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HostMas User Guide

Complete documentation for managing your hostel accommodation system

System Overview

Welcome to HostMas - your comprehensive hostel management solution. This guide will help you understand and use all features of the system effectively.

Student Management

Register and manage student records

Booking System

Handle room reservations easily

Payment Tracking

Track all financial transactions

Reports & Analytics

Gain insights with detailed reports

User Roles

HostMas supports different user roles with specific permissions:

  • Admin Full system access and configuration
  • Accountant Financial management and reporting
  • Maintenance Room and facility management
  • Student View bookings and make payments
  • Guardian Monitor student accommodation and payments

Logging In

1

Navigate to Login Page

Open your browser and go to the HostMas login page at your organization's URL.

2

Enter Your Credentials

Enter your email address and password. If required, enter your organization code.

3

Click Sign In

Click the "Sign In" button to access your dashboard.

Tip: Remember Me Check "Remember me" to stay logged in on your device. Only use this on personal devices.
Forgot Password? Click "Forgot Password" on the login page to reset your password via email.

Using the Dashboard

The dashboard provides a quick overview of your hostel's status and key metrics.

Dashboard Components

  • Statistics Cards - Quick view of occupancy, revenue, and pending tasks
  • Recent Bookings - Latest booking activities
  • Payment Status - Overview of pending and received payments
  • Quick Actions - Shortcuts to common tasks
  • Notifications - Important alerts and reminders

Navigation

Use the sidebar menu on the left to navigate between different sections. The menu items available depend on your user role.

Quick Tip Click on any statistic card to see detailed information about that metric.

Managing Students

Adding a New Student

1

Go to Students Section

Click "Students" in the sidebar menu.

2

Click "Add Student"

Click the "Add Student" button at the top right.

3

Fill in Student Details

Complete all required fields marked with an asterisk (*). Include personal information, contact details, and academic information.

4

Add Guardian Information

Enter at least one guardian/emergency contact with their phone number.

5

Save the Record

Click "Create Student" to save. The system will validate all information before saving.

Required Fields Fields marked with * are required. The form cannot be submitted until all required fields are completed correctly.

Editing Student Information

  1. Find the student in the list or use the search function
  2. Click on the student's name or the "Edit" button
  3. Make your changes
  4. Click "Save Changes"

Student Status

  • Active - Currently enrolled and can make bookings
  • Inactive - Temporarily suspended from making bookings
  • Graduated - Completed their studies
  • Withdrawn - Left the institution

Managing Bookings

Creating a New Booking

1

Navigate to Bookings

Click "Bookings" in the sidebar menu.

2

Click "New Booking"

Click the "New Booking" button to start.

3

Select Student

Search and select the student for this booking.

4

Choose Room & Bed

Select the hostel, room type, and specific bed. Only available beds are shown.

5

Set Dates & Confirm

Enter check-in and check-out dates, review the pricing, and confirm the booking.

Booking Status Workflow

  • Pending - Booking created, awaiting confirmation
  • Confirmed - Booking approved, awaiting payment
  • Allocated - Room/bed assigned to student
  • Checked In - Student has moved in
  • Checked Out - Student has vacated
  • Cancelled - Booking was cancelled
Quick Allocation Use the "Auto-Allocate" feature to automatically assign the best available bed based on student preferences.

Rooms & Beds Management

Room Types

  • Single - One bed per room
  • Double - Two beds per room
  • Triple - Three beds per room
  • Quad - Four beds per room
  • Dormitory - Multiple beds (6+)

Adding a New Room

  1. Go to Rooms section
  2. Click "Add Room"
  3. Select the hostel and floor/block
  4. Enter room number and type
  5. Set the number of beds and pricing
  6. Add any facilities (AC, attached bathroom, etc.)
  7. Save the room

Room Status

  • Available - Ready for booking
  • Occupied - All beds are taken
  • Partial - Some beds available
  • Maintenance - Under repair/cleaning
  • Reserved - Held for specific purpose
Bed Numbering Beds are automatically numbered when you create a room. You can customize bed labels if needed.

Payment Management

Recording a Payment

1

Go to Payments

Click "Payments" in the sidebar.

2

Click "Record Payment"

Click the button to open the payment form.

3

Select Invoice or Student

Choose the invoice being paid or select the student directly.

4

Enter Payment Details

Enter amount, payment method, reference number, and date.

5

Confirm & Save

Review details and save. A receipt will be generated automatically.

Payment Methods

  • Cash - Physical cash payment
  • Bank Transfer - Direct bank deposit
  • Mobile Money - MTN, Airtel Money, etc.
  • Card - Credit/Debit card
  • Cheque - Bank cheque
Important Always verify payment reference numbers before recording. Incorrect entries may require admin approval to correct.

Invoice Management

Creating an Invoice

  1. Go to Invoices section
  2. Click "Create Invoice"
  3. Select the student and booking
  4. Add line items (accommodation, utilities, etc.)
  5. Set due date
  6. Preview and send to student/guardian

Invoice Status

  • Draft - Not yet sent
  • Sent - Delivered to student/guardian
  • Partial - Partially paid
  • Paid - Fully paid
  • Overdue - Past due date, unpaid
  • Cancelled - Voided invoice
Automatic Invoicing Enable recurring invoices in Settings to automatically generate monthly invoices for long-term bookings.

