How to create an invitation using the Message Hub?

Message Hub (previously called Memo) is Touch Stay’s messaging assistant.

It lets you schedule and send email and text messages to your guide users automatically.

💡 Tip: If you haven’t set up your message templates yet, check out our article on how to create message templates first.

What is an invitation?

An invitation connects your guest’s details (like their name, email, and stay dates) to your message templates (email and SMS) in Touch Stay, and shares the guide directly with your guest.

Once your message templates are ready, the next step is to create invitations.

Each invitation includes your user/guest’s name, contact details, and other guide information.

Touch Stay uses these details to create two things:

• The invitation record – holds your guide user’s details. This record is what triggers your scheduled template message.
• The invitation link – a unique, trackable guide link that’s automatically included in your message templates.

Once you’ve created invitations, your messaging flow in Message Hub starts automatically, sending your emails and texts at the chosen times.

How to create invitations

You can create invitations manually in two ways, and from two places in your account:

Where to create them

• From the Invitations tab on the Message Hub page

  

• From the Invite & Share tab on each Guides page.

  

Option 1: Invite by Email/SMS

Choose this option if you want to use your Message Hub templates and let Touch Stay handle the sending for you.

💡 Tip: This is perfect when you want your guests to receive your automated pre-arrival, check-in, or post-stay messages directly from Touch Stay.

Steps

1. Click Invite by Email/SMS.
2. Complete the form:
   • Select the guide
   • Add the user/guest’s name (the person you’re creating the link for).
   • Add the booking source
   • Add their access dates (*arrival and departure dates)
   • Set a lead time to control how long their guide link stays active:
     • Choose a duration if you want the link to expire after that time.
     • Select Unlimited if you don’t want it to expire, or tick Allow access after departure date to let guests view the guide after their stay.
3. Click Next to confirm.

4. You’ll now see the messages that are scheduled to send for this invitation. From here, you can:
   • Edit the invitation details
   • Adjust the content or status of any message by clicking the three dots next to each message template.
   • Add a custom one-off email or text message using Add email message or Add SMS message

5. When everything looks good, click Submit to save your invitation.

   
   

💡 Tip: Don’t forget to click Submit — that’s what ensures your invitation is saved and your messages will send on schedule!

6. Once your invitation is created, you’ll see it listed with all your other invitations.

   
   

💡Tip

You can make changes at any time by clicking the three dots menu to the right of each invitation.

Option 2: Invite by link

Use this option if you prefer to copy a unique invitation link and share it yourself (for example, through your own email or booking system).

ℹ️ Note: This method doesn’t use your Message Hub templates; it’s a simple way to share the guide manually without scheduling messages.

1. Click the Invite by link.
2. Complete the form:
   • Select the guide
   • Add the user/guest’s name (the person you’re creating the link for).
   • Add the booking source
   • Add their access dates (*arrival and departure dates)
   • Set a lead time to control how long their guide link stays active:
     • Choose a duration if you want the link to expire after that time.
     • Select Unlimited if you don’t want it to expire, or tick Allow access after departure date to let guests view the guide after their stay.

3. Click 'Submit '.

   

   
   
4. Copy and Share your Invitation Link
5. Paste the link into your existing communication workflow, for example, in emails, Airbnb or Vrbo message templates, or Mailchimp campaigns.

💡Tip

You can also see how many views the link has received on the same page.

Click the three dots menu to the right of the invitation and select Copy link.

How to automate invitation creation

To one of our PMS integrations, through CSV file upload or manually, one by one.

1. Use one of our PMS integrations

Touch Stay integrates with multiple property management software (PMS) providers. If you are a property manager using a PMS we integrate with, you can automatically send custom guide links to each guest through your PMS unified inbox. See how to set up a connection to your PMS here

2. Use our Airbnb integration

Touch Stay integrates with Airbnb via Hospitable Connect. You can automatically send custom guide links to each Airbnb guest through the Airbnb inbox. See how to set up the Airbnb connection here

3. Upload invitation data via CSV file

You can upload a CSV format Excel file containing data about your guide users, whether they are guest reservation details, event attendees details, or information for any other type of person who is using your guide. With these details, you can automatically create the invitation record and invitation link in bulk, rather than doing it manually. See how to do that here