TimeTec Security

Admin Guide-Airbnb with Smart Lock

If you’re sharing your home by hosting an Airbnb space or provide similar types of rental (VRBO, HomeAway and etc.) to an ever revolving list of guests, why not consider deploying the FingerTec Smart Lock to secure your apartment or residence? The FingerTec Smart Lock series offer users a choice of using fingerprint, password, RFID card, mechanical key, or their smartphone's Bluetooth 4.0 connection to unlock the door. The last option in particular, is highly recommended for your long list of temporary guests, whereby users have to install the i-TimeTec Mobile App in order to send unlock signal via Bluetooth to the Smart Lock.

As Admin, you can configure Temporary Access and assign that to your guests before they are allowed to unlock the door. With that, you specify the Check In and Check Out time for their stay (e.g. 2pm to next day 12pm) and grant the temporary permission for door access. Outside of that time frame, the guest will not be able to unlock the door. If that sounds interesting, read to on to find out how you can get started.

Benefits

Convenient
You do not have to be present to exchange keys during Check In/ Check Out - Suits remote hosting

Reassurance
You can create Temporary Access to restrict the time that Guests are allowed to unlock the door.

Reduce Risk from Keys
You do not have to replace keys or rekey should a guest misplace the key or forget to return upon Check Out

There is trail in System
Admin receives alert of every entry and exit through the Mobile App

Auto lock
Do not have to worry the door is left unlocked after guest leaves the premises.

Many Verification options
You can cater to different guests and circumstance – Mobile App or Password or Card

Steps to Deploy FingerTec Smart Lock in Your Airbnb

1	Register First Administrator in Smart Lock

2	Download i-TimeTec Mobile App & Register for an Account

3	Sign in and add the Smart lock to i-TimeTec.

4	Add User

5	Create Temporary Access > Assign to User

You can find details for Step 1 in the respective lock model’s User Guide while for the rest, a comprehensive guide on using Mobile App with your Smart Lock is already available here: i-TimeTec App User Guide for Smart Lock. Therefore, for Admins/ Hosts, we will move forward with the assumption that you have already completed setup configurations and have basic knowledge on using the i-TimeTec Mobile App. In this article, we will focus a little more on how Admin/ Host can provide temporary access to guests or visitors to their property.

To make it easier for Admins, we have a step-by-step guide for you below. Furthermore, we also prepared a short manual for your guests: ‘Guide for User/ Guest’, which you can directly send to them for their reference.

Last but not least, there is an Admin FAQ section at the bottom, which will address some common questions on the Temporary Access function and other related issues.

Add User

1. Go to Manage User > Tap on “+” sign at the upper-right corner to Add User. Enter the user’s Name and Email address > Add. This is the standard procedure for adding a user, regardless of whether you are planning to use Temporary Access or Access Group functions.

Note:
i. You can add unlimited number of users.

2. System will send an Activation email to the user.

After User Registration & Activation

1. After adding a User, you have to wait as the Admin can only configure access settings after User has registered and activated their account. You will be immediately updated on their registration by system notification or you can also monitor activation status at Manage User.

2. At ‘Manage User’, once the user has registered and activated his/her account, the status is updated to active (No longer show the red “P” Pending icon). Tap on the user’s name > Tick the checkbox next to the selected lock’s name to provide access to the smart lock > Back arrow.

Note:
i. Before you can provide rights to access the smart lock, the user must first activate his/her account.
ii. Just like when you are adding user, you Do not have to be physically near or connected via Bluetooth to the Smart Lock to make these configurations. The records are stored in i-TimeTec server and app, not in the lock.

3. Go to ‘Smart Access’ > ‘Configure Locks’ > Select the appropriate lock (e.g. TL400-111) > ‘Temporary Access’.

4. Tap "+" to create ‘Temporary Access’ > Name the schedule > On ‘Access Time’ tab, select either “+” or “Add Now” icon to add the access time window for this temporary pass. You can add more than one time window in each schedule.

5. Set the required time window - Start Date & Time, followed by End Date & Time (e.g. 19 July, 2 pm to 21 July, 12 pm). Tap on OK when you are done to save the settings for this particular time window.

Note:
i. It does not have to be consecutive access with no gap in time. You can skip between dates by adding another time window to the same schedule if the guest is returning after several days, e.g. 19 July, 20 July, 26 July and 27 July. Tap on “Add Now” to add time window for another day.

a. Window 1- Start Date & Time - 19 July, 02:00 pm; End Date & Time - 20 July, 12:00 pm
b. Window 2- Start Date & Time - 26 July, 02:00 pm; End Date & Time - 27 July, 12:00 pm

6. Now that you have configured the full schedule, go to the next tab ‘Users’ > Select the user to assign the individual to this temporary pass (you can assign as many as necessary) > Tap on the tick on the upper right corner to Save. You have successfully created and assigned this temporary access to your Guest. On the Temporary Access Listing, you can see there is one user assigned to this schedule.

