Business Rules Guide (New!)

What are Business Rules?

Autohost Business Rules are your intelligent screening autopilot — customizable mechanisms that automatically evaluate reservations and take instant action based on your criteria. Think of them as your 24/7 risk management team that never needs a coffee break.

How they work

Business Rules follow a simple IF-THEN logic: IF certain conditions are met, THEN take a specific action. This creates sophisticated screening workflows that go beyond basic approve/decline decisions.

The Process:

• Analyze - Evaluate multiple data points simultaneously across different verification sources
• Decide - Process conditions using your custom criteria
• Act - Trigger automated actions instantly without manual intervention

Available Actions

When conditions are met, automatically:

• Flag for Review - Route to your team for manual assessment
• Approve Reservation - Fast-track trusted guests
• Decline Reservation - Reject high-risk bookings with custom messaging
• Send Notification - Trigger communications to guests or staff
• Override ID Check - Bypass verification for specific scenarios

Create everything from simple "auto-approve repeat guests" rules to complex multi-factor risk assessments—all while maintaining the guest experience that keeps your properties competitive.

Step by Step Rule Creation

1. Go to Screening Assistant > Business Rules, from your Autohost Dashboard
   1. Click to "ADD RULE".
   2. Your new rule will appear (disabled) at the bottom of your list of business rules, as seen below.
2. Give your rule a name, and add an action and a logical operator.
   1. Rule Name: This is an internal name only and is meant to describe the business rule to your team. 
   2. Action: Choose your desired outcome
      1. Flag for review
      2. Approve reservation
      3. Decline reservation
      4. Send notification
      5. Override ID Check
   3. Logical Operator: Select AND or OR
      1. Use "AND" to add multiple conditions to your business rule or use "OR" to use alternative conditions. 
   4. Check the box if you want to receive a notification when your business rule is triggered. 
      
      
      
      
3. Add your Conditions
   1. Select Field Type
      • Choose from over 70 available fields
   2. Choose Test Operator - options will vary based on the Field Type
      • Equals/Not equals
      • Less than/Great than
      • Contains/Does not contain
      • Starts with/Ends with
   3. Select Manual Input or Select Field and enter Test Value
      • Manual Input for custom values
      • Select Field to compare Field Type to a specific field value
      
4. Once "Condition 1" has been filled out, either click to add another condition or enable your business rule (via the toggle beside the name) and save your business rule.

🚀 Advanced Configuration Examples

Example 1: Smart Address Verification Magic ✅

Boost trust with intelligent address matching!

• Seamlessly compare ID zip code with credit card zip code
• When they don't match, our system smartly flags for quick review
• Level up with distance calculations for even more precision
• Result: Enhanced security that feels effortless!

Example 2: Age & Purpose Verification That Works 🎯

Create the perfect guest experience with smart restrictions!

• Automatically verify guests are 21+ for age-restricted properties
• Intelligently screen booking purposes to maintain property standards
• Smooth, automated decisions that protect your business
• Result: Peace of mind with zero manual effort!

Supported Field Categories

Verification Fields

Reservation Fields

Listing Fields

Locality Fields

Stripe Fields

Credit Card Fields

Payment Events Fields

ID Check Fields

Important Considerations

Parsing Requirements

• Business rules depend on successful information parsing
• Not all fields may be consistently available
• System will skip rules if critical information is missing

Best Practices

• Start with simple, clear rules
• Gradually add complexity
• Use review flags instead of automatic declines
• Regularly audit and update rules
• Consider edge cases and potential guest experience impact

Limitations and Recommendations

• Manual review is always recommended
• Avoid overly restrictive rules
• Balance risk management with guest experience
• Continuously refine your approach

Getting Started

1. Review available fields
2. Identify your specific risk management needs
3. Create initial rules
4. Monitor and adjust

Need Help?

Contact Autohost support for personalized guidance on implementing business rules.