Setting Up Booking Import

Setting Up Booking Import

Staykey imports bookings two ways, and both are fully supported. We recommend setting up email import first because it also brings guest details.

1. Email import (recommended first). Forward your booking confirmation emails to one Staykey address. It brings the reservation code, the guest's full name, the guest's phone number on Vrbo, cancellations, and changes. Staykey's guest-facing automations, including texting guests their stay link before check-in, depend on this data.
2. Calendar import (iCal). Connect your platform's calendar feed and your bookings import automatically. Feeds carry little about the guest (Vrbo's only a first name), which is why we suggest email import first. Use either, or both together.

Both can be on at the same time. Staykey merges the two into one stay per booking.

Step 1: Email import

Email import is set up once for your whole organization, not per property.

1. In Staykey, open your account menu and choose Email import under Settings
2. Click Create import address. Staykey gives you one address for all of your listings, shaped like [email protected]. Yours is different; copy it from the page.
3. In the inbox that receives your booking confirmations, add a forwarding rule that sends platform booking emails to that address:
   • Gmail: Settings → Forwarding and POP/IMAP → add the Staykey address as a forwarding address, then create a filter for mail from [email protected] or [email protected] that forwards to it. Gmail sends a confirmation email; Staykey usually confirms it for you. If an item with an activation link appears under Needs review on the Email import page, click it once.
   • Outlook: Settings → Mail → Rules → forward booking emails (from [email protected] or [email protected]) to the address.
   • iCloud: iCloud.com → Mail settings → Rules → forward messages from [email protected] or [email protected] to the address.

Forward only booking emails. Anything that isn't a booking email is ignored, but a focused rule keeps things tidy.

You can also start from a property: open the property, click Browse catalog, and choose Set up on the Email import tile. It creates the same organization-wide address.

How routing works

Staykey reads which listing each email is about and files the booking under the right property. When it can't tell, the email waits under Needs review until you say which property it belongs to. It remembers your answer, so it only asks once per listing.

What gets imported from email

• Guest details: full name; phone number (Vrbo); the Airbnb confirmation code or Vrbo reservation ID
• Stay information: confirmed check-in and check-out dates, guest count
• Financial data: nightly rate, fees, taxes, total, and payout
• Changes: cancellations and date changes (once a calendar feed is connected, date changes come from the feed)

Step 2: Calendar import (iCal)

1. Open the property in Staykey and click Browse catalog
2. Choose Calendar import (iCal)
3. Paste your platform's calendar export URL:
   • Airbnb: Calendar → Availability settings → Sync calendars → Export calendar → copy the link
   • Vrbo: Calendar → Import/export → Export calendar → copy the link
   • Other platforms: look for "Export calendar" or "iCal"
4. Click Save, then Sync now to pull existing bookings right away

Feeds are re-checked every hour.

What each source gives you

Verifying import

• Wait for the next real booking, or forward the confirmation email for a booking that's still upcoming to your import address
• Within a minute the stay should appear on the right property with the guest's name and reservation code
• Open the stay to confirm dates, guest details, and financials

Need help? See calendar and email import issues, or contact support.