# Introduction Welcome to Hostel Mate. This guide helps you run the day‑to‑day—manage bookings, connect OTAs, take payments securely, and keep guests happy with streamlined tools. Whether you run a small hostel or a multi-location operation, this documentation shows you how to handle the essentials: take bookings, manage rooms and beds, sync with OTAs, and process payments securely. ## Why Hostel Mate * Simple, fast tools for daily front-desk work * Reliable OTA syncing with leading channels * Built-in payments and finance reporting * Secure data handling and user permissions ## Two apps, one login Hostel Mate is split in two. Same login, different jobs: | | Front Desk | Finance | | ------------ | -------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Address | [app.hostelmate.co](https://app.hostelmate.co) | [finance.hostelmate.co](https://finance.hostelmate.co) | | Looks like | Calendar with a menu across the top | Menu down the left side | | Go there for | The daily work: bookings, check-in, guests, pricing, channel manager | Setting things up: rooms and beds, property details, booking engine, notifications, staff accounts, reports, plan and billing | To jump from Front Desk to Finance, open **More** in the top menu and click **Finance**. It opens in a new tab. If you're hunting for a setting and can't find it, chances are it's in the other app. Rooms are the usual one: you rename them, add beds and change capacity in **Finance → Property Setup → Room Inventory**, not in Front Desk. ## Start Here * Front Desk overview: [Front Desk](/front-desk) * Finance management: [Finance](/finance-management) * Channel mapping (OTAs): [Channel Guides](/channel-mapping-guides) ## Common Tasks * Add or modify a booking: [Booking Management](/front-desk/booking-management) * Check-in and check-out: [Check-In & Check-Out](/front-desk/check-in-check-out) * Connect Booking.com or Airbnb: [Booking.com](/channel-mapping-guides/booking.com), [Airbnb](/channel-mapping-guides/airbnb) * Set up Stripe payments: [Stripe](/finance-management/payment-processing/stripe) ## Need Help? If you get stuck, open [Contact Support](/contact-support) for the fastest way to reach us. # Front Desk Manage daily front desk work—check‑ins, check‑outs, walk‑ins, bookings, bed assignments, payments, and statuses—to streamline operations from one workspace. This is the app at [app.hostelmate.co](https://app.hostelmate.co). Your daily workspace for arrivals, in-house guests, and departures. From here you can update bookings, assign beds, collect payments, and issue access—without jumping between screens. ## What You Can Do * See arrivals, in-house, and departures at a glance * Open a booking to view details, notes, and payments * Change status (reserved, check-in, paid, cancelled, no-show) * Assign or move beds/rooms * Take payments and add extra charges ## Quick Links * Setting up rooms, property details, staff or billing? That's the other app: [Finance](/finance-management) (open **More → Finance** in the top menu) * Booking management: [Booking Management](/front-desk/booking-management) * Check-in and check-out: [Check-In & Check-Out](/front-desk/check-in-check-out) * Pricing and updates: [Pricing](/front-desk/pricing) ## Tips * Click a booking on the calendar to open its details. * Keep statuses up to date—this improves reports and prevents double-assignments. * Add brief notes to help your team coordinate across shifts. # Dashboard See arrivals, departures, no‑shows, occupancy, and rate insights at a glance. Track reservation statuses and monitor daily operations to keep beds filled efficiently. ## 1. Overview of Dashboard **The home page consists of:** * **Calendar**: You can choose the date to explore the following lists for the chosen date. * **Arrivals List**: Arrival list for guests on the chosen date. * **Note**: Existing guests who extend their stay will not appear in this list even if their extension starts on the chosen date. * **Departures List**: List of guests who will check out on the chosen date. * **Waiting List**: Includes reservations that are not paid and not confirmed yet. * **Purpose**: To keep the beds empty and increase the chance of getting a reservation for the same bed. * **Reserved List**: Includes guests whose reservation status is marked as reserved. * **No Show List**: Includes guests who didn't show up and guests who cancelled their paid non-refundable reservations (Paid No Show). * **Note**: The reservation details for the entire booked period are shown. For example, if a guest booked for 7 nights, their details will appear in the No Show list for all 7 nights. * **Canceled List**: Includes the list of cancelled reservations that are not paid. * **Note**: The reservation details for the entire booked period are shown. For example, if a guest booked for 7 nights, their details will appear in the Canceled list for all 7 nights. **Each list includes:** * Guest’s name * Reservation platform * Check-in date * Amount per night * Bed number * Reservation status **Additional information displayed:** * Chosen date (selected in the calendar) * Occupancy (displays the number of available beds and booked beds) * Room rates (shows the rate for each room along with the room name; adjusted automatically according to occupancy) ## 2. Reservation Status ### 1. Reserved Status The reservation is reserved but not paid, and the guest's card has not been tried yet. ### 2. Authorized Status The guest’s card has been authorized successfully. ### 3. Paid Status The reservation is paid. ### 4. Check-in Status The guest has checked in but hasn’t paid yet. ### 5. Check-in (Paid) Status The guest has completed the check-in process and payment. ### 6. Paid No Show Status The guest paid but didn’t show up during check-in hours. This status makes the reservation disappear from the calendar page and appear in the No Show list to make the bed empty and increase the chance of getting another reservation for the same bed. ### 7. Canceled Status For unpaid canceled reservations, either from the guest's side or by the hostel manager if the guest didn’t come. ### 8. Waiting List Status For guests who booked but didn’t pay and their cards are invalid. This status makes the reservation disappear from the calendar page and appear in the Waiting List to make the bed empty and increase the chance of getting another reservation for the same bed. # Booking Calendar Navigate the booking calendar by day and room, read status colors, adjust date ranges, and open or edit reservations directly to resolve conflicts quickly. Consider this space your everyday command center! It comfortably displays all availability categorized by individual day, bed, and room, making it super easy to spot strange booking conflicts long before they turn into actual problems. Spot an issue? Just double-click right onto a reservation cell to immediately open everything up! ## What You Can Do * Beautifully click and drag across dates to quickly block out and create a brand new booking. * Rapidly pop open detailed Reservation screens just by double-clicking a single cell. * Clear up visual clutter by effortlessly filtering the grid using room types, reservation statuses, or exciting future dates. ## Helpful Tips for the Front Desk * Your calendar is only as good as the information inside! Always strive to update statuses consistently to guarantee wonderful accuracy for the next shift. * Whenever you slide a guest into a new room or hear they're arriving super late, tuck a quiet note into their file—your teammates working the dreaded midnight shift will love you forever! ## Secret Keyboard Shortcuts * Tap **D**: Instant travel right back to 'Today'! * Give your **Arrow keys** a press: Seamlessly skip backward and forward day by day. ## Overview Booking Table Layout The booking table gorgeously spreads out the month and the days along the top, mapping everything against your room lists right alongside the edge. You have all the freedom to twist combinations of days, months, and years right from the dropdowns to plan far into the future. ### Booking Colors Indicator We added brilliant colors so you can read exactly what's happening at a rapid glance! 1. **Green**: Paid and totally checked-in. (Their reservation status reads: Check-in Paid!) 2. **Blue**: Excellent, they've paid fully—but they haven't physically arrived just yet! (Reservation status: Paid). 3. **Grey**: The room is delightfully reserved but we haven't charged ’em, nor have we tried swiping their card. (Reservation status: Reserved). 4. **Purple**: Oh! This indicates a guest was physically moved directly from one hostel branch to another. (Reservation status: Reserved). 5. **Orange**: Heads up! The funds are temporarily holding securely on their card, but we haven't actually charged them. (Reservation status: Authorized).
