Set Up Pre-Arrival Emails

Quick Setup

Turn on Pre-arrival Emails, choose a preset, and send a test email. This takes about 5 minutes.

This guide helps you schedule pre-arrival emails, choose which reservations receive them, and personalize what guests see. The Generate with AI button stays available in both Simple Editor and HTML Editor modes. The mode toggle and AI button keep the same layout in either mode. On phones and tablets, the editor mode row stacks vertically, the AI button stays full width, and the page avoids horizontal overflow. The history filters and security banner also wrap cleanly on smaller screens. You can save inactive drafts safely while you finish copy. AVA keeps those changes even if you activate delivery later. You can also add room access details, preview the result, and test a saved inactive draft.

Mobile email delivery

AVA prepares HTML emails for mobile mail apps before sending. Apple Mail and Outlook can then keep text closer to its intended size. Gmail may still reflow the message differently. Use Mobile preview and Send Test Email to check the apps your hotel uses.

Setting	What It Controls	What Guests See
Pre-arrival Emails	Turns emails on or off	Reminders arrive before check-in
Schedule preset	Which days emails send	Timing matches your policy
Template status	Keeps a day variant active or inactive	Inactive drafts save, but they do not send
Activate / Deactivate	Confirms delivery state changes	The badge updates after success
Recipient Targeting	Which PMS values count as a match	Only matching reservations are scheduled, and selected targets stay compact
Allow all codes	Sends to all reservations when targeting is empty	Every reservation with a valid email can receive it
Send time (local)	Daily send hour	Emails arrive at a consistent time
Stop scheduled emails after pre-arrival is complete	Skips remaining automated sends after guest completion	Manual resends remain available
Sender name	Name in the From field	A recognizable hotel sender
Email subject + body	Message content	Clear instructions and next steps
Editor mode row	Switches between Simple Editor and HTML Editor	The mode toggle and AI button stay available in both modes
Generate with AI	Creates a mobile-ready draft from instructions, designs, or an uploaded .eml	The button stays beside the toggle, then stacks on mobile
Reset to Default	Restores the active day variant to the default template	Other day variants stay unchanged until you save
Templates bar (Simple Editor)	Shows starter layouts	Starter templates now use the confirmation-aware pre-arrival link
Template variables	Personal details	Emails feel personalized
Test email	Preview output	You can confirm layout and links
History tab	Past send attempts, resend actions, auto-resends, and template offsets	You can review sent, failed, and pending emails
History filters	Date range and status filters	Controls stack on smaller screens
Actions column	Shows Resend for each history row	You can resend a previous message quickly
Resend button	Sends a history row again	Uses an exact PMS lookup first, then falls back to list search if needed
Preview modal	Shows the latest PMS recipient, confirmation number, guest, stay dates, and template offset	You can verify the exact resend target before sending
Mobile cards	Stacks history rows below md	History stays readable on phones

Step-by-Step Setup

1. Go to Pre-Arrival → Email.

2. Turn on Pre-arrival Emails.

   ✓ Status shows Active and scheduling options unlock.

3. Choose a Schedule preset.

   • Arrival Day: Send on the guest arrival day
   • Standard: 7, 3, 1 days
   • Extended: 14, 7, 3, 1 days
   • Minimal: 1 day
   • Custom: Pick any days from 0-30

Arrival day timing

Use 0 when you want the email to send on arrival day.

4. If you choose Custom, select the days to send.

   ✓ At least one day stays selected. ✓ AVA checks every chosen variant before activation.

5. Set the Send time (local).

   ✓ Emails use your hotel's local timezone.

6. Turn on Stop scheduled emails after pre-arrival is complete when you want to stop remaining automated sends after guest completion.

   ✓ AVA skips queued scheduled sends after the guest completes pre-arrival. ✓ Manual Resend actions remain available.

Default behavior

This option is off by default. Leave it off to keep all configured scheduled sends active.