Hostel Setup

Adding a New Hostel

  1. Go to Hostels section
  2. Click "Add Hostel"
  3. Enter hostel name and address
  4. Set gender type (Male/Female/Mixed)
  5. Add contact information
  6. Configure facilities and amenities
  7. Set up pricing structure
  8. Save the hostel

Hostel Configuration

  • Blocks/Floors - Organize rooms by building sections
  • Facilities - WiFi, laundry, cafeteria, etc.
  • Policies - Check-in times, visitor rules, etc.
  • Pricing - Room rates by type and season

User Management

Adding a New User

  1. Go to Settings → Users
  2. Click "Add User"
  3. Enter user details (name, email)
  4. Select user role
  5. Set initial password or send invite
  6. Configure permissions if needed
  7. Save the user

Role Permissions

Each role has specific permissions. Admins can customize these in Settings → Roles & Permissions.

Security Note Only grant admin access to trusted staff. Review user permissions regularly.

Reports & Analytics

Available Reports

  • Occupancy Report - Room utilization statistics
  • Revenue Report - Income and payment analysis
  • Student Report - Student demographics and status
  • Booking Report - Booking trends and patterns
  • Outstanding Payments - Unpaid invoices summary
  • Maintenance Report - Room maintenance history

Generating Reports

  1. Go to Reports section
  2. Select report type
  3. Set date range and filters
  4. Click "Generate Report"
  5. View online or export to PDF/Excel
Scheduled Reports Set up automatic report generation and email delivery in Settings → Scheduled Reports.

System Settings

General Settings

  • Organization Info - Name, logo, contact details
  • Currency - Default currency and format
  • Date Format - Preferred date display format
  • Time Zone - System time zone

Notification Settings

  • Email Notifications - Configure email alerts
  • SMS Notifications - Set up SMS gateway
  • Payment Reminders - Automatic payment due reminders

Security Settings

  • Password Policy - Minimum requirements
  • Session Timeout - Auto-logout duration
  • Two-Factor Auth - Enable 2FA for users

Accounting

HostMas includes a full GAAP-compliant accounting module with double-entry bookkeeping.

Key Features

  • Chart of Accounts - View and manage all asset, liability, equity, revenue, and expense accounts. Add custom accounts with unique codes.
  • General Ledger - View detailed transaction history for any account with running balances. Filter by date range.
  • Journal Entries - Create and post double-entry journal entries. Track drafts, posted, and reversed entries.
  • Balance Sheet - Generate a balance sheet as of any date showing assets, liabilities, and equity.
  • Income Statement - View revenue and expenses for any period to see net income.

Navigating Accounting

The Accounting page uses tabbed navigation at the top. Click any tab (Overview, Chart of Accounts, General Ledger, etc.) to switch between views. All reports are responsive and work on mobile devices.

Currency All amounts use your organization's configured currency. No currency symbols are hardcoded — change your currency in Settings at any time.

Notifications

Stay informed with in-app notifications and send custom messages to your users.

Viewing Notifications

  • Click the bell icon in the top bar to see unread notifications
  • Go to the Notifications page for the full inbox with filters (All, Unread, Payment, Booking, System)
  • Mark individual notifications as read or use "Mark All Read"
  • Delete notifications you no longer need

Sending Notifications (Admins)

Admins can compose and send custom notifications to users:

1

Go to Compose Tab

On the Notifications page, click the "Compose" tab.

2

Select Recipients

Choose All Users, All Students, All Staff, or pick specific users.

3

Write & Send

Enter a title and message (or select a template), then click Send.

Managing Templates

Use the "Templates" tab to create, edit, and delete reusable notification templates. Templates can include variables like {student_name} that are replaced when sending.

SMS Center

Send bulk SMS messages to students, guardians, and staff via EgoSMS integration.

Setting Up SMS

1

Configure EgoSMS

Go to SMS Center → Settings tab. Enter your EgoSMS username, password, and sender ID. Sign up at egosms.co if you don't have an account.

2

Activate & Check Balance

Set status to Active and save. Click "Check Balance" to verify your EgoSMS credit.

Sending Bulk SMS

1

Select Recipients

Click "All Students", "All Guardians", "All Staff", or "Everyone" to load contacts. You can also add numbers manually.

2

Compose Message

Type your message (max 160 chars per SMS). Use {name} to personalize with each recipient's name.

3

Send & Track

Click "Send SMS" and confirm. View delivery status in the Sent Log tab.

SMS Costs Each SMS is charged to your EgoSMS account balance. Messages over 160 characters count as multiple SMS. Check your balance regularly.

Attendance Tracking

Monitor daily student presence across your hostels with check-in/check-out tracking.

Recording Attendance

1

Go to Attendance

Click "Attendance" in the sidebar menu.

2

Select Date & Hostel

Choose the date and hostel to record attendance for.

3

Mark Students

Mark each student as present, absent, late, or excused. Enter check-in and check-out times.

