Overview
Keys created automatically from PMS reservations behave the same way as manually created Keys.
Staff can view, edit, update credentials, and troubleshoot these Keys directly from the Portal Dashboard.
What Staff Can Edit on PMS Keys
Staff can manually update PMS-generated Keys at any time.
Available actions:
Change Doorcode allocation policy
Set Preferred or Strict doorcodes
Replace or assign Keycards
Add or remove Doors
Update Arrival and Departure times
Restrict days of the week or hours of access
Revoke or re-provision the Key
Changing Doorcode Allocation for PMS Keys
By default, PMS Keys use Random doorcodes.
To change to Preferred or Strict:
Open the PMS Key in Key Details.
Double-tap on the Doorcode section.
Select Preferred or Strict.
Enter the desired doorcode.
Save changes.
Notes
Preferred uses the doorcode you enter. If that code can't be used, Portal falls back to a Random code.
Strict uses only the doorcode you enter. Strict has no fallback: if Portal can't accept the code, the key has no doorcode at all.
Regenerate Doorcode by tapping on the circle icon
The lock must be online for provisioning.
SmartKey Behavior for PMS Keys
SmartKeys are:
Generated automatically after check-in
Activated by the guest via magic link
Shown as Provisioned once activated
To check the details, double-tap on the smartkey section.
If SmartKey is not activated:
The Key remains Pending
Staff can resend credentials manually
Key Status for PMS Reservations
PMS Keys are automatically grouped by status:
Upcoming – Before check-in
Current – During stay
Past – After check-out
Revoked – Manually or automatically removed
When Provisioning Does Not Complete
A PMS Key may fail to provision if:
The lock is offline
Provisioning is disabled on the door
Door mapping is incorrect
The guest has not activated the SmartKey
How to Fix Provisioning Issues
Check lock connectivity.
Verify door mapping.
Confirm provisioning is allowed.
Resend credentials.
Re-provision the Key if needed.
Resending Credentials for PMS Keys
Staff can resend credentials the same way as manual Keys.
Open Key Details.
Click Share Credential.
Select email or phone number.
Click Send.
Revoking or Restoring PMS Keys
Staff can revoke PMS Keys manually if needed.
Revoked Keys immediately lose access
Keys can be re-enabled if the reservation is still active
The key can be revoked for all doors or partially.
Troubleshooting / FAQs
Portal: The guest checked in, but access is not working
Confirm provisioning status and lock connectivity.
Portal: Doorcode does not work on the lock
Check the allocation policy and ensure the code is provisioned.
Portal: What is the difference between Random, Preferred and Strict doorcodes?
Random: Portal generates the doorcode. This is the default for PMS Keys.
Preferred: Portal uses the doorcode you enter. If it can't be used, Portal falls back to a Random code.
Strict: Portal uses only the doorcode you enter. There is no fallback: if Portal can't accept the code, the key has no doorcode.
Portal: Why does my doorcode show a warning that the code already exists?
Portal does not accept a doorcode that matches or sits inside another code anywhere in the property, because knowing one code would reveal the other.
This includes codes on any door, including staff doors.
It also includes the backup doorcodes Portal creates automatically on all doors. Each 5-digit backup code blocks the 4-digit codes inside it.
Example: a guest doorcode of 5664 is blocked if another door already has a code that starts with 5664.
Fix: change the doorcode to Random or choose another doorcode, save, and send the guest the new code.
Portal: A guest's Strict doorcode isn't working on any door, including the front door. Why?
The Strict code was not accepted because it conflicts with another code in the property. Strict has no fallback, so the key was left with no doorcode at all, and it won't work on any of the guest's doors.
Fix: open the key, go to Doorcode, set it to Random (or choose another doorcode), save, and send the guest the new code. It will be sent to all of the guest's doors.
Portal: Can we keep using Strict doorcodes?
Yes. When you see the code-already-exists warning, change it to Random or choose another doorcode. Random, or Preferred (which falls back to Random), avoids this issue.
Portal: Can the same doorcode be used on different doors?
One guest's code works on all of that guest's doors. Two different guests or doorcodes can't share a code, and one code can't sit inside another, anywhere in the property.
Resend credentials or ask the guest to complete the activation.
Portal: The room was changed in the PMS
Portal sends updated credentials automatically.
Portal: Staff changed the code, but it didn’t update on the door
Wait for the lock to come online or sync lock information via the try Portal/Staff App by standing close to the lock and Bluetooth.
Portal: Doorcode failed in locks?
The system currently retries in the following order until the code is successfully written to the lock:
1st attempt: immediately after check-in
2nd attempt: 1 minute later
3rd attempt: 1 minute later
4th attempt: 1 minute later
5th attempt: 2 minutes later
6th attempt: 3 minutes later
7th attempt and onward: every 5 minutes
If the gateway or the lock is offline or temporarily busy, the operation may fail. In such cases, the retry mechanism will attempt again automatically in the next cycle until it succeeds.
Portal: Codes are generated in Portal but take hours to work on the door. Why?
There are two separate steps between a reservation arriving and a code working on the door:
Step 1 — Code generation (PMS sync) Portal receives the reservation from your PMS and generates the code. This happens automatically after the PMS sends the reservation data to Portal.
Step 2 — Provisioning (writing the code to the lock) Portal then needs to write that code to the physical lock. This requires the lock to be online at the time of provisioning. If the lock is offline, Portal keeps retrying automatically until it reconnects — which can cause delays of minutes to hours.
The most common cause of long delays is the lock being offline or intermittently connected. Check your gateway and lock connection status in the Portal dashboard.
Portal: How long does it normally take from reservation to working code?
Under normal conditions — lock online, PMS connected, provisioning enabled:
PMS sync to Portal: typically within a few minutes of the reservation being created or checked in, depending on your PMS
Provisioning to lock: usually within 1–5 minutes once the lock is online
Total expected delay: under 10 minutes in most cases
If codes are consistently taking hours, it is not normal — check lock connectivity and PMS connection status.
Portal: Does the code work before check-in?
It depends on your Portal settings. By default Portal can be configured to:
Generate and provision the code before check-in (guests receive it in advance/Scheduled Notification)
Generate the code only at check-in time
If your property requires check-in before the code activates, the guest will receive the code but it won't work on the door until check-in is registered in the PMS and synced to Portal.
Check your notification timing in Portal: Settings → Customization → Notifications → Key's Notification Timing.
Portal: What should I check if codes are consistently delayed?
In order:
Lock connection — is the lock showing online in Portal dashboard? If offline, codes cannot be provisioned until it reconnects
Gateway — is the gateway powered on and connected to the internet?
PMS connection — go to Settings → Integrations and confirm the PMS connection is active, not broken
Allow Provisioning — confirm it is enabled on the affected reservations (Keys → reservation → Edit Door)
Notification timing — check when Portal is configured to send the code to the guest (Settings → Customization → Notifications → Key's Notification Timing → On Check-in)
Portal is down / dashboard not loading?
If you and your team cannot access the Portal at all, this may be a platform issue. Contact support immediately.
The portal door code was working suddenly stopped?
First, make sure the door code is still in the check-in time duration. If it was, then check the lock if the Privacy switch is on? If it's on and the guest locked the door so DOORCODE/PIN won't work properly.
Best Practices
Monitor provisioning status after check-in
Use Preferred or Strict codes only when required
Keep locks online for immediate updates
Related Articles
Portal: How to view your Keys
Portal: Revoke all devices
Portal: How to change/update a Door code
Portal: How to manage manual keys
Portal Troubleshooting Keys
Portal Key status