Managing pods & guests in Salto KS

What is a pod?

Within Salto KS, building managers can assign users to be part of a pod, which comprises all the locks they should have access to. Picture a pod in a residential building. This pod could encompass the building entrance, the front door of an apartment, and the social area. The user (pod member) can also manage their pod by inviting guests to access it. In other words, building managers can outsource the access control management of pods to their tenants. Offloading the responsibility of management saves time and advances operations.

What is a pod member?

A pod member represents a primary user of a pod. For instance, a pod member could be a tenant of a coworking or coliving space or a guest at a hotel. Pod members have defined access to specific pod locks and set timeframes. Pod members can, in turn, invite pod guests, for whom they can set further defined access rules.

How do I create a pod?

To create a pod, navigate to the Pods page of your Salto KS web app. You will see a button on the top right: Create a new pod. Click this button to get started with setting up a pod.

Follow these steps to create a new pod successfully:

1. Define your pod members. If you are unsure who should be part of this pod, you can click on the button at the bottom of the window to add members later.
2. Select the locks you want your pod members to access.
3. Determine the unassigned tags that pod members can assign to their guests.
4. Set a timeframe for your pod with either the Check-in & Check-out schedule or set your timeframe to Always.
5. Give your pod a custom name.
6. Scan through the overview of your pod.
7. Click Save, and your pod will be created!

At least one pod member with an email address is required to create a pod. All pod members automatically have Digital Key access. This means they can open all doors in the pod by tapping their phone to the locks. Once a pod has been saved, pod members can be granted further permissions including remote opening access and office mode access.

What happens once the pod is created?

Once the pod is created, if a pod member does not have an existing Salto KS account, they will receive an invitation email. Through this email, pod members can register in Salto KS, if required. After registration, their Digital Key will automatically be activated. The pod's details will be shown on the dedicated pod page.

How do I manage pods?

Manage pods by navigating to the Pods page of your Salto KS web app.

In the web app, once you select a pod of your choice, you can click the Actions button in the header and edit the pod. You can oversee and edit every aspect of the pod including members, guests, invitations, locks, tags and timeframes. You can also block users or altogether delete members, guests or the pod itself.

Can I provide my guests with a digital key?

Yes, with pods you can invite guests and provide them with their own digital key intended for guests! This does not mean that your guest has access to your digital key and its management, it only means they can access the specific locks within set timeframes you have given them access to through a digital key intended for the guest.

Can I invite guests to my pod?

Yes, you can do so by inviting someone as a guest and sending them an invite via either the web or mobile app. You can manage which specific locks you want guests to access, as well as set timeframes for them. They will not have access to the entire pod unless specifically granted access to all locks in the pod by the respective pod member. In order to support this feature, your Salto KS mobile app needs to be updated to version 8.5.1 for iOS and 8.5.0 for Android (subsequent version releases will support this feature).

You can invite existing Salto KS users with a profile or guests who are not users of Salto KS and, therefore, do not have a profile. Invite guests to your pod and provide them with guest access through the following ways:

1. Invite via email: Your guest will receive an email upon which either they must complete their profile or if they already have a profile, they must log in to retrieve their digital key.

2. Invite via tag: Your guest will not receive a notification. Their tag will be updated according to the guest access you have defined for them.

3. Share a link: Your guest will receive a link and must either download or open the mobile app, directing them to guest mode. All that is required is for the guest to fill in their first and last name and then they can enter guest mode to use their digital key.

What is 'Guest Mode' in Salto KS?

Guest mode is a portal in the Salto KS mobile app that allows guests invited by pod members to access the digital keys sent to them via an invitation. Likewise, pod members and existing app users who have been invited as guests may also use guest mode. With guest mode, guests who do not have an existing Salto KS profile can make use of their digital keys without having to create a full profile - all that is required is a first and last name.

The invitation, which is sent to the guest as a link, guarantees the same seamless access experience for them in guest mode, without compromising on security. Once guests receive an invite via an email or with a link, they can navigate to guest mode of the Salto KS app or if they are an existing user, can select Continue in guest mode. From here, they can access the pod they have been invited to and can view and use the digital keys shared with them for specified timeframes.

How do I invite guests and provide them with a digital key?

As a pod member, you can invite guests to your pod via the Salto KS Mobile App. You can manage which specific locks you want guests to access and set timeframes for them. There are two ways to do so, via People page or the Pod Management section in Settings.

