Onboarding Checklist: From Signup to First Guest

Use this checklist to go live quickly

Complete these steps in order. Without smart devices, you can typically finish in under 5 minutes. With smart device setup, allow 15–20 minutes.

Core setup (5 minutes)

1. Create your account: Sign up with your name, phone number, and email.
2. Set up your organization: Name your org and add a billing email address.
3. Choose your plan: Select Host ($15/mo) or ProHost ($25/mo) and start your 30-day free trial.
4. Add your property: Enter name, address, time zone, and check-in/check-out times.
5. Choose your access mode:
   • Static Codes — Enter your own door codes (no hardware needed)
   • Smart Access — Automated codes per stay on a smart lock (through its maker's app or Home Assistant)
   • Portal Only — Just the guest portal (zero hardware)
6. Import your bookings: Create your email import address and forward Airbnb and Vrbo booking emails to it, or connect your calendar feeds. Both import your bookings.
7. Invite your cleaner (ProHost, optional): Add your cleaning company for turnover management.

Verify your setup (2 minutes)

• Open a stay record and preview the guest link
• Confirm check-in/check-out times display correctly
• Verify access codes are showing (if using Smart or Static mode)
• Check that property instructions, Wi-Fi details, and house rules are populated

Optional: Add smart devices (15+ minutes)

If you chose Smart Access or want to upgrade from Static Codes, there are two ways in. If your lock works with its maker's app (Yale, Schlage, Kwikset, August and more), you can skip the hub: connect it as a cloud account (see supported smart locks), choose the property it's on, and go to step 5. Otherwise:

1. Set up your Home Assistant hub
2. Connect it to Staykey
3. Pair your Z-Wave devices (locks, thermostats, etc.)
4. Select which devices Staykey should manage for stays
5. Create a test stay and verify the code works on your lock

Optional: Set up Cleans (ProHost)

If you're on ProHost and want turnover management:

1. Invite your cleaning company during onboarding or from the Cleaning settings
2. Your cleaning company receives an invite email with their portal link
3. Cleanings are scheduled automatically when a stay is booked; cleaners get notified about two weeks before the stay (or immediately for short-fuse bookings)
4. Track cleaning status from your dashboard

Next steps

• Automate bookings with Booking Import (email import first, calendar feeds second)
• Learn about the cleaning status flow
• Review guest access troubleshooting so you know the quick fixes