Whether a campaign reaches a guest comes down to one thing: what consent that guest holds, and whether the campaign requires it. This article covers the four consent statuses, how consent gets into Bookboost, how campaigns check it, and how double opt-in works.
Two things called consent
The word is used for two different objects in Bookboost, and confusing them is the source of most consent questions.
Consent configuration. The definition you set up once: its description, its code, and whether it auto-grants on reservation. See Consent configurations.
Guest consent. One guest's relationship with that definition: its status, where it came from (manual, PMS, API), and the dates behind it.
The four statuses
Granted (explicit). The guest actively agreed, either through an external system such as a PMS or by confirming a pending consent. Valid, and passes both implicit and explicit checks.
Implicit. The guest has not acted, but consent is assumed, for example because they booked a room. Use it for non-promotional messages about their stay, and always give them a way out.
Pending. Awaiting confirmation, as in a double opt-in. Not valid until confirmed. If Require Confirmation is on, every consent starts here.
Revoked. The guest withdrew consent. No longer valid.
Consent dates
Each guest consent stores the dates behind its status, so you can see how it got where it is rather than only where it stands today.
Requested. When consent was asked for, for example when a double opt-in confirmation was sent.
Granted. When the guest gave it.
Revoked. When the guest withdrew it, where that applies.
Changes are logged, so consent history can be read from the guest profile and from user events. This is what answers "when did this guest opt in?" during a support request or a GDPR audit.
Importing historical dates. If you are migrating from another PMS or CRM, import your existing consent timeline rather than letting the import date stand in for it. Map consent:requested_at, consent:granted_at, and consent:revoked_at in the Property Data Importer data mapper. See Property Data Importer Fields Available. Without those dates, they show when the event was recorded in Bookboost, not when it actually happened.
How consent gets into Bookboost
Auto-grant on reservation. Consent is added automatically when a booking arrives. Rules can narrow it, for example to primary guests only, or to bookings from a particular channel such as your booking engine. Manual and API actions override these rules.
PMS integration. Where the PMS supports consent, both configurations and guest consents sync into Bookboost.
API. External systems can set consent through Store User in List, Store User, and Update User.
Guest App. Guests confirm pending consents, revoke existing ones, or grant new ones from their profile screen.
Manual. An Operator changes the status in Bookboost. Rare, but the right answer when a guest asks to unsubscribe in person.
How campaigns check consent
Operational messages about a stay generally run on implicit consent. Marketing, meaning promotions, newsletters, and special offers, needs explicit consent.
No consent required. Sent to everyone in the audience.
Explicit consent required. Sent only to guests whose consent is granted.
Implicit consent required. Sent to guests whose consent is implicit or granted.
You set this at the Review & Publish step of a campaign, and you can select more than one consent.
Single and double opt-in
Single opt-in. The status moves straight to granted when consent is given.
Double opt-in. After sign-up the status is pending, and only becomes granted when the guest confirms. If they never confirm, it stays pending and the guest is not marketable.
Two triggers handle this, set in the first step of editing a campaign. They exist only on Journey campaigns, because a Broadcast triggers on a moment in time rather than on an action.
Double Opt-In Requested. Fires when a consent becomes pending. Include
{{user_consent.double_optin_url}}in the template to generate the link that confirms it.Double Opt-In Confirmed. Fires when the guest clicks that link. Use it for a welcome or thank-you message.
For any of this to work, the consent configuration itself must have Require Confirmation enabled in Settings. Check you have the right property and the right consent selected before you turn it on.
What this does not do
Consent dates cannot be edited by hand. They are set by consent activity in Bookboost. The only way to supply historical dates is through the Property Data Importer at migration time.
Pending is not granted. A guest who never clicks the confirmation link stays pending indefinitely, and no campaign requiring explicit consent will reach them.
Revocation is per consent. Withdrawing one consent does not withdraw the others. Each is managed separately.
Compliance is the hotel's responsibility. Bookboost gives you the tools to record and respect consent. Whether your setup meets the law where you operate is your call to make.
What to do next
To create or change a consent definition, see Consent configurations. To collect marketing consent, see Collecting marketing consent. To give guests a way out, see Set up opt-out and unsubscribe options.
Getting help
Open Help at the bottom of the left menu and choose Talk to Us, or email support@bookboost.io.