> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.guestway.io/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.guestway.io/getting-started-full-onboarding-guide.md). # Getting Started - Full Onboarding Guide This page is your complete setup guide. Follow it from top to bottom and you'll go from your invitation email to a fully configured Guestway account — your organization, PMS, team, guest channels, and automated guest experience, all connected. {% hint style="info" %} Prefer to set up with help? Your Guestway onboarding contact can walk through any step below with you, or set things up for you. Everything here is written so you can do it independently — but if a screen ever asks you to *reach out to your contact person* to gain access, that's your cue to email and we'll finish getting you set up. {% endhint %} {% stepper %} {% step %} ### Create your account We'll send you a personalized invitation link to create your account. Click the link in that email and you'll land on your own sign-up page, pre-filled with your email address. 1. On Basic information, enter your First name and Last name, then click next. 2. On Choose password, set your Password, confirm it under Repeat password, and click next. 3. On Finishing up, tick Agree to Terms & Conditions and click Register. {% hint style="info" %} Use your work email so your account is linked to the right organization, and check your spam or junk folder if the invitation doesn't arrive within a few minutes. {% endhint %} You'll know it worked when you see a *Registration was successful* confirmation and are taken to the email-verification screen. {% content-ref url="/pages/ktaVJS2eW99OWixBoDHu" %} [Account Creation (Sign-up)](/onboarding/sign-up-registration.md) {% endcontent-ref %} {% endstep %} {% step %} ### Verify your email Verifying your email confirms it's really you and unlocks the rest of the setup. Right after registering you'll see Please check your inbox & verify your email. 1. Open the verification email and click the link inside. 2. Return to Guestway and click I have verified my email. If the email doesn't arrive, click Resend verification email and check your spam folder. You'll know it worked when Guestway moves you on to set up your Organization. {% endstep %} {% step %} ### Create your Organization An Organization is your workspace inside Guestway — it holds its own listings, team members, and settings. You'll be asked to join an existing organization or create a new organization; to set up your own account, you'll create one. 1. Under Create an organization, click Create. 2. Enter a Name for your workspace (for example, your company or brand name). 3. Click Create. {% hint style="info" %} Not sure how to split things up? Start with a single Organization covering all your listings — you can always add more later, organized by region, building, or brand. {% endhint %} You'll know it worked when Guestway guides you to the next step: linking your PMS. {% content-ref url="/pages/tzWvsaVBpxZFGp0WM6UR" %} [Creating Organizations](/onboarding/creating-organizations.md) {% endcontent-ref %} {% endstep %} {% step %} ### Connect your PMS After that, you'll be guided to connect your PMS. Linking your Property Management System is what pulls your listings, reservations, and guests into Guestway, so your inbox and calendar fill up automatically. 1. On the Almost done, now please link a PMS to import your organization info screen, click Link a PMS. 2. Choose your PMS and click Connect. 3. Follow the wizard — Choose → Start → Connect → Finish — and authenticate with your PMS when prompted. Guestway then shows We are syncing your data, please wait while we set everything up… while it imports your portfolio. You'll know it worked when the sync finishes and you see All set! — click Go to application to enter Guestway. {% content-ref url="/pages/lrbUpJxkbJBrvZIgFwN9" %} [Linking Your PMS](/onboarding/property-management-systems.md) {% endcontent-ref %} Once your PMS is connected, Guestway will start pulling all the relevant data and you're ready to get started! {% endstep %} {% step %} ### Get to know your Inbox (and dormant conversations) Your Inbox brings every guest conversation — across Airbnb, Booking.com, and your other channels — into one place. Click Inbox in the left sidebar to open it. When your PMS first syncs, you may see reservations that don't have any messages yet. These are called dormant conversations (conversations with no messages exchanged). To show or hide them, open the ⋮ (more) menu next to the filter buttons at the top of the Inbox and toggle Show all conversations / Hide dormant conversations. {% hint style="info" %} Start your day with the Needs Reply filter to clear unanswered guests, and Assigned to Me when working as a team so you don't double-reply. {% endhint %} For a full tour of filters, replies, and the reservation panel, see [Unified AI inbox](https://docs.guestway.io/guestway-platform/unified-ai-inbox). {% endstep %} {% step %} ### Invite your team Add teammates so your operations, support, and cleaning staff can work alongside you. Roles range from limited, mobile-first access (Cleaner, Viewer) up to full control (Admin, Super Admin), so everyone sees exactly what they need. 1. Go to Settings → Organization Settings → Users. 2. Click Invite. 3. Enter the person's Email, choose their Roles, and confirm. You'll know it worked when the person appears under Pending Invites — they move to Users once they accept the emailed invitation. {% content-ref url="/pages/sIU8D2OSJqepGCJXEpVJ" %} [Users](/settings/organization-settings/users.md) {% endcontent-ref %} {% endstep %} {% step %} ### Connect Airbnb and your other channels Connecting Airbnb directly — on top of your PMS — gives you faster, often instant messaging, the ability to reply to reviews from the Review Center, and inline actions like pre-approving inquiries, all without leaving Guestway. 1. Go to Settings → Organization Settings → Integrations. 2. Find Airbnb and click Connect. 3. Authorize access when you're redirected to Airbnb. {% hint style="info" %} If you manage more than one Airbnb account, make sure the account you want to connect is the one currently logged in to Airbnb in your browser before you start. You can connect multiple Airbnb accounts — each connection represents one account. {% endhint %} {% content-ref url="/pages/ht0VLFCGavo8AWPhTZ84" %} [Airbnb](/integrations/online-travel-agencies-ota/airbnb.md) {% endcontent-ref %} The same Integrations screen is where you connect everything else: other OTAs like [Booking.com](https://docs.guestway.io/integrations/online-travel-agencies-ota/booking.com) and [Expedia](https://docs.guestway.io/integrations/online-travel-agencies-ota/expedia), SMS (Twilio or Sinch MessageMedia), and smart thermostats (Google Nest, Honeywell, Zennio). OTA and channel integrations always work alongside your PMS — they don't replace it. {% content-ref url="/pages/UjSETNaLnPchsDhg2pBQ" %} [Integrations](/settings/organization-settings/integrations.md) {% endcontent-ref %} {% endstep %} {% step %} ### Connect WhatsApp Connecting a WhatsApp Business number lets guests message you on WhatsApp while you reply from the same Guestway Inbox. There are two paths, depending on your situation. * New number — set up a WhatsApp Business number through Meta and connect it to Guestway. * Existing number — migrate a number you already use on the WhatsApp or WhatsApp Business app. You'll need Admin permissions in your Guestway organization and a valid card on file with Meta for WhatsApp charges. {% hint style="warning" %} Migrating a number that's currently on the WhatsApp or WhatsApp Business app moves it fully to Guestway: the app on that phone stops working for that number, and existing chat history isn't carried over. {% endhint %} {% content-ref url="/pages/2jovSBornzq1c5kQHJ7a" %} [Meta setup & Guestway integration](/integrations/whatsapp/meta-setup-and-guestway-integration.md) {% endcontent-ref %} {% content-ref url="/pages/Us0uSVqDSmozPWtlGwP8" %} [Connect your existing WhatsApp Business App](/integrations/whatsapp/connect-your-existing-whatsapp-business-app.md) {% endcontent-ref %} {% content-ref url="/pages/hzEurMDcgXokYvjGW4Tv" %} [Using Whatsapp in Guestway](/integrations/whatsapp/using-whatsapp-in-guestway.md) {% endcontent-ref %} {% endstep %} {% step %} ### Turn on auto-translation Auto-translation lets you talk to guests in their language without copy-pasting into a translator. Incoming guest messages are shown in your language, and your replies are automatically translated into the guest's language — most useful on direct channels like SMS, email, and WhatsApp. 1. Open a conversation in the Inbox. 2. In the reply box, turn on Auto-translate outgoing messages. 3. Use the Toggle Translation control on the conversation to switch between the translated view and the guest's original message. {% hint style="info" %} Auto-translate is disabled for WhatsApp message templates, which are pre-approved by Meta in each language. {% endhint %} Translation lives inside the inbox — see [Unified AI inbox](https://docs.guestway.io/guestway-platform/unified-ai-inbox) for the full reply toolkit. {% endstep %} {% step %} ### Set up smart locks (optional) If you use smart locks, connecting them lets Guestway generate and share door codes per reservation, surface those codes on the reservation's Access tab, and update check-in status automatically when a guest first enters. It's optional, but quick to set up. Connect your lock brand from Settings → Organization Settings → Integrations. Guestway supports the following brands — open the guide for yours: {% content-ref url="/pages/nOrBFaehLINCe56cuTt5" %} [Nuki](/integrations/smart-locks/nuki.md) {% endcontent-ref %} {% content-ref url="/pages/w41exxn684TVLQtyeouY" %} [Salto](/integrations/smart-locks/salto.md) {% endcontent-ref %} {% content-ref url="/pages/QeOrbB2DuoAOz3U4j6Y4" %} [Yale](/integrations/smart-locks/yale.md) {% endcontent-ref %} {% content-ref url="/pages/CDljKdppvYTZbOJrkYUo" %} [ProDatakey](/integrations/smart-locks/prodatakey.md) {% endcontent-ref %} You'll know it worked when a Smart Locks entry appears in the left sidebar and your locks are listed there.\ \ Make sure that once you've connected a smart lock that you link it to your designated Listing / Complex. You can do that by going to Smartlocks > Click on the lock that you want to connect and then clicking the "+" icon at the bottom of the page. \ \ [Video on how to link a lock to a listing / complex](https://app.guideflow.com/player/8ko0zv9a5k)
{% endstep %} {% step %} ### Set up your guest journey With your account live and channels connected, the guest journey is where you shape what guests do before they arrive. The Guest Journey customizes the check-in form guests complete in the Guest Portal — what details you collect (guest and trip information, optional billing) and which optional steps you require (ID verification, rental-agreement signature, paid extras). Done well, check-in is complete before arrival with no follow-up needed. Configure it under Settings → Organization Settings → Guest Journey. Keep the journey as short as possible — shorter flows get better completion rates. {% content-ref url="/pages/Dwj9g3c0fl6ZjW7KtbQU" %} [Guest Journey](/settings/organization-settings/guest-journey.md) {% endcontent-ref %} {% endstep %} {% step %} ### Set up automations Automations send the right message or action at the right time, automatically — pre-check-in instructions, arrival details, review requests, door-code delivery, and more. Actions can be anchored to Booking Confirmation, Check-in, Check-out, or an Event (such as a guest's first room access). Build them under Settings → Organization Settings → Automations. Start an automation in Draft, validate it in Testing, then switch it to Live once you're happy. {% content-ref url="/pages/EAngVxPHtcetBQ0w1Fdd" %} [Automations](/settings/organization-settings/automations.md) {% endcontent-ref %} {% endstep %} {% step %} ### Set up your branding Branding controls how your organization appears to guests across every touchpoint — the Guest Portal, outgoing emails, and email footers. You can set your company details, primary and secondary colors, and logos, then assign a branding profile per property if you run multiple brands. Set it up under Settings → Organization Settings → Branding. {% content-ref url="/pages/vHPzBhdFm8zTLvySX3r5" %} [Branding](/settings/organization-settings/branding.md) {% endcontent-ref %} {% endstep %} {% endstepper %} ### Need a hand? You can complete every step above on your own — but you don't have to. If you'd like a walkthrough, or prefer that we configure something with you or for you, reach out any time. * Email: * Book a session: [Book a demo](https://meetings.hubspot.com/jim-bleys/demo-guestway?uuid=d10a447d-9aed-42a7-a93f-e51fa87ae389) To keep exploring, the [Unified AI inbox](https://docs.guestway.io/guestway-platform/unified-ai-inbox) guide is the best place to learn your daily workspace, and the Integrations section covers every channel and device you can connect. --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com. ## Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://docs.guestway.io/getting-started-full-onboarding-guide.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.