4

Save & Review

Save the attendance record. View summaries and identify students with low attendance rates.

Attendance Features

  • Daily Summary - View attendance counts per hostel for any date
  • Student Stats - Track individual attendance percentages over time
  • Low Performers - Identify students below the attendance threshold
  • Guardian Reminders - Send automatic SMS/notifications to guardians of absent students
Bulk Recording Use bulk attendance to mark all students in a hostel at once, then adjust individual entries as needed.

Room & Stay Pricing

Configure flexible pricing based on room types and stay periods.

Stay Types

Define the accommodation periods your hostels offer:

  • Monthly - Month-to-month stays
  • Semester - Academic semester (typically 4-5 months)
  • Termly - Academic term (typically 3-4 months)
  • Holiday Stay - Short-term during holidays

You can add custom stay types specific to your organization.

Room Types & Pricing Matrix

Set prices per bed for each combination of room type and stay type:

  • Single - One bed per room (premium pricing)
  • Double - Two beds per room
  • Triple - Three beds per room
  • Quad - Four beds per room
  • Dormitory - Multiple beds (6+, budget pricing)
  • Suite - Premium room with extra amenities

Configuring Pricing

1

Navigate to Room & Pricing

Go to Settings → Room & Pricing (or access directly from the sidebar).

2

Manage Stay Types

Add, edit, or remove stay types using the cards at the top of the page.

3

Set Pricing Matrix

Fill in the price per bed for each room type × stay type combination. Use the hostel filter to set hostel-specific pricing.

Hostel-Specific Pricing Use the hostel dropdown filter to set different prices for different hostels. Leave it on "All Hostels" to set default pricing.

Tenant Management (Super Admin)

The unified Tenant Management page is the super admin's hub for managing all organizations on the platform.

Tabs Overview

  • Overview - Dashboard with total tenants, active subscriptions, monthly revenue, and pending payments
  • Tenants - Create, edit, suspend, and manage tenant organizations
  • Subscriptions - View and manage active subscriptions, renewals, and expiry dates
  • Invoices - Generate and track platform-level invoices for tenant subscriptions
  • Payments - Record and reconcile subscription payments
  • Plans & Pricing - Configure subscription plans and pricing tiers

Pricing Structure

  • Plan - "HostMas Complete" (single all-inclusive annual plan)
  • UGX (Uganda) - 1,500,000/year first year, 1,200,000/year renewal
  • KES (Kenya) - 45,000/year first year, 35,000/year renewal
  • Custom currencies - USD, EUR, GBP, TZS, RWF supported via currency configuration

Creating a New Tenant

1

Go to Tenants Tab

In Tenant Management, click the "Tenants" tab, then "Add Tenant".

2

Enter Organization Details

Fill in the organization name, slug (URL identifier), admin email, and contact details.

3

Assign Subscription

Select a plan, set the start date, and the system will calculate the subscription amount and expiry.

Tenant Isolation Each tenant's data is completely isolated. Suspending a tenant prevents all their users from logging in until reactivated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I reset my password?
Click "Forgot Password" on the login page and enter your email. You'll receive a link to reset your password. If you're logged in, go to Settings → Profile → Change Password.
How do I cancel a booking?
Go to Bookings, find the booking, click on it to view details, then click "Cancel Booking". You'll need to provide a reason. Refunds are processed according to your cancellation policy.
Can I change a student's room after booking?
Yes, go to the booking details and click "Transfer Room". Select the new room and bed. The system will handle any pricing adjustments automatically.
How do I generate a receipt?
Receipts are generated automatically when payments are recorded. Go to Payments, find the payment, and click "View Receipt" or "Print Receipt".
How do I export data?
Most list pages have an "Export" button. Click it to download data in Excel or CSV format. For comprehensive exports, use the Reports section.
What happens when a booking expires?
The system sends reminders before expiry. On the end date, the booking status changes to "Expired". You can extend the booking or process checkout.

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Page Not Loading Try refreshing the page (Ctrl+F5). If the issue persists, clear your browser cache or try a different browser.
Cannot Login Ensure you're using the correct email and password. Check if Caps Lock is on. Try resetting your password if needed.
Form Not Submitting Check for error messages on required fields. Ensure all required fields (marked with *) are filled correctly.
Data Not Saving Check your internet connection. Wait for the loading indicator to complete. If issues persist, contact support.

Error Messages

  • "Session Expired" - Your login session timed out. Please log in again.
  • "Permission Denied" - You don't have access to this feature. Contact your admin.
  • "Validation Error" - Some form fields have incorrect data. Check the highlighted fields.
  • "Server Error" - A system error occurred. Try again or contact support.

Contact Support

If you need additional help, our support team is here to assist you.

Email Support

info@waestaltd.com

Phone Support

+256 750 081 491

Live Chat

Available 9 AM - 5 PM

Submit Ticket

Track your requests

When Contacting Support Please include your organization name, user email, and a detailed description of the issue. Screenshots are helpful!

Keyboard Shortcuts

Go to Dashboard Alt + D
Search Ctrl + K
New Booking Alt + N
Save Form Ctrl + S
Cancel/Close Esc
Print Ctrl + P