Smart locks

Increasingly, the world of online booking is becoming more and more connected to the physical world around us. Typical examples are various smart devices such as locks, lights, etc., which have a direct link to individual reservations or their status. The reenio system is able to communicate with these smart devices (thanks to special custom messages) and it is thus possible to implement scenarios that make it easier for you and your customers to use the booked services.

Whether you need to give customers access to a tennis court, locker, meeting room or office at the time of booking, Igloohome smart locks offer a range of products that make this very easy to do.

Igloohome smart locks

Igloohome offers both smart padlocks for outdoor use and designed locks and handles for indoor use.

The principle of connecting the reservation system and Igloohome smart locks is based on unique algoPIN technology. Thanks to this technology, there is no need for an online connection between the lock and the system, but everything is based on an algorithm that generates access codes in time. For example, if you need to use the smart padlock for access to the tennis court, you do not need to deal with WIFI or any other connection to the Internet, but you can get by with the "offline" operation of the lock. Simply pair it with your Igloohome app on your smartphone, assign it to your Igloohome account and place it on the entry gate.

At the moment when the client needs to provide a PIN for access to the tennis court, the reservation system will synchronize the necessary PIN through the Igloohome API according to the required parameters (validity, length, number of uses, etc.). This PIN is then sent to the customer according to the chosen communication channel. The form of the PIN is determined by a special algorithm that ensures that the lock itself processes the PIN after it is entered and decides whether the entered access code is valid. In this mode, there is no online communication between the system and the lock!

Connection settings

The prerequisite for using smart locks is the ownership of supported locks and an Igloohome account to which the locks are paired using the mobile app. With this account, you can also log in to Iglooconnect portal, where you can manage your locks, app connections and, most importantly, payment and billing information.

From the point of view of the reservation system, the connection of the locks is as follows.

1. To integrate, you must have the "reenio connect " functionality available. If you do not have it available in your administration (REENIO - Connect), please contact our helpdesk. It is also necessary to be able to use the so-called Custom messages.

2. Within the Igloohome section, select the Settings menu to link the booking system to your Igloohome account by logging in with your credentials. Once successfully linked, the settings page will display additional options and information, the key one is the URL for Webhook.
3. You can now set up rules for resource mapping and specific locks. The principle is that the rules define which specific resource used for the reservation is linked to which specific smart lock. At the same time, it is also possible to define the form in which the PIN to open the lock is sent to the customer. The message format cannot be changed and is generated by the system.

5. The last step is to create custom webhook messages that will generate requests to create a PIN and send it in relation to specific dates or reservations. This is done in the main administration. The principle is the same as for any custom messages, where a given message type is sent based on a defined event, in relation to events or reservations within the assigned message group. In this case, you need to select Webhook as the message type and copy the URL you got in the Igloohome settings (point 2 above) as the URL for the Webhook. It is also important to set a specific event that triggers the PIN to be generated and sent. This can be the time before the actual reservation starts, the moment the reservation is paid, etc., it always depends on your specific operating model.

6. Don't forget to assign the custom message group to the events for which PINs are to be generated and sent. You can check the generated PINs and their validity in the code overview in the Connect administration.

Technology algoPIN brings a number of advantages, on the other hand, it is necessary to take into account certain limitations, which are due to the fact that there is no direct online communication with a particular lock. In certain cases, it is not possible to define the validity of the PIN precisely at the level of individual minutes, taking into account the actual length and validity of the reservation. This is due to the special algorithm, where the accuracy itself is influenced by the type of PIN generated. For more information, see algoPIN technology description.

Nuki smart locks

The Nuki brand is another major player in the smart lock industry. The product portfolio is mainly built around their smart lock for indoor use. Combined with a range of accessories, it is possible to create a comprehensive system controlled by access codes, which corresponds to the concept of reservation automation.

The principle of connecting Nuki smart locks and the reservation system is based on on-line connection of the locks to the internet and their direct communication with the reservation system. When setting access codes, there is direct communication with the lock and therefore the specific generated code is set directly in the lock according to the necessary parameters.

For example, when a client needs to be provided with a PIN for access to a meeting room, the reservation system itself generates a PIN code according to the required parameters (validity, length, etc.) and sends it to the specific lock via the NUKI API. This PIN is then sent to the customer, according to the chosen communication channel. This mode of direct online connection brings the advantages of greater flexibility in setting code parameters and at the same time a greater overview of the active or used codes within the Nuki application.

Connection settings

A prerequisite for using smart locks is the ownership of supported locks and an online Nuki account. In this account, the required locks must be paired and at the same time these locks must be connected to the Internet. Locks that are only paired with the mobile app via Bluetooth cannot be used for integration.

Therefore, the locks you want to control must be accessible via the internet and paired/available in Nuki Web App before the actual integration. The prerequisite is to have the locks paired with the mobile app, setup a Wifi connection for the locks and then select Activate Nuki Web in the Features & Configuration menu, where you will then need to create a new user account or log in to an existing account. This user account can then also be used to access the https://web.nuki.io website.

From the point of view of the reservation system, the connection of the locks is as follows (from step 3 onwards, the settings for Igloohome or Nuki are identical)

1. For the integration, the "reenio connect " functionality must be accessible. If you do not have it available in your administration (REENIO - Connect), please contact our helpdesk. It is also necessary to be able to use the so-called Custom messages.

2. Within the Nuki section, select the Settings menu where you need to enter the API key to allow the booking engine to access the Nuki account. To obtain the API key, after logging into Nuki Web, select the API menu and here the Generate API token button. Name the generated API key and fully set the required permissions (see image). Once this dialog is saved, an API key will be generated which must be copied and pasted into the settings in the booking system. This API key will only be displayed once! After successful setup, additional options and information will be displayed, the key one being the URL for webhook.

3. It is now possible to set up rules for mapping resources and specific locks. The principle is that the rules define which specific resource used for the reservation is connected to which specific lock. At the same time, it is also possible to define the form in which the PIN to open the lock is sent to the customer. The message format cannot be changed and is generated by the system.

4. The last step is to create custom webhook messages that will generate requests for PIN creation and sending in relation to specific dates or booking. This is done in the main administration. The principle is the same as for any custom messages, where a given message type is sent based on a defined event, in relation to bookings or appointments within the assigned message group. In this case, you need to select Webhook as the message type and copy the URL you got in the Nuki settings (point 2 above) as the URL for the webhook. It is also important to set a specific event that triggers the PIN to be generated and sent. This can be the time before the actual booking starts, the moment the booking is paid, etc., it always depends on your specific operating model. It is also important to set up a webhook for the cancellation event so that if the reservation is cancelled, the passcode in the lock is invalidated at the same time!

5. Remember to assign the custom message group to the dates for which PINs are to be generated and sent. You can check the generated PINs and their validity in the code overview in the REENIO Connect administration.