🧩Automatic Message Rules

Define when and how message templates are sent using flexible, time-based rules.

Automatic Message Rules define when, where, and how a message template is sent.

A template defines the content. A rule defines the logic.

You can attach multiple rules to the same template.

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🧠 How rules work

• Each rule is linked to one template

• Each rule applies to one unit and one channel

• Each rule defines one timing

When creating rules, you can select multiple units and multiple channels at once — OkupAI creates one rule per unit/channel combination in a single step, and automatically skips duplicates that already exist.

One template → many rules This keeps your messaging consistent and easy to manage.

➕ Adding a new rule

1. Open an existing Message Template

2. Scroll to Associated Rules

3. Click Add new rule

A rule editor appears below the template.

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⚙️ Rule settings (explained)

🏷 Rule name

Internal name for your reference.

Choose something descriptive, for example:

• Welcome – Booking confirmation

• Check-in reminder

• Checkout instructions

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🏠 Object

Select which unit this rule applies to.

This defines where the template is sent.

If you want the same message for multiple units, create one rule per unit.

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📡 Channel

Choose how the message is sent:

• Platform (Airbnb, Booking.com, etc.)

• WhatsApp

• SMS

• Email

Platform messages are sent via the booking platform. WhatsApp, SMS, and Email are sent directly and are not auto-translated.

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⏯ Status

• Active → rule is running

• Inactive → rule is paused

Useful if you want to temporarily stop messages without deleting the rule.

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⏰ Trigger event (most important)

The trigger event defines which moment in time the rule is based on.

Available options:

📅 Booking date

Send the message relative to when the guest booked.

Typical use:

• booking confirmation

• immediate welcome message

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🧾 Online Check-In completed

Send the message relative to when the guest completes online check-in.

Typical use:

• confirmation

• next steps

• access instructions

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🛎 Check-in date

Send the message relative to the arrival date.

Typical use:

• reminders

• arrival instructions

• door codes

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🚪 Checkout date

Send the message relative to the departure date.

Typical use:

• checkout instructions

• review requests

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⏱ Timing configuration

These fields work together to define exact timing.

🔢 Offset value

How much time relative to the trigger event?

📏 Offset unit

Choose the unit for the offset:

• Minutes

• Hours

• Days

↔️ Direction

• Before the event

• After the event

🕖 Time of day

Used only for check-in and checkout dates, since those are full-day events.

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📌 Timing examples

1️⃣ Example 1 – Booking confirmation

• Trigger: Booking date

• Offset: 0 Minutes

• Direction: After

➡️ Message is sent immediately when the booking is created

2️⃣ Example 2 – Check-in reminder

• Trigger: Check-in date

• Offset: 1 Day

• Direction: Before

• Time: 19:00

➡️ Message is sent 1 day before arrival at 19:00

3️⃣ Example 3 – Online check-in completion

• Trigger: Online Check-In completed

• Offset: 0 Minutes

• Direction: After

➡️ Message is sent immediately after the guest finishes check-in

4️⃣ Example 4 – Post-booking follow-up

• Trigger: Booking date

• Offset: 2 Hours

• Direction: After

➡️ Message is sent 2 hours after booking

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🔍 Optional conditions

🧩 Advanced condition groups

Open Conditions in the rule editor to combine several checks. Conditions inside one group use AND; separate groups use OR. Apply the condition set, then save the rule. Invalid or incomplete conditions are shown before they can be applied.

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🪪 Condition: Online check-in already filled

• Send only if not filled yet

• No condition

Useful for reminders.

This prevents sending reminders to guests who already completed online check-in.

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⏮ Send even if trigger is in the past

Controls what happens if the rule timing is no longer possible.

Example:

• Rule: Send 7 days before check-in

• Guest books 1 day before arrival

Options:

• Enabled (green) → message is sent immediately

• Disabled (red) → message is skipped

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✅ Saving the rule

1. Click Save

2. Set status to Active

If active, the rule is now live and will trigger automatically.

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🗑 Deleting a rule

Click Delete beside the rule and confirm the warning. Deletion is permanent and removes only that rule; the message template remains available.

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🧠 Best practices

• Start rules as Inactive while testing

• Use clear rule names

• Avoid overlapping rules with identical timing

• Use conditions to prevent unnecessary messages