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Manage Smart Lock Key Access Codes in Mangobeds

6 min read

Give your guests their door key before they arrive. Mangobeds lets you manage smart lock keys and access codes for every unit in your property.

Whether you use a smart lock provider or simply manage door keys and codes by hand, Mangobeds gives you one place to assign keys, track validity dates, and send them to guests at the right time.

Why Smart Lock Keys?

If you manage a property with self check-in, you know the routine: text the guest a door key or code, hope they received it, change it after checkout. It works, but it doesn’t scale.

With Smart Lock Key Management in Mangobeds, you can:

  • Assign digital keys per unit — each room, apartment, or bed gets its own key linked to its own lock.
  • Track key validity dates — keys are tied to check-in and checkout dates, so you always know which keys are active.
  • Generate and send keys automatically — once a unit is linked to a lock, Mangobeds creates the access code on its own a couple of days before each guest’s check-in. No manual work per booking.
  • Manage all keys in one place — no more spreadsheets, sticky notes, or WhatsApp messages with door codes.

Table of contents

How automatic key generation works

Once you connect a smart lock provider and link a unit to a lock, Mangobeds takes over the day-to-day work:

  • Confirmed booking, far in the future — nothing happens yet. We wait so your access codes are timely, not stale.
  • About 48 hours before check-in — Mangobeds automatically creates the access code with your lock provider. The code is now active and stored in Mangobeds.
  • Booking dates change — if you push back a check-out or extend a stay, Mangobeds updates the code’s validity dates with your lock provider. No re-issuing.
  • Booking cancelled — Mangobeds revokes the code with your lock provider so the original guest can no longer enter.

You don’t need to click anything for any of this. It just works.

If you do need to issue a code outside this flow (a maintenance visit, a friend staying for the weekend, a long-term arrangement), you can still create a passcode manually from the Smart Locks app at any time.

Coordinating with your check-in email: because access codes are generated about 48 hours before check-in, schedule your pre-arrival emails that include the access-code variable to send 48 hours before check-in or later. Earlier-scheduled emails will still go out, but the access-code field will say “No access code for these dates” because Mangobeds hasn’t generated it yet.

Setup guide for each lock

The Smart Locks app works the same way whichever lock you use: connect the provider, link each unit to its lock, and Mangobeds issues and revokes the codes from the booking. What differs is the credentials you need and the hardware requirements, so each provider has its own guide.

  • TTLock: Bluetooth and Wi-Fi locks, through a gateway.
  • Flexipass: Mobile keys across ASSA ABLOY, Salto and Dormakaba locks.
  • Inlet: One token, fifteen lock systems behind it.
  • TESA SMARTair: ASSA ABLOY’s hotel access system.
  • YACAN: Sign in once, no API keys to copy.
  • Manual door codes: Any other lock: type your own codes and Mangobeds hands them to the guest.

Sending Keys to Guests

The real power of Smart Lock Key Management is the template variable. Add it to any communication template, and Mangobeds automatically inserts the keys for the guest’s booked units.

How to set it up

  1. Go to Communications and open (or create) a template — typically the check-in email
  2. Click Variables to see all available template variables
  3. Under Smart Locks, click the variable to copy it
  4. Paste it into your email template where you want the keys to appear

What the guest sees

If the guest booked one unit:

Room 101: H91L72

If the guest booked multiple units:

Double room 1: H91L72
Room Marta: 385291

If a unit has a lock but the access code hasn’t been generated yet (e.g. the booking is still more than 48 hours away from check-in):

Double room 1: No access code for these dates

If the property has no smart lock app connected, the variable is left empty (nothing appears in the email).

When does it work?

The variable is available in all booking-related communications:

  • Booking confirmed emails
  • Booking requested emails
  • Scheduled check-in emails (e.g. “5 days before arrival”)
  • Scheduled checkout emails
  • Manually sent communications

It is not available in birthday emails or cancellation emails (where access codes are not relevant).

Tips

  • Schedule pre-arrival emails 48 hours before check-in or later. That’s when Mangobeds generates the code with your lock provider. Earlier emails will go out without the code.
  • Use with the pre-arrival email — the best time to send smart lock keys is in your pre-arrival communication, when the room is confirmed and ready.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need smart lock hardware to use this?
No. The Manual provider lets you manage any kind of key or access code — keypad locks, lockboxes, gate codes — without any smart lock hardware integration. If you do have hardware (TTLock, Flexipass, Inlet, TESA Smartair, or YACAN), Mangobeds takes the work off your hands.

When are codes actually generated?
About 48 hours before each guest’s check-in. Earlier than that and many vendors reject the request as too far in advance. Closer than that and your pre-arrival emails risk going out without a code. 48 hours is the sweet spot.

What if I need a code outside the booking flow — maintenance, friends, owner stays?
Click “New passcode” on the linked unit’s panel. You can create a passcode for any date range, with or without a booking. The automatic generation only kicks in for confirmed bookings.

What happens if the booking gets cancelled?
If the code was already generated, Mangobeds asks the lock provider to revoke it. The original guest’s access stops working immediately.

What if the guest changes their dates?
Mangobeds updates the validity dates with the lock provider. The same access code/key keeps working, just for the new dates.

Can I have different keys for different units in the same booking?
Yes. Each unit has its own linked lock and its own keys. If a guest books two rooms, they get two separate keys.

Can I use Smart Lock Keys with the Channel Manager?
Yes. Bookings from any channel (Airbnb, Booking.com, direct) create the same booking in Mangobeds. As long as the unit has a linked lock and the booking is confirmed, the integration works regardless of where the booking came from.

What if the lock’s vendor API is temporarily down when Mangobeds tries to create a code?
Mangobeds retries every few minutes for up to 30 attempts. If the vendor stays down long enough that we can’t get through, an alert is raised on our side and we follow up.

What do I need from my Smartair installer to connect?
Three things: the server address of your Smartair Server Platform, an operator username, and an operator password. Your Smartair installer or IT administrator can provide these. They also need to confirm that the SOAP API feature is enabled in your Smartair license, and that the server is reachable from the internet (typically via a static IP and port-forward).

Which lock brands does Inlet cover?
Salto, ASSA ABLOY, Dormakaba, EVVA, Igloohome, Iloq, Paxton, 2N, Danalock, Schneider Electric Security Expert, Siemens Sipass, Johnson Controls CCure, Livionkey, Metra Smart Locker, Stroxx. If you have a system in this list, Inlet is usually the right choice.

Inlet or Flexipass for ASSA ABLOY / Salto / Dormakaba?
Both work. Inlet covers a wider catalogue overall. Flexipass has been with us longer and is well-validated. Pick whichever you already have credentials for; if neither, Inlet’s broader coverage usually wins.

Ready to simplify guest access? Go to Apps > Smart Locks, connect a provider, and start managing your smart lock keys today.