### Date Range Selection Need a fresh perspective? The date range can be effortlessly tweaked using our handy date picker anchored right at the top right of the table structure. ## Table Architecture Our layout beautifully separates the confusing chaos of daily hospitality into rows and columns: ### Columns * **Dates**: Every single column boldly represents a new date along the calendar block, mapped across the top! ### Rows * **Rooms**: You'll catch a nicely drawn red line visually breaking apart completely different rooms. * **Beds**: The individual rows are famously labeled with letters (from A right up to Z), neatly organizing every bed under your roof. ### Booking Status Visibility The little cells scattered within the grid behave like windows to a guest's profile. We automatically paint those cells using the smart color indicators detailed up in the Booking Colors section! ### Viewing and Editing Booking Details Whenever you feel like taking a peek or editing a profile, enthusiastically click onto any guest's cell! Instantly, a detailed view will slide open letting you play around with the data safely. If you’re eager for a crazy deep dive, skip over and give the [Booking Management](/front-desk/booking-management) guide a read! # Booking Management Manage bookings from a single screen—edit guest details, move beds, update statuses, add notes, and handle payments, deposits, extra charges, and balances. Handle everything about a booking from one place—guest info, status, payments, access, and notes. ## Before You Start * Click a booking from the calendar or list to open details. * Confirm you’re on the correct guest and dates before making changes. ## What’s Inside * Tabs: General, Payments * General: guest details, booking status, bed/room, notes * Payments: charges, deposits, extra fees, balance ### 1. General Tab #### Guest Information * **Name**: The guest's full name. * **Phone**: The guest's phone number. * **Nationality**: The guest's nationality. * **Email**: The guest's email address and verification status. #### Booking Details * **Source**: The source of the booking (e.g., Walk-In, HostelWorld). * **Notes**: Any notes related to the booking. * **Status**: The current status of the booking, with an option to save changes. * **Bed**: The assigned bed, with an option to save changes. #### Credit Card Information * **Cardholder Name**: The name on the credit card. * **Card Number**: The credit card number. * **Expiration Date**: The expiration date of the credit card. #### Booking Status The booking status indicates the current state of a booking. The following are the possible booking statuses: * **Reserved**: The reservation is reserved but not paid, and the guest's card has not been tried yet. * **Authorized**: The guest’s card has been authorized successfully. * **Paid**: The reservation is paid. * **Check-in**: The guest has checked in but hasn’t paid yet. * **Check-in Paid**: The guest has completed the check-in process and payment. * **Paid No Show**: The guest paid but didn’t show up during check-in hours. This status makes the reservation disappear from the calendar page and appear in the No Show list to make the bed empty and increase the chance of getting another reservation for the same bed. * **Cancelled**: For unpaid canceled reservations, either from the guest's side or by the hostel manager if the guest didn’t come. * **Waiting List**: For guests who booked but didn’t pay and their cards are invalid. This status makes the reservation disappear from the calendar page and appear in the Waiting List to make the bed empty and increase the chance of getting another reservation for the same bed. #### Additional Actions * **New Booking**: Create a new booking. * **Move Booking**: Move the booking from this hostel to another if you operate more than one hostel. * **Separate Edit**: Additional editing options for the booking. ### 2. Payments Tab The Payments tab provides a detailed overview of the financial aspects of a guest's booking. It includes a summary of payments received, fees, and any outstanding balance, along with options to manage payments. #### Financial Overview * **Payments Received**: The total amount of payments received from the guest. * **Booking Fees**: The total booking fees incurred. * **Deposit Payments**: The amount received as a damage deposit. * **Extra Services Fees**: Fees for any additional services provided. * **Total Outstanding Balance**: The remaining balance that the guest needs to pay. #### Payment Options * **+ Payment**: Add a new payment with several options like cash, online, POS, etc. * **+ Deposit**: Add a deposit payment. * **+ Extra Charge**: Add an extra charge for additional services. ## Common Actions * Update status to Check-in or Paid at arrival. * Assign or move beds to avoid conflicts. * Add a quick note if anything changes (late arrival, special request). * Add extra charges (lockers, laundry, towel) directly in Payments. ## Troubleshooting * Can’t find a booking? Check filters and the date range. * Status won’t save? Refresh and try again—if it persists, see [Contact Support](/contact-support). * Wrong guest or dates? Cancel the change, then reopen the correct booking. # Guest Management View and update guest profiles—contact info, IDs, signatures, notes, bookings, payments, and deposits—in one place, with tools to export invoices and receipts. View and update guest profiles quickly—contact details, IDs, signatures, notes, bookings, payments, and deposits—all in one place. ## What You Can Do * Edit contact details (name, email, phone, nationality) * Capture ID image and digital signature * View bookings and payment history at a glance * Download invoices and receipts * Add notes for your team ## Find and Edit a Guest 1. Open Guest Management from the front desk 2. Search by name or phone 3. Select the guest to open the profile popup 4. Click Update to edit details; Save when finished ## Sections in the Profile * General: basic info, ID image, signature, notes * Payments: all incoming/outgoing transactions and balances * Deposits: deposits taken/returned with dates and amounts * Bookings: current and past reservations connected to the guest ## Invoices and Receipts * Download invoice/receipt directly from the guest profile * Make sure amounts and dates match the booking before you share ## Tips * Use notes for context (late check-in, special requests, house rules agreed) * Keep phone and email accurate to reduce duplicates and missed notifications * Capture ID and signature during check-in when possible ## Troubleshooting * Duplicate guest profiles: merge by choosing the most complete profile and updating bookings to that guest * Missing payment: check the related booking’s Payments tab, then refresh the guest profile * Wrong contact info: update the guest profile and re-send confirmations if needed # Check-In/Check-Out Follow a clear flow for arrivals and departures, verify details, assign beds, update statuses, process payments and deposits, and add notes for accurate records. A quick, reliable flow for arrivals and departures. Keep statuses current to avoid double-assignments and keep reports accurate. ## Online Self Check-In Guests can complete their check-in before they arrive by filling out a form on their phone or computer. The link is sent automatically in the pre-arrival email, or you can send it manually from the Check-In popup. Once submitted, the guest's answers, ETA, ID document, and signature are all visible in the booking Logs tab. See [Self Check-In](/front-desk/self-check-in) for the full staff guide. ## Check-In 1. Find the booking on the dashboard (Arrivals, Waiting List, or Reserved). 2. Open booking details and confirm guest info. 3. Update status to Check-in or Check-in Paid. 4. Assign or confirm the bed/room, then Save. 5. Share house rules and Wi‑Fi—add a quick note if useful. Tips * If the guest isn’t listed, create a new walk‑in booking first. * Use Re-Check In to fix details (name, ID photo, signature) while keeping history. ## Check-Out 1. Open the booking from Departures or the calendar. 2. In Payments, settle any extras or deposits; confirm balance is zero. 3. Update status to Checked-out. 4. Add a note if something requires follow-up (left item, maintenance issue). Common Issues * Balance won’t clear: refresh and re-open Payments, then try again. * Wrong bed at departure: adjust bed before setting Check-out. * Need a receipt: export from Payments and share by email. # Self Check-In Send guests a unique check-in link, monitor submission status, view uploaded ID documents, and see how online check-in appears in Booking Logs and the guest record. Guests receive a unique check-in link in their pre-arrival email and can complete the form before they arrive. As a staff member you can send the link manually, monitor whether a guest has submitted, view what they filled in, and access uploaded ID documents — all from the booking. *** ## Sending the Link 1. Open any booking from the calendar or dashboard. 2. Click **Check in Guest** (or **Re-Check In** if the guest has already checked in) to open the Check-In popup. 3. In the popup header, click the **Self Check-In** pill button. 4. A panel opens showing: * **QR code** — guest scans with their phone to open the form instantly * **Copyable URL** — click **Copy** to copy the link to the clipboard * **Send Link to Guest** — emails the unique link directly to the guest's address on file The Send Link button has a 2-minute cooldown to prevent duplicate emails. After sending it shows **Sent!** and stays disabled. > The link is also sent automatically in the pre-arrival email. Use the manual send when a guest asks for it again or did not receive the original email. *** ## Checking Submission Status Open the booking and go to the **Logs** tab. If the guest has submitted: * A **teal "Self Check-In" entry** appears at the top of the log. * It shows the date and time of submission plus any details the guest provided: * **ETA** — estimated arrival time (if your settings collect it) * **ID uploaded** badge + **View ID** link — click to open a secure preview of the document (link expires after 1 hour) * **Custom answers** — one line per question, label and answer If the guest has not yet submitted, no Self Check-In log entry appears. You can send the link again from the Check-In popup. *** ## ID Documents Uploaded ID documents are stored privately. To view one: 1. Go to the **Logs** tab of the booking. 2. Find the teal **Self Check-In** log entry. 3. Click **View ID** next to the ID uploaded badge. 