BookingCenter's Self Check-in System lets the Guest update details, payment methods, view policies, digitally sign documents and complete check-in from any device (kiosk, PC, mobile device, etc). The process is fully integrated with MyPMS with synchronized status updates, customized messaging, eSign - Digital Document Signing and optional SMS (subscription required). To learn more about how the Self Check-in process works, see Self Check-in | Setup Process.

The Self Check-in process is designed to only allow the guest to start and complete Self Check-in ON the Check-in Date and Arrival Time. The Guest will only see the Check-in button and be allowed to complete the process if all criteria has been met, similar to the check-in process in MyPMS. If the Booking Criteria has not been met, then the a message will display telling the guest what action to take, i.e. Add Payment Method.

If the Guest clicks on the Self Check-in link BEFORE the Check-in date, then the Guest will be able to Manage the Booking, but the Check-in button will not display.  For the detailed information on MyBooking, see Self Check-in | MyBooking.

Here is a summary of the Booking Criteria that must be met to allow a Self Check-in via Mobile and/or Kiosk:

  • Check 1 -
    1. Check-In is enabled?  If not, then MyBookings will allow the Guest to 'manage their booking' but not pay nor check-in themselves. 
    2. If using a Kiosk, did the authentication work to find an appropriate booking?
  •  Check 2 -
    1. Site Date = Booking Arrival Date (if condition not met, we message: "We are looking forward to your upcoming stay. Please check back on your check-in date to complete Self Check-in. To review or update booking details, use the links below."
    2. Is the booking linked to a 'suppressed Rate Agent'? If not, continue on. If YES, then hide the column "Average Rate' on the MyBookings page, so that no rate info will be shown on the screen, but all else will.
    3. Booking has either a Confirmed or Unconfirmed Status.
    4. Booking has a Room Assignment. 
    5. Booking has a Guarantee assigned (doesn't have to be a CC).
      1. If the Guaranteed by: is a DB: (Direct Bill) then there is no option for a Guest to 'Update Credit Card'
      2. if the Guaranteed by: is ADDPAY (Add Payment Option) then theGuest must add an Incidental Credit Card to check-in with message: "Please enter a valid credit card for incidental charges or damages."
  • Check 3 -
    1. E-Sign is enabled, which a Site can view in their Setup area | General Settings under "eSign' setting.
    2. If E-Sign required
      1. Check to see if there is an e-signature file saved with the Booking. If not, yet required, messages: "CLICK HERE TO SIGN")

      2. If eSign is required, the link to the specific RUID Letter determines which of two potential eSign letters are required and need to be signed.

  • Check 5 - Check to see if the Agent is a 'suppressed Rate Agent' and the Site has setting:  Require Incidental Credit Cards for Supressed Rate Self Checkins’: YES.  If so, require guest to add a new Credit Card with message: "Please enter a valid credit card for incidental charges or damages."  This becomes the credit card then set as Guaranteed by: for the check-in.
  • Check 6 - Check the Arrival Time. If early, we message "The check in time for your Room is <arrival time from BK>, please check back at this time to complete your check in.  If the time is past, then proceed.
  • Check 7 - Check for Room Clean status, if set as required (this can be set as required or not). If cleaning status is not required, then this step is passed. If required and not CLEAN, message "We need to update your booking details to complete Self Check-in, please call us at <kiosk phone for Kiosks and Site phone for Mobile Self Check-ins> ".  If The Housekeeping App and/or MyGuest is active, a new MyGuest ticket is entered with message: 

Attention A MyPMS Demo Hotel staff. A new request has just been received

  • Request: 1805
    • Name: The Housekeeping App
    • Room: 404
    • Request Name: My Hotel Housekeeping Request

A Guest Request is awaiting attention, click here to manage it. Please attend to it as soon as possible.

Housekeeping can then focus on this room.

