Purpose of Stay

Quick Setup

Add 5-8 visit reasons, then auto-translate guest labels for enabled languages. Most hotels finish in 3-5 minutes.

Purpose of Stay controls the dropdown guests use to select why they are visiting during check-in.

Where to Find It

Settings → Check-In → Purpose of Stay

Quick Reference

Setting	What It Controls	Guest Impact
Code	Stable internal identifier (must be unique)	Used for reporting, fallback display, and registration-card checkbox rules
Default Guest Label	Main language text for each reason	Primary label shown to guests
Translations	Labels in other enabled languages	Guests see localized options in check-in
Auto Translate All	Fills missing translations in one action	Speeds up setup for multilingual hotels
Clear all languages	Removes every translated label at once	Use when you want to rewrite an option
Show to	Whether Purpose of Stay appears for all guests or the main guest	Guests see the dropdown when the field is enabled
Sync from PMS	Adds current PMS codes and fills blank labels	Keeps AVA codes aligned with your PMS
Save actions	Section save and page-wide save	Both keep your latest edits, even if you switch tabs or save immediately

Enable the Field

If Purpose of Stay is hidden, guests will not see the dropdown.

1. Go to Settings → Check-In → Purpose of Stay
2. If warning appears, click Make Visible
3. Save your registration field changes

You can also enable it in Registration Fields by setting Show to to All guests or Main guest only.

Add Purpose Options

1. Enter a Code like BUS, LEI, or MED
2. Enter a Default Guest Label
3. Click Add Purpose
4. Repeat for each reason

✓ You should see each option in the table preview.

These options also appear in the registration-card mapper for custom PDFs and PMS cards.

Sync Options from Your PMS

If your PMS supports purpose-of-stay lookup, AVA shows Sync from PMS. Opera Cloud currently supports this option.

1. Open Settings → Check-In → Purpose of Stay
2. Click Sync from PMS
3. Review the codes and guest labels added to the table
4. Click Save All to apply the changes

The sync reads the latest active PMS codes. It adds missing codes and fills blank labels. It does not remove options already configured in AVA. Sync does not overwrite labels you already wrote. It leaves changes unsaved until you click Save All.

You can also select Choose from PMS in the add row. Select a code to fill its label. Use Type a code when you need to add a code manually.

PMS labels and translations

AVA uses the PMS code as the stable identifier. You can edit the default label and translations before saving.

Match PMS codes exactly

AVA checks saved codes against the PMS using exact spelling and capitalization. Review any warning before saving, even when the code looks similar.

Localize Purpose Labels

1. Expand Edit Translations for a purpose option
2. Keep your default label clear and short
3. Add translated guest labels for each enabled language
4. If you need to clear all labels for that option, click Clear all languages
5. Click Save purpose of stay options

Fallback Behavior

If a translation is missing, check-in shows English first. If English is missing, it shows the purpose code.

Save behavior

If you edit an option and click Save All right away, AVA saves the latest changes you just made. It also keeps the latest label when you switch language tabs.

Auto Translate All Labels

1. Confirm your default labels are complete
2. Click Auto Translate All
3. Review translated values per language
4. Correct any terms that need local wording
5. Click Save purpose of stay options

⚠️ Auto-translation is a starting point. Review legal or compliance wording before go-live.

Recommended Purpose List (5-8)

• Business
• Leisure / Vacation
• Medical
• Education / Training
• Event / Conference
• Family Visit
• Transit / Stopover
• Other

Sync Purpose of Stay to Opera

When you use Opera Cloud, AVA writes the guest's selected purpose to that reservation during guest sync.

Choose the Opera destination under Opera → Advanced:

Setting	Opera destination	Use it when
Purpose of Stay field	Standard Purpose of Stay	Your staff reads Opera's standard field.
Booking Medium	Booking Medium on the stay and rate	Your staff reads PUR or Channel.
Both	Both fields	Different workflows need both fields.

The default is Purpose of Stay field, which preserves the previous behavior. The selected destination applies to guest sync and new Opera reservation creation. AVA uses the same setting for both paths.

• AVA checks the purpose Code against Opera's current purpose-of-stay list.
• AVA writes Opera's listed spelling, such as LEI.
• Main guests update the main reservation.
• Opera sharers update their own reservation after share verification.
• In a multi-room booking, each room's own reservation receives that room's guest value.
• A room uses its registration representative, or its first guest on that reservation.
• Guests sharing the booker's reservation do not overwrite the main guest's purpose.
• Other PMS providers skip this reservation update.

When Purpose of Stay is shown to the Main guest only:

• Each sharer's reservation receives the main guest's selected code.
• A companion's empty field can show the main guest's code as an editable suggestion.
• AVA does not fill a hidden field, replace a saved value, or replace a draft.
• AVA suggests only codes that are still configured in Purpose of Stay.

One purpose per Opera reservation

Opera stores one purpose of stay for each reservation. A companion on the same reservation keeps the main guest's value. An Opera sharer has a separate reservation, so AVA can save that guest's value separately. Each room in a multi-room booking can also have its own reservation. AVA saves that room's guest value to its own reservation when the reservations are separate. If all rooms share the booker's reservation, AVA keeps one purpose for that shared reservation.

Unsupported codes do not block check-in

If Opera does not list a code, or its list cannot be read, AVA skips the update. Guest sync still succeeds. Add the matching code in Opera, then test a new check-in.

Purpose appears in the wrong Opera field

What you see: The guest selected a purpose, but Opera's PUR, Channel, or standard field is blank.

