Sometimes you need to create a reservation on behalf of a boater. This might happen when a guest calls your marina, emails your team, or when you're setting up a longer-term transient stay directly with a customer.
Dockwa makes it easy to create a reservation manually, so you can set the correct rate and billing structure, and later assign the slip.
Follow the steps below to create a new reservation.
Step 1: Start a new reservation
Select the New Reservation button from the bottom of the left-hand navigation menu in Dockwa.
Enter the arrival and departure dates for the stay.
Choose the reservation type (transient, seasonal, etc.).
Once the dates are entered, you'll add customer information in the next step. Click Continue to proceed.
Step 2: Add or select the customer
Enter the boater's information. You can either:
Search for an existing customer in your database, or
Create a new customer profile by entering their contact details.
Typical details include:
Boater name
Email address
Phone number
Boat information (name, length, draft, etc.)
Click Continue.
Step 3: Payments
In this step, you'll determine the billing schedule, autopay setting, payment method, rates, and any other payment-related settings for the reservation.
Add Electric
Review the itinerary dates and determine if the reservation needs electric. If needed, select the appropriate option from the Electric dropdown menu.
Choose the Billing Schedule
In the Payment section, choose the Billing Schedule for the reservation. Billing schedules determine if a deposit is charged upon confirmation, and how the balance is collected afterward. You can update your available billing schedules by going to Account > Settings > Reservations.
Dockwa supports several billing schedules depending on your marina's needs:
Upfront – 100% due on confirmation
Check-in – 100% due on check-in
Check-out – 100% due on check-out
Deposit (one night) – One night due on confirmation
Deposit (25%) – 25% due on confirmation
Deposit (50%) – 50% due on confirmation
Monthly Installments – Only custom or installment rates are available; default rates are not supported
Determine Autopay and Payment Method
Choose whether autopay should be turned on. When autopay is enabled, select which card on file should be used. If autopay is disabled, the reservation will be set to Settle Manually, where you can specify an alternate payment method such as cash or check.
Discounts and Coupon Codes
Determine if a discount or coupon code should be applied to the reservation.
Discounts apply a percentage or flat dollar amount reduction to dockage, moorage, or storage charges only. They cannot be applied to other charge types.
Coupon Codes can be created with custom names and codes, allowing for more flexibility and branding (e.g., "SPRING20"). Codes can be distributed to boaters, and anyone with the code can redeem it.
Rates
Set the rate for the reservation. Use Default Rates to apply the pricing already configured in your marina's seasonal rate settings. This is the most common option and ensures the reservation follows your standard pricing rules. Default rates are found in Account > Settings > Transient Rates.
You can learn more about configuring rates here:
You also have the option to use a Custom Rate. Choose this if the reservation requires a unique price or billing structure. This is helpful when:
A reservation falls outside your pricing calendar
You're honoring a special agreement with a customer
You need to manually adjust the rate
With a custom rate, you can define the price, tax settings, and billing structure. For a detailed walkthrough, see How to create a reservation using a Custom Rate.
Review and create the reservation
Before finishing:
Review the itinerary details
Check the billing setup
Check the rate and final price preview on the right side of the page
Tip: If you have any questions about the rate being used, click the View Rates button to see a clear breakdown.
Check the box if the boater should receive a confirmation email.
When everything looks correct, click Create Reservation.
Dockwa will save the reservation and notify the boater if the confirmation email is enabled.
