Metafields

Metafields are dynamic fields that can be adjusted based on the resource they are connected to.

What is a metafield?

A metafield is a custom field you define once for your workspace and then fill in per listing, per reservation or per guest. It is how you store a piece of information HolidayHero does not have a built-in field for — a door code, a parking bay number, a WiFi password, whether the hot tub is available, the time the cleaner arrives.

Alongside your own metafields, HolidayHero ships a set of default metafields for information it already holds — the reservation number, the listing address, the guest's first name. You do not create those; they are always available.

Every metafield has a Key, written as {{ key }}. You drop that key into content such as amenities, and when a guest opens the guest app the key is replaced with the value stored for that listing or reservation. Define the field once, reuse it everywhere.

Metafields are workspace configuration, so you manage them from Metafields in the menu, alongside Operators and Settings. See Workspace for the wider picture.

The metafields overview

Metafields in the menu lists every metafield defined in the workspace. For each one the list shows:

• The Name — click it to open the metafield.

• A Resource badge — whether the field lives on a listing or on a reservation.

• A Type badge — the kind of value it holds.

• An AI badge — the phase of the stay in which the AI assistant may share the value, or a — when it never may. See AI visibility.

• The date it was Created.

You can sort the list by name or by ID, and create a new metafield with Create Metafield in the top right. The Edit link on the right of each row opens the metafield.

Creating a metafield

1. Click Metafields in the menu.

2. Click Create Metafield.

3. Under General, give the metafield a Name. This is how you'll recognise it throughout the platform.

4. Under Resource, choose where the field lives — see the table below.

5. Under Type, choose the kind of value it holds. The Default Value field below it changes to match the type you picked.

6. Set the Default Value.

7. Under Apply on Create, decide whether new listings or reservations should get this metafield automatically.

8. Under AI visibility, decide whether the guest-facing AI assistant may share this value, and in which phase of the stay. It starts on Never.

9. Click Save.

The Name and the Type are fixed once the metafield exists — you cannot change them afterwards. If you picked the wrong type, delete the metafield and create it again.

Resource

The Resource decides what a metafield attaches to, and therefore where you fill in its value.

Resource	Meaning
LISTING	The value belongs to a property. Set it on the listing's Metafields tab. Use this for things that are true of the property — door code, WiFi password, parking bay.
RESERVATION	The value belongs to a single stay. Set it on the reservation's Metafields tab. Use this for things that differ per booking — an arrival time, a special request, a rented extra.
USER	The value belongs to one guest, and travels with them across every stay they make. Set it on the guest's Metafields tab. Use this for things that are true of the person — a loyalty number, a dietary requirement, an accessibility need.

A metafield only ever appears in the picker of the resource it was created for: a LISTING metafield cannot be added to a reservation or a guest, and the same goes the other way round.

Type

The Type decides what kind of value the metafield holds and which input operators get when they fill it in.

Type	Value	Input shown
TEXT	Free text	A text field
NUMBER	A number	A number field
DATE	A calendar date	A date picker
TIME	A time of day	A time picker
BOOLEAN	Yes or no	A Yes/No choice (a toggle when filling in a value)

Default Value

Every metafield has a Default Value. It is the value used when nothing more specific has been filled in — including in public content, where a RESERVATION metafield has no reservation to read from and therefore falls back to its default.

Pick a default that is safe to show a guest. "Contact us" is a better default door code than a real one.

Apply on Create

The Should this metafield automatically be added? toggle controls whether the metafield is attached automatically when a new listing or reservation is created (matching its Resource). Turn it on for fields you want everywhere — turn it off for exceptions you only attach by hand.

AI visibility

Opting a metafield into the guest-facing AI assistant

By default the guest-facing AI assistant cannot read your metafields. AI visibility opts a single metafield in, and decides when the assistant is allowed to use it.

Value	What the assistant may do
Never	Never share the value. This is the default and applies to every metafield you have already created.
Before the stay only	Share the value while the stay is still upcoming.
During the stay only	Share the value between check-in and checkout.
After the stay only	Share the value once the guest has checked out.

