Learn how to edit automations, manage scheduled messages, and understand message statuses such as scheduled, paused, sent, canceled, and failed.
Intro
Use this guide to edit existing automations, manage scheduled messages, and understand what each message status means in Hostaway. This article also explains what happens when automations are disabled, re-enabled, or changed after messages are already scheduled.
Edit an automation
To edit automation, go to Messages > Automations > Edit Automation
Event triggers cannot be edited
Once you have saved a modification, you will need to choose whether you want to apply changes to existing scheduled messages or not
What happens when you disable an automation
When disabling an automation, an option will appear to allow you to delete pre-generated messages, but do bear in mind that if you enable the automation afterward (and have deleted those messages), no messages will be generated for existing reservations
If messages are not deleted, they will stay in the status "sending". Once the automation is activated again, the messages that are scheduled to be sent 6 hours or more before the automation is activated will not be sent and will be marked as failed; all the other messages will be sent as per the scheduled time.
Manage automated messages
In Hostaway > Inbox > Manage messages, you can preview, edit, cancel, pause, and manually send automated messages.
There are two ways to manage scheduled messages/automation in Hostaway.
Manage from the message thread
You can manage automation from a thread using one of these buttons
Manage from the Manage Automation page
If you would like a more in-depth view, every automation you set up will generate a message that you will be able to visualize and control from the Hostaway dashboard
Message statuses explained
- Scheduled. This is a message that is scheduled to be sent according to the trigger event of its parent automation. Scheduled messages can be sent manually, paused, or canceled. You will get 3 icons
- Sending: > icon. The message will be sent immediately
- Pausing: || icon. Clicking on the same icon will unpause the message, and this will go back to being scheduled. If its parent trigger event has passed, you can still manually send this message as above
- Editing: Pencil icon. This action will take you to the message generated by the automation. You can edit any text or fields and also send, save, or pause the message
- Canceled. This message has been canceled manually after being scheduled. Canceled messages cannot be scheduled again and sent.
- Canceled by System. This is a message that has been canceled due to the reservation being canceled. Canceled messages cannot be scheduled again and sent.
- Paused. This is a message that has been manually paused. Paused Messages can be "Unpaused". The message will become scheduled again, and you can either manually send it or wait for the automation trigger event to take effect. If the message is unpause after the automation trigger event has passed, you can still send it manually.
- Sent. A message that has been successfully sent.
- Failed. A message that has failed due to a system issue. E.g., the email server of the guest is not available. A failed message cannot be scheduled and sent again manually
Note: Editing a specific automation does not change the automation. It will only change that specific message for that specific Guest.