How to connect Hostaway with Authenticate?

Streamline Your Guest Verification Process with Authenticate's Integration for Hostaway

Prerequisites

• A merchant account on Hostaway
• An account registered with Authenticate

Pass Criteria

The pass criteria refer to the standards used to determine the success or failure of various checks performed during the ID verification process.

Below are the detailed criteria used for ID Verification, Criminal Check, Knowledge-Based Authentication (KBA), and Financial Account Ownership.

1. ID Verification Status

   The ID verification status determines the validity and verification level of a guest's ID. The criteria include:

   • valid_and_not_verified: The ID is valid, but it has not been verified through authoritative databases.
   • valid_and_not_us_id: The ID is valid and from a non-US country, with no additional checks supported for these IDs.
   • valid_and_live_match_fail: The ID is valid, but the selfie provided by the guest does not match the photo on the ID.
   • valid_and_verified: The ID is valid and has been verified through authoritative databases.
2. 7-Year Criminal Report Status

   The 7-year criminal report status indicates the results of the criminal background check:

   • clear: No criminal history was found in the report.
   • requires_review: The report found some results, and further review by the host is recommended.
   • insufficient_data: The check could not be completed due to insufficient data.
3. KBA Status

   The Knowledge-Based Authentication (KBA) status reflects the outcome of the KBA process used to validate a guest's identity:

   • kba_verified: The KBA process successfully validated the guest's identity.
4. Financial Account Ownership

   The financial account ownership status verifies whether the guest owns the financial account as claimed:

   • fao_verified: The verification was successful, confirming the guest's account ownership.

Note:  We recommend that the pass criteria always align with the workflow. Failure to do so might lead to a less secure fraud prevention process and occasional workflow disruptions.

Step-by-Step Integration Process

1. Install the Authenticate App
   • Navigate to the Hostaway marketplace and locate Authenticate
   • Click the “Connect” button.
     
   • You will receive an Integration Token from Hostaway, which is necessary to enable integration in the Authenticate portal.
     
     
     
2. Configure the Integration
   • It is recommended that before you start the integration, your hostaway account should have all your listings already since we take those listings from hostaway
   • Access the Authenticate portal and go to the Hostaway integration page. Enter the API Key and Account ID you received from Hostaway into the respective input fields. Ensure to activate the integration and save the changes.
     
     
3. Configure the Hostaway Dashboard
   • Custom Field Configuration: Once the integration is successful the custom fields should be pre-populated for you. To check “Custom Fields,” go to Reservations and click “Manage Custom Fields.”
     
     
   • Automation Settings: Use Hostaway’s built-in Automation tool to create an automation setting. Set this to trigger at least 40 minutes after a booking is made to populate the custom field with the verification link. Configure the automated message body to include the verification link, accessible from the 'Fields' dropdown under 'Reservation custom fields'.
     
     
     
4. Final Step to Activate Your Hostaway Integration:
   
   • The final step to complete your Hostaway integration is to manually add a reservation dropdown custom field in your Hostaway account. Please ensure that the custom field's name, type, and dropdown options match the specifications below:
     
     • Custom Field Name: Authenticate_verification_passed
     • Custom Field Type: Dropdown
     • Dropdown Options: Yes, No
       

Make sure the details are entered exactly as specified to ensure the integration functions correctly.

Custom Fields

1. • Authenticate_id_status: Displays the verification status of the guest's ID.
   • Authenticate_criminal_report_status: Indicates the results of the 7-Year Criminal Check.
   • Authenticate_verification_passed: A binary field indicating whether the guest's verification has passed based on predefined criteria.
   • Authenticate Verification Link: Contains the URL sent to guests for self-verification.
   • Authenticate_error: Provides details in case a check fails or requires further attention.
   • Authenticate_guest_profile: Provides the URL of the guest profile within the Authenticate portal.

Operational Flow

• Upon a guest making a booking, irrespective of the reservation status, the "Authenticate Verification Link" custom field is populated with the verification link. The guest uses this link to verify their identity on Authenticate.com for that specific booking.
• The configured automation tool sends the verification link to the guest. Upon completing the verification process, you will receive an email with the results.

• Guest Search: This feature allows hosts to search for a guest using parameters such as first name, last name, date of birth, and reservation ID. To find a "Reservation ID," navigate to the 'Reservations' page on the Hostaway dashboard, select the appropriate guest reservation, and locate the "Hostaway reservation ID" field. View the extended guide here.