  • Check 8 - If the Room is cleaned, then the green 'Check in' button appears and the Room entry instructions are provided after clicking the button.
  • Check 9 - Can the Guest cancel or not? The ability for a Guest to cancel their booking is decided by the Cancellation Policy you have setup in your Marketing and Policies area: "Allow cancellations within MyBookings" Yes/No?  If yes, the cancellation message shows, and the Guest has to confirm and check the box to agree to the terms. If no, no option to Cancel exists.
Self Check-in

Booking Criteria to complete Self Check-in

Date and Time of Login

  • If the Guest logs in BEFORE the check-in date, then the guest will only be able to manage Booking Details and update the payment method. The "Check-in" button will not display and this message will display "We are looking forward to your upcoming stay. Please check back on your check-in date to complete Self Check-in. To review or update booking details, use the links below."  The arrival date of the booking must equal the System Date of the MyPMS.  Thus, you must complete Night Audit (either manually or automatically) before Self Check-ins can occur for that 'day'.
  • The arrival time set for the Booking must be equal or later than the arrival time set on the booking.  It can be set to any time, but keep in mind that this Arrival Time will determine when a Guest can Check-in, as any time prior to this time, the Check-in cannot occur.  The message to a Guest that occurs of they attempt Check-in prior to this time is: "The check in time for your Room is <arrival time for booking>, please check back at this time to complete your check in".  If Housekeeping determines when the Booking can be allowed to check-in, give your Housekeepers access to Bookings so they can set the arrival time appropriate to their work.  Note this time is set in '24 hr time format', thus a 3 pm arrival is entered as 15:00 into the booking.  If the Arrival Time field is not viewable on your New Booking window, the 'default arrival time' will not be set, so make sure it's viewable in the Admin Front Desk tools.

Number of Rooms Booked

  • If the Guest has only one room booked, then only the booking details will display for that particular  booking.
  • If the Guest has a multi-room booking, then ALL of the bookings under that Guest Name for check-in that day will display. The Guest can click on each booking to view and update details. 

Booking Status Criteria

  • Booking Status: The Booking must be not be active nor cancelled, thus must be in either CONFIRMED or UNCONFIRMED status.
  • Room Clean: The Room must be clean for guest to check-in; else the setting to Ignore Room Clean/Dirty Status needs to be on.
  • Room Not Assigned: Room must be assigned.  If the Room is not assigned then the following message will display "Your Room is not ready, please check back later or contact the property directly at: <phone> and/or <email>".
  • Room Occupied (previous guest not checked out): If the Room is still occupied by previous guest (not vacant), then the following message will display "Your Room is not ready, please check back later or contact the property directly at: <phone> and/or <email>".
  • No payment method in "Guaranteed By": The booking must have a Guarantee By; set that is not the Receipt Type 'ADDPAYMENT'.  If the 'special condition' ADDPAYMENT is set for the booking, then a message "Please enter a credit card for incidental charges or damages" is displayed to the Guest and then requires them to add a valid payment method before completing Self Check-in.  See  Receipt Types for details.
  • Arrival Time: Arrival Time in Booking must be met for check-in button to appear.
  • Auth at Check-in: If you are using the "Authorization at Check-in" feature, and collect full payment before check-in (projected balance=$0) then you must add an amount to "One-time Auth" for the card to authorize and the Guest allowed to check-in.

Then, when the Guest clicks "Check in"

  • Checkin without any payment or auth event can be setup.
  • Authorization on credit card set as 'Guaranteed by:' at Check-in can be used as part of MyCard's feature: 'authorization at checkin'.  This protects from a Self Check-in entering without a valid authorization amount on a credit card.  If the authorization fails, BookingCenter creates a MyGuest request and informs the Guest what the credit card network stated for the 'declined authorization' and sends the Guest back to the MyBooking page to enter a new payment method and try again.  *note, most properties don't use this setting with Self Check-in to avoid issues where the same credit card attempts to pay and then auth a new amount immediately as this can cause authorization declines, which stops the Self Checkin process.  Rather they make sure the Booking is paid prior to check-in date or they use a Payment Option as below.
  • Payment Options for Self Check-in are detailed here, but options include: Auth an Amount; Full Amount (most often used); Percent Amount; Flat Amount; One NIght's Rate; None.  This assures that the right amount is processed prior to letting a Guest in.

Exempt Status for Bookings

  • Front Desk Bookings and Group Booking 'Rooming List': Add "Exempt Booking From Self Check-in" and "Exempt Booking From E-Sign" flags on the Booking Data, New Booking, and Group Booking Rooming windows. Self Check-in | Exempt Settings
  • "Self Check-in Exempt": This flag allows you to exclude a selected booking from the automated Self Check-in process. The flag is located in the Booking Data Tab of each booking. See Booking Data
  • "eSign Exempt": This flag allows you to exclude a selected booking from the required Digital Signature at Self Check-in. The flag is located in the Booking Data Tab of each booking. See Booking Data



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