Managing Bookings
Last updated: November 2025
Master the art of booking management with InnGO. Learn how to create, modify, and track bookings efficiently, even during NEPA power outages!
Creating a New Booking
Step 1: Go to the Bookings tab in your dashboard
Step 2: Click Add Booking
Step 3: Fill in guest information:
- Guest Name: Full name of the guest
- Email: For booking confirmation
- Phone: Include country code (+234 for Nigeria)
- ID Type: Passport, National ID, Driver's License, or Voter's Card
- ID Number: For security records
Step 4: Select booking dates:
- Check-in Date: Arrival date
- Check-out Date: Departure date
- System automatically calculates number of nights
Step 5: Choose room:
- Select from available rooms
- Price is displayed automatically
- Total cost is calculated (nights × room price)
Step 6: Set payment details:
- Amount Paid: How much guest has paid
- Payment Method: Cash, Transfer, POS, or Online
- Payment Status: Paid, Partial, or Unpaid
Step 7: Add special requests (optional)
Step 8: Click Create Booking
💡 Offline Mode: Lost power during NEPA outage? InnGO automatically saves bookings locally and syncs when connection returns. Look for the 📡 offline indicator!
Understanding Booking Statuses
Confirmed
Guest has a reservation, room is blocked. Default status for new bookings.
Checked In
Guest has arrived and is currently staying. Update status manually when guest arrives.
Checked Out
Guest has completed their stay. Room becomes available again.
Cancelled
Booking was cancelled. Room becomes available. Guest should be notified.
Updating Booking Status
Step 1: Find the booking in the Bookings List
Step 2: Click the status badge (e.g., "Confirmed")
Step 3: Select new status from dropdown
Step 4: Status updates immediately
Viewing Booking Details
Click on any booking to see full details:
- Guest information and ID details
- Room assignment and pricing
- Check-in/out dates and nights stayed
- Payment information and balance
- Booking creation date and time
- Special requests or notes
Editing an Existing Booking
Step 1: Find the booking you want to edit
Step 2: Click Edit
Step 3: Modify any details:
- Extend or shorten stay dates
- Change room assignment (if available)
- Update guest information
- Adjust payment details
Step 4: Click Update Booking
⚠️ Warning: Changing dates may affect room availability and pricing. Check that the new dates don't conflict with other bookings.
Cancelling a Booking
Step 1: Find the booking
Step 2: Click Cancel Booking or change status to "Cancelled"
Step 3: Confirm cancellation
Step 4: Room automatically becomes available again
Refund Policy Reminder
InnGO tracks the cancellation, but you must handle refunds manually based on your hotel's policy:
- Full refund (24+ hours notice)
- 50% refund (12-24 hours notice)
- No refund (less than 12 hours)
Payment Management
Recording Initial Payment
When creating a booking, enter the amount paid. System automatically calculates balance.
Recording Additional Payments
Step 1: Open the booking
Step 2: Click Add Payment
Step 3: Enter amount and payment method
Step 4: Balance updates automatically
Payment Methods
- Cash: Physical naira notes
- Transfer: Bank transfer to your account
- POS: Card payment via POS terminal
- Online: Online payment gateway
Searching and Filtering Bookings
Search by Guest Name
Use the search box to quickly find bookings by guest name or room number.
Filter by Status
- All Bookings: See everything
- Confirmed: Upcoming reservations
- Checked In: Current guests
- Checked Out: Completed stays
- Cancelled: Cancelled reservations
Filter by Date Range
Select start and end dates to view bookings within a specific period.
Bulk Actions (Professional Plan)
Professional plan users can:
- Export bookings to CSV
- Send bulk email notifications
- Generate booking reports
Staff Booking Management
If you have receptionists or staff with booking permissions:
- They can create and manage bookings
- All actions are logged with staff username
- You can review staff activities in the audit log
💡 Best Practice: Train staff to update booking status in real-time. When a guest checks in, immediately mark as "Checked In" to keep accurate occupancy records.
Common Booking Scenarios for Nigerian Hotels
Walk-in Guest (No Reservation)
- Create new booking with today's date as check-in
- Ask for ID and payment
- Assign available room
- Mark payment as "Paid" if full payment received
Extended Stay
- Open existing booking
- Click Edit
- Change check-out date to new date
- System recalculates total cost
- Request additional payment if needed
Early Checkout
- Open booking
- Edit check-out date to today
- Process any refund according to your policy
- Mark as "Checked Out"
Group Booking (Multiple Rooms)
- Create separate booking for each room
- Use group leader's details or individual guest details
- Add note: "Part of [Group Name] group booking"
- Process payment together or separately
Troubleshooting
Room showing unavailable?
Check if room is already booked for those dates, or if status is set to maintenance/cleaning.
Can't edit booking?
Ensure you have proper permissions. Free plan users may have limited edit capabilities.
Payment not updating?
Refresh the page. If issue persists, check your internet connection or try recording payment again.
Booking disappeared?
Check different status filters. It may have been marked as checked out or cancelled.
Best Practices
- ✓ Always collect guest ID information for security
- ✓ Update booking status in real-time
- ✓ Record payments immediately when received
- ✓ Send booking confirmation emails to guests
- ✓ Review bookings daily for check-ins and check-outs
- ✓ Use offline mode during power outages
- ✓ Keep special requests notes for guest satisfaction
Need More Help?
For booking management assistance:
- Email: support@inngo.com
- Live chat in dashboard
- Visit Help Center