7. Leave the selected day variant inactive if you are still drafting.

   ✓ AVA saves the content, but guests do not receive it yet. ✓ You can still preview and add room access content.

8. Set Recipient Targeting.

   • Add the values you want to match from your PMS.
   • You can type one value or paste a comma-separated list.
   • AVA checks rateCode, market, travelAgent, company, and groupName.
   • Matching is case-insensitive.
   • The selected list stays scrollable in a 160px panel when it gets long.
   • AVA shows the selected count above the list.

How to enter targets

Use commas, semicolons, new lines, or tabs to separate values. Spaces stay inside a value, so ACME CORP remains one target. Wrap a value in quotes if it contains a delimiter, like "Expedia, Inc.".

Disabled when scheduling is off

If Pre-arrival Emails is off, the entire targeting panel stays disabled. Turn scheduling on first, then add or remove targeting values.

Same rules across PMS types

AVA uses the same targeting rules for Cloudbeds, Opera, Mews, eZee, and AVA.

Cancelled reservations

If a reservation is cancelled, AVA removes its pending pre-arrival schedule.

9. Turn on Allow all codes only if every reservation should receive the email.

   ✓ If the targeting list is empty and this is off, AVA sends to no reservations.

10. Keep Simple Editor selected to use starter templates.

11. Click Templates to open the gallery.

✓ You can choose a layout from Minimal, Luxury, Modern, or Warm Welcome. ✓ New starter layouts use {{preArrivalLinkWithConfirmation}} by default.

12. Click Use Template on the layout you want.

✓ The Templates gallery auto-collapses after selection.

13. Enter Sender name and Email subject.
14. Switch to HTML Editor to edit the Email body.

Generate in either editor mode

The Generate with AI button stays beside the mode toggle in both editor modes. On small screens, the row stacks and the button remains full width.

15. Add Template variables to personalize the message.

• Click Template Variables to insert a variable at the cursor.
• You can also type {{ to open variable suggestions.
• New AI drafts also prefer {{preArrivalLinkWithConfirmation}} for CTA links.

16. Click Send Test Email and enter a test address.

✓ Save the draft first if you changed the content. ✓ Saved inactive templates can still send test emails.

✓ The test email shows your latest changes.

17. Click Save Settings.

✓ You should see "Settings saved successfully!"

Reset a Pre-Arrival Template

Use this when you want to restore the default copy for one send day.

1. Go to Pre-Arrival → Email.
2. Open the day variant you want to restore.
3. Click Reset to Default.
4. Confirm the warning modal.
5. Click Save Settings.

✓ AVA resets only the selected day variant. ✓ Other day variants keep their current edits. ✓ Guests see no change until you save.

Review Email History

Use the History tab to review past send attempts.

1. Go to Pre-Arrival → Email.
2. Click History.
3. Set a date range and status filter.
4. Open a row to review the sent time, merchant timezone, stay details, and failure reason.
5. Use the pagination controls to review older attempts.
6. On phones, review stacked cards instead of the desktop table.

✓ You can confirm whether each email sent, failed, was skipped, or stayed queued. ✓ The desktop table stays visible on larger screens. ✓ Rows now include the template offset used for that send.

Resend a Previous Email

Use Resend when you want to send a past message again. AVA can also re-send elapsed offsets automatically after a guest email changes in the PMS.

Automatic catch-up

If a guest's email changes after an offset already sent, AVA re-sends that offset to the new address.

If the guest completed pre-arrival and the stop option is on, AVA skips this automatic catch-up. This happens on the next sync, manual sync, or file import. The new history row uses auto-resend-email-change.

1. Go to Pre-Arrival → Email.
2. Click History.
3. Find the email you want to send again.
4. Click Resend.
5. Review the confirmation modal.
6. Click Resend Email.

Check the recipient first

The modal shows the latest PMS recipient, confirmation number, guest name, stay dates, and template offset before you send.

Exact PMS lookup

AVA checks the exact reservation first when you resend. If that lookup returns a 404-style miss, AVA tries the list path next. Unexpected exact lookup failures stay visible.