Two things about this setting are easy to misread, and both matter:

• The phases are exclusive, not cumulative. During the stay only means exactly that — a guest who asks the day before arrival is not given the value, and neither is a guest who asks the week after checkout. It is not "from check-in onwards".

• The assistant never volunteers the value. It only hands it over when a guest explicitly asks for it. Turning this on does not add the value to any message, guidebook or notification — if you want a value delivered proactively, use its {{ key }} in content or a message template instead.

This is a per-metafield setting on the definition, so it applies to every listing and every reservation that uses it. Switching a door-code metafield to During the stay only exposes the door code of every property that has it — there is no per-record exception.

Because it lives on the definition, you can change it at any time without recreating anything: open the metafield, pick a new value, and click Save. The change takes effect immediately.

AI visibility only governs the field itself, not your content. If you paste a metafield's {{ key }} into guest-facing content — an amenity, a guidebook, a message template — the value is rendered into that content for the guest, and the AI assistant can read and repeat it from there like any other text. Setting AI visibility to Never does not claw it back.

So decide once, per metafield: a value you do not want the assistant repeating should not be placed in guest-facing content either. See Using a metafield in content.

For secrets — door codes, alarm codes, lock-box combinations — During the stay only is the safe choice. It keeps the value out of reach of someone asking before they have arrived, and of a guest who has already left.

Seeing which fields are exposed

You do not have to open every metafield to audit this. The setting is shown wherever the metafield appears:

• On the Metafields overview, in the AI column.

• On a listing's, reservation's or guest's Metafields tab, in the AI column next to the value.

• On the edit screen of a filled-in value, as an AI visibility row explaining the phase.

• In the Add Metafield dialog, where an exposed metafield reads (readable by AI during the stay) — so you can see it before you attach it.

• In the inbox, on the metafields shown in a conversation's details bar.

The metafield page

The read-only identity of a metafield, including the key you paste into content

Open a metafield from the overview to see it in three sections:

Section	What it shows
General	The Name, the Key (the {{ key }} you paste into content) and the Type. All read-only.
Value	The Default Value. Editable, in the input matching the metafield's type.
Settings	The Resource, the Apply on Create toggle and the AI visibility setting. All editable.

Click Save to store your changes, Cancel to discard them, or Delete (bottom left) to remove the metafield. You will be asked to confirm.

Deleting a metafield removes it everywhere. Any {{ key }} still sitting in your content will no longer resolve to a value.

Using a metafield in content

There are two ways to drop a metafield into content.

Use the picker. Wherever content supports dynamic values you will find an Insert Field Code button above the field. Click it, choose a field from the Add a dynamic field dialog, and click Add — the key is inserted at your cursor. The dialog groups the options: your own metafields sit under Metafields, and everything else is a default metafield.

Or paste the key by hand. Copy the Key from the metafield page and paste it — braces and all — into the content. Metafields are supported in amenity Name, Summary and Content, in guidebooks, listing sections, announcements, experiences and message templates, among other places.

When a guest views the content, HolidayHero swaps the key for the value stored on their reservation, listing or guest record. If no value is stored, the Default Value is used.

A value you put into content is content — the AI assistant can read it there regardless of the metafield's AI visibility setting.

Default metafields

Besides the metafields you create, every workspace has a set of default metafields for data HolidayHero already holds. They need no setup, they cannot be edited or deleted, and they appear in the Insert Field Code dialog grouped by what they describe.

