Keycafe will be releasing a software update expected by mid July 2019 that has significant improvements and changes you should be aware of.
Important Keycafe Service Update July 2019
Keycafe released a new app version on July 6th 2019 that has significant improvements and changes you should be aware of.
Guest Access Codes
When you create a scheduled guest access, the code generated will be unique to that access only. If you do create a scheduled access using your guests mobile number, their mobile will still work as an access code if that is how you prefer to communicate access to your guests.
App Download Requests Removed
Scheduled guests will no longer receive any information about the Keycafe iOS / Android app or be asked to download it. Going forward, the app is only intended for key owners or ongoing access guests like cleaners who deal with many keys with continuous access.
Check-in Link
The app experience for scheduled guests has been replaced by a “check-in link”. This is a one-click link like an airline boarding pass that takes the guest to the steps specific to them. The guest is not required to register to use it. The check-in link will provide them walking directions, one click key pickup and drop off, tutorials if needed, 24/7 chat support, and photo ID on-boarding (if enabled). There will be more features coming to make the check-in link a great experience for guests.
Creating Accesses –
After creating an access for a guest in your account, you will be shown the guest’s booking code and check-in link, and you’ll be able to easily copy them in the guest’s access language set during the access creation. This will allow you to communicate check-in details through your own channels. Below is what you will see after you create an access.
Finding a Guest’s Check-in Link and Code
You will be able to find your guest’s code at any time by navigating to the “About” section of the access in the app. There you will see the booking code and check-in link, and be able to copy them easily.
Billing Migration
We are migrating our billing to a new provider over the next couple of months. You will notice billing features available in the billing section of our new user interface. If you input your credit card, you will be moved to the pay as you go pricing listed on our website and will be unable to return to legacy plans such as unlimited. Users who are already on pay as you go will be migrated fairly quickly and should see no impact other than the look of our invoices changing. Customers on unlimited or other legacy plans will be moved later this year.
API Access Creation Changes
Similar to the “guest access codes” section above, If you use the API, you will now receive a second code via the API called BookingCode which is a code unique to only that access and will always be a random number in both the email and mobile number case. You will notice that if you create two accesses for the same user, you will get two different BookingCodes because the BookingCode is unique to that access. The accessCode you currently receive (which can be similar to a mobile number if that’s what you submit) will still be created and passed to you, so this is not a breaking change to the API. However, accessCode will be marked deprecated and we ask that you transition to using the BookingCodes. There are features on the roadmap to provide you more flexibility to customize the Booking Code you pass to your guest as we know some organizations wish to have some control over what the number is.
SmartBox Billing
For purchased Keycafe SmartBoxes that have been activated, the monthly subscription fee will begin to be billed once your account is migrated to the new billing system (some time in the next 30 days or so). We reserve the right through the end of 2019 to bill in arrears any unbilled SmartBox activity that occurred in 2019 prior to your migration.