Latest email

If the guest changed their email in the PMS, AVA uses the latest synced address. Refresh History after the next sync if the preview still looks old.

Legacy rows

Older history rows without a saved offset use the first currently configured pre-arrival offset.

✓ The history table refreshes after a successful resend. ✓ Your current filters and table position stay in place if the resend fails.

Template Variables

Use these variables in the email body:

Variable	What It Shows
{{guestName}}	Guest full name
{{arrivalDate}}	Check-in date
{{departureDate}}	Check-out date
{{roomType}}	Room type
{{confirmationNumber}}	Confirmation number
{{preArrivalLink}}	Pre-arrival link (no confirmation)
{{preArrivalLinkWithConfirmation}}	Pre-arrival link (with confirmation)
{{selfCheckInLink}}	Self check-in link (no confirmation)
{{selfCheckInLinkWithConfirmation}}	Self check-in link (with confirmation)

Include a pre-arrival link

Guests need a pre-arrival link to start online registration. Use {{preArrivalLinkWithConfirmation}} for confirmation or {{preArrivalLink}} for direct start. {{checkinLink}} still works as a legacy alias for the confirmation-aware link.

Send a Test Email

Use this after you update the subject or body.

1. Click Send Test Email.
2. Enter a test address.
3. Click Send.

✓ Check your inbox for the preview.

Draft From an Existing Email or Design

Use Generate with AI to copy an email or recreate a visual design.

Mobile-ready AI drafts

AI-generated drafts use a fluid layout that narrows on phones. Body text stays at least 16px, with smaller text staying at least 14px. When you revise an older template, AI fixes fixed widths and tiny text where needed. These mobile rules take priority over the older design. The editor accepts this responsive formatting, so keep it when you save the draft.

1. Click Generate with AI.
2. Upload a PNG, JPEG, WebP, PDF, or .eml file.
3. Add optional instructions for the generated email.
4. Click Generate.
5. Review the generated draft and any warning below the preview.
6. Click Accept & Use, edit the copy, then save the template.

✓ AVA keeps the email's HTML, images, and links when it can read them. ✓ AVA resizes stored design images to a maximum 1600px longest edge. ✓ Each stored design image must fit the 4MB asset limit.

Check the phone layout

Open Mobile preview after accepting the draft. Then use Send Test Email to check the message in your hotel's mail apps.

Transparent images

AVA keeps transparent images as PNG files while reducing their size. This prevents logos and other transparent artwork from showing a black background.

Review image warnings

The modal tells you how many design images were left out when storage rejects them. Review the preview before clicking Accept & Use.

The uploaded file must be 10MB or smaller. A .eml file must be a real email export with an HTML body.

Troubleshooting

Emails are not sending

What you see: Guests do not receive pre-arrival emails.

Fix:

1. Confirm Pre-arrival Emails is on.
2. Make sure at least one day is selected.
3. Confirm the day variant is active.
4. Verify the reservation has a guest email address.
5. Wait for the next scheduled send time.

Inactive drafts

If the day variant stays inactive, AVA still keeps your saved text. Activate the variant when you want it to send.

Activation or deactivation fails

What you see: The status stays the same after you click Activate or Deactivate.

Fix:

1. Wait for the request to finish.
2. Check for inline validation errors in the edited variant.
3. Click Save Settings again.
4. Refresh the page and retry the action.

Your edits stay in place

AVA keeps your copied and edited content if the status change fails. The badge updates only after the request succeeds.

Email or design upload is rejected

What you see: The AI upload fails, or the draft never appears.

Fix:

1. Use PNG, JPEG, WebP, PDF, or .eml.
2. Keep the uploaded file at or below 10MB.
3. Make sure a .eml file is a real email export.
4. Confirm the email includes an HTML body.
5. Re-download the email from your email client if needed.

Some design images are left out

What you see: The generated draft warns that one or more design images were left out.