Listing — the property

Key	Value
{{listing.name}}	Name
{{listing.address.line1}}	Address line 1
{{listing.address.line2}}	Address line 2
{{listing.address.postalCode}}	Address zipcode
{{listing.address.city}}	Address city
{{listing.address.region}}	Address region
{{listing.address.country}}	Address country
{{listing.address.latitude}}	Address latitude
{{listing.address.longitude}}	Address longitude
{{listing.wifi.network}}	Wifi network
{{listing.wifi.password}}	Wifi password

User — the guest receiving the message

Key	Value
{{user.firstName}}	First name
{{user.lastName}}	Last name
{{user.email}}	Email
{{user.phone}}	Phone

Invite — someone invited to the stay who has not joined yet

Key	Value
{{invitation.firstName}}	First name
{{invitation.lastName}}	Last name
{{invitation.email}}	Email
{{invitation.phone}}	Phone
{{invitation.code}}	Code
{{invitation.shareUrl}}	Invite URL

Booker — the person who made the booking

Key	Value
{{booker.firstName}}	First name
{{booker.lastName}}	Last name
{{booker.email}}	Email
{{booker.phone}}	Phone

Brand — the brand the content is sent under

Key	Value
{{brand.name}}	Name
{{brand.website}}	Website

Which groups you see depends on the audience

A message template is addressed to one audience, and the dialog only offers the groups that will actually resolve for it. A key from a group that is not offered will not fill in, so use the picker rather than typing keys by hand.

Audience	Who it addresses	Groups hidden
USERS	Guests on the reservation	Invite, Booker
INVITES	People invited who have not joined yet	User, Booker, and the Invite code
BOOKER	The person who made the booking	User, Invite

Reservation, Listing, Brand and your own Metafields are offered to every audience. Booker only ever appears on a BOOKER template.

Touchpoints follow the same idea but not the same list — on a touchpoint the Booker group is offered whatever the audience. And on SMS and WhatsApp touchpoints the dialog lists the default metafields only: your own custom metafields are not offered there, though you can still type the {{ key }} by hand.

Filling in a value on a listing

The metafields attached to a single listing

1. Open the listing.

2. Go to the Metafields tab.

3. Click Add Metafield.

4. Pick a metafield from the list and click Add. Metafields already on this listing are shown as (Already in use) and cannot be picked twice.

5. The metafield appears in the table with its default value. Click Edit on its row.

6. Set the Value and click Save.

The table shows the metafield's Name, Value, Type, its AI visibility, and when it was created and last updated. To remove a metafield from the listing, open it with Edit and click Delete — this only detaches it from that listing, the metafield itself stays in the workspace.

Filling in a value on a reservation

The flow is identical, on the reservation's Metafields tab: Add Metafield, pick one, then Edit the row to set its Value. Only RESERVATION metafields appear in the picker. See Reservation metafields.

Filling in a value on a guest

USER metafields work the same way, on the guest's Metafields tab: Add Metafield, pick one, then Edit the row to set its Value. Only USER metafields appear in the picker.

The difference is scope. A guest metafield belongs to the person, not to a stay — so the value you set follows them into every future reservation, and it is not reset when a stay ends. That makes it the right home for something durable (a loyalty number, a dietary requirement) and the wrong home for something about one visit (use a RESERVATION metafield for that).

If the Add Metafield dialog tells you there are no metafields yet, you need to define one first. Follow the link in the dialog, or go to Metafields in the menu and click Create Metafield.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do I create a metafield?

1. Click Metafields in the menu.

2. Click Create Metafield in the top right.

3. Fill in the Name, choose a Resource and a Type, set the Default Value, and decide whether it should be applied on create and whether the AI assistant may share it.

4. Click Save.

Can I rename a metafield, or change its type?

No. The Name and the Type are fixed once the metafield has been created — the metafield page shows them as read-only. To change either, delete the metafield and create a new one. You can still change the Resource, the Apply on Create setting, the AI visibility setting and the Default Value at any time.

Where do I find the key to paste into my content?

Open the metafield from Metafields in the menu. The Key is shown in the General section as {{ key }}. Copy it, braces included, into your content.

What happens if a reservation has no value for a metafield?

The metafield's Default Value is used. The same applies to public content that is not tied to a specific reservation — a RESERVATION metafield always shows its default value there, because there is no reservation to read from.

