Frequently asked questions

Bawabo replaces a paper visitor book with a digital record. Your team can check visitors and vehicles in and out, prepare for expected visitors, and see who is still on site.

Bawabo is for locations where guards, receptionists or other staff welcome visitors and need an easy way to find entry records.

No. You can use Bawabo in a web browser on a phone, tablet or computer. You need an internet connection.

Yes. Owners and location admins can invite staff to use their own accounts. Staff can check visitors in and out at their assigned locations. What each person can see and do depends on their role.

Yes. You can manage multiple locations from one account. Each location has its own records, settings and subscription. Team members only have access to the locations they are assigned to.

Yes. Location owners can choose which supported details staff must enter for people, vehicles, deliveries and services. Some basic fields are always required. Staff can add optional details when needed.

At the entry point, search for the visitor first. Select a matching visitor or continue with a new walk-in, choose the right location, and complete the required details before checking them in.

Search for the visitor when they arrive and select the matching appointment. Check the prefilled details and complete any required fields before confirming check-in. An appointment alone does not mark someone as on site.

Find the visitor in the on-site list and choose Check out when they leave. Check that you have selected the right visit before confirming.

Check the details before saving a visit. If you notice a mistake afterward, ask your location owner or admin for help reviewing the record. If they need help resolving it, they can contact Support.

Yes. Hosts can receive arrival notifications on their linked personal WhatsApp account when they are selected as the visitor’s contact at check-in. Open Profile, check your phone number, and use the WhatsApp section to link your account. Open the linking message in WhatsApp and tap Link account. Ask your location admin to make sure your account is linked to the right destination contact.

Yes. For visitor arrivals, Bawabo uses the host’s linked WhatsApp account when available, otherwise SMS if the selected contact has a valid phone number, then email if available. Visitors with a valid phone number can also receive SMS updates about their appointments. Keep contact details up to date so notifications reach the right person.

Yes, at locations with a configured WhatsApp gate device. A location owner or admin can open the location in Locations and manage WhatsApp gate devices. They register the shared phone and generate an activation message, which must be sent from that phone to Bawabo. Once activated, follow the WhatsApp prompts to access the gate workflow. Ask your location admin to arrange access.

The introductory price is KSh 2,500 per location/month. You can pay by M-Pesa or card. Each location needs its own subscription. Taxes or payment-provider charges may apply. See the Terms of Service for billing details.

The standard free trial lasts 14 days. If you are eligible and trials are available, your trial starts when you create your first location. You normally get one trial. Locations added during that trial share its end date; they do not start a new trial. Your dashboard shows when the trial ends.

A one-time payment by M-Pesa or card needs to be renewed manually. You can also choose automatic card renewal in Billing. Review the payment amount and service dates before confirming: checkout takes a payment now, preserves any remaining trial or paid service, and schedules future renewals if you choose automatic renewal.

Ask the location owner or billing administrator to open Billing for the location and choose Cancel at period end. Enter a reason and confirm. Access continues through the current paid or trial period, and the next renewal is stopped. Cancellation does not automatically create a credit or prorated refund.

You need a paid plan to keep recording new visits. Some automatic renewals have a payment grace period. After expiry, limited access is normally available for 30 days: owners and admins can review past records and export them if the plan includes exports, and staff can close existing visits. After that, access is restricted until you pay. Check Billing for your location’s status and the Terms of Service for details.

Depending on the location’s settings and what staff enter, records may include names, phone numbers, company, destination, reason for visiting, arrival and departure times, vehicle or driver details, and notes. If ID details are collected, Bawabo supports only the last four digits of a national ID number, not full numbers or photos of ID documents.

Each location controls its retention setting. New locations start with one year, and owners can change the period or turn off automatic anonymisation. Anonymisation removes personal details from eligible older records while keeping the basic visit history. Ask the location you visited about its chosen period.

Contact the location you visited to ask how it uses your information or to request access, a correction or deletion. Bawabo stores and processes visitor records for that location. Our Privacy Policy explains Bawabo’s role and how to contact us.

Yes. Open your location in Locations and choose Manage under Visitor privacy notice. Owners and location admins can edit a notice or link to their own privacy notice URL. Preview and publish it, then download the QR code or print a sign to display at the entrance. Visitors can read the online notice without signing in.

Sign in and open Support to ask a question or report a problem. You will receive a reference for your request. If you cannot sign in, email support@bawabo.app.