HETable User Guide

How To Run Host, Floor, Reservation, and Waitlist Workflows

Use this guide like a host-stand manual: setup first, then follow the service, reservation, waitlist, and admin workflows in operating order so the front door hands off cleanly into live service, Server Checks, and end-of-shift review.

  • Service first: the playbook below follows the real order of host, floor, reservation, waitlist, and live-service handoff decisions.
  • Role clarity: host and manager runbooks separate frontline actions from oversight controls while keeping one shared service picture.
  • Best fit: use this page for workflow depth after the main HETable page establishes scope, then move to live HETable, Pricing, or Contact when the next question is launch timing, commercial fit, or rollout review.
Explore Public Reservations Back to App Page View Pricing Talk Through Launch
Launch Path Setup Service Playbook Host Runbooks Manager Runbooks Guest Channels Routines

What teams open first

Use this public launch path to explain how a restaurant brings HETable online without sending buyers or new staff into gated internal docs.

Managers open first

Managers create access, publish the active floor, tune booking settings, set sections and Smart Assign rules, review reports, and confirm locations or oversight controls before service begins.

Hosts open next

Hosts launch the host board, load assignments, run reservations and waitlist together, quote waits, and keep floor-state changes current as the room fills.

Floor teams and servers follow

Floor teams use station assignments, section load, and Pocket View updates to keep the host stand aligned before live POS check handling begins.

Guests interact last

Guests only see the public-facing channels the restaurant enables: booking, confirmation/cancellation, wait board, kiosk chat/concierge guidance, and self-seat flow.

Before First Service

Complete this once so host stand, floor operations, guest booking channels, and the later service handoff all stay in sync.

1) Account and Access

  1. Create owner account at /auth/register.php or staff account via /auth/join.php?code=....
  2. Verify role access for host/manager pages (owner, gm, manager, host roles).
  3. If login redirects to /billing/renew.php, confirm subscription or partner activation status.

2) Floor Plan Foundation

  1. Create plans in /floorplan/index.php.
  2. Design layout in /floorplan/builder.php?floor_plan_id=... (tables, booths, walls, labels, connected groups).
  3. Publish from /floorplan/versions.php so host and section tools can load synced table rows.

3) Team and Stations

  1. Build team roster and ratings in /manager/staff_ratings.php.
  2. Create sections and table memberships in /manager/sections.php.
  3. Generate and save shift assignments in /manager/assign.php, then load to host board.

4) Guest Channels and Automation

  1. Set booking windows and direct-location sharing rules in /manager/booking_settings.php.
  2. Validate the public reservations directory at hetable.com/reservations, then test the exact location page you plan to share with guests.
  3. Configure webhooks/API keys in /manager/webhooks.php and /manager/api_keys.php.

Daily Service Playbook

Use this operating sequence every shift for predictable guest flow, cleaner table-turn control, and a smoother handoff into live service.

Phase Where To Go What To Do Done When
1) Pre-Shift Build /manager/sections.php, /manager/assign.php Confirm section structure, generate staffing assignments, and save AM/PM shift output. Shift has a server-to-section map ready for host load.
2) Host Launch /host/index.php -> /host/host.php?floor_plan_id=... Select floor plan, choose service date and shift slot, load station plan into host assignments. Host board shows valid assignments and service context.
3) Server Readiness /host/host.php Check in active servers and verify station-open status before seating. Open table logic matches real staffed stations.
4) Guest Intake /host/reservations.php, /host/host.php Process reservations, add walk-ins, and route overflow to waitlist with quote/notes. All arriving parties have a tracked path to seating.
5) Seating and Turns /host/host.php Seat suggested party, handle linked tables for large groups, and update dirty/available states as parties turn. Floor states represent reality and turn timing data stays clean.
6) Live Monitoring /host/waitboard.php, /server/pocket_view.php Monitor wait estimate, waiting vs notified guests, and server-side table state updates so hosts and floor teams stay aligned before the check-handling phase begins. Hosts and servers share one live state picture.
7) Closeout and Review /manager/moves.php, /manager/reports.php Review move log, reservation statuses, cover counts, assignment activity, and any service-handoff notes before next-shift decisions or Server Checkout follow-through. Shift results are documented and next shift is better prepared.

Host Stand Runbooks

Exact host instructions for live seating, waitlist, floor control, and clean handoff into the live service team.

1) Launch Host Board

/host/index.php, /host/host.php

  1. Open target floor plan card from Host Stand home.
  2. Set service date and correct AM/PM shift slot.
  3. Confirm host board is connected and table map loads.
  4. If map is empty, confirm a version is published from floorplan versions.

2) Server Check-In and Station Load

/host/host.php

  1. Choose server in dropdown, use Check In / Check Out actions.
  2. Run Load Station Plan (AM/PM) after manager assignments are saved.
  3. Verify table station status reflects checked-in staff.
  4. Do not seat in closed stations (unassigned or not checked in).