4. The document opens in a new tab. The link is valid for 1 hour. *** ## Check-In Source Indicator On the **Guests** page, each guest shows how they checked in: * **Online** — submitted through the self check-in form * **Desk** — checked in manually at the front desk (or via the Check-In popup) * No label — not yet checked in *** ## Guest Experience When a guest opens their link they see: 1. **Property name and stay dates** at the top 2. **House rules** (if configured) — must be read before filling the form 3. The **form fields** enabled in your settings: ETA time picker, ID upload, signature canvas, custom questions 4. **Check-In Instructions** below the form (door codes, parking, directions) 5. A **success screen** after submission showing their booking summary and the Post Check-In Message (Wi-Fi, room number, etc.) If the guest already submitted, the link shows the success screen instead of the form — they cannot submit twice. If the stay has ended (more than 2 days past the last night), the link shows an expired message. *** ## Configuring What the Form Collects All self check-in settings — house rules, instructions, post check-in message, toggles, and custom questions — are managed under **Settings → Self Check-In** in the Finance portal. See [Self Check-In Settings](/finance-management/settings/self-check-in) for the full reference. # Reservation Manage reservations end to end—create walk‑ins, handle online bookings, update statuses, assign beds, add payments, and keep availability accurate across channels. Manage walk-ins and online bookings, keep statuses current, and collect payments. ## Types of Reservations ### Walk-in Reservation A guest arrives at the hostel without a prior reservation and requests immediate accommodation. ### Online Reservations Reservations from channels like Booking.com, Hostelworld, Expedia, etc. * Paid: goes to the calendar with status Paid * Unpaid: goes to the Waiting List until payment or policy action * If charged later, move it to the calendar and add the payment * If card is invalid, keep it on the Waiting List to free the bed until confirmation ## Create a New Reservation 1. Open the calendar and double‑click the desired bed/dates 2. Search for the guest by name or phone * If found, select the existing profile * If new, click “Add new guest” and enter nationality, phone, first name, last name; Save 3. Enter reservation details * Guest, check‑in/out dates * Get Prices (or set price per night) * Assign bed/room (honor preferences when possible) * Platform (Walk‑in or channel) * Notes (arrival time, requests) * Click New booking 4. Confirm * The guest appears on the assigned bed for the full stay ## Add a Payment 1. Open Booking Details (double‑click) 2. Go to Payments → +Payment * Amount, Type = Income, Method (cash/POS/online), optional Description * Save payment 3. Update Status * Set to Paid or Check‑in Paid as appropriate ## Tips * Use Waiting List for unpaid or unconfirmed bookings to free capacity * Add a note for late arrivals or special requests to help the next shift * Keep statuses current—reports and availability depend on them ## Troubleshooting * Can’t book a bed: check for overlapping reservations or filters * Price mismatch: click Get Prices again or confirm room pricing rules * Payment not showing: refresh the booking; verify gateway logs if online # Pricing How the Pricing page works — change prices, close dates, set minimum stays, and where to find the Availability and Booking Window tabs. Everything about what you sell and when lives on one page: [app.hostelmate.co/pricing](https://app.hostelmate.co/pricing). Anything you change here goes out to all your connected channels on its own, usually within a minute or two. The page has four tabs. This page covers the first one, the price grid. The others have their own pages: | Tab | What it's for | | --------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | **Pricing** | Day-by-day prices per room, closing dates, minimum stay. Covered below. | | **Price Adjustments** | Rules that raise or lower prices automatically depending on how full you are. See [Price Adjustments](https://github.com/DavidSamir/doc-hostelmate/tree/main/front-desk/pricing/price-adjustments.md). | | **Availability** | Your property's timezone, and a same-day cutoff that stops selling tonight's beds after a certain hour. See [Availability Controls](/front-desk/pricing/availability-controls). | | **Booking Window** | How far into the future your channels are allowed to sell. See [Booking Window](/front-desk/pricing/booking-window). | ## The price grid Pick a date range with the **From** and **To** fields at the top. The table shows one row per room and one column per night. Each cell is that room's price for that night; for a dorm, it's the price of one bed. ### Changing a price Click the cell you want to change. That opens **Bulk Update Prices**, where you set: * a **Start Date** and **End Date** (the cell you clicked is pre-filled, but you can stretch it to a whole season) * the **new price** * optionally **Close Room**, which marks the room as unavailable for those dates on every channel Click **Update**. You'll see "Prices saved — syncing to channels in the background" and the grid refreshes. {% hint style="info" %} Update in chunks of about a month at a time. A single update covering a year is a lot of dates for every channel to digest at once and is the most common cause of a "why hasn't Booking.com changed yet" ticket. If a channel does fall behind, [Full Sync](/channel-mapping-guides/full-sync) puts it right. {% endhint %} ### Minimum stay, closed to arrival, closed to departure Each room row has a small arrow on the left. Click it and three more rows unfold under the prices: * **Min Stay Arrival**: the fewest nights a guest can book if they *arrive* on that date. Click a cell, choose the date range and the number of nights, save. **Disable Min Stay for this range** removes it. * **Closed to Arrival**: guests can't start a stay on that date, but a stay that began earlier can run through it. * **Closed to Departure**: guests can't check out on that date. These go to your channels the same way prices do. {% hint style="info" %} **"Booking.com still shows a price on a night I've blocked."** It will. Platforms display a price for every open night whether or not a guest can actually start a stay there. If a min-stay or a full night next door means nobody can book that date, the number shown for it doesn't matter. Check the price on the nights people *can* book instead. {% endhint %} ## A room is missing from the grid Rooms only appear here once they exist in **Finance → Property Setup → Room Inventory** and have beds added. If it's set up there and still doesn't show, write to us in the chat. # Price Adjustments Create occupancy‑based rules that automatically raise or lower prices for rooms or the whole hostel so rates track demand without constant manual updates. This is the **Price Adjustments** tab on the [Pricing page](/front-desk/pricing) in Front Desk. It lets you to automatically adjust your room or hostel prices based on the percentage of free beds available.\ By setting clear rules, the system can raise prices during high demand and lower them when occupancy is low, without manual intervention. *** ## How It Works 1. **Choose Price Adjustment Type** – * **Room Price Adjustments** - Apply changes to specific room types only. * **Hostel Price Adjustments** - Apply changes to all rooms in the hostel. 2. **Pick the booking timeframe** the rules apply to. There are three: bookings for **today or tomorrow**, bookings **within the next week**, and bookings **8 to 30 days ahead**. Each can have its own set of rules (up to 10), because a last-minute empty bed and an empty bed three weeks out are different problems. 3. **Define Adjustment Rules** – For each rule, set: * **Free Beds Percentage** – The occupancy threshold that triggers the change (e.g., 40% free beds = 60% occupancy). * **Adjustment Action** – Choose to **increase** or **decrease** the price. * **Adjustment Percentage** – The percentage amount to change the price. *** ## Example Rule * **Free Beds Percentage:** 20% * **Action:** Increase * **Adjustment Percentage:** 40% This means if only 20% of beds remain available, prices will automatically increase by 40% to capture high-demand value. *** ## Why Use Automated Price Adjustments * **Maximize Revenue** – Charge more when availability is low and demand is high. * **Improve Occupancy** – Lower prices when many beds are free to encourage bookings. * **Save Time** – Automate pricing so you don’t need to constantly monitor and update rates. *** ## Best Practices * Set higher increases for very low availability (e.g., 10–20% free beds). * Consider decreases or smaller increases when availability is high (e.g., 60–80% free beds). * Review your rules regularly to match seasonal patterns and local events. # Availability Controls Set your property's timezone and stop channels selling tonight's beds after a certain hour. This is the **Availability** tab on the [Pricing page](/front-desk/pricing). Two settings, both about *when* your beds are on sale rather than for how much. ## Property timezone Set this first. It tells Hostel Mate when "today" starts and ends for you, which matters for reports, for the calendar, and for the cutoff below. If it's blank the cutoff can't be switched on. Pick your city or region from the list and save. That's it. Changing it later is fine, it just re-sends your availability to the channels so their idea of "today" matches yours. ## Same-day booking cutoff Every hostel has a point in the evening after which a new arrival for *tonight* is more trouble than it's worth: reception's closed, the night porter can't check people in, or the last bus has gone. Booking.com doesn't know that. Until you tell it, it'll happily sell a bed at 23:40. The cutoff fixes that. Turn on **Enable same-day cutoff**, pick a **Cutoff Time** (say 22:00) and save. From that time on, any beds still free for tonight are shown as fully booked on Hostelworld, Booking.com and every other connected channel. At about 2:00 in the morning the booking day rolls over and tomorrow's beds are on sale as normal. Nothing else changes: walk-ins are fine, your staff can still book anything from the calendar, and dates from tomorrow onward aren't touched. The page shows you how many hours a night the cutoff blocks, so you can see what you're giving up. A cutoff at 22:00 blocks roughly four hours; a cutoff at 02:00 blocks the entire day, meaning same-day bookings would never be possible, and the page will warn you in red if you set that. Two things worth knowing: * Times between 00:00 and 01:59 can't be used, because the booking day rolls over at about 2:00. If what you actually want is "no bookings between midnight and 2 am", set it to **23:50**. * Changes take effect within about five minutes. You don't need to run anything. ## When to use it * You don't take late arrivals and are tired of refunding or turning people away * Reception closes at a fixed hour and you can't hand over keys after it * You keep getting last-minute bookings you can't staff for If your worry is a different one, "how far ahead can people book", that's the [Booking Window](/front-desk/pricing/booking-window) tab instead. # Booking Window Close far-future dates on your channels while keeping the near ones open, automatically, every day. This is the **Booking Window** tab on the [Pricing page](/front-desk/pricing). It answers one question: how many days into the future are your channels allowed to sell? ## What it does Turn on **Limit how far ahead guests can book** and enter a number of **days ahead**, say 90. Everything from today through 90 days out stays bookable under your normal prices and rules. Anything later is closed on Booking.com, Airbnb, Hostelworld and your other channels. Tomorrow the window moves one day forward on its own, opening one more date. You set it once and forget it. The page tells you the exact last bookable date ("Guests can book through 14 November") so there's no guessing. Some things it deliberately does *not* do: * It doesn't create prices. A date inside the window with no price stays closed like it always would. * It never blocks your staff. Anyone with access to the calendar can take a booking for any date. * It doesn't have to apply to your own website. There's a switch, **Also apply this to my own booking engine**. Turn it off and your booking engine keeps selling the far dates