Auto Actions
This page is about the menu (SETTINGS) GUEST MANAGEMENT > AUTO ACTIONS and explains how to set up and use Auto Actions.
1. General Information and Setup
An Auto Action is an action which can be programmed to run at a specific time relative to the time of the booking, to the check in date or to the check out date.
Auto actions have one or more trigger conditions and one or more actions. They can be triggered on a number of different conditions, like property, time or booking related conditions. Actions can be to send pre-drafted emails or SMS, change booking or invoice information or run webhooks.
Go to SETTINGS > GUEST MANAGEMENT > AUTO ACTION and click on “Edit” to modify an existing auto action or on “Create New Action” to set up a new auto action.
You can choose to send an auto action automatically or manually:
Auto sending:
Auto Action Emails which are sent automatically by the system are sent from the EMail address of the account that created the Auto Action. This is the account set up in in SETTINGS-ACCOUNT-OUTGOING EMAIL. Automatic actions will trigger every 15 minutes.
Manual sending:
When sending manually by clicking on the ‘Send now’ button you will need to make sure you are logged into the account which uses the Email address you want to send from.
Before setting up an auto action please note:
To use this function you need to set the system to use your own Email address for outgoing emails under SETTINGS -> ACCOUNT -> OUTGOING EMAIL.
Email sending works per account.
If you have sub accounts and need an auto action to be used across multiple accounts/properties, then create the auto action at the Master Account Level and set Property = ‘All visible in account’ and ensure the Master account has access to the properties.
Confirmation messages will send automatically to the guest. You can customize them in SETTINGS -> GUEST MANAGEMENT -> CONFIRMATION MESSAGES.
The auto actions will appear on the ‘Mail & Actions’ tab of each booking where you manually can send the email trigger the changes to the booking. If you are using your own mail server for outgoing mail the Booking and Invoice actions will also be applied before sending the mail.
2. Trigger
Sets the criteria which have to be fulfilled to start the Auto Action.
“Booking Source” = “Direct” applies the Auto Actions only to bookings from your own web site, manually added bookings and bookings imported though the API (not the channel manager). If you want to apply and Auto Action only to manually added bookings add your username in the “Referrer” field.
“Trigger Time” defines when the action is allowed to start. Once it has started it is allowed to go for the “Time Window” period. When the “Time Window” period has elapsed the auto action stops.
Both “Trigger Time” and “Time Window” are relative to a “Trigger Event” i.e. check-in, check-out, time of booking.
3. Actions
3.1 Messaging/Email
Go to Email to create or modify a prepared Email template. Templates can contain Template Variables to include information specific to the booking in the Email, for example the guests name or the arrival date.
- To send Emails automatically you need to set up your outgoing Email address in SETTINGS -> ACCOUNT -> OUTGOING EMAIL.
- To send Emails manually open a booking and go to the MAIL tab. Manual Emails will open in a window, you may send it as is or edit it before sending.
Some systems have a limit of about 2000 characters for this form of email generation. If the email will not open try reducing the amount of text.
If Auto Action Emails are send automatically they are send through your Email server. You should see this on your server. Whether you see it in your Sent box or not depends on your Email program.
If Auto Action Emails are sent manually via a link in the “Email Templates” list in the booking MASTERINSOFT will first try to send through your Email server. You should see this on your server. Whether you see it in your Sent box or not depends on your Email program.
If this does not work it will pop and send through your desktop. In this case you will see it in your Sent box.
3.1.1 Email Attachments
You can choose to attach an invoice or a booking template as a PDF file to emails sent by Auto Actions.
If you send Emails with pdf attachment (invoice, booking template) to Alias-Email addresses created by channels the channel might block the attachment so it is not delivered to the guest. Ask your channel about their policy regarding this.
Other files can not be attached. We recommend you use a link to a file you upload to your web site.
3.2 SMS
You can automatically send SMS messages. Please note that a fee per SMS message applies if this function is activated.
The SMS will send in the language of the account, not the language of the booking. Read Example 17 for a way to control the language of the SMS.
3.3 Booking
Go to the tab ‘Booking’ to set up an auto action which modifies something in the booking.
3.4 Booking Info
Set up auto actions which automatically add or remove info codes.
3.5 Invoice
Automatically add invoice items or pending payments.
Invoice changes are applied before the mail is sent.
3.6 API
Create auto actions which trigger HTTP POST notifications.
3.7 Webhook
Create auto actions which trigger a web hook when the trigger conditions are met.
4. Test
Test why an auto action did not trigger.
5. Troubleshooting
If Auto Actions do not send:
The list in the “Mail” tab of the booking will tell you why. Common causes are:
*Is your outgoing Email address working? Go to SETTINGS->ACCOUNT->OUTGOING EMAIL and click on “Send Test Email”.
*Is your Auto Action set to send automatically?
*Is the guests Email address valid (“Mails” tab of the booking)?
*Is the booking set to allow Allow Auto Actions (“Mails” tab of the booking)?
*Do all trigger events apply to the booking?
Auto Action is not editable
To have write access to an auto action an account needs to have write access to all properties to which the auto action applies. This might not be the case if you use sub accounts and the Auto Action is set to trigger for “All Properties”.
You don’t have permission to access control2.php on this server error message, when the save button is clicked
It is most likely something in your content triggering the firewall.
Try adding the content bit by bit until you find the item causing the problem.
Often it is a script or HTML item that appears to the firewall as a possible hacking attack.
It can also be something that looks innocent like a combination of numbers and words like “and” or “or” that hackers often use in sql injection attacks.
Once you find the item causing the problem, try rewording it.