Overview

Checklists in ArrivHQ help you standardize and document recurring property operations. You can create checklists for turnovers, maintenance tasks, inspections, inventory restocking, guest preparations, and any custom workflow. Each checklist belongs to your organization and can be applied to one or more properties.

Every checklist has an audience setting -- host, guest, or both -- that determines who completes it. Host-audience checklists are internal operational tools for your team. Guest-audience checklists are acknowledgment forms that guests complete through the guest portal. A checklist set to "both" appears for both your team and guests.

Checklists are accessed from the Properties sidebar. Select a property, then open the Checklists section to view, create, and manage checklists for that property.

How it works

  1. You create a checklist with a name, type, and audience. For reservation-linked types (Check-In, Check-Out, Turnover, etc.), the trigger auto-sets based on the type. For other types, you choose Manual or Recurring.
  2. On the checklist detail page, you add sections and steps together on the same page. A turnover checklist might have sections for Kitchen, Bathrooms, Living Areas, and Outdoor Areas. Each section has a [+] button to add steps directly.
  3. Each step has a type (checkbox, photo, agreement, etc.) and can be required or optional.
  4. You assign the checklist to one or more properties from the same page.
  5. When the trigger fires (a reservation event, a recurring schedule date, or a manual action), ArrivHQ creates a checklist run -- a live instance tied to that property and, optionally, a reservation.
  6. Team members or guests (depending on the audience) work through each section and its steps. ArrivHQ records who completed what and when.
  7. Once all required steps across all sections are done, the run is marked as completed automatically.

Checklists support several step types: simple checkboxes, text notes, numeric values, photo requirements, file uploads, informational steps, text input fields, agreement acknowledgments, and photo uploads. You can mark any step as required or optional.

Sections

Sections let you organize steps into logical groups within a single checklist. Instead of one flat list of steps, you break the work into named areas. For example, a "Guest Turnover" checklist might have these sections:

  • Kitchen -- Clean counters, restock supplies, check appliances
  • Bathrooms -- Scrub fixtures, replace towels, refill toiletries
  • Living Areas -- Vacuum floors, dust surfaces, check furniture
  • Outdoor Areas -- Sweep patio, check grill, inspect pool area

Each section contains its own ordered list of steps. When completing a checklist run, steps are displayed grouped under their section headers, making it clear what work belongs to which area of the property.

You add sections from the checklist detail page's Overview tab. Sections can be added, renamed, reordered, or removed at any time.

Limits and requirements

  • Only owners and admins can create, edit, or delete checklists. Team members with a manager or cleaner property role can complete assigned runs.
  • Guest-audience checklists require the Pro plan. Host-only checklists are available on all paid plans.
  • Checklist types include: reservation_created, pre_check_in, check_in, check_out, turnover, maintenance, inspection, inventory, safety, seasonal, and general.
  • Step types include: checkbox, note, photo_required, numeric, text_input, file_upload, info, agreement, and photo_upload.
  • Trigger types include: manual (on demand), reservation_event (auto on check-in, check-out, turnover, or booking), and recurring (weekly, monthly, quarterly, or annually).
  • An active paid subscription (Starter or Pro) is required to create checklist runs.

FAQ

What is the difference between a checklist and a checklist run? A checklist is a reusable definition -- a list of sections, steps, and settings. A checklist run is a specific instance created for a particular property, date, and optionally a reservation. Think of the checklist as a template and the run as the actual work being tracked.

What is the difference between type and audience? The type describes the kind of work (turnover, maintenance, inspection, etc.) and helps you organize your checklists. The audience determines who completes the checklist -- your team (host), guests (guest), or both. For example, a "check_out" type checklist with a "guest" audience is a departure acknowledgment form for guests, while the same type with a "host" audience is an internal post-checkout inspection for your team.

Can I use checklists without linking them to reservations? Yes. You can set the trigger to manual or recurring so that runs are created without any reservation association. This is useful for maintenance tasks, periodic inspections, or any work that is not tied to a guest stay.

What happens if a step is required but not completed? The checklist run cannot be marked as completed until all required steps across all sections are done. Optional steps can be skipped without affecting completion.

Can multiple team members work on the same checklist run? Yes. Any team member with access to the property can complete steps on an assigned run. Each step records who completed it and when.