while the OTAs don't. ## Room overrides Below the property setting there's a table of your rooms. Each one follows the property window unless you give it its own. Click **Set override** on a room, enter a smaller number, save. A room rule can only make the window **shorter**, never longer. If you set a room to 120 days while the property is at 90, nothing changes and the table will tell you so. This is on purpose: the property window is the outer limit, rooms can only be stricter inside it. ## Saving Changes go to your channels straight away. If a change would close dates that are currently open, you'll be asked to confirm and told exactly how many dates and which ones. After saving you'll see a short summary: how many dates opened, how many closed. ## Set your timezone first If no timezone is set on the [Availability tab](/front-desk/pricing/availability-controls), the window is calculated in UTC and the cut-off between "open" and "closed" can land up to a day off. Set the timezone and it's exact. # Reports Generate booking reports for a date range, filter results, and review guest, platform, amounts, beds, and trends to analyze performance and operations. The Booking Report page provides a comprehensive overview of bookings within a specified date range. This report includes details such as the guest's name, booking platform, booking date, amount paid, and bed assignment. The page allows for easy filtering and analysis of booking data. ## Page Overview The Booking Report page consists of the following main sections: 1. **Date Range Selector** 2. **Filter** 3. **Booking Table** ### Date Range Selector The date range selector allows users to specify the start and end dates for the bookings they want to view in the report. By selecting the desired date range, the report will update to display bookings within that period. ### Filter The filter input box allows users to filter bookings based on specific criteria. For example, users can filter bookings by their status (e.g., Cancelled). ### Booking Table The booking table displays detailed information about each booking within the selected date range. The table includes the following columns: * **Name**: The guest's name, which is clickable to view more details. A WhatsApp icon indicates availability for contact. * **Platform**: The platform through which the booking was made (e.g., Other, Booking, GoogleHotelARI). * **Date**: The date of the booking. * **Amount**: The amount paid for the booking. * **Bed**: The assigned bed for the booking. ## Steps to Generate a Booking Report 1. **Select Date Range**: * Use the date range selector at the top right of the page to choose the start and end dates for the report. * The booking table will automatically update to display bookings within the selected date range. 2. **Apply Filters**: * Enter specific criteria in the filter input box to narrow down the bookings displayed in the table (e.g., typing "Cancelled" to show only cancelled bookings). 3. **View Booking Details**: * Click on a guest's name in the booking table to view more detailed information about their booking. 4. **Analyze Data**: * Use the information in the booking table to analyze booking trends, guest behavior, and platform performance. # Guest Page Overview Search and manage guest profiles, add new entries, update details, view reservation history and balances, and use quick tools for tracking outstanding payments. Search guests, add new profiles, and view outstanding balances in one place. ## Overview of the Guest Page The page contains three main tabs: ### 1. Add Guest * **Purpose**: Use this tab to enter and save new guest details. * **Required Fields**: Nationality, phone number, first name, and last name. * **Duplicate Check**: If the mobile number is already registered, the guest's registered name will appear on the side. * **Accuracy**: Ensure all information is accurate to avoid data entry errors. ### 2. View Guest * **Purpose**: Search for and view existing guest details. * **Features**: * Update guest information * Check reservation history and balances ### 3. Payments (Guest Charges Summary) * **Purpose**: Provides a summary of any due or outstanding payments for any guest with a balance not equal to zero. * **Features**: * This section includes columns for the guest's name, booking amount, payment amount, and total amount due * A negative total means there’s an outstanding balance * A positive total indicates overpayment/credit ## Tips * Use the phone number as a unique identifier to reduce duplicates * Add a short note when you update contact info (e.g., “new email 02/14”) ## Troubleshooting * Can’t find a guest: try phone number, then name; check spelling * Duplicate detected: keep the most complete profile and update linked bookings # Virtual Credit Card Review uncollected virtual credit card payments, see amounts and status, and collect eligible VCCs with one click to move funds into the online account. See all uncollected virtual credit card (VCC) payments, spot the ones whose booking was cancelled, and collect or write them off.
## At the top Three figures, always for the whole year you have selected — the filter chips below do not change them: * **Uncollected amount** — everything still outstanding * **Cards** — how many * **Needs attention** — how many belong to a cancelled or no-show booking, and what they add up to ## The list * **Name** — guest name (click to open their profile). The channel appears underneath. * **Amount** — outstanding value * **Status** — where the card has got to with Stripe: * *Not tokenized* — no Stripe token has been requested yet * *Ready* — tokenized and chargeable * *Card failed* — a charge was attempted and refused * *Marked invalid* — the card was reported back to the channel as invalid * **Description** — usually "autoPayment CM" (from the channel manager) * **Date** — when the record was added * **Actions** — Collect, Stripe, and (for admins, on flagged rows) Waive ### Cancelled and no-show flags A red **Cancelled** or amber **No-show** tag next to the guest name means the booking is no longer live. Click the tag to open the booking. These rows stay in the list on purpose — the money is already recorded against the property, so hiding them would leave it unaccounted for. Use the **Needs attention** chip to see only these, or **Ready to collect** to hide them. ## Collect a payment 1. Find the guest in the list 2. Click **Collect** 3. Choose the account the money is going to, add a description or receipt, and confirm 4. The payment moves out of the vCard account and into the account you chose If the booking is cancelled or a no-show you will be asked to confirm first. That is a question, not a block — a cancellation fee or a no-show charge is a normal thing to collect. ## Charge a card through Stripe The **Stripe** button is only available when the property has an active Stripe connection in the channel manager. It works in three steps: get a token, collect the amount, and — if the charge is refused — mark the card invalid so the channel knows (Booking.com only). ## Waive a card (admins only) Available on cancelled and no-show rows. Use it when the card will never be charged. 1. Click **Waive** 2. Choose **Remove the whole record**, or **Keep a cancellation fee** and enter the amount to keep 3. Enter a reason — this is required 4. Confirm What happens to the books: * The month the card was originally recorded in is **left exactly as it is**. Reports you have already sent do not change. * A write-off is recorded **today** for the full card amount. * If you kept a fee, that fee is opened as a new card dated today, still collectable, and it keeps its Stripe token so you do not have to tokenize again. The action is recorded on the booking, with the amount and your reason, and appears in Booking Logs. **It cannot be undone from the app.** ## Tips * Collect VCCs as soon as they become eligible to avoid expiry * If a collection fails, try again after a few minutes; check channel rules * Waive rather than collect when the guest genuinely should not be charged — it leaves a reason on the booking, which a deleted record does not ## Troubleshooting * **Stripe button greyed out:** the property has no active Stripe connection in the channel manager * **No Waive button:** you are not an admin, or the booking is still live — use the payment editor instead * **Collected but not in balance:** refresh Account Overview; verify Payment Log if needed * **A cancelled booking's card is still listed:** that is expected. Collect it or waive it; it will not clear itself # Booking Engine Open the Booking Engine, troubleshoot common setup issues, and monitor incomplete payment attempts so you can follow up and keep conversions on track. ## 1. Accessing the Booking Engine You can reach the Hostel Mate Booking Engine in one of two ways: * **Direct link** – Click **Booking Engine** in the sidebar or visit `https://app.hostelmate.co/booking-engine`. * **Dashboard shortcut** – From the main Dashboard, choose **Other → Booking Engine**. Either path lands you on the same, real-time booking page your guests see—handy for test reservations or quick checks. *** ## 2. Troubleshooting & Issues Before you start taking payments, glance at the issues section at the top of the Booking Engine page. If everything’s good to go, you won’t see anything here. Otherwise, you might encounter the following: * **No payment gateway enabled** By default you have the option to accept bookings without payment, but they will be moved to the [**Waiting list**](https://docs.hostelmate.co/front-desk/pages/gwCwAqDCw5ud5N1ZK0EN#id-8.-waiting-list-status)**,**\ If you want to add stripe, Go to [**Finance Portal**](https://finance.hostelmate.co/app/stripe) , provider your Stripe API key, and follow the [**setup steps here**](/finance-management/payment-processing/stripe) . * **Missing room images** Guests may hesitate to book if they can’t see what they’re getting. Navigate to [**Rooms**](https://finance.hostelmate.co/rooms/) , select the room with missing images, upload one or more photos, and save the changes. > After fixing any of these, simply refresh the page. The issue banner will disappear once resolved. *** ## 3. Incomplete Booking Attempts Whenever a guest fills in their information but fails to complete the payment, their booking attempt is logged. This section helps you follow up manually if needed, especially helpful when a guest might’ve had card trouble or got distracted mid-checkout. Each record includes the guest’s: * Name * Email * Phone number * Booking date * Total amount attempted * Room number * Time of attempt These records are updated in real time and are automatically cleared if the guest later completes payment. Any entry older than 30 days is archived automatically to keep the list manageable. Here’s an updated version of your **Booking Engine** documentation with a new section on **embedding the Booking Engine into your website**, including options, parameters, and API info: *** ## 4. Embedding the Booking Engine in Your Website You can integrate the Hostel Mate Booking Engine into your own website in one of three ways: ### A. Redirect Link Send users directly to your customized booking page: ``` https://book.hostelmate.co/?pid={propertyId}&CheckIn={checkInDate}&CheckOut={checkOutDate} ``` Replace the `CheckIn` and `CheckOut` values dynamically based on user input to pre-fill dates for guests. #### **Supported URL Parameters**
ParameterDescription
pidYour property ID. Required for the booking engine to fetch room data.
