DarID3 min read

    Looking for a document in WhatsApp? The problem starts before the search

    Photos, traveller information, contract, instructions: if everything sits in messages, finding a file becomes a chore. Here is a simple method.

    Before-and-after comparison between documents scattered in WhatsApp and an organised stay file.

    A guest arrives and you need to find their ID. You open WhatsApp, scroll through conversations, type their first name, find a few photos… but not the one for the second guest.

    Using messaging apps to receive passport images and prepare the Airbnb police form is common. The problem is not the search itself, but where the information was stored.

    Messaging answers a different question

    WhatsApp is very effective for communicating with a guest: schedules, itinerary, recommendations. But confusing a conversation with a filing system creates three difficulties.

    Scattered documents

    Documents get mixed up with messages from cleaning staff, service providers, and other guests. Finding a file a few weeks after departure becomes laborious.

    Less readable images

    A photo taken quickly, sometimes compressed during sending, can make a document number difficult to read.

    Exposed personal data

    Identity documents on multiple phones, automatically saved in personal galleries, are difficult to protect. Within the framework of Law No. 09-08, access and security must be carefully managed.

    Separate communication from the file

    The rule is simple: keep WhatsApp for the conversation, store documents elsewhere.

    • stop asking for photos of IDs in the chat thread;
    • send a digital checkin link attached to the stay instead;
    • let the guest complete their information in a dedicated journey.

    Messaging remains the contact channel; the file becomes a separate space.

    Naming the stay before naming the files

    Good filing starts with the stay: accommodation, dates, guests. Each piece of information is then attached to this stay, and not to a conversation or a phone.

    You should be able to quickly answer three questions:

    1. Is all the information expected for this stay complete? 2. Has the guest validated their information? 3. Where can I find the prepared document?

    To check the sections of a police form in Morocco, use our free police form generator.

    One team, one single file

    When several people manage the reception, photos often circulate from one phone to another. A shared space per stay avoids these transfers and allows everyone to see the progress without copying documents.

    How DarID applies this logic

    • you continue to use WhatsApp to send the link to the guest;
    • the guest completes their information on mobile and validates with an OTP code;
    • the information and the document are grouped in the stay file.

    One stay. One place to find your information.

    If you want to see how this works in a real journey, contact the DarID team.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Is it risky to receive passports via WhatsApp?

    The difficulty mainly lies in storage: documents on personal phones, automatic backups, sharing between colleagues. A dedicated journey attached to the stay limits these risks.

    What should I do if my team uses several phones?

    Centralise information by stay in a common space, with access limited to the people who need it, instead of transferring photos.

    How long should police forms be kept?

    Refer to the rules applicable to your activity and the principles of Law No. 09-08: keep data for as long as necessary, then do not keep it without reason.

    Sources

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