Learn Smoobu · Guest Communication · Chekin Integration

Chekin × Smoobu Setup

How to connect Chekin with Smoobu, have guests upload their ID before arrival, and automate guest registration — including a digital signature and optional authority reporting.

Digitalguest uploads own ID
Autolink via message template
Signaturehouse rules signed digitally
AccountChekin login is enough
Without Chekin
  • Collect ID manually by message or in person
  • Explain house rules verbally or attach a PDF
  • Handle the deposit manually by card or bank transfer
  • No central overview of registration data
With Chekin
  • A link is created automatically with every new booking
  • ID upload and signature happen before arrival
  • Deposit optionally pre-authorized directly
  • All registrations visible in the Chekin dashboard

What Chekin adds on top of Smoobu's Online Check-in

Smoobu already has a built-in Online Check-in form for name, address and arrival time (see our Smoobu Online Check-in guide). Chekin is a separate third-party tool that goes further: it verifies ID documents automatically, lets guests digitally sign the house rules or rental agreement, can pre-authorize a security deposit by card, and offers a connection to the local registration authority in several countries.

For German hosts the ID verification and digital signature are the most relevant parts — based on Chekin's public documentation, automated reporting to German authorities is not uniformly available across every state, and this is still evolving. Check chekin.com for what is currently available for your country and region before relying on automated authority reporting. Connecting Chekin to Smoobu at least ensures every booking automatically gets its own registration link without you triggering it by hand.

Step 1 — Prepare your Chekin account and property

Before connecting Chekin to Smoobu, the property must already exist in Chekin itself, including country, address and the registration requirements that apply to you.

Required

Chekin account and property setup

Create a Chekin account and add your property with its address and country. Available registration and reporting features vary by country — check the current Chekin documentation for what applies to Germany.

  • Add the property with the correct address and country
  • Set the language of the registration form for guests
  • Confirm which Chekin plan includes the features you need
Optional

Add-on modules (signature, deposit, upselling)

Depending on the plan, Chekin also offers a digital signature for the house rules or rental agreement, a card-based deposit pre-authorization, and upsells such as breakfast or late check-out. These are optional and can be enabled individually.

  • Upload the contract or house-rules document for signing
  • Set the deposit amount and release logic if you use it
  • Only enable upsells you can actually fulfil
Important: Before setting this up, check whether the Chekin integration is available on your Smoobu plan and which Chekin plan for your country includes the features you need. This is based on the public documentation of Smoobu and Chekin as of 30 September 2026 — the feature set and pricing can change.

Step 2 — Link Chekin to Smoobu

  1. In Smoobu: open Settings and look for the integrations or app marketplace area. The exact menu label can change — the Smoobu help centre has the current path.
  2. Choose Chekin from the list of available integrations.
  3. Sign in with your Chekin account and grant Smoobu permission to send booking data.
  4. Assign each Smoobu property to the matching Chekin property.
  5. Save. The connection status should now show as active.

If Smoobu does not offer a native Chekin listing in the marketplace, check whether a Zapier or Smoobu API connection is available instead — either is enough for simple data like booking reference, guest name and arrival date.

Step 3 — Configure the registration form

Once connected, decide what guests need to complete before arrival.

  1. Open the form settings in Chekin for your property.
  2. Enable the ID/passport upload and decide whether verification happens automatically or manually.
  3. Upload the house rules or rental agreement if you want guests to sign it digitally.
  4. Save. Test the flow once yourself with a test booking before the first real guest gets the link.

The registration status for each booking is visible in the Chekin dashboard. Some hosts also keep Smoobu's Online Check-in form for fields it already collects — running both tools in parallel without adjustment means the guest enters the same data twice.

Step 4 — Send the link to the guest automatically

A registration link is worthless if the guest only sees it at the door. The most reliable approach is a message template that inserts it for you.

  1. In Smoobu: open the message templates in the automation or messages area.
  2. Edit your pre-arrival template or create a new one.
  3. Insert the Chekin registration link through the editor's variable picker instead of typing it by hand.
  4. Schedule the send a few days before check-in. Many hosts choose 48 to 72 hours to leave time for questions.
  5. Save the template. It now applies to all new bookings.
Tip: Briefly explain why you need the ID upload — guests tend to complete it faster when they know the reason. More on template logic in our messaging automation guide.

Keep data protection and reporting duties in mind

ID documents are especially sensitive personal data. Keep them only as long as legally necessary and only where it is required — check with Chekin where and for how long data is processed, and list them as a processor in your privacy notice.

Whether and how a report to German authorities can be automated through a tool like Chekin depends on your municipality and the applicable registration law. Do not rely on automated reporting without checking it — confirm the exact requirement for your location with your local registration office or a lawyer if in doubt.

Troubleshooting common issues

The guest never receives the registration link

First check that the message template is active and scheduled before arrival. Then confirm the Chekin variable was inserted through the variable picker and is not sitting in the template as plain text.

The ID upload fails or gets rejected

This is usually poor image quality or glare on the document. Ask the guest to retake the photo in good light without reflections. For repeated issues you can approve the data manually in Chekin.

Booking data never arrives in Chekin

Check the connection in the Smoobu integration settings — status should show as active. Disconnect and reconnect Chekin if needed. For a Zapier or API connection, also confirm the Zap or API key is still valid.

Guests shouldn't have to enter data twice

If you run both Smoobu's Online Check-in and Chekin, some fields overlap. Pick one tool as your main registration channel and use the other only for the features it offers exclusively.

The digital signature isn't accepted as valid

Whether a digital signature is legally sufficient for your rental agreement depends on your specific case. For simple acknowledgement of house rules it is usually fine in practice — for legally binding contracts, have it checked if in doubt.

Note: this guide is based on the public documentation of Smoobu and Chekin as of 30 September 2026. Menu names, country-specific features, plans and pricing can change — check chekin.com and smoobu.com/pricing for current details. I use Smoobu's own Online Check-in, not Chekin, in my own property, so verify details about the Chekin connection against the current provider documentation.chekin.com ·Smoobu help centre

Need help setting this up? If you run into an integration problem or want to equip several properties, get in touch.
Get in touch →→ Read the Smoobu Online Check-in guide→ Set up messaging automation

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