CheckIn(Optional) Pre-selects the guest's check-in date (format: YYYY-MM-DD).
CheckOut(Optional) Pre-selects the guest's check-out date (format: YYYY-MM-DD).
primary_color(Optional) Primary accent color — buttons, links, active states. Accepts a hex color with or without # (e.g. 5143d9 or #5143d9). Default: #5143d9.
secondary_color(Optional) Secondary accent color — hover states and gradients. Same hex format. Default: #8e85e6.
accent_color(Optional) Accent color — calendar highlights and subtle UI details. Same hex format. Default: #bec8ff.
theme(Optional) Color scheme. Accepted values: light or dark. Default: dark.
lang(Optional) UI language. Accepted values: en, ar, de, es, fr, hi, id, it, pt, ru, tr, vi. Default: en. Falls back to English if an unsupported code is passed.
> More URL parameters coming soon, including: > > * Room filtering based on tags, categories, or availability *** ### B. Embed via Iframe To keep users on your site, you can embed the booking page using an iframe: ```html ``` This lets users search and book rooms directly from your site without needing to redirect. *** ### C. Use the Availability API If you want to build a fully custom booking experience on your frontend, you can use our API for booking engine [Here](/api-documentation/booking-engine). # Chat Page Overview Manage guest communication in one place—receive WhatsApp messages, reply with templates, view history, and keep conversations coordinated across shifts . Handle guest messaging from one place—receive and reply to WhatsApp messages without switching apps. ## Key Features ### Message Reception * Incoming messages from the hostel’s WhatsApp appear automatically. ### Reply Functionality * Respond directly from the chat interface; use templates for common answers. ### Message History * View per‑guest history to stay aligned across shifts. ### Templates * Create canned replies for check‑in times, directions, or house rules. ## Tips * Keep replies short and friendly; follow up with details in a note if needed * Use templates, but personalize with the guest’s name when possible * If a question affects booking details, add a note in the booking for the next shift This chat functionality ensures efficient and prompt communication with guests, enhancing their overall experience. # Other Pages Explore additional tools, V‑Cards for uncollected payments, Website Leads, Expenses overview, and Logs to audit staff actions and track booking changes. These helpful pages often get overlooked, but they act as your control center for catching missing funds, managing daily bills, and seeing exactly what's happening at the front desk! ## 1. V-Cards Tab Forget the hassle of losing track of Virtual Credit Cards (VCC)! This tab neatly lines up all your uncollected virtual card amounts right into one easy-to-read list. * **Name**: The name of the wonderful guest. * **Amount**: The total funds you haven't collected yet. * **Description**: A quick summary of exactly what the reservation or payment handles. * **Date**: The date tied to the original reservation. * **Collect Tab**: An incredibly satisfying button that lets you instantly capture that V card payment. ## 2. Expenses Page Running a hostel means bills are always popping up. Here's your spot to catch all your monthly expenses right at a single glance. * **Total Expenses**: Situated right in the middle of the page so you can't miss it! * **Expenses Table**: A neat breakdown containing: * **Date**: Exactly when the expense slipped out the door. * **Type**: The kind of expense it represents. * **Description**: Any handy notes or descriptions you left for yourself. * **Amount**: Specifically how much the expense cost. ## 3. Logs Page Ever wonder who updated a booking completely by accident? The Logs page is your ultimate audit trail! Every single reservation-related action made by your amazing team is quietly recorded here. * **Action Tracking**: An easy way to watch over guests being moved, reservations flipping statuses, and exciting walk-ins being added naturally. * **Staff Information**: The full name of your staff member alongside the date and exact time they completed the action. * **Detailed View**: Click on any action, and a beautiful pop-up slides in providing the entire booking history details for context! ## Handy Tips * **VCCs:** Make it a priority to collect those as soon as they become eligible—you definitely want to avoid those frustrating expiration dates! * **Expenses:** Creating and sticking to a consistent set of expense categories magically creates cleaner, smarter reporting. * **Logs:** Getting a bit lost? Use the date or staff filters to shrink the list and find those sneaky booking changes rapidly! # Access Levels and Permissions What the Admin and Manager tick boxes actually do, who can log into which site, and exactly what each of your staff will see when they sign in. Your receptionist needs to check people in. They probably don't need to see what you made last month, or be able to change your rates on Booking.com. That's all this page is about. In Hostel Mate you control it with two tick boxes on each person's account: **Admin** and **Manager**. You'll find them on the [User Roles](/finance-management/user-management/user-roles) page. {% hint style="info" %} There's no list of job titles to pick from. Someone's access is simply which boxes you ticked — and leaving both empty is a perfectly good choice. {% endhint %} ## The three levels ### Admin — the owner This is you, basically. An Admin can get to everything, including the things you'd rather nobody else touched: * Every page, in both the app and the finance site * Adding and removing staff, and deciding what they can see * Rates, the channel manager, the booking engine, cancellation policies * Deleting payment records Keep this one for yourself and anyone you'd trust with the bank details. ### Manager — runs the place day to day Everything an Admin gets, minus ownership of the account itself. Your duty manager or assistant manager. They can see the money, change the prices, handle the channels, and get into the finance site. What they can't do is delete payment records, or hand out Admin access to other people. ### Front desk — leave both boxes empty This is your reception team, and it's the right answer for most staff. They can do the actual job — take bookings, check guests in and out, look after guest details — without your revenue, your rates or your channel settings being one click away. ## Who sees what In the app at [app.hostelmate.co](https://app.hostelmate.co): | Page | Admin | Manager | Front desk | | -------------------- | :---: | :-----: | :--------: | | Home | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | | Bookings calendar | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | | Guests | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | | Chat | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | | Their own cash shift | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | | Dashboard | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | | Reports | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | | Pricing | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | | Channel Manager | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | | Booking Engine | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | | Pending Payments | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | | Everyone's cash | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | | Expenses | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | | Booking Logs | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | | Virtual Credit Cards | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | | Apps | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | | Finance site | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | {% hint style="warning" %} Worth knowing: a front desk user can still **make and change bookings**. Hiding the money pages isn't the same as making someone look-but-don't-touch, and right now there's no "calendar, read only" setting. If that's what you're after, [tell us](/contact-support) — you won't be the first to ask. {% endhint %} ## Which site do they log into? Two different addresses, and people mix them up constantly. **The app** — [app.hostelmate.co](https://app.hostelmate.co). Everyone goes here. It's the same login for all your staff; they just see more or less of the menu depending on their boxes. **The finance site** — [finance.hostelmate.co](https://finance.hostelmate.co). This one needs **Manager**. If a front desk person tries it, they'll be told *"You don't have access to the finance portal."* Nothing's broken — that's it doing its job. Point them back to the app. {% hint style="danger" %} Careful with this one: ticking **Admin** on its own, without Manager, won't get someone into the finance site. If they need both, tick both. {% endhint %} ## Which properties? The tick boxes decide what someone can do. Which of your properties they can do it to is a separate setting, and it's on the same [User Roles](/finance-management/user-management/user-roles) page. Handy if your Lisbon night manager has no business seeing the Berlin numbers. ## A few habits worth having * Give people the least they need. Most reception staff never need Manager. * Have a look at your user list whenever someone joins or leaves. * When somebody leaves, switch their **Status** off instead of deleting them. Their history stays where it is, and their login stops working. * If something odd happens to a booking, the [Logs page](/front-desk/other-pages) will tell you who did it and when. ## One setting that isn't on the page There's also a **read-only finance** option, meant for accountants and silent partners — people who should see the numbers but shouldn't be changing anything. It sends them straight to the finance site and quietly blocks every edit button. It isn't one of the two tick boxes, so [get in touch](/contact-support) if you'd like it on someone's account. # Finance Management Track payments, deposits, expenses, and performance. Review reports, configure categories and taxes, and reconcile activity across properties in one place. This is the app at [finance.hostelmate.co](https://finance.hostelmate.co), the one with the menu down the left. Welcome to the back office! This module provides absolutely everything you need to effortlessly track payments, handle deposits, watch your expenses, and study property performance, nicely tied into one fantastic place. ## What You Can Do * Rapidly review incoming payments and transactions spread across all your properties. * Keep a razor-sharp eye tightly on all deposits, hidden fees, and wonderful extra charges. * Lean back and view your cash flow, beautifully balanced P\&L sheets, and insightful monthly expense reports! * Quickly configure those vital notifications, adjust resources, and fine-tune your settings to ease daily operations. ## Key Sections to Explore * Say hi to your [Dashboard](/finance-management/dashboard) * Dive into the [Finance Hub](/finance-management/finance-hub) * Configure everything in [Property