Fix:

1. Review the generated preview and identify the missing image.
2. Replace that source image with a smaller version.
3. Remove unnecessary images from the uploaded design.
4. Generate the draft again.
5. Check the preview before clicking Accept & Use.

Why this happens

AVA may shrink images to meet the per-image limit. Images that still exceed the limit cannot appear in the generated email.

AI-generated email is hard to read on a phone

What you see: Text looks tiny, or the email extends beyond the phone screen.

Fix:

1. Open the current template.
2. Click Generate with AI.
3. Ask AI to revise the existing template for mobile readability.
4. Click Accept & Use.
5. Check Mobile preview.
6. Send a test email to a phone.

Existing manual HTML

AI upgrades fixed widths and undersized text during revisions. Manual HTML edits still need a mobile preview and test email.

Matching reservations are not receiving emails

What you see: A reservation should match, but AVA never schedules it.

Fix:

1. Check the reservation's rateCode, market, travelAgent, company, and groupName in your PMS.
2. Confirm one value matches an entry in Recipient Targeting.
3. Use the same spelling, but case does not matter.
4. Turn on Allow All Rate Codes only when you want every reservation included.
5. Save and wait for the next schedule run.

Save is blocked by security issues

What you see: A warning says the email has security issues.

Fix:

1. Remove <script> tags and javascript: links.
2. Remove inline events like onclick.
3. Click Save Settings again.

Send time looks wrong

What you see: Emails arrive at the wrong hour.

Fix:

1. Go to Settings → Essentials → Hotel Basic Details.
2. Confirm your Timezone.
3. Return to Pre-Arrival → Email and check Send time (local).

Templates look hidden

What you see: You cannot see template cards in Simple Editor.

Fix:

1. Click Templates to expand the gallery.
2. If content already exists, keep this collapsed view until you want a different layout.

History looks empty

What you see: No rows appear in History.

Fix:

1. Clear the status filter.
2. Expand the date range.
3. Confirm the reservation already reached its send time.

Remaining emails send after completion

What you see: Guests receive scheduled reminders after completing pre-arrival.

Fix:

1. Go to Pre-Arrival → Email.
2. Turn on Stop scheduled emails after pre-arrival is complete.
3. Click Save Settings.
4. Check History for future sends marked as skipped.

Already-sent emails

This option cannot recall an email that AVA already sent. It affects scheduled sends that run after the guest completes pre-arrival.

Resend shows the wrong email

What you see: The resend preview shows an old recipient.

Fix:

1. Update the guest email in your PMS.
2. Wait a moment for the PMS update to sync.
3. Refresh the History tab.
4. Click Resend again.

Resend button is missing

What you see: The History row does not show a Resend action.

Fix:

1. Confirm you are on the History tab.
2. Make sure the row contains a past send attempt.
3. Check that your user role can edit settings.

Resend preview does not open

What you see: The preview stops after you click Resend.

Fix:

1. Refresh the page and try again.
2. Confirm the reservation still exists in the PMS.
3. Verify the guest email is valid and not suppressed.
4. Check that your hotel supports this resend flow.

Reservation not found in PMS

What you see: The resend preview shows "Reservation not found in PMS."

Fix:

1. Confirm the reservation still exists in your PMS.
2. Check the confirmation number on the history row.
3. Refresh the History tab and try Resend again.
4. If the reservation has moved or changed, open the latest PMS record first.

Resend target looks wrong

What you see: The preview shows an unexpected template offset.

Fix:

1. Open the original history row again.
2. Confirm the row's template offset matches the send you want.
3. For older rows, use the first configured offset as expected.

Still Stuck?

Contact success@vouch-technologies.com if:

• ❌ Emails still do not send after the steps above
• ❌ You see system errors when saving
• ❌ The issue lasts longer than 30 minutes

Helpful to include:

• Screenshot of the settings screen
• The time you expected emails to send
• Steps you already tried

Related Guides

• During-Stay Guest Emails
• Guest Experience
• Hotel Basic Details