TL;DR – What the hotel does (and doesn’t do)
Once the integration is set up, your team keeps working only in Spectra Systems like normal (reservations, payments, housekeeping/room status).
Inlet handles the rest:
- Listens to reservation updates in Spectra Systems
- Decides when to issue access (based on your configured rules)
- Issues access in your lock system (PIN/mobile key/etc.)
- Sends guest messages (SMS and/or email) automatically
- Reservation updates from Spectra are synced every 10 minutes, so changes may take up to 10 minutes to reflect in Inlet and access.
What Inlet automates
Inlet automatically:
- Collects and monitors reservations in Spectra Systems
- Evaluates triggers (arrival date + your access rules)
- Sends guest communication before arrival, at access activation, and optionally after check-in / after check-out
- Revokes access automatically at check-out/end time (based on what is supported and how you have configured your departure logic)
Prerequisites
- Spectra Systems ↔ Inlet integration connected (see Spectra Systems Integration Setup)
- Rooms/rentable objects are created and managed in Spectra Systems
- Housekeeping/room status is updated in Spectra Systems (if you use room-status-based activation)
- Payments are handled in Spectra Systems (if you use payment-gated activation)
- A supported lock system is connected to Inlet, and doors/locks are mapped to rooms/rentable objects
The guest journey (booking → access → stay → check-out)
1) Booking is created in Spectra Systems
- Guest books via any channel
- The reservation “lives in Spectra Systems” (this is the source of truth)
- Inlet continuously listens for reservation updates
2) Before arrival: optional message(s)
Inlet can send an automated pre-arrival SMS/email with practical info, for example:
- Directions / entry instructions
- Check-in time expectations
- Parking or arrival details
- Support contact info
3) Access activation (the key moment)
When the reservation is eligible (typically “arriving today”), Inlet evaluates your configured rules and activates access.
Core requirement: Arrival date check
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The reservation must be planned for today in Spectra Systems
Access activation rules (choose your model)
You can combine and configure the following models:
Option A — Activate by check-in time
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Access is activated automatically at your configured check-in time
Option B — Activate by room status (housekeeping)
- You can require a room to be marked as clean and/or inspected in Spectra Systems
- Make sure "housekeeping" rules in Spectra Systems, so that the room only becomes dirty on the day of check-out.
Option C — Activate by payment
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You can require payment to be marked as paid in Spectra Systems before access is issued
4) Access delivery message (PIN/mobile key/etc.)
At the moment access is activated, Inlet automatically sends access details via SMS and/or email, such as:
- PIN code
- Mobile key
- Remote-open link
Note: We can only issue access types that your lock system supports.
5) During stay: optional follow-up message(s)
Inlet can send follow-ups after access is delivered/check-in, for example:
- Wi-Fi details
- House rules / stay instructions
- Local info
- Support contacts
6) Check-out: access is removed automatically
At check-out / end time:
- Inlet revokes access automatically (no manual key handling)
- Optional post-stay message can be sent (thank-you, review request, etc.)
Technical flow (what happens behind the scenes)
Monitoring
Inlet monitors reservations + (optionally) room status + (optionally) payment status in Spectra Systems
Decision logic
Inlet applies your configured activation rules (time / room status / payment gate)
Lock execution
Inlet creates/assigns access in the connected lock system
Grant / update / revoke actions happen automatically
Messaging
Inlet can send the correct message at each stage (before arrival, at access activation, during stay, after stay)
Important notes / common pitfalls
- Spectra Systems must stay accurate: if room status or payment status is wrong, access timing may be wrong too.
- If you use room-status-based activation, housekeeping workflows must reliably mark rooms as clean (and inspected if used).
- Mapping matters: doors/locks must be correctly mapped to rooms/rentable objects for access to work consistently.
Summary
With Spectra Systems + Inlet, Spectra remains the “brain” (reservations, status, payments) and Inlet is the execution layer for access + guest communication—fully automated once configured.