The Booking module manages short-term reservations for rentable assets such as kayaks, paddleboards, pontoon boats, hotel rooms, cabins, event spaces, and similar inventory. It provides tools for staff to create and manage reservations, track availability, configure pricing, and offer guests a self-service online booking portal.
The Booking module is one of three reservation modules in Sharper. Use Booking for general rentals and short-term stays. Use Marina for boat slip management. Use Campground for RV and tent site management. All three share the same core reservation engine but are configured and accessed separately.
Navigating the Booking Module
Select Booking from the left navigation pane. The top menu ribbon contains:
Tab | Purpose |
Dashboard | View today's arrivals and departures. Check guests in and out. |
Availability | View the tape chart — a timeline of all units showing current and upcoming reservations. |
Map | View the visual unit map (if configured). Click units to open or create reservations. |
Reservations | Browse and search all reservations. Create new reservations. |
Products | Manage bookable products (nightly, daily, hourly). |
Settings | Access module configuration: Booking Types, Units, Unit Groups, Rate Plans, Price Adjustments, Policies, Promo Codes, Booking Credits, Unit Blackouts, Maps, and Custom Status. |
How the Booking Module is Organized
Sharper's Booking module uses a layered configuration structure:
Booking Types — The top-level category. Groups products, units, and rate plans together. Controls which time periods are available (nightly, daily, hourly) and whether the booking type is visible online.
Units — The individual bookable items (e.g., "Kayak 01", "Cabin 3"). Organized into Unit Groups and assigned to a Booking Type.
Products — Define the rates and rules for reserving units (e.g., "Kayak Rental - Half Day"). Linked to a Booking Type and one or more units.
Rate Plans — Applied to products to support variable pricing (seasonal rates, length-of-stay tiers, etc.).
Reservations — Created when a customer books a product for specific dates and a unit is assigned.
Before creating products or units, a Booking Type and at least one Unit Group must exist. Set these up first in Booking → Settings.
Reservation Statuses
Every reservation moves through a lifecycle of statuses:
Status | Color on Tape Chart | Meaning |
Reserved | Orange/Yellow | Reservation created but no deposit collected. Automatically moves to Confirmed when deposit is received. |
Reserved Online | Orange/Yellow | A guest is actively completing an online booking. Automatically removed if no payment is made within 15 minutes. |
Confirmed | Blue | Deposit received. Reservation is confirmed. |
Checked In | Green | Guest has arrived. Must be set manually. |
Checked Out | Gray | Guest has departed. Must be set manually. |
Cancelled | Red | Reservation cancelled. Does not appear on the tape chart. |