OpenKey and ThinkReservation Workflows

This article details the main points of the one-way integration between ThinkReservations and OpenKey.

Data Flow Between ThinkReservations and OpenKey

There are a number of ways to create a reservation in ThinkReservations, but regardless of how the reservation comes into your ThinkReservations account, the data will properly flow to OpenKey. Existing reservation information from ThinkReservations will automatically flow over to OpenKey three days prior to the guest's arrival, and any reservations that are made within that three-day window, will flow over and populate in the Reservations section of your OpenKey HOST's Communication tab. The one-way push of information from ThinkReservations to OpenKey will include the following:

• Customer First and Last Name
• Customer Mobile Phone Number
• Customer Email
• Reservation Confirmation Number
• Check-in Date
• Check-out Date

Any changes made to the customer records associated with the reservation will automatically be pushed over to OpenKey and upon a refresh of your OpenKey HOST's Communication page, the reservations details on their end will be updated accordingly.

Changing/Updating a Reservation

When you update the following items in ThinkReservations, the guest's mobile key will automatically update in OpenKey HOST:

• Changing the check-out date
• Checking a guest out
• Changing a guest's room number

The following item must be changed in OpenKey HOST:

• Check-out time (for late check-outs)
  • Support: Extending Check-out Time for Guest's Mobile Key in OpenKey HOST

The following item can be managed from within OpenKey HOST or the guest's mobile app:

• Adding additional guests
  • Support: Adding Additional Guests via OpenKey HOST
  • Support: Adding Additional Guests via the OpenKey App (Share Key)

Guest Check-in Flow

When using encoded key cards:

1. Find the guest's reservation in ThinkReservations
2. Open the reservation and ensure that the following requirements for issuing a mobile key at check-in are met:
   • The customer/guest that is associated with this particular reservation must have a Cell Phone number present in their customer records. A country code is required for any international phone numbers (outside the US/Canada).
     • *HINT: If you don’t know the country code, ask the guest. They will happily tell you! But here is a link to a list of all country codes, just in case: https://countrycode.org/
3. Complete your normal Check-in process.
4. Encode plastic keys – or bypass this portion if the guest does not need plastic keys.
   • Remember to create keys in the appropriate order, according to the type of lock/BLE hardware your hotel uses. See more information here.

When using mobile key:

1. Find the guest's reservation in ThinkReservations
2. Open the reservation and ensure that the following requirements for issuing a mobile key at check-in are met:
   • The customer/guest that is associated with this particular reservation must have a Cell Phone number present in their customer records. A country code is required for any international phone numbers (outside the US/Canada).
     • *HINT: If you don’t know the country code, ask the guest. They will happily tell you! But here is a link to a list of all country codes, just in case: https://countrycode.org/
3. Complete your normal Check-in process and click the Check-in button.
4. After the Check-in button is clicked, the guest's information will move from the Communication tab and will populate in the Guests tab of your OpenKey HOST account. The guest will also be sent a text message, letting them know that their mobile key is waiting for them and a link to download the OpenKey app if they haven't done so already. 
5. Once they download and open the OpenKey app, the key will automatically download onto the app and it will be ready for them to use on the door(s) that they have access to.

Limitations of OpenKey Integration

1. No Multi-Room Reservations on one single reservation
2. The check-out time field is ThinkReservations is not coded to update the check-out time in OpenKey. Any late check-outs must be processed manually in OpenKey HOST to extend the mobile key.
3. ThinkReservations offer three phone fields in the Customer Records: Phone, Cell Phone, and Work Phone. Only the Cell Phone number will be sent to OpenKey regardless of whether information exists in the other fields.