Invite guests via the People tab:

Step 1: Navigate to the People page of your mobile app and click on Add & Invite. Here, click on Invite Pod guest.

Step 2: On the next screen, you are asked to enter the name and email address of your guest. You will be prompted to give permission to access your address book. That will make it easier to invite someone you already have the details for in your phone. Enter the name and email address.

Step 3: Next, you will need to specify what kind of access you want to give to your guest. If your timeframe is Check in & Check out, you will see the same timeframe for your guest's access and you must click the Invite button below. If your pod's timeframe is Always, then you will see two options: Full access and Limited access. If you want to give all-time full access to the same locks you can access in your pod, select Full access. If you want to only allow them access during a limited timeframe or a limited set of locks, select Limited access. Selecting Full access will allow you to complete the invite process by pressing the Invite button at the bottom of the screen.

If you select Limited access, read the following step below.

Step 4: If you selected Limited access, click on Edit to select the locks guests should access and when you have made your selections, click Continue. Next, click Edit to define when the doors can be accessed. You can choose between Always and Scheduled. If you select Always, you don't apply any time restrictions to the access for your guest. You can just select this option and press Continue at the bottom of your screen. If you do want to apply restrictions, select Scheduled. The options will be expanded in the same screen, so you must scroll to specify them all. You can specify a start date, end date, select the days of the week you want to give access to and specify a start and end-time for each day.

Step 5: When you have completed all settings to match your preference, press Continue. You will be redirected to the previous screen, where you can press the Invite button to invite your guest. You can invite guests via either email or tag. If you choose email, they will receive an email asking them to complete their profile, so they can use it to log in using the Salto KS app and start opening doors (within the restrictions you specified) using their Digital Key.

Invite guests via the Pod Management tab:

Step 1: If you are a pod member using your mobile app, to get started, navigate to the Pod management section in Settings and click on Invite guests. Here, you can select which pod you would like to invite your guest to and then specify the locks and timeframes for their access. When you are done defining access for your guest, click Continue.

Step 2: You will see that a guest invite has been created which is valid for the next 24 hours. If you click Share Now you will see options to share the invite with the guest via email, message etc. There is also the option for you to copy and share the generated link with your chosen guest.

Step 3: The guest receives the invitation. Once they receive the shared link, guests can download the Salto KS app or be directed to guest mode in the mobile app if they already have the app downloaded on their device. As a guest, there is no need to create a full profile, all that is required is their first name, and last name. Now, the guest can use their digital key to access the pod according to the set timeframes.

How do I invite guests and provide them with access via the web app?

As a pod member, you can go to the Pods page of your Salto KS web app and invite the guests you would like to provide access to. You can manage which specific locks you want guests to access and set timeframes for them. Follow the steps below to invite guests:

Step 1: To get started from the web app, navigate to the pods page and select the pod of your choice to land on its details page. Here, click on the Actions menu and select Invite guest.

Step 2: Create the invitation. Choose between either sending the invite to your guest via email or tag or sharing a link with your chosen guest to receive the invite. Follow the steps ahead to select preferences and define your guest's access. When you are done, click on Send Invite.

Step 3: The guest receives the invitation via email, tag or a shared link. With an email, they can enter the app and either create a profile or log in to retrieve their digital key. With a tag, it will automatically start working with the newly specified guest access. If they receive a link, guests can download the Salto KS app where they will be directed to guest mode. As a guest, there is no need to create a full profile, all that is required is their first name, and last name. The guest can now access your pod successfully!

How can I manage my guests and their digital key access?

From the Mobile App: Pod members can manage their digital keys for guests by navigating to People and clicking on a guest of your choice. Here, you will see the option to Block or Delete the guest, overview and manage their access. You will also be able to view all the entries and events of the user.

Similarly, by navigating to Settings, and then Pod management, you can click on Invite guest flow and scroll below to Guests to view your pod guests. Upon clicking on a guest of your choice, you can also block or remove the user and manage their access.

From the web app:

If you are using the Salto KS web app, navigate to the Pod section, and select a pod of your choice. Once you have chosen a pod, select the Guests tab. Here, you have an overview of your guests and their access. You can also invite new guests, delete guests, and edit their tag access.

To view the entries and events of your guest, click on a guest of your choice and then you will be taken to their People page where you can view all their details and click the Entries tab to learn their event details.