Triggers

Triggers are event-driven automations that respond instantly to guest lifecycle events. Unlike scheduled jobs that run at specific times, triggers fire when something happens—a booking is created, a guest checks in, or a document is uploaded.

Overview

Requirements

Before setting up, ensure your HelloShift subscription includes:

• Contactless Checkin plan (for all triggers)

• Housekeeping Management plan (for room/cleaning triggers)

Accessing Triggers

1. Go to Automation > Triggers

2. View all triggers with their status

3. Click New Trigger to create a custom trigger

Understanding Triggers

How Triggers Work

1. Event Occurs: Guest checks in, booking created, etc.

2. Condition Evaluated: Does the guest match the filter?

3. Delay Applied: Wait specified seconds (if any)

4. Action Executed: Send message, issue key, update room

Trigger Components

Available Events

Triggers can respond to these guest lifecycle events:

Booking Events

Check-in/Check-out Events

Pre-Check-in Events

Available Conditions

Add conditions to control when triggers execute:

Guest Status Conditions

Pre-Check-in Conditions

Custom Conditions

Write custom logic using Liquid templates:

Note: Custom conditions require the custom_automation feature flag.

Available Actions

Key Management Actions

Guest Communication Actions

Housekeeping Task Actions

Room Status Actions

Creating a Trigger

Step 1: Click New Trigger

1. Go to Automation > Triggers

2. Click New Trigger

Step 2: Configure the Trigger

Step 3: Save and Activate

1. Click Create Trigger

2. Toggle the trigger On to activate

System Triggers

HelloShift creates these default triggers for common workflows:

Post-Booking-Message

Purpose: Send booking confirmation shortly after reservation is created.

Post-Checkin-Message

Purpose: Welcome guests after they check in.

Post-Checkout-Message

Purpose: Thank guests and request reviews after checkout.

Post-Booking-Key

Purpose: Immediately issue keys for walk-in guests booked after check-in time.

Post-Cancel-Key

Purpose: Revoke access for cancelled bookings if guest was in-house.

Post-Checkout-Room

Purpose: Alert housekeeping when guests check out.

Common Trigger Examples

Walk-in Key Issue

Issue keys immediately for same-day bookings:

Welcome After Check-in

Send welcome message 30 minutes after check-in:

Mark Room Dirty on Checkout

Update room status when guest checks out:

Revoke Key on Cancel

Remove access when booking is cancelled:

Assign Cleaner on Checkout

Assign default cleaner when guest leaves:

Issue Key After Payment

Issue key once pre-check-in payment is received:

Confirmation After Pre-Checkin

Confirm when all pre-check-in steps complete:

Custom Conditions with Liquid

For advanced filtering, use custom Liquid conditions.

How Custom Conditions Work

1. Write a Liquid template

2. Template must return true or false

3. Trigger fires only if template returns true

Available Variables

Access guest and stay information through the guest_stay object:

Example: VIP Guests Only

{% if guest.guest_type contains 'VIP' %}true{% else %}false{% endif %}

Example: Direct Bookings Only

{% if stay.booking_source == 'Direct' %}true{% else %}false{% endif %}

Example: Long Stays (7+ nights)

{% assign nights = guest_stay.nights | plus: 0 %}
{% if nights >= 7 %}true{% else %}false{% endif %}

Example: Exclude OTA Guests

{% unless stay.booking_source contains 'Expedia' or stay.booking_source contains 'Booking.com' %}true{% else %}false{% endunless %}

Managing Triggers

Enabling/Disabling

1. Find the trigger in the list

2. Click the toggle to switch On or Off

3. Change takes effect immediately

Editing a Trigger

1. Click Edit on the trigger

2. Modify settings as needed

3. Click Update Trigger

Note: For system triggers, Event and Action cannot be changed.

Deleting a Trigger

1. Click Delete on the trigger

2. Confirm deletion

Note: System triggers cannot be deleted, only deactivated.

Viewing Trigger History

The "Last Run" column shows when each trigger last executed.

Delay Settings

How Delays Work

• Delay is in seconds

• Trigger waits before executing action

• Delay starts when event occurs

Common Delay Values

Why Use Delays

• Natural Feel: Instant messages feel automated

• Processing Time: Allow PMS data to sync

• Staff Response: Give staff time to intervene

• Batch Prevention: Avoid rapid-fire messages

Best Practices

Trigger Naming

Use consistent naming conventions:

• Post-Booking-Message - After booking is created

• Post-Checkin-Welcome - After guest checks in

• Post-Checkout-Review - After guest leaves

• Cancel-Key-Revoke - When booking cancelled

Delay Recommendations

Testing Triggers

1. Keep trigger Inactive initially

2. Create a test booking

3. Manually activate and verify behavior

4. Enable for production use

Avoiding Conflicts

• Don't create duplicate triggers for same event

• Check existing system triggers before creating new ones

• Use conditions to prevent overlapping execution

Triggers vs Scheduled Jobs

Use Triggers for:

• Immediate responses to guest actions

• Key management on booking/checkout

• Room status updates on check-in/out

Use Scheduled Jobs for:

• Pre-arrival messages (day before)

• Mid-stay check-ins (morning of day 2)

• Post-stay review requests (day after)

Troubleshooting

Trigger not firing

Possible Causes:

• Trigger is inactive (Off)

• Condition doesn't match guest

• Event not occurring (PMS sync issue)

Solutions:

• Verify trigger is active

• Check condition matches expected guests

• Verify PMS is syncing properly

Wrong message sent

Possible Causes:

• Wrong action selected

• Snippet content incorrect

• Wrong trigger activated

Solutions:

• Verify action matches intent

• Check snippet content

• Review active triggers for conflicts

Delay not working

Possible Causes:

• Delay set to 0

• Background job queue delayed

• Trigger deactivated during delay

Solutions:

• Verify delay value in seconds

• Check job queue health

• Ensure trigger stays active

Key not issued

Possible Causes:

• Smart lock not configured

• Room not mapped to lock

• Condition blocked execution

Solutions:

• Verify smart lock integration

• Check room has lock assigned

• Review condition requirements

Multiple messages sent

Possible Causes:

• Multiple triggers for same event

• Trigger and scheduled job overlap

• Duplicate booking events

Solutions:

• Review all active triggers

• Check scheduled jobs for conflicts

• Investigate PMS for duplicate events

Related Articles

• Guest Automations - Scheduled message automations

• Snippets & Templates - Create message templates

• Contactless Check-in Setup - Pre-check-in configuration

• Smart Lock Integration - Key automation setup