification settings after onboarding a new property

  • Update property contact details regularly

Troubleshooting / FAQs

Portal: My key times look incorrect

Check the property timezone (Time And Security tab) and the default arrival/departure times (Reservations tab for PMS keys, Keys tab for manual keys).

Portal: I can’t change the timezone

Timezone changes require assistance from Portal support.

Portal: Guests are not receiving notifications

Confirm that Email or SMS is enabled in Settings → Customization → Notifications.

Portal: Keycard doesn't appear in Reservation's Credential Types, and I can't find where to add keycards, even though I have full permissions

Keycards (including key fobs and tags) are not enabled for your property. Only Portal support can enable a credential type for a property. Contact Portal support and ask them to enable keycards. Once enabled, Keycard appears in Customization, the Portal Dashboard and the Portal Staff App.

Portal: Keycard appears in Customization, but guests from PMS reservations don't get a keycard

Keycards are enabled for your property, but Keycard isn't selected in Reservation's Credential Types. Go to Settings → Customization → Reservations → Reservation's Credential Types and select Keycard.

Portal: Do I have to give keycards to guests if keycards are enabled?

No. Keycards being enabled for your property and giving them to guests are separate. Leave Keycard unselected in Reservation's Credential Types if guests shouldn't receive one automatically.

Portal: I want only the main guest to receive a key

Reservation Key Recipients can only be changed by Portal support. Contact Portal support; the change applies to reservations arriving from tomorrow at your Reservation’s Arrival Time onwards.

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