Setting up your cleaning team in Hospitable allows you to automatically create and assign tasks for property turnovers. Once set up, cleaners can receive tasks, review details, and update job status through the Teammate Portal or through notifications and calendar feeds. 👌
This article explains how to create teammate profiles, configure automated cleaning tasks, and choose how your cleaners receive and manage their assignments.
Looking to integrate with Turno (previously TurnoverBnb)? Check out their article here.
Skip to:
Start Here
Before your cleaning team can receive tasks, you’ll need to create a teammate profile and configure task rules.
1. Create Your Teammate Profile:
Go to Operations > Teammates > +Add new
Add the teammate's name, company, and other details. An email or phone number is required.
Scope the teammate to their role (Cleaning).
Select the properties they are responsible for.
Click Create.
Once a teammate profile is created, the host can invite the teammate to the Teammate Portal where they can view and manage their assigned jobs.
2. Create Cleaning Task Rules:
Go to Operations > Task Rules > +Add new
Select the type of task you want to create (for example, After Checkout). You can learn more about Task Rules here.
(Optional) Rename the task by clicking the task name and making edits
Set the Duration of the task using the slider.
Recommendation: Set the duration of the task for the time between your usual check-in and check-out. That way, the amount of time available for the cleaning will be visible in the teammate's calendar.
Set the timing (when the task will start). For example, immediately after the guest checks out.
(Optional) Add a checklist to the task.
Scroll to the Scope section. Click on the checkbox next to properties you want to include in the rule (or click the checkbox next to Properties to include all properties in the scoping).
Choose Auto Assignment and then choose a teammate.
Important note: Task Rules create tasks, but they do not automatically notify your cleaners of them. You'll need to set up a method to alert your teammates of their tasks (either by Notification Rules, iCal, or User Management).
Tasks can also be triggered based on check-in/check-out times as per your configuration. For example:
One hour after check-out to prepare for the next guest.
Immediately after check-out when swift turnovers are necessary. These triggers ensure tasks align with your operational schedule.
How cleaners manage tasks in the Teammate Portal
The Teammate Portal allows cleaners and other service providers to view, accept, and complete tasks assigned by hosts.
Teammates can access the portal at: tasks.hospitable.com/login
To sign in:
Enter your email address
Click Send verification code
Enter the verification code from the email received into the portal and click Verify code
Once logged in, teammates can:
View requested and accepted jobs
Accept or reject tasks
Cancel previously accepted jobs
Mark jobs as completed
Message the host about a task
Track earnings and connect a bank account (if payments are enabled)
View upcoming jobs from the Dashboard
When to use the Teammate Portal vs notifications vs iCal
Hospitable provides several ways for cleaners to receive and manage tasks. These options can be used together depending on how your team prefers to work.
Teammate Portal
The Teammate Portal is the main place where teammates manage their assigned jobs.
Cleaners can:
View all requested and accepted jobs
Accept or reject tasks
Cancel previously accepted jobs
Mark jobs as completed
Review task details and checklists
Message the host
Track their earnings (if the host pays through the portal)
This option works best when cleaners need to actively manage their work inside Hospitable.
Notifications (Email or SMS)
Notification Rules send cleaners an alert when tasks are created or updated.
Hosts typically use notifications when cleaners want to:
Receive instant alerts about new tasks
Be notified if a job changes or is canceled
Quickly view task details without signing into Hospitable
Notifications are useful as alerts, but they do not replace the Teammate Portal for managing tasks.
iCal calendar feed
The teammate iCal feed allows cleaners to view tasks they have been assigned to. The teammate will only see tasks they have been assigned to, and no other tasks or reservations.
The teammate imports the iCal link into a calendar application, such as:
Google Calendar
Apple Calendar
Outlook
This is helpful if cleaners prefer to manage their schedule in a calendar view.
The calendar feed shows:
Task date and time
Property
Task name
However, tasks cannot be accepted, rejected, or completed from the calendar. The iCal feed is view-only which means Teammates must use the Teammate Portal to accept, manage, or complete tasks.
Example setup hosts could use
Many hosts combine these options:
Teammate Portal → for managing and completing jobs
SMS or email notifications → to alert cleaners when a new job appears
iCal feed → to see upcoming work in their personal calendar
This setup gives cleaners alerts, visibility, and full task management in one workflow.
How to Alert Teammates to Tasks with Email and SMS Notifications
This setup sends your cleaning team an email or text message anytime a new task is assigned or changed, or when a reservation is created or updated. It focuses solely on cleaning tasks and avoids clutter from reservation details.
After creating your Teammate's Profile and Task Rules, create Notification Rules:
Go to Operations > Notification rules > +Add new
Under Notify for a task, you'll want to set up individual rules for Task Assigned, Task Updated, and Task Cancelled.
If you prefer, you can instead choose to Notify for an Event. These are tied to the reservation itself instead of a task
You can also choose Notify for an Event, which is tied to reservation changes rather than tasks.
(Optional) Rename the notification.
Choose Email notification or SMS notification.
To notify by both email and SMS, create two notification rules.
Add relevant details using short codes.
Select the task type or team.
Scope the rule to the relevant properties.
Repeat the process for each notification.
Changes to check-in or check-out times do not automatically trigger cleaner notifications unless additional notification rules or reminders are configured.
How to Share Your Cleaner's Tasks iCal Calendar Feed with Them
Cleaners can also view their assigned tasks through a calendar application like Google Calendar, Apple Calendar, or Outlook.
To share the iCal feed:
Go to Operations → Teammates
Open the cleaner’s profile
Click Copy the iCal feed in the top-right corner
Send the link to your cleaner so they can subscribe to the calendar
Alternatively:
Click … → Send instructions to email setup instructions directly to the cleaner.
Enable Daily Task Summary Emails:
Go to Settings > Preferences > Operations
Toggle ON Enable daily task summary emails for your teammates.
Click Save.
Important Things to Note:
The Teammate Portal is the primary way for cleaners to view and manage tasks. Email, SMS, and iCal feeds are optional ways to receive alerts or calendar visibility.
A teammate can only decline a task they've been assigned if they have secondary user access with permissions to update their own or all tasks.
To include any Checklist added to a Task Rule in a Notification, you will need to add the
%task_list%short code to your Notification Rule templates. Checklists appear as bulleted lists and cannot actually be checked off.Changes to guest check-in or check-out times do not automatically trigger cleaner notifications. To address this, you can create scheduled reminders with updated check-in/check-out information or provide cleaners with limited access to view these changes directly.
Automated notifications for reservation updates only cover date or guest count changes, not time alterations. Ensuring cleaners are kept informed may still require direct communication or manual adjustments.
If you want to give your teammates access to your Hospitable account, then you could invite them as secondary users.
Learn more:
Tutorial: Same Day Turnover Notification for your teammates