7. If you need to provide access to two locks, e.g. Main Entrance and Room Door, repeat steps 2 to 6 for the next lock.

8. The temporary access schedule can be edited at any time, even after you assign to user. For instance, if you wish to add another day, change the time for Start/End time of each day or delete any day. (Note: After you edit time window, you do not need to reassign user, the changes will be automatically reflected in user’s App). Tap on the schedule to make changes:

i. To Edit time window > Swipe to the left > Tap on Edit (Pencil icon) > Make your changes > Save

ii. To Delete time window > Swipe to the left > Delete

iii. Tap on “Add Now” to add time window for another day > Configure > Save

iv. You can also change assigned user > e.g. Tick/Untick user > Save

9. During your guest’s stay, you will be able to see activity details in your Notification module > Door Activities, such as the Date and Time for each instance a Smart Lock is unlocked by users. Check your Notification Settings if you are not able to view details.

Note:
i. Besides this Notification module, you will also be able to see the user’s Door Activity details in an upcoming module called Access Records which is currently still in development phase and will be released in the near future. Moreover, users themselves will also be able to see their own Door Activity details in the Access Records module.

10. Finally, after your guests’ stay conclude, their access rights will expire. You can choose to keep the Temporary Access schedule and User or delete them. When you delete User, their i-TimeTec account will be retained and they will still be able to login to the App. However, their access to your lock is fully removed and they will no longer see the Lock icon.

Note:
a. If your guest has cancelled their reservation prior to arrival, do remember to immediately remove any previously configured access by following step 8.iv above. Otherwise, you can also skip to step (i) or step (ii) below (Any one of the 3 will deactivate access):

i. To delete Temporary Access schedule > Swipe to the left > Delete

ii. To delete User > Go to Manage Users > On the selected user, swipe to the left > Delete

Note:
The section below is also available on a separate web page with this link: https://www.timetecsecurity.com/UG_Airbnb_smart_lock_user

You can send the link to your User/ Guest to provide them with instructions on how to open the door lock.

GUIDE FOR USER/ GUEST

FINGERTEC SMART LOCK & i-TimeTec MOBILE APP

IMPORTANT NOTICE
a. Please note, the information below is a reference for Users or Guests that have been invited by their Host to a property secured with the FingerTec Smart Lock. In order to unlock the door, you will have to download the i-TimeTec Mobile App, available on Google Play Store or Apple’s App Store.

b. We also recommend Users to complete the activation steps as soon as your arrangement or booking is finalised to ensure you can smoothly enter the premises when the day arrives.

c. The App sends a virtual key to unlock door via Bluetooth 4.0 (Bluetooth Low Energy) connection. Therefore, if you temporarily do not have access to Internet connection, you can still use your smartphone in an Offline Mode to unlock the door. However, to be able to do so, please sign in to your account and keep the App running in the background.

1. You will receive an invitation email sent by the system. You must download the i-TimeTec Mobile App in order to use the lock.

2. At the login page, tap on Sign Up. Choose either Personal/ Business (additional fields for Company) > Fill in the relevant details > Register. Please ensure that you register for your account using the same email address that was added by your Host in i-TimeTec (the address where you received the Invitation email).

3. After registration, system will send an Activation Email to you > Click on the link to activate your account > Success message.

4. Now, you can login to i-TimeTec App by using the registered email address and password. At the moment, there is not much for you to see or do within the App as the Owner/ Host can only configure the access settings after you have activated your account. Furthermore, you do not have to inform the Host of your registration as they will be updated by system notification and can see your Activation Status on their end.

5. Nevertheless, you can still explore. Go to Menu > Smart Access > Unlock Doors. Or tap on Smart Access on the Dashboard. You would probably see a message “No door assigned yet”. Once your Host configure settings to provide you with temporary access, you will be able to see the Lock icon on the screen (e.g. Lock TL400-111). When the Lock icon is displayed in red, this means you are not allowed to access the lock for the time being.

