Overview

Automatic Messages lets you send emails, SMS, or Channel Messages to guests automatically based on specific events in Resly. Instead of sending messages manually, you can set up an Action-based Trigger and Check In Windows that will control what and when Resly will send the message.

Automations only apply to reservations created after the automation was set up or updated.

Common Automatic Message set ups

Here are some typical ways Action-based triggers and Check In Windows can be used to streamline your communication:

Create a reservation	Send an email to a guest that books over the phone or is a walk in customer
Assign a room to a pending reservation	Send an email with confirmation of room and property information
Check in date approaching	Send an email with information about Front Desk opening hours (uses Check In Window)
After a guest checks in online	Send an SMS with room access instructions and wifi codes
After a guest checks out	Send an SMS or email to thank guest for their stay and include discount code for future stays
Create a reservation	Send an email to a guest that books over the phone or is a walk in customer

Who can you send an Automatic Message to?

SMS and email	Guest or Owner or Custom Recipient (free format field for phone or email address)
Channel Messaging	Guest

Make sure these are in place:

Templates	Communication templates related to any stage of the passenger journey are setup in advance so that they can be attached to the automatic message. Click here to learn how to create templates
Reservations	Reservations must include an email address or a phone number. If either of these details are missing, the system will not send out the automatic messages.

Set up Automatic Messages using Action-Based Triggers

Go to Settings

Select General → Automations
Select method of communication (email, SMS or Channel Messaging) and click on the Action-based button.
Click on New Automation (located, right)
Complete all the fields on the input window. Refer to Triggers and Check In Windows below this section, for specific details and settings.

Triggers create a link to the event in Resly, that will trigger the communication (using a template) to the guest

Check In Windows How to configure the control of communication, based on when guest will check in
Click Create to enable.

New Automation settings

Triggers

Settings to allow you to respond instantly to actions like a booking being created, modified, or a check in, ensuring guests receive the right message at the right moment.

Reservation Created

Trigger	What it does	When to use it
After a reservation is created in Resly	Runs when a reservation is created directly in Resly (not from channels like Airbnb)	Send emails to guests who book via phone or in person
After a pending reservation is created in Resly Express	Runs when a booking request is created without a room assigned	Send a simple confirmation that the request has been received
After a pending reservation is assigned	Runs when a pending reservation is assigned to a room	Send the booking confirmation once the reservation is confirmed

Reservation Updated

Trigger	What it does	When to use it
After a reservation is updated	Runs whenever a reservation is changed and saved	Notify staff about important updates (use with caution as this can trigger often)
After a reservation is cancelled	Runs when a reservation is cancelled (from Resly or a channel) *APR26 -> currently only sending from bookings cancelled from within Resly - investigation underway*	Send a cancellation confirmation or start refund processes

Quotes and Guest Stays

Trigger	What it does	When to use it
After a quote is created in Resly	Runs when a quote is created in Resly	Send a follow-up email to encourage the guest to confirm their booking
After a guest checks in	Runs when a reservation is marked as checked in	Send arrival details, Wi-Fi information, or a welcome message
After a guest checks out	Runs when a reservation is marked as checked out	Send a thank-you message or request feedback

Check-In Windows

The Check-In Window setting allows Resly to send messages based on a time range before arrival.

For example, you can:

Send a message only on the day of arrival (0–0 days)
Send a reminder for guests arriving within the next 7 days (0–7 days)
Send details only for future arrivals, excluding same-day bookings (e.g. 1–5 days)

This gives you more control over when messages are sent, especially for pre-arrival communication.

Check-In Window	Description	Options
Arrival Today Min Days 0 Max Days 0	Email is sent only if the reservation is for today and check-in is today.	Send check-in instructions on the day for a same day check-in arrival.
Next 7 Days Min Days 0 Max Days 7	Email is sent if the reservation check-in is anytime in the next 7 days, including today.	Send a reminder email for guests arriving within a week.
Exclude Same-Day Bookings Min Days 0 Max Days 5	Email is sent for check-in from tomorrow, through the next 5 day	Send arrival details for bookings not made on the day of check-in.

Troubleshooting

If your automatic message isn’t sending, the trigger setup is usually the cause.
This typically happens when the trigger doesn’t match the booking type, fires too early, or is restricted by an extra condition.

Action-based triggers are not visible

If you cannot see the action-based trigger options, the feature may not be enabled on your account, or you may be looking in the older automation area instead of the action-based workflow.

The trigger does not match the booking

Some triggers only work for certain reservation types.

For example, When a Reservation is Created in Resly is only for reservations created manually in Resly. If the booking came from a channel, that trigger will not apply. In these cases, you need a different trigger, such as one based on the reservation being assigned.

When to use Reservation Assigned instead

Use When a Reservation is Assigned when your message relies on details that are only available after the booking has been fully assigned, such as room or owner information. This is often the best option for confirmation-style messages that should send once the reservation is ready.

The message is sending too early in the booking journey

Some action-based triggers happen before all reservation details are available.

If your message includes room, owner, or assignment details, those fields may still be blank when the reservation is first created. When that happens, using When a Reservation is Assigned is usually the better option.

The channel or agent is not included

Your automation may be active, but the reservation still will not match if the correct channel, agent, or source is not selected in the automation settings.

This is a common reason messages do not send for Airbnb or VRBO bookings.

The booking was created before the automation was set up

Action-based automations only apply to future reservations.

If you turn on an automation or update the trigger, it will not go back and send for bookings that were created earlier.

The guest details are missing

If the message is being sent to the guest, the reservation needs the required contact details.

For email messages, this usually means the guest email address must be saved on the booking. If that information is missing, the automation may not send.

An extra condition is stopping the message

Your trigger might be correct, but another condition may be too restrictive.

Settings like Check-In Window or Is Checked In Online can prevent the message from sending if the booking does not meet those conditions.

Set Up Automatic Messages Using Action-Based Triggers