Why can't I find a metafield in the Add Metafield dropdown?

Three common reasons:

• It was created for the other Resource. A LISTING metafield never appears on a reservation, and a RESERVATION metafield never appears on a listing.

• It is already attached — it shows as (Already in use) and cannot be added twice.

• It doesn't exist yet. Create it from Metafields in the menu.

What does "Apply on Create" do?

When it is on, the metafield is attached automatically to every new listing or reservation of its Resource type, starting with its default value. When it is off, an operator has to add it by hand from the Metafields tab. Existing listings and reservations are not affected by changing the toggle.

How do I remove a metafield from one listing without deleting it?

Open the listing, go to the Metafields tab, click Edit on the row, and click Delete. That detaches the metafield from that listing only — the definition stays in the workspace and remains attached to other listings.

Do I have to create a metafield for the guest's name or the check-in date?

No. Those already exist as default metafields. Click Insert Field Code above any content field and pick from the Reservation, Listing, User, Invite, Booker or Brand group. Only create a metafield when HolidayHero does not already hold the information.

I inserted a field code but it stayed blank for the guest. Why?

Three likely causes:

• The group does not apply to this audience. A template addressed to INVITES cannot resolve {{user.*}}, and only a BOOKER template resolves {{booker.*}}. The Insert Field Code dialog hides the groups that will not resolve — a key typed by hand is not checked.

• No value is stored and there is no default. A metafield with an empty Default Value renders as nothing.

• The key is misspelled. Keys are exact, braces included. Use the picker rather than typing.

What is the difference between a guest metafield and a reservation metafield?

Scope. A USER metafield belongs to the person and follows them into every stay they ever make. A RESERVATION metafield belongs to one stay and does not carry over. Store a loyalty number or a dietary requirement on the guest; store an arrival time or a rented extra on the reservation.

I set AI visibility to Never — can the assistant still see the value?

Yes, if you put it in content. AI visibility controls whether the assistant may read the field. It does not control what is already written into guest-facing content: once a metafield's {{ key }} is rendered into an amenity, guidebook or message, the value is part of that content and the assistant can read it there.

If a value should never reach a guest through the assistant, keep it out of guest-facing content as well as setting AI visibility to Never.

Can the AI assistant read my metafields?

Only the ones you opt in. Every metafield starts on AI visibility → Never, which means the assistant cannot use the value at all. Open the metafield and pick Before the stay only, During the stay only or After the stay only to let it use the value in that phase.

Even then the assistant only shares the value when a guest asks for it — it never brings it up on its own.

Can I let the AI share a door code only while the guest is there?

Yes — that is exactly what During the stay only is for.

1. Click Metafields in the menu.

2. Open the door-code metafield.

3. Under Settings, set AI visibility to During the stay only.

4. Click Save.

A guest who asks before check-in is not given the code, and neither is a guest who asks after checkout. You do not need to recreate the metafield or re-enter any values — the setting lives on the definition, and existing values keep working.

Does "During the stay only" mean from check-in onwards?

No. The phases are exclusive, not cumulative. During the stay only covers the period between check-in and checkout and nothing else — the value is withheld both before arrival and after checkout. The same goes for the other two: Before the stay only stops at check-in, and After the stay only does not start until checkout.

Can I set AI visibility for one listing but not another?

No. AI visibility is part of the metafield definition, so it applies to every listing, reservation and guest that uses that metafield. If you need one property to be treated differently, create a second metafield for it with its own setting.

How do I check which metafields the AI can read?

Click Metafields in the menu and look at the AI column. A blue badge shows the phase in which the assistant may share that value; a — means it never may. The same badge appears on each listing's, reservation's and guest's Metafields tab, so you can also check it from the record you are looking at.

Can I delete a metafield entirely?

Yes. Open it from Metafields in the menu and click Delete (bottom left), then confirm. Do this with care: the metafield disappears from every listing and reservation, and any {{ key }} left behind in your content will no longer resolve to a value.

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