6. On the day you arrive for Check In, sign in to your account with the App.

i. Go to Menu > Smart Access > Unlock Door. If you have reached the agreed Check In time, the Lock icon will be displayed in grey colour, signifying that you are now allowed to unlock this door.

ii. Ensure that your Bluetooth function is enabled, then tap on the Lock icon to trigger the Unlock command. When verification succeeds, the Smart Lock plays a voice prompt saying “Thank You” and the Door will be unlocked. You have a short time limit to open the door, after which it will lock automatically.

iii. Once you enter the apartment/ house, firmly shut the door closed. The door will lock automatically. However, make sure the door is fully closed for the lock to work properly.

iv. Repeat steps ii & iii every time you enter or leave the premises.

IMPORTANT NOTICE
a. In order to unlock the door using i-TimeTec App, you Do Not Need to touch the Keypad at all. The lock is always on standby and the keypad is only required for Admin settings or password verification method.

b. Each lock is represented with 1 (one) icon, there could be one for Main Entrance and another for your Room Door.

c. Your Host will have specified the Check In and Check Out time for your stay (e.g. 2pm to next day 12pm). The Temporary Access that they provide for the Smart Lock is also probably set according to this time window. If you arrive earlier or wish to leave later than the specified time, you will not be able to unlock the door. Please contact your Host for assistance.

7. Also take note, the first time you tap on the Lock icon, the App will request for your permission to turn on your phone’s Bluetooth function. Once you agree to this, the permission is stored and the next time you launch i-TimeTec App, Bluetooth will be automatically enabled.

8. Finally, after your stay concludes, your access rights will expire and you can choose to keep or uninstall the App, whichever preferred.

1. What is the FingerTec Smart Lock and i-TimeTec App?

The FingerTec Smart Lock Series is a range of Bluetooth enabled locks where certain models have up to a total of 5 options to unlock the door: smartphone access via Bluetooth 4.0, RFID card, password, key and fingerprint. The first option is most appropriate for temporary guests, whereby users have to install the i-TimeTec Mobile App in order to send unlock signal via Bluetooth to the Smart Lock.

2. What if a Guest suddenly needs to Check In early or Check Out late?

If you are able to accommodate their request, you can always edit the Temporary Access time window in the settings so that they are allowed to unlock the door earlier and later than the initial allocated time.

3. So does the Lock and App work without Internet? We provide in house Wi-Fi access but what if the network is temporarily down, can my Guest still unlock the door?

Yes, the FingerTec Smart Lock itself works offline via Bluetooth. If User temporarily loses Internet connection on their phone, as long as they manage to login to the App (and keep it running), they can still operate in an Offline mode by referring to the last updated records. However due to security reasons, this is only allowed for a short duration. As a precaution, we recommend that you prepare password, ID card or the key as backup measure for such cases.

4. What if there is internet but the User says they are not able to unlock the door?

If their Bluetooth function is switched on, check on the time window for the Temporary Access schedule that you assigned to this particular user. Ensure the current time is actually within your configured time frame for door access.

5. What if a User suddenly misplaced or damaged their phone and can’t use the App?

Well, if that User is not staying there alone, he/she can borrow their companion’s phone to install the App and login with the first user’s account, assuming you only added one user. You can also opt to provide a basic smartphone for emergencies and backup use, as part of your amenities. Additionally, you can also prepare password, ID card or the key as backup measure.

6. I can’t be sure when I last replaced my batteries. What if the Guest suddenly hears the alarm for “Battery is low, please replace”?

To ensure you can prepare ahead for battery replacements, we are planning to develop a battery level indicator in the App but there is no fixed release date yet. Even if your Guest hears the Low Battery Alarm, no problem, even after the alarm is triggered, the lock will still operate and will only be out of battery in approximately 200 operations. However, we suggest to change the batteries as soon as possible. The lock uses four alkaline AA batteries so do keep some spare around for this purpose.

7. Can I see my guest’s Door Activity or entry-exit records, i.e. how many times he/she has unlocked the door with i-TimeTec App?

Yes, as Admin you will be able to see the user’s Door Activity details in your Notification module, such as the Date and Time for each instance a Smart Lock is unlocked by users. You will also see this in an upcoming module called Access Records which is currently still in development phase and will be released in the near future. Moreover, users themselves will also be able to see their own Door Activity details in the Access Records module.

8. Does the Door Activity records show the history of all lock usage including manual lock/unlock such as through fingerprint, password and key?

The server keeps all entry-exit records that are uploaded from each individual user’s mobile App and the Admin can view this in the Notification module and an upcoming Access Records module. However, the FingerTec Smart Lock Series is not connected to the Internet, so manual lock/unlock activity through fingerprint, password and key will not be included.

Note: If some of the screenshots or steps viewed here are different from the ones in the current system, this is due to our continuous effort to improve our system from time to time. Please notify us at info@timeteccloud.com, we will update it as soon as possible.