Overview
In Portal, there are two separate systems that control what staff can do:
Teams controls who can log in to the Portal Dashboard and what they can see or manage there.
Keys controls who can physically open doors using the Portal Staff App.
Adding a staff member to Teams does not automatically give them door access. These are two separate steps.
Key Concepts
Teams: Dashboard user accounts with roles (Owner, General Manager, Team, Housekeeping, etc.). Controls login access and dashboard permissions only.
Keys: Access credentials assigned to a person that allow them to open specific doors via the Portal Staff App or a door code.
Portal Staff App: The mobile app staff use to unlock doors. Requires an active Key to be assigned to them in the Portal Dashboard.
Common Confusion
"I added my staff member to Teams but they still can't open doors."
This is expected. Teams only gives them dashboard access. To open doors, they need a Key created and assigned to them in the Keys section.
"I need all doors on my profile as hotel manager / I need to open doors from my phone."
This is a Keys question, not a Teams question. You need a Staff Key created for your email address with the relevant doors added to it.
How to Give a Staff Member Door Access
To allow a staff member to open doors using the Portal Staff App, a Key must be created for them in the Portal Dashboard.
Step 1: Go to Keys
Log in to the Portal Dashboard at dashboard.tryportal.com.
Go to the Keys tab.
Click Add Key.
Step 2: Assign the Staff Member
Add the staff member by entering their email address or selecting them from existing contacts.
You can add multiple people to the same Key if needed (e.g. a team that shares access to the same doors).
Step 3: Select Credential Type
In customization:
Enable SmartKey if the staff member will use the Portal Staff App to unlock doors.
Enable Doorcode if they need a numeric PIN instead.
Enable keycards/tag if they need it
Step 4: Add Doors
Click Add key.
Search for the email
Set door code or keycard
Click next
Click Add Door
Select the doors this staff member should have access to. For a General Manager or hotel manager, this is typically all doors.
Set the Access Period — for permanent staff access, set a long-term or open-ended date range.
Step 5: Create the Key
Click Create Key.
The staff member will receive their access credentials by email (if Key Notifications are enabled).
They can then log in to the Portal Staff App with that email and open their assigned doors.
Which Roles Can Create Keys
Role | Can Create Keys | Can Open Doors (with a Key assigned) |
Owner | Yes | Yes |
General Manager | Yes | Yes |
Team | Yes | Yes |
Installer | No | Yes |
Housekeeping | No | Yes — assigned doors only |
Note: Housekeeping staff and Installers cannot create Keys themselves. A General Manager, Owner, or Team member must create the Key for them.
Why Does a Staff Member Show as "Not Active Yet" in Teams
When a team member is invited, they appear as Not active yet until they accept the invite and activate their account. Until activation is completed, they cannot log in to the dashboard — and they will not appear in the Key picker when creating a Key.
To fix this:
Ask them to check their invite email and click the activation link.
If the email was sent to the wrong address, remove the invite and resend to the correct email.
Once they activate their account, they will appear in the Key picker and can be assigned door access.
Tips / Best Practices
For hotel managers who need access to all doors, create a permanent Staff Key with all doors added.
For housekeeping staff, create a Key with only the specific doors they need — they cannot create their own Key and must ask a manager to do it for them.
Teams role and Key access are independent — changing someone's Teams role does not update or create their Key.
If a staff member can log in to the dashboard but cannot open doors, the issue is always a missing or incorrectly configured Key, not their Teams role.
Troubleshooting / FAQs
Portal: I set the role to General Manager in Teams but I still can't open doors
Teams role controls dashboard access only. You need a Key created in the Keys section with your email address and the relevant doors added. Go to Keys → Add Key → add yourself → add all doors → Create Key.
Portal: The staff member doesn't appear when I try to create a Key
They may not have activated their account yet. Check their status in Settings → Teams. If it shows "Not active yet", ask them to activate using the invite email. They will appear in the Key picker once activated.
Portal: Housekeeping staff says they can't create a Key for themselves
This is expected. Housekeeping role cannot create Keys. A General Manager, Owner, or Team member must create the Key for them and assign the relevant doors.
Portal: Staff member has a Key but the Unlock button doesn't appear in the Staff App
The Key must be active and include at least one door. Also confirm the Key's access period covers today. If everything looks correct, ask them to sync the app and move close to the lock.
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