3) Walk-In Seating Flow

/host/host.php

  1. Select a table on the map, enter party size and optional guest details.
  2. Use Seat Suggested for rotation-aware recommendation.
  3. Use Seat Table to commit seating state and party details.
  4. If no immediate seat, use Add Walk-in to Waitlist.

4) Waitlist Management

/host/host.php, /host/waitboard.php

  1. Add guest name, party size, quote, notes, and optional phone.
  2. Use waitlist modal to seat or remove items quickly.
  3. Use guest notification for ready status where enabled.
  4. Cross-check waitboard for live wait estimate and seating pace.

5) Large Party and Table Linking

/host/host.php

  1. Select primary table then open Link for Large Party.
  2. Choose compatible available tables and confirm links.
  3. Use unlink action when party leaves and tables split back.
  4. Keep linked map aligned with real physical setup.

6) Table Lifecycle Controls

/host/host.php, /server/pocket_view.php

  1. Set table states intentionally: seated -> dirty -> available.
  2. Use pocket view for server-side quick updates during service.
  3. Clear tables immediately after bussing completion.
  4. Accurate states improve wait quote accuracy and turn analytics.

7) Reservation Desk Flow

/host/reservations.php

  1. Select date and review timeline/table grid.
  2. Create or edit booking with guest, party, time, source, and status.
  3. Assign table where appropriate, keep statuses current.
  4. Use this view to avoid overbooking when walk-ins increase.

8) Kiosk Host Station

/host/guest_kiosk.php

  1. Select kiosk floor plan and launch guest-facing flow.
  2. Monitor suggested and alternate table options for guest self-seat.
  3. Route full-house guests to waitlist with collected contact data.
  4. Use kiosk chat assist for guest guidance when needed.

Manager Console Runbooks

Manager workflows for staffing, layout, analytics, integrations, and keeping the front-door workflow aligned with the wider service chain.

1) Console Navigation

/manager/index.php

  1. Use core cards: Team/Ratings, Sections, Smart Assign, Moves.
  2. Use insights cards: Reports, Booking Settings, Webhooks, API Keys.
  3. Use connected module cards for Waitlist, Host, Floor Builder.
  4. Use host join code to onboard host-only users.

2) Sections and Station Design

/manager/sections.php

  1. Select plan, shift date, and AM/PM slot.
  2. Create sections and assign/remove tables by clicking map objects.
  3. Assign server per section for specific shift date/slot.
  4. Use this as source of truth for host station load.

3) Smart Assign Algorithm

/manager/assign.php

  1. Load schedule roster (or import team fallback) for selected date.
  2. Generate assignments by section value and staff score/tier.
  3. Review suggested match reasons and adjust if needed.
  4. Save assignments so host can load them for the same shift slot.

4) Schedule Link and Team Sync

/manager/staff_ratings.php

  1. Connect scheduling credentials from link dialog.
  2. Run schedule import to sync staff roster by email identity.
  3. Manage active status, ratings, tiers, and working overrides.
  4. Open profile history to audit rating changes and location memberships.

5) Table Moves and Extra Capacity

/manager/moves.php, /manager/support.php

  1. Apply temporary table-to-section moves per shift date.
  2. Use support extras to add/remove overflow tables to sections.
  3. Keep temporary overrides documented and date-scoped.
  4. Clear overrides after service to avoid next-shift drift.

6) Reports, Ratings, and Oversight

/manager/reports.php

  1. Set report date range and run summary.
  2. Track reservations count, covers, move count, and assignment count.
  3. Review reservation statuses distribution for booking quality.
  4. Use these metrics in pre-shift planning and staffing reviews.

7) Public Booking Configuration

/manager/booking_settings.php, hetable.com/reservations

  1. Set open/close times, slot interval, lead time, and max party.
  2. Test the public reservations directory first, then validate the exact location page you will share in marketing or guest messages.
  3. Retire any older guest-facing booking links that still point at outdated patterns.
  4. Validate reservation creation plus guest confirmation and cancellation follow-through end to end.

8) API Keys and Webhooks

/manager/api_keys.php, /manager/webhooks.php

  1. Create scoped API keys for automation clients and store once-revealed secret securely.
  2. Rotate/revoke/enable keys as staff or integration ownership changes.
  3. Create webhooks by event type, test delivery, and inspect delivery logs.
  4. Retry failed deliveries and validate signature verification with shared secret.

9) Floor Builder Publish Discipline

/floorplan/builder.php, /floorplan/versions.php

  1. Save drafts during design iteration; publish only validated versions.
  2. Use versions list to publish current best layout and remove bad versions.
  3. After publish, verify host and section pages reflect synced table metadata.
  4. Keep connectable table groups current for large party operations.

10) Access and Billing Controls

/billing/renew.php, /_core/auth.php

  1. If local billing is active/trialing, access remains open.
  2. If local billing is not