The GuestAdvisor mobile app and web-based Customer Portal have always been the perfect travel companions for your guests. Now, with the ID scanning extension for online check-in, guests can quickly scan their documents, reducing the time spent on administrative tasks.
This feature also streamlines the check-in process for you, as all necessary guest information is collected in advance via the app or web portal. No more lengthy ID scans at reception—guests can conveniently complete this step from home before they travel.
Full set up manual for GuestAdvisor is available here.
Required Settings for ID Scanning
To enable ID scanning for online check-in, go to the GuestAdvisor Tools menu and open the Settings submenu. Look for the Guest Document (ID) Scanning option, where you can set the desired sensitivity level.
ID Scanning Options
You can choose from four settings:
- Disabled – Guests cannot scan their IDs through GuestAdvisor or Customer Portal
- Optional – ID scanning is available, but guests are not reminded to scan their IDs.
- Recommended – ID scanning is available, and guests will receive a warning message if they do not scan their IDs. However, they can still complete check-in without scanning.
- Mandatory – Guests must scan their IDs to complete online check-in. If they do not, they will receive a warning message and will be unable to proceed. Note: ID scanning is only mandatory for guest profiles with existing data. For empty or accompanied guest profiles, it is not required.
Additional Requirements
Before checking in online, guests must meet certain requirements. You can monitor their status using the Reservation Check tool in the GAT Health Check menu. Learn more here.
How Does ID Scanning Work?
The GuestAdvisor app and Customer Portal use the same OCR (Optical Character Recognition) technology as the SabeeApp Front Office Manager to extract text from ID documents.
🔹 No photos are taken – only text is read from the document.
🔹 On-device processing – scanned information is not sent to any third party.
ID Scanning in the GuestAdvisor App
- Guests log in to the GuestAdvisor mobile app using their reservation code (sent via email) or the smart download link.
- If online check-in is available, they can select it and begin the process.
3. Selecting a Guest Profile: Guests can choose which profile they want to update. By tapping the "Uncompleted" tile, they can start adding the required details.
4. Choosing ID Scanning or Manual Entry
Guests have two options:
- Scan their ID (recommended)
- Manually enter their details
To start scanning, they need to tap "Scan my ID and autofill data."
5. Granting Camera Access: When using the ID scanning feature for the first time, the app will ask for camera access. Guests must grant permission to proceed.
6. Scanning the ID:
Guests should:
✅ Point the camera at the document and follow on-screen instructions.
✅ Flip the document if prompted (for double-sided IDs).
✅ Ensure optimal scanning conditions:
- Place the document on a flat, stable surface.
- Ensure good lighting (use backlight if needed).
- Adjust zoom to improve readability.
7. Reviewing and Editing Scanned Data
Once the scan is complete, guests will be redirected to a review screen where they can:
1️⃣ Start a new scan if the data is incorrect.
2️⃣ Save the data and continue filling out other required fields.
3️⃣ Discard the scan by tapping the X button.
8. Guests can rescan as many times as needed—there is no limit.
If they save the scanned data, it will be used to autofill their profile. Fields filled from the scan will display a small ID icon, and any incorrect data can be edited manually.
9. Completing the Check-In
Guests must repeat this process for all accompanying travelers.
To finalize the online check-in, they will:
- Provide any additional required details (based on your settings).
- Accept policies and legal notices.
- Tap "Finish Check-in" to submit the information to the PMS system.
After submission, the guest's data will be available in your SabeeApp account under the reservation details.
Important Notes
- Guests can use ID scanning via the Customer Portal (GuestAdvisor Web) just like in the GuestAdvisor App. For more information on how does the Customer Portal check-in looks like please check out this help article.
- The ID scanning feature has technical requirements:
- iPhone/iPad: iOS 13 or later
- Android devices: Android 9 or later