Setup](/finance-management/property-setup) * Handle communication with [Guest Notifications](/finance-management/notifications) * Manage little extras inside [Resources](/finance-management/resources) * Manage your incredible staff at [User Management](/finance-management/user-management) * Tweak the machinery in [Settings](/finance-management/settings) * Keep subscriptions rolling with [Plan & Billing](/finance-management/plan-billing) ## Related Guides For You * Trying a new payment tool? Look at our [Payment Processing](/finance-management/payment-processing) guide! ## Best Practices * We highly recommend mapping out and sticking to perfectly consistent categories; it drastically improves how clean and clever your eventual reports look! * Try to gently reconcile your payment flows daily to quickly catch weird bank errors before they snowball into end-of-month panic. * Whenever possible, always use our dedicated "deposits and extra charges" features instead of carelessly writing manual notes—it just naturally keeps your accounting perfectly sorted! # Dashboard Your primary snapshot of the property's financial performance, customer volume, and sales trends. {% hint style="info" %} This is your mission control for the property's financial performance. We designed the Dashboard to give you an immediate, high-level snapshot of exactly how your business is doing without needing to dig into complex reports or endless spreadsheets. {% endhint %} When you first open this page, you’ll notice a **Date Range Picker** at the top right. {% hint style="success" %} By default, it loads your data from the previous month, but you can easily adjust this to look at last week, the current year, or any custom date range you want to investigate. {% endhint %} ## The Top KPIs Right at the top, we display three core metrics that give you a quick pulse check on your property: | Metric | What It Tells You | | ------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | **Total Profit** | Exactly how much you're making after accounting for your tracked expenses. | | **Total Customers** | A quick look at the volume of guests passing through your doors during the selected time period. | | **Budget** | A quick visual of how your actual earnings are tracking against your targets or budgets. | ## Visualizing the Data Beneath the quick stats, we break things down visually so you can spot trends at a glance: | Chart | Why It's Useful | | -------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **OTA Distribution** | Ever wonder which booking channel is actually bringing in the most business? This chart breaks down your reservation sources, making it super easy to see if Booking.com, Hostelworld, or your own website is doing the heavy lifting. | | **Sales Overview** | A larger chart that tracks your sales over the selected time frame. This is incredibly handy for spotting seasonal trends, busy weekends, or sudden spikes in revenue. | # Finance Hub Central hub for financial reports, daily operations, and account reconciliation. Consider this your main hub! It's designed to bring all your major reporting, tricky daily operations, and sometimes-scary account reconciliation straight into one convenient place. ## Reports * Watch your runway with [Cash Flow](/finance-management/finance-hub/cash-flow) * Celebrate the wins via [Profit & Loss](/finance-management/finance-hub/profit-and-loss) * Check on the outgoings under [Monthly Expenses](/finance-management/finance-hub/monthly-expenses) ## Daily Operations * Audit the money seamlessly over in the [Payment History](/finance-management/finance-hub/payment-log) ledger. * Distribute and finalize numbers in [Profit Settlement](/finance-management/finance-hub/profit-settlement). ## Account Controls * Stand back and watch the [Balance Overview](/finance-management/finance-hub/overview). * Follow the breadcrumbs on the [Transaction Ledger](/finance-management/finance-hub/breakdown). * Keep everything structured using [Manage Accounts](/finance-management/finance-hub/edit). ## Helpful Tips * Whenever those numbers start doing something bizarre, definitely start by scanning your general reports first. From there, naturally "drill" deeper right down into your operations and ledgers! It's far easier to spot mismatches this way! * And remember our golden rule: always fiercely stick to using consistent phrasing and reliable account names to guarantee wonderfully accurate summaries down the road! # Cash Flow A daily breakdown of your total in-flows, out-flows, and net daily revenue. {% hint style="info" %} Cash is king! While your profit and loss statements give you the big picture, the Cash Flow page is all about the actual money moving in and out of your property every single day. This is where you verify that your expected earnings actually landed in the bank or the till. {% endhint %} ## At a Glance At the top of the page, we give you the two numbers that matter most for the date range you've selected: | Metric | Description | | ------------------ | ---------------------------------------------------------- | | **Total In-flow** | The actual amount of money collected from guests. | | **Total Out-flow** | The money that went out (like refunds or logged expenses). | ## The Daily Ledger Below the top-line numbers, you'll find a clean table breaking down your cash flow day by day. {% hint style="success" %} If you're looking for a specific day, use the search bar right above the table to quickly filter the list. {% endhint %} Here's exactly what you'll see on each row: | Column | What It Shows | | ----------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------ | | **Date** | The specific day being analyzed. | | **Daily Revenue** | The net amount earned on that specific day. | | **Bookings** | The total number of reservations active or processed on that date. | | **Cash In** | Everything collected (cash, card, bank transfer). | | **Cash Out** | Any money that left the business. | ## Digging Deeper {% hint style="danger" %} Ever see a huge spike in cash-in and wonder where it came from? Just click on any row in the table! {% endhint %} A handy side panel will slide open giving you the **Day Details**. This breaks down the day's transactions by payment method, so you know exactly how much came from credit cards, how much was handed over in cash, and what was paid online. # Profit & Loss Analyze monthly profitability—revenue, extras, expenses, and daily P\&L. Use averages per day/bed and compare months to benchmark performance and trends. Welcome to your Profit & Loss (P\&L) dashboard! Think of this as the beating heart of your hostel's financial performance. It's designed to give you a crystal-clear view into exactly how much value every single bed is generating, and how much actual cash is really flowing into your business day by day. ## Key Performance Metrics Here’s a quick breakdown of what’s what: | Metric | What it tells you | | ------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Total Booked (Range)** | Simply put, this is the total value of all bed stays happening during the dates you selected. This acts as your "revenue potential" based purely on guest occupancy! | | **Range Net Profit** | Your actual surplus cash for the specific dates. We calculate it by taking: `Recorded Payments + Extra Services - Expenses`. | | **Avg Daily Net** | The average daily earnings going straight into your pocket after taking out expenses. | | **Rev / Bed (Daily Avg)** | Your ultimate efficiency score! It shows exactly how much money, on average, each bed is collecting for you every single day. | ## Financial Breakdown ### Revenue Sources * **Bookings (Payments collected):** This is the wonderful, actual real money you've securely received from guests paying for their stays during this timeframe. * **Extra Services:** All your lovely extra income from secondary things like laundry, bike tours, airport transit, or locker rentals. ### Expenses * **Operating Costs:** The grand total of all the financial outgoings and bills logged for your property. These are automatically deducted from your total profit so you don't have to do the math yourself! ## Understanding Stay Value vs. Collected Payments Every now and then, you might notice that your **Total Booked** and **Bookings (Payments collected)** columns don't perfectly match up. Don't worry, this is surprisingly common in property management and entirely normal! Let's explain why: * **Pending Payouts & Outstanding Balances:** Whenever your *Total Booked* figure looks bigger than your *Payments collected*, it means your beds are full and busy, but some forms of payments are still catching up to you! Usually, this involves money getting held briefly by OTAs (like Booking.com) before hitting your bank, or guests who haven't paid their final checkout invoices. * **Deposits & Advanced Payments:** Alternatively, if your *Payments collected* happens to be higher than your *Total Booked*, give yourself a pat on the back! It usually means you've successfully gathered powerful advance deposits for future stays! ## Daily Breakdown Table Scroll to the bottom, and you'll find an awesome detailed table that lets you audit your properties day-by-day: * **Booked:** The value representing the guests physically staying in your lively hostel on that day. * **Collected:** The finalized cash or card payments successfully processed on that exact date. * **Extras:** The volume of all the secondary services and fun experiences sold. * **Expenses:** Any frustrating bills or necessary operational costs paid out. * **Net Profit:** Your final, rewarding financial result for the day. ## Pro-Tips for Analysis * **Track Negative Days:** Always use your Daily Breakdown to flag high one-off expenses (like emergency plumbing fixes) to see exactly how they moved the needle on your daily profit. * **Monitor Efficiency:** Keep a very close eye on the **Rev / Bed** column. It’s the perfect way to see how well your pricing strategy is converting into actual cash flow as the month progresses! * **Audit Collections:** Have you noticed your **Collected** totals trailing far behind your **Booked** totals for a prolonged time? It might be the perfect opportunity to review your team's payment collection routine or check if those OTAs are sitting on your money! # Monthly Expenses Track your operational costs grouped by category, and visualize where your money is going with intuitive pie charts. {% hint style="info" %} Running a property isn't just about making money; it's also about managing how much goes out the door. The Monthly Expenses page gives you a beautifully clear, organized view of all your operational costs so you can spot where you might be overspending. {% endhint %} ## The Big Picture At the top of the page, we summarize your spending for the selected month: | Overview Metric | Description | | --------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | **Total Out-flow** | A single, bold number showing exactly how much you've spent. | | **Expense Pie Chart** | A visual breakdown of your costs. If your electricity bill is taking up half the pie, you'll know instantly! | ## Expense Categories at a Glance