Fix:

1. Open Settings → Essentials → PMS Integration → Opera → Advanced.

2. Check Save purpose of stay to.

3. Choose Booking Medium, Purpose of Stay field, or Both.

4. Click Save.

5. Run a new guest sync and check the matching Opera field.

   ✓ AVA writes future syncs to the selected destination.

Existing reservations are not backfilled automatically when you change this setting.

Use Purpose of Stay in Registration Card Checkboxes

Match a checkbox symbol to the guest's saved Purpose of Stay code.

1. Open Settings → Check-In → Card & Consent
2. Open Map Fields for a custom PDF or loaded PMS card.
3. Choose Purpose of Stay as the checkbox condition.
4. Select the saved purpose code, such as BUS.
5. Place the symbol beside the matching printed option.
6. Add another mapping for each option you want to mark.
7. Click Save Mapping or Save.

AVA compares the saved code, not the guest-facing label. Only the matching option is marked. Blank or unknown values leave every option unmarked.

For PMS cards, choose Checkbox placement → Follow PDF label when the card layout can move. Select the nearby printed label, then save the mapping. The preview highlights the selected label, so you can confirm the target before saving. The symbol follows that label, including when it moves to another PDF page. Press Escape to clear the selection. Changing templates also clears the old selection.

Safe placement

AVA omits a symbol when its label is missing, duplicated, rotated, unsafe, or outside the returned page. The signed card still generates. Review the registration-card logs after changing a PMS layout.

Troubleshooting

Dropdown does not appear

What you see: Guests never see Purpose of Stay.

Fix:

1. Open Registration Fields
2. Set Show to to All guests or Main guest only.
3. Save and run a new check-in test

"Duplicate code" error

What you see: New entry cannot be added.

Fix:

1. Use a unique Code
2. Avoid reusing the same code with different capitalization

Purpose checkbox is not marked

What you see: The guest's registration card shows no Purpose of Stay tick.

Fix:

1. Confirm the guest has a saved Purpose of Stay value.
2. Open the mapping and confirm the condition uses the exact saved Code.
3. Check that the mapping symbol is placed beside the correct option.
4. Save the mapping and generate a new registration card.

Blank or unknown Purpose of Stay values intentionally leave all options unmarked.

PMS checkbox is omitted

What you see: One PMS checkbox is missing, but the signed card is available.

Fix:

1. Open the PMS card mapping in Card & Consent.
2. If using Follow PDF label, confirm the label matches exactly once.
3. Confirm the symbol box fits on the label's page.
4. Generate a new card after correcting the mapping.
5. Review the registration-card logs for the omitted mapping reason.

AVA omits unsafe placements instead of drawing at an old position.

PDF label is not highlighted

What you see: You select Follow PDF label, but the matching label is not highlighted.

Fix:

1. Select the checkbox mapping again.
2. Choose the label from the current PDF preview.
3. Load the current PMS card if you changed templates.
4. Refresh the page if the preview still shows stale content.

The highlight is a preview aid. It does not alter saved mappings or generated PDFs.

Auto Translate shows no change

What you see: Labels stay the same after auto translate.

Fix:

1. Confirm more than one language is enabled in Settings → Essentials → Supported Languages
2. Add source text to the default guest label
3. Run Auto Translate All again

PMS codes do not sync

What you see: Sync from PMS shows an error or does not add any options.

Fix:

1. Confirm your PMS connection is active
2. Click Sync from PMS again
3. If the list still fails, add the code manually
4. Save the options after reviewing the code and label

If the PMS lists no active purpose-of-stay codes, ask your PMS administrator to enable one.

Other PMS providers may not show Sync from PMS.

PMS code is missing from the picker

What you see: A code is not available under Choose from PMS.

Fix:

1. Confirm the code is active in the PMS
2. Click Sync from PMS to refresh the list
3. Use Type a code if the code remains unavailable
4. Confirm the code matches the PMS exactly, then save

A PMS code warning appears

What you see: A configured code is marked because the PMS does not list it or deactivated it.

Fix:

1. Check the code in your PMS
2. Correct the AVA code to match the PMS exactly, if needed
3. Click Sync from PMS to refresh the active list
4. Review the warning before clicking Save All

AVA does not remove the configured option automatically. You can keep it for reporting or edit it manually.

The first PMS read fails

What you see: A Try again message appears while PMS codes load.

Fix:

1. Confirm your PMS connection is active
2. Click Try again
3. Use Type a code if you need to continue while the PMS is unavailable

Sync is unavailable

What you see: Sync from PMS does not appear.

Fix:

1. Confirm your PMS supports purpose-of-stay lookup
2. Confirm your PMS connection is active
3. Add options manually with Type a code

Some PMS connections do not provide a purpose-of-stay list. AVA keeps manual entry available.

Guests see code instead of label

What you see: Dropdown shows values like BUS.

Fix:

1. Open Purpose of Stay settings
2. Add an English label for each code
3. Save and test check-in again

Opera reservation does not show the purpose

What you see: The guest selected a purpose, but Opera does not show it.

Fix:

1. Open the purpose list in Opera and confirm the Code is listed.
2. Match AVA's Code to Opera's code, ignoring label translations.
3. Save the purpose options in AVA.
4. For a multi-room booking, open the Opera reservation for the affected room.
5. Run a new guest sync and refresh that reservation in Opera.

If Opera's purpose list is unavailable, AVA skips the update without failing guest sync.

Still Stuck?

Contact success@vouch-technologies.com if:

• ❌ Purpose of Stay options do not save
• ❌ Guest labels display incorrectly after save
• ❌ Translation behavior is inconsistent across devices

Helpful to include:

• Screenshot of the Purpose of Stay table
• Enabled language list
• One example code and its labels

Related Guides

• Registration Fields
• Supported Languages
• Check-In Rules