# Seatly venue onboarding guide

Core: full onboarding guidance, help files and access to the AI help agent.
Growth: everything in Core plus two online sessions of 30 minutes each.
Scale: everything in Core plus three online sessions of 30 minutes each.
Sessions are additional; Scale has three sessions total, not five. Arrange sessions via hello@seatly.co.za.

## 1. Your setup, your pace

Portal → Sign up / Sign in

1. Choose the right venue and plan. Have the venue name, address, booking contact details and operating times ready. Follow the account setup shown in your portal.
2. Core includes full onboarding guidance, help files and access to the AI help agent. Growth includes everything in Core plus two online onboarding sessions of 30 minutes each. Scale includes everything in Core plus three online onboarding sessions of 30 minutes each.
3. Work through the essentials first: venue details, hours, resources, availability rules and booking channels. Then configure the optional features your venue uses.
4. Growth and Scale: email hello@seatly.co.za to arrange your included sessions. Suggested agenda: session 1 covers setup; session 2 covers day-to-day operation and launch checks. Scale adds a third session for advanced configuration and team questions.

Ready when: You can sign in, select the correct venue and explain who will manage setup.

Further help: https://portal.seatly.co.za/help#opening-hours

## 2. Tell guests who you are

Settings → Venue details, Booking page, Guest notes and Guest FAQs

1. Check venue name, address, map link, timezone, public email and phone, venue type, description and relevant attributes. Add your website and menu link where appropriate.
2. Upload the venue logo and choose the booking-page appearance. Preview the page as a guest.
3. Write a clear confirmation note and cancellation policy. Add approved Guest FAQs for parking, accessibility, dietary questions, age requirements and house rules; include exact conditions and alternative question wording.
4. Keep internal guest notes separate from information intended for every guest.

Ready when: The guest page shows the correct venue, map, branding and contact information.

Further help: https://portal.seatly.co.za/help#guest-faqs

## 3. Set the times you can accept bookings

Settings → Shifts and Public holidays

1. Add named shifts for each operating day. Set start, end and last-booking times. Remove shifts for closed days.
2. Allow enough time for the full booking or experience to finish. Review same-day booking and lead-time controls in Venue details.
3. Choose the public-holiday default: normal hours, closed or custom hours. Review individual holiday overrides and save.
4. Check a normal weekday, a closed day and a public holiday against the hours you intend to offer.

Ready when: Available start times match operating hours and booking duration.

Further help: https://portal.seatly.co.za/help#opening-hours

## 4. Define what guests can reserve

Settings → Resources and Seating areas

1. Create each bookable resource: a table, spa bed, room, bicycle or court. Set its name, minimum and maximum guests, buffer and maximum duration where applicable.
2. Create and assign areas such as Inside or Outside. Use combined resources only for resources your team can actually combine; check capacity and availability.
3. Deactivate resources that should no longer be offered. Use a time-specific block for temporary unavailability.
4. Check that the largest and smallest party sizes offered can be accommodated without overbooking.

Ready when: Resources, areas, capacities and turnaround times reflect real operations.

Further help: https://portal.seatly.co.za/help#create-table

## 5. Protect unavailable time

Settings → Blocked dates, Blocked resources and Seating area closures

1. Block entire dates when the venue cannot take bookings.
2. Block individual resources for maintenance or private use, with the correct date and time range.
3. Use Seating area closures for recurring weekly shifts or a date range affecting an area.
4. Review existing bookings separately: adding a closure does not automatically cancel or relocate them.

Ready when: Unavailable dates, resources and areas are excluded from new availability.

Further help: https://portal.seatly.co.za/help#seating-area-closures

## 6. Build menus, specials and experiences

Settings → Experiences, Menus & Specials

1. Choose the relevant type and set a clear name, description, dates, price, duration and party-size limits.
2. Choose the resources it applies to. Leaving all resources unticked makes it available on all resources; select explicitly when an experience needs particular inventory.
3. Add variants and participant categories only when relevant. Check how each selection changes price, duration and capacity.
4. Enable required payment only after payment setup is complete. Confirm the displayed price and cancellation conditions before sharing a booking link.

Ready when: Each offer has the correct price, duration, dates and resource coverage.

Further help: https://portal.seatly.co.za/help#create-event

## 7. Configure equipment and supervised activities

Settings → Resources, Experiences / Menus & Specials and Web Booking

1. For activity or equipment venues, create the real equipment inventory as resources and configure the experience allocation and price basis: per participant or per equipment unit.
2. Where needed, configure participant categories and conditional guide or add-on rules. Create each guide as a resource, select eligible guides and set your venue’s own supervision ratio.
3. Check bookings that require multiple units, a guide, or more than one guide. Required inventory must be available together.
4. Enable mixed-experience web bookings only for compatible equipment experiences with the same start time and duration. Check each pool, group total and combined price.

Ready when: A representative group gets the right equipment, supervision and total price.

Further help: https://portal.seatly.co.za/help#combined-resources

## 8. Connect the ways guests book

Settings → Booking channels and Web Booking

1. Enable the channels the venue intends to use. Copy the venue-specific WhatsApp link and QR code from the portal rather than constructing one manually.
2. Copy the web booking link or embed code to your website. Use Social media booking links for a selected date, time and optional experience.
3. For email bookings, guests can email bookings@seatly.co.za and name the venue. Confirm your venue can be identified clearly.
4. Standard WhatsApp bookings use Seatly’s shared line. Enterprise dedicated-number setup is arranged with the Seatly team and needs a technical routing review before activation.

Ready when: Every shared link opens the intended venue and checks live availability.

Further help: https://portal.seatly.co.za/help#social-booking-links

## 9. Prepare guest payments and deposits

Settings → Payments; Admin → Billing

1. Connect the permitted Yoco account using the instructions in Payments. Never share secret keys in chat, email or a presentation.
2. Configure the deposit or payment requirement on the relevant offer or Event and check the guest-facing amount and terms.
3. Keep guest payments separate from your Seatly subscription: Yoco handles guest payments; Admin → Billing manages the Seatly plan and payment method.
4. Follow the verification steps currently shown in your portal. If payment setup is incomplete or unavailable, ask support before advertising paid bookings.

Ready when: The payment account, amount and terms have been checked before accepting guest money.

Further help: https://portal.seatly.co.za/help#yoco-payment

## 10. Set up Events that fit your venue

Dashboard → Events; Settings → Events

1. Complete the Events setup and acceptance steps available to your venue. Choose the appropriate booking model before configuring the Event.
2. For assigned seating, select the resources and services, check usable capacity and choose the applicable free, pay-at-venue, deposit or full-payment option.
3. For unassigned seating, set the Event’s maximum capacity, ticket price or free admission, start/end and setup/teardown times. Review any exclusive-use impact on ordinary bookings.
4. Add the description, cover image and guest terms. Review the booking page and publishing checklist; only publish when inventory, pricing and operations are ready.

Ready when: The Event offers the intended capacity and payment policy without conflicting bookings.

Further help: https://portal.seatly.co.za/help#event-setup-guide

## 11. Prepare Event admission and changes

Dashboard → Events → Orders / Tickets & refunds / Scanner

1. Review orders, guest details and resource assignments. Train staff on the applicable check-in or QR scanner flow; review wrong-venue, cancelled or already-used tickets.
2. Use the supported postpone or cancel workflow when an Event changes. Review affected bookings and guest notifications before confirming.
3. For eligible refund requests, review the reason and approval in Seatly. Submit an approved Yoco refund through Yoco and then record its reference in Seatly; do not mark it complete before the money has actually been refunded.
4. Archive ended Events when appropriate to keep the active list clear while retaining records. Ask support if the controls shown differ for your venue.

Ready when: Staff can find an order, check admission and explain the refund process.

Further help: https://portal.seatly.co.za/help#event-orders

## 12. Run bookings and enquiries

Dashboard → Bookings, Enquiries and Waitlist

1. Practise searching by name, phone or booking reference and switching between list, calendar and timeline views. Use the print/export options for the team when needed.
2. Create walk-in or phone bookings through New Booking. Check availability before changing time, party size or resources; review guest notifications before cancelling.
3. Set waitlist enablement, maximum pending size and offer hold time in Settings. Review pending entries, confirm or decline as appropriate.
4. Check Enquiries for requests needing human help and review delivery badges. Contact the guest through your normal process, then mark Followed up; archive or reopen as needed.

Ready when: The team knows who handles incoming bookings, waitlist offers and human follow-up.

Further help: https://portal.seatly.co.za/help#manual-booking

## 13. Keep guest information useful

Dashboard → Guests

1. Add guests individually or prepare a clean CSV import. Check phone numbers and duplicates before importing.
2. Use booking history, contact details, dietary information, internal notes and tags to support the next visit.
3. Export only when needed and handle guest information according to the venue’s privacy responsibilities.
4. For correction or erasure requests, follow the supported privacy process or ask support. Do not assume that removing a contact deletes every booking or payment record.

Ready when: Guest details are accurate and the team knows how to handle privacy requests.

Further help: https://portal.seatly.co.za/help#guest-list

## 14. Configure reminders and marketing

Settings → Guest reminders and Custom messages; Dashboard → Marketing

1. Choose standard or custom 24-hour reminders and, if useful, a 6-hour reminder. Standard and custom cannot both be active for the same reminder.
2. Preview the wording and any permitted link, such as a waiver or arrival instructions. Keep confirmation notes, reminders and promotional messages distinct.
3. For marketing, choose an approved template and eligible recipients with recorded opt-in or a valid open conversation window. Review recipient count, message balance and total cost before sending.
4. Save reusable wording in Custom messages. Configure vouchers through Manage vouchers where applicable and review campaign delivery results in Campaign History.

Ready when: Reminder wording is accurate; marketing has a clear audience, consent basis and budget.

Further help: https://portal.seatly.co.za/help#guest-reminders

## 15. Give the team access and visibility

Admin; Settings → Notifications and Password; Reports / Analytics

1. Invite team members with the appropriate Admin or Staff role. Each person should use their own access and know which venue they are managing.
2. Configure Telegram notification recipients and verify the correct destination with your team. Agree who monitors Enquiries and daily reports.
3. Review reporting and analytics for bookings, cancellations and operational trends. Check date ranges and the selected venue before interpreting results.
4. Manage subscription, usage and payment method in Admin → Billing. Use Settings → Password or the login reset flow when needed.

Ready when: Staff access, notifications, reporting and billing ownership are clear.

Further help: https://portal.seatly.co.za/help#telegram-recipients

## 16. Check the full guest journey

Your venue’s booking links and portal

1. Before going live, agree a controlled test with the venue team. Check the correct venue, date, party size, availability and confirmation; do not create unexpected live bookings or charges.
2. Include a closed period, a full resource, an experience, a waitlist or enquiry, and an Event if used. Equipment venues should include a multi-unit or supervised group.
3. Check the edit/cancel path and notification destination. Test payments and refunds only with an agreed safe payment test process.
4. Keep a list of unresolved items and owners. Use portal.seatly.co.za/help for individual articles, the AI help agent at t.me/SeatlyHelpBot, or help@seatly.co.za for support.

Ready when: The venue has agreed its launch checks and knows how to get help.

Further help: https://portal.seatly.co.za/help#whatsapp-bookings