Instead of overwhelming you with a massive, endless list of every single receipt and minor purchase, the main table groups your expenses by **Category** (like "Utilities", "Maintenance", or "Payroll"). For each category, you'll see the total amount spent. This makes it super easy to compare your big-ticket operational areas and track your budgets. ## Diving into the Details {% hint style="success" %} Need to know exactly why the "Maintenance" category was so high this month? Just click on the category row in the table! {% endhint %} A detailed pop-up dialog will appear, listing every single individual expense entry that makes up that total. Inside the details dialog, you will see: * The specific date. * The exact amount. * A custom description (e.g., "Fixed room 4 plumbing"). * Which account was used to pay for it. # Payment History A complete, searchable ledger of every transaction that passes through your property. Track income, expenses, and internal transfers easily. {% hint style="info" %} Every business needs a central source of truth for its money. The Payment Log is exactly that—a master ledger that tracks every single payment that comes in (like guest bookings) and every payment that goes out (like paying for supplies). {% endhint %} ## Your Financial Snapshot Right at the top of the page, you'll see your **Net Balance** for the selected time period. This simple number instantly tells you if you're in the green or the red for the month. ## Managing the Ledger Below the balance, you have your main transaction table. We made this as easy to read as possible: | Column | Description | | ------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Transaction** | Shows the property name and the category of the payment (e.g., Booking, Maintenance). | | **Amount** | Green with a downward arrow means money came in; red with an upward arrow means money went out. | | **Description** | Any internal notes you left for yourself, plus a quick link to "View Receipt" if you uploaded an image of a bill. | | **Date** | The exact day the transaction happened. | | **Account / Guest** | Tells you how it was paid (e.g., Cash, POS, Stripe) and who paid it (the guest's name). | {% hint style="success" %} Looking for something specific? The **Quick Filter** search bar lets you type in a guest's name, an amount, or a description to instantly find exactly what you're looking for. {% endhint %} ## Manual Actions While most bookings log payments automatically, you'll sometimes need to step in manually. Use the action buttons at the top right: | Action | When to use it | | ----------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | **Transfer** | Did you move some cash from the register to the bank? Use the Transfer button to officially record that movement between your internal accounts. | | **Add Payment (Admins Only)** | Need to record an ad-hoc expense like buying printer ink? Use this to manually enter the amount, select an account, and even upload a photo of the receipt straight from your phone or computer. | {% hint style="warning" %} If you ever make a mistake, you can always click the three little dots next to any transaction to **Edit** the details or, if you're an admin, **Delete** the record entirely. {% endhint %} # Profit Settlement Review monthly and daily financial snapshots to settle profits and validate totals across bookings, payments, extras, and expenses. Use this page to review monthly and daily financial snapshots before closing a period or settling profits. ## Monthly Report * Choose a year and month to load the period summary. * Review totals for bookings, payments, extra services, and expenses. * Use the detailed tables to spot outliers and reconcile activity. ## Daily Snapshot * Pick a specific date to see one-day totals. * Compare daily payments against bookings for quick validation. ## Tips * Reconcile Payment History before approving a settlement. * Cross-check extra services and expenses when totals look off. * Refresh the report after making edits elsewhere to confirm the latest numbers. # Balance Overview A straightforward summary of your property's various financial accounts and their monthly net balances. {% hint style="info" %} Whether you manage your money across physical tills, digital wallets like Stripe, or traditional bank accounts, it's crucial to know exactly how much cash is sitting in each place. The Balance Overview page gives you a beautifully clean rollup of all your accounts for the current month. {% endhint %} ## The Account List The page is built around a list of interactive cards, one for each active payment method or account you have set up in the system. On each card, you'll see: | Data Point | What It Shows | | --------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | **Account Name** | E.g., "Cash Register", "Stripe", or "Main Bank Account". | | **Transaction Count** | A quick glance at how many individual payments or expenses passed through this account this month. | | **Monthly Balance** | The net total of all money that went in minus all money that went out. If it's green, you're positive; if it's red, you're negative. | ## Expand to See the Breakdown {% hint style="success" %} If a balance looks off, or you just want to see exactly what makes up that number, you don't need to jump to a different page. Simply click on the account card! {% endhint %} It will slide open to reveal a detailed, inline table showing every single transaction tied to that account for the month. The expanded ledger gives you: | Column | Description | | --------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Date** | When the money moved. | | **Description** | What the payment was for (e.g., a specific booking or an expense note). | | **Type** | A clean badge indicating whether it was an `INCOME` or an `OUTGOING` transaction. | | **Amount** | The exact value added or subtracted from the account. | # Transaction Ledger Generate a detailed, running balance audit for any specific account over the current period. {% hint style="info" %} When you need to reconcile a specific bank account or see exactly how the cash in your till went from $100 to $500, the Transaction Ledger is the tool you need. It generates a full audit report for any individual account, calculating a running balance line by line. {% endhint %} ## Generating the Audit When you first open the page, you'll see a simple dashboard telling you to "Select an account from the dashboard above to generate a ledger report." To get started: 1. Click the dropdown menu and select the specific account you want to investigate (e.g., "Cash Register" or "Stripe"). 2. Click the **Generate Audit** button. ## Reading the Ledger Once the audit generates, it reveals a clean, comprehensive table breaking down every transaction for that specific account. {% hint style="danger" %} At the very top right, you'll see the **Reconciled Balance**—the final tally of money currently sitting in that account based on the logged transactions. {% endhint %} The ledger table gives you a chronological story of the account: | Column | Description | | -------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Transaction Date** | Exactly when the money moved. | | **Name / Entity** | The guest or category associated with the payment. | | **Description** | Any internal notes or context. | | **Flow** | An easy-to-read column showing money coming in (green) or going out (red). | | **Net Balance** | The running total of the account after *each* transaction, so you can trace the exact moment the balance shifted. | # Manage Accounts Create, update, or retire finance account types. Control liquid cash, online reconciliation, and booking access to keep reporting and payment options correct. Maintain the list of account types used across the finance portal—from settlement channels to internal cash funds. ## Manage Account Types The accounts table displays every configured account with details about how it behaves in reporting. | Name | Description | Liquid Cash | Booking Access | Is Online | Active | | --------------- | ------------------------------------------------ | ----------- | -------------- | --------- | ------ | | Bank | Bank | | | | ✅ | | Advance Deposit | All advances and refundable deposits | | | | ✅ | | Cash | Liquid Cash at the hostel | ✅ | | | ✅ | | Online | Payments from Stripe and in Wio Bank | | | ✅ | ✅ | | vCard | Payments from Booking or Expedia by virtual card | | | ✅ | ✅ | | POS | Payments by POS machines | | | | ✅ | | Cash-Collected | Collected cash by the responsible person | ✅ | | | ✅ | | Petty Cash | Petty cash for daily expenses at the hostel | ✅ | | | ✅ | * **Liquid Cash** flags the accounts that should count toward on-hand cash totals. * **Booking Access** determines whether the account appears as a payment option when editing bookings. * **Is Online** identifies accounts reconciled through external gateways. * **Active** indicates whether the account is currently in use; toggle it off to hide legacy accounts without deleting historical data. ## Common Actions * **Create**: Use the “Add account type” button to introduce new channels as your operations expand. * **Edit**: Update names or descriptions to keep terminology aligned across teams. * **Remove**: Deactivate accounts you no longer use to avoid confusion when logging transactions. * **Search**: The search bar filters the list instantly, making it easy to find a specific account before editing. # Export Center The **Export Center** is your central hub for generating and downloading financial intelligence data. Whether you need pre-configured reports for your accountant or custom data extracts for your own analysis, the Export Center provides flexible options to export your data in multiple formats (CSV, Excel, JSON). ## Ready-to-go Reports The Export Center offers pre-configured packages designed to save you time and provide exactly what you need for common financial tasks. * **Accounting Package**: Downloads a comprehensive Excel file containing two sheets: a full Profit & Loss report and a detailed Payment Log. This is ideal for monthly bookkeeping and cash flow tracking. * **Tax Preparation**: Generates an Excel file with your current year's expenses, categorized and filtered to include only outgoing transactions. This gives your tax agent everything they need to file your returns. * **Bank Reconciliation**: Creates a CSV file containing your transaction history formatted to match standard bank statements, making reconciliation a breeze. ## Custom Export Builder If you need specific data points or formats, you can use the Custom Export Builder to mix and match sources, formats, and filters. ### Step 1: Data Source Choose the primary type of data you want to export: * **Payment Log**: Detailed transaction history. * **Profit & Loss**: Accrual revenue, cash collections, expenses, and net profit. * **Cash Flow**: Daily inflow, outgoing cash, and net liquidity. ### Step 2: File Format Select the file format that best suits your needs: * **CSV**: A plain-text format that works in any spreadsheet app. * **Excel (.xlsx)**: A formatted spreadsheet ideal for accountants and advanced analysis. * **JSON**: Structured data format perfect for developers and integrations with other systems. ### Step 3: Configuration Customize your export based on the selected data source: * **Payment Log Options**: Choose the breakdown level (Raw Transactions, Daily Summary, Weekly Report, By Category, By Payment Method). You can also toggle **Expenses Only** to filter out all income transactions. * **Date Range**: Select from quick presets (e.g., This Month, Last Quarter, This Year) or define a custom date range. Once configured, simply click **Generate** to download your custom report. # Property Setup Configure property details, room inventory, booking engine content, and guest policies so listings and operations stay accurate. Configure room inventory, property information, booking engine content, and guest policies. ## Pages * Room Inventory: [Room Management](/finance-management/property-setup/room-management) * Property Profile: [Property Information](/finance-management/property-setup/property-information) * Booking Engine: [Booking Engine](/finance-management/property-setup/booking-engine) * Cancellation Policy: [Cancellation Policy](/finance-management/property-setup/cancellation-policy) ## Tips * Keep names and descriptions guest-friendly since they appear on the booking engine * Review property info quarterly to ensure accuracy * Align cancellation rules with guest communications and staff procedures # Room Inventory Configure your property's physical layout, create room types, define capacities, and organize how they are sold. {% hint style="info" %} Your rooms are your product. The Room Management page is where you build out the physical inventory of your property, telling the system exactly what you have available to sell. {% endhint %} {% hint style="info" %} **What you can do here, and what needs us** Renaming a room, changing whether it's a private room or a dorm, adding or removing beds, changing how many guests fit, reordering the list: all yours, right on this page (or the room's edit page). Adding a **new property or a new listing** to your account isn't something you can do from here. Email with the property name and address and we'll set it up and put it under your login. {% endhint %} ## The Inventory Table When you load the page, you'll see a clean, organized list of all your currently configured rooms. The table gives you a quick snapshot of: | Column | Description | | ------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Room Type** | The name of the room (e.g., "Mixed Dorm", "Deluxe Suite") and how many physical units of this room type you have. | | **Kind** | Whether it's a `Private Room` or a shared `Dormitory`. | | **Sell Mode** | How the pricing works. Is it sold `Per Room`, `Per Person`, or via a `Hybrid` model? | | **Capacity** | The maximum number of guests this specific room type can hold. | {% hint style="success" %} **Reordering Your Rooms:** Want the VIP suites to show up first on your booking engine? Easy! You can physically drag and drop the rows in the table to reorder your room list exactly how you want it. *(Note: Drag and drop is disabled if you are actively using the search bar.)* {% endhint %} ## Adding a New Room When you click **Add New Room**, a short 3-step wizard creates the room type. There's one more step after it (adding the beds), covered below. ### Step 1: Room Identity Give your new room a public-facing **Name** (like "Standard Double") and an optional internal **Description** so your staff knows exactly which room it is. ### Step 2: Type & Pricing Define the core mechanics of the room: * **Room Kind:** Choose whether guests are booking a `Private Room` or a bed in a `Dormitory`. * **Sell Mode:** Decide how it's priced. `"Per Room"` charges a flat rate, `"Per Person"` scales the price based on guest count, and `"Hybrid"` lets you do both. ### Step 3: Capacity & Inventory This is the step people get wrong, so here's what each field means, with a few examples underneath. * **Adults / Children / Infants**: the most people one room of this type can hold. For a dorm, Adults is the number of beds in the room. * **Units Count**: how many *identical rooms* of this type you have. Not beds. Rooms. For dorms this is almost always 1; if you have several dorms, create each one as its own room so your staff can tell them apart on the calendar. * **Default Occ.**: how many guests the standard price covers before extra-guest pricing kicks in. For dorms, leave it at 1. | You have… | Room Kind | Adults | Units Count | Then add… | | ---------------------------- | ------------ | ------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------- | | One 6-bed mixed dorm | Dormitory | 6 | **1** | 6 beds (Step 4) | | Two 4-bed female dorms | Dormitory | 4 | **1** each, created as two rooms ("Female Dorm A", "Female Dorm B") | 4 beds in each | | Three identical double rooms | Private Room | 2 | **3** | 3 units | | One family room for up to 5 | Private Room | 5 | **1** | 1 unit | {% hint style="warning" %} **Units Count can't be changed once the room is saved.** It isn't shown on the edit page either. If you set it wrong, delete the room and create it again (best done before it has any bookings), or write to us and we'll fix it for you. Getting it too low is the costly mistake: the channels will treat that as your ceiling and stop selling beds you actually have. Too high doesn't oversell anything, because what we advertise is always your real bed count, but it does misreport how many rooms you have, so it's worth getting right. {% endhint %} ### Step 4: Add your beds The wizard creates the room type. The beds (or units, for private rooms) are added on the room's edit page straight after. Open the room from the list, then use **Add Bed** (or **Add Unit**) for each one, or **Bulk Update** to set the total in one go. Bed names follow whatever pattern you start with, so if you name the first one "A" the next suggestions will be "B", "C" and so on. Until the beds are there, the room has nothing to sell: it won't show on the Booking Calendar and no availability goes out to your channels. # Property Profile Manage your property's core details, contact info, and public-facing branding. {% hint style="info" %} Your Property Profile is the digital face of your business. This page holds the fundamental details and branding that might be displayed to guests on invoices, payment links, and public-facing documents. {% endhint %} ## General Information The **General Info** tab holds your text-based data. Depending on your backend configuration, this will dynamically show all the key fields associated with your property—such as your property name, address, support email, phone number, and any other relevant text fields. {% hint style="success" %} Simply type directly into the boxes to update your details, and hit the **Save Profile Changes** button at the bottom of the card when you're done. {% endhint %} ## Media & Branding They say a picture is worth a thousand words. The **Media & Branding** tab is where you manage the main visual representation of your property. ### Managing the Display Image If you already have a photo set, you'll see it proudly displayed here. * Click the expand icon to view it in full screen. * Click the red trash can icon if you want to delete it entirely (don't worry, we'll ask you to confirm first!). ### Uploading a New Photo Ready to show off your newly renovated lobby? 1. Use the "Update Visuals" box on the right. You can either click **Browse Files** or simply drag and drop an image right onto the box from your computer. 2. The system will show you a preview of the new image. 3. If it looks good, click **Upload & Set as Property Photo**. You'll see a progress bar as we safely upload the file to the cloud. {% hint style="warning" %} Try to keep your images under 10MB and use standard formats like JPG or PNG! {% endhint %} # Booking Engine Configure what your guests see when booking directly with you, and decide exactly how you want to collect their payments. {% hint style="info" %} If you're using our direct booking engine on your website, this page is where you configure exactly how it behaves. You can control the public description of your property, your listed amenities, and—most importantly—how you want to charge your guests. {% endhint %} ## 1. Property Setup The **Property** tab manages the core content guests read when they visit your booking page. | Setting | What it does | | ------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Description** | A welcoming paragraph detailing what makes your property unique. | | **Utilities & Amenities** | Toggles and lists for the facilities you offer (e.g., Free Wi-Fi, Air Conditioning, 24/7 Reception). This ensures guests know exactly what to expect before they book. | ## 2. Stripe Integration The **Stripe** tab is your gateway to automated, digital payments. * Connect your property directly to your Stripe account. * Enable automatic credit card validation and up-front deposits at the time of booking. * Once connected, you can also use this integration to generate secure payment links for guests. ## 3. Pay on Arrival Don't want to mess with online payments? The **Pay on Arrival** tab lets you set up traditional reservations. * Enable this option to allow guests to secure a booking without entering a credit card. * You can add custom instructions here (e.g., "Please bring exact change in local currency") that will appear on the guest's confirmation screen. ## 4. Manual Capture For properties that prefer a hands-on approach, the **Manual Capture** tab allows you to collect credit card details securely without actually charging them immediately. * The guest enters their card details to guarantee the room. * The system securely encrypts and stores the card info. * You process the actual payment manually through your own physical POS machine or a separate virtual terminal when the guest arrives. # Cancellation Policy Establish the contractual terms and conditions for bookings, cancellations, and no-shows. {% hint style="info" %} Setting clear expectations is the best way to avoid disputes with guests. The Policies page is where you lay down the law—defining exactly what happens when a guest cancels, doesn't show up, or asks for a refund. {% endhint %} ## The Policy Categories When you load the page, you'll see four primary text boxes corresponding to the most critical areas of guest interaction: | Policy Type | Description | | --------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Cancellation Fees** | Explain exactly how much a guest will be charged if they cancel their booking 14 days out versus 24 hours out. | | **No Show Policy** | Define what happens if the guest simply never arrives. (Do they lose their deposit? Are they charged for the whole stay?) | | **Refund Policy** | Clearly outline under what circumstances you are willing to return money that has already been collected. | | **Modifications** | Detail your rules for date changes or reducing the number of guests. | ## Writing Your Policies {% hint style="danger" %} We intentionally designed the editors on this page as simple, plain-text `