Check-In Policy
Set age limits, check-in time, and room rules. Most properties finish in about 5 minutes.
This guide helps you set who can self check-in, when they can start, and which rooms are eligible. These rules apply to both self-service and assisted check-in flows.
Where to Find It
Settings → Check-In → Check-In PolicyQuick Reference
| Setting | What It Controls | Guest Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Age | Youngest guest allowed to self check-in | Underage guests are directed to the front desk |
| Allow DOB Editing | Whether guests can correct OCR birth dates | Prevents accidental age blocks from OCR errors |
| Allow Travel Document Upload | Allows a photo upload instead of a live camera scan | Guests can upload a passport or ID photo |
| Image Retention Policy | Automatically deletes travel document and selfie images after set days | Older images may be removed after you apply changes |
| Document Storage | Chooses where captured documents and signatures are stored | Controls storage destination for check-in records |
| PMS Upload Policy | Controls whether check-in documents are sent to your PMS | Documents can stay in Streamliner without syncing to PMS |
| Allowed Check-In Time | Earliest time self check-in starts | Early arrivals see a wait message |
| Validate Check-In Time Only | Whether AVA checks only the time, or both the arrival date and time | Controls how strict early-arrival validation is |
| Long Stay Limit | Maximum nights allowed for self check-in | Long stays require staff check-in |
| Room Assignment Rules | Auto-assign + allowed room statuses | Controls room readiness and safety |
| Opera Specials Codes | Maps Opera specials to check-in journey steps | Tracks registration, pre-auth, check-in, and check-out progress |
Set Guest Eligibility
Minimum Age for Check-In
- Go to Settings → Check-In → Check-In Policy
- Enter a value in Minimum Age for Check-In (commonly 18 or 21)
- Click Save
How it works:
- The age check applies to the primary guest on the reservation
- If the primary guest is under the minimum age, self check-in is blocked
- Age is calculated from the Date of Birth captured during registration
Allow Guests to Edit Date of Birth
Use Allow editing guest date of birth to control whether guests can fix OCR errors:
- Enabled: Guests can correct the scanned date of birth
- Disabled: Date of birth stays locked to the scanned document
Consider disabling when:
- Local regulations require an exact document match
- You need strict age verification (for example, age-restricted amenities)
Allowing edits reduces false age blocks when document scanning misreads dates.
Allow Travel Document Upload
Use Allow travel document upload to let guests upload a document photo:
- Enabled: Guests can upload a passport or ID photo
- Disabled: Guests must scan with a live camera
- Go to Settings → Check-In → Check-In Policy
- Turn Allow travel document upload on or off
- Click Save
Set Image Retention Policy
Use Image retention policy to delete stored images after a set number of days.
If a toggle is off, Streamliner does not delete that image type based on retention.
Saving a shorter retention period deletes existing travel document or selfie images older than the selected days immediately.
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In Image retention policy, turn on Travel document or Selfie
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Enter retention days (1-365). Default is 180.
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Click Save
-
If a confirmation window appears, type
DELETE IMAGES -
Click Save and apply now
✓ Your retention policy is saved and active.
Set Document Storage
Use Document storage to choose where check-in documents and signatures are stored.
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In Document storage, use Use your own server (on-premises)
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Choose one mode:
- Turn it OFF to use S3 cloud storage
- Turn it ON to use your on-site image storage service
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If on-premises is ON, enter your Image storage URL
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If a secret is shown, click Copy next to Image storage secret
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Click Save
✓ Your document storage setting is saved.
The Image storage secret field is read-only. You can copy it when a value exists.
Set PMS Upload Policy
Use PMS upload policy to control which check-in documents Streamliner sends to your PMS.
This does not change local storage or retention rules in Streamliner.
-
In PMS upload policy, turn on or off:
- Upload travel document to PMS
- Upload registration card to PMS
-
Click Save
✓ Your document sync policy is saved.
If your active PMS is AVA, these toggles are disabled. This policy does not apply to AVA PMS.
Set Check-In Time
- In Allowed Check-In Time, choose your official check-in time
- Click Save
Format rules:
- Use 24-hour format (example:
14:00) - Leave empty to allow check-in at any time
Guest experience:
- Before check-in time → the early arrival message appears
- After check-in time → guests can continue if other rules allow it
Validate Check-In Time Only
Use Validate Check-In Time Only when you want AVA to check the time without comparing the arrival date.
- Yes: AVA validates using check-in time only
- No: AVA validates using both arrival date and check-in time
-
Turn Validate Check-In Time Only on or off
-
Click Save
✓ Your check-in time validation rule is saved.
Use Yes if your property wants a time-only rule for arrivals. Use No if you want arrival date and time checked together.
Payment Settings Moved
Payment gateway setup and Opera payment policy controls now live in Settings → Payment.
Use that page to configure:
- Gateway connection (Stripe or Red Dot)
- Deposit and full payment collection
- Opera mapping and Opera payment policy controls
Configure Opera Specials Codes
Use this section only when your active PMS is Opera.
These codes mark key steps in the guest journey inside Opera.
-
Enter each code exactly as configured in Opera:
- Specials code for registration
- Specials code for pre-authorisation
- Specials code for check-in
- Specials code for check-out
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Click Save Check-In Policy
✓ Your specials code mapping is saved for Opera check-in workflows.
Entered values must match Opera Specials exactly. Wrong values can break status mapping.
Housekeeping Coordination
Prompt Housekeeping to Confirm Same-Day Checkout
Enable this if you want housekeeping to confirm checkout before finishing a same-day cleaning update. It helps staff close out rooms that were missed by front desk.
Long Stay Restrictions
- Enable Block Long Stay Check-ins
- Set Maximum Nights for Kiosk Check-in
- Click Save
Reservations longer than this limit must check in with staff.
Room Assignment Preferences
Enable Automatic Room Assignment
When enabled, AVA assigns a room automatically if the PMS provides eligible rooms.
If Allow Vacant Dirty Rooms is enabled, automatic room assignment is disabled to avoid assigning unclean rooms.
Allow Room Assignment Without Housekeeping Status
Enable this if your PMS does not send housekeeping status. When enabled, AVA ignores room status filters.
Allowed Room Statuses
Choose which room statuses are eligible for check-in:
- Allow Vacant Inspected Rooms (recommended)
- Allow Vacant Clean Rooms
- Allow Vacant Dirty Rooms (emergency only)
Allowing dirty rooms can create health and service issues. Use only when you have a manual process in place.
At least one room status must be enabled for self check-in to work.
Troubleshooting
Guests are blocked unexpectedly
What you see: Valid guests sent to front desk
Check:
- Minimum Age and DOB accuracy
- Allowed Check-In Time
- Validate Check-In Time Only
- Long stay limit
- Room status eligibility
- Payment setup in Settings → Payment
Upload option is missing
What you see: Guests only see live camera scan
Fix:
- Turn on Allow travel document upload
- Save your changes and test again
Confirmation button stays disabled
What you see: Save and apply now is gray in the confirmation window.
Fix:
- Type
DELETE IMAGESexactly as shown - Click Save and apply now
Retention days field is gray
What you see: You cannot edit the retention days.
Fix:
- Turn on Travel document or Selfie
- Enter the number of days
On-premise storage URL keeps reverting
What you see: The Image storage URL does not stay saved.
Fix:
- Turn ON Use your own server (on-premises)
- Enter a full URL, for example
https://image-storage.yourhotel.local - Click Save and refresh the page once
Copy button is disabled for image storage secret
What you see: Copy is gray and cannot be clicked.
Fix:
- Turn ON Use your own server (on-premises)
- Confirm a secret value exists in Image storage secret
- If empty, ask your admin team to set the secret first
PMS upload toggles are disabled
What you see: You cannot change Upload travel document to PMS or Upload registration card to PMS.
Fix:
- Check your active PMS provider
- If it is AVA PMS, this is expected
- Use a non-AVA PMS provider to configure these toggles
Automatic room assignment is disabled
What you see: Toggle is off or disabled
Fix:
- Ensure Allow Vacant Dirty Rooms is OFF
- Make sure your PMS sends room status updates
Early arrival message never appears
What you see: Guests check in early without a message
Fix:
- Set Allowed Check-In Time
- Add messages in Room Not Ready Messages
Check-in time validation feels too strict
What you see: Guests are blocked even when the check-in time looks correct.
Fix:
- Check Validate Check-In Time Only
- Set it to Yes if you want time-only validation
- Set it to No if you want arrival date and time checked together
- Save and test with a new reservation
Opera specials codes are not taking effect
What you see: Journey progress is not marked correctly in Opera.
Fix:
- Confirm your active PMS is Opera
- Check each code matches Opera exactly (including spelling)
- Save again using Save Check-In Policy
- Test with a new check-in session
Related Guides
- Check-In Landing Page - Share the guest link and QR
- Registration Fields - Required guest information
- Room Not Ready Messages - Messages for early arrivals and delays
- Opera PMS Integration - Connect and validate Opera settings
- Payments - Configure gateway and payment collection
- IP Whitelist - Restrict check-in by location
Still Stuck?
Contact success@vouch-technologies.com if:
- ❌ Guests are blocked but should be eligible
- ❌ Room assignment is not working as expected
- ❌ You need help setting age or payment rules
Helpful to include:
- Screenshot of your policy settings
- Example reservation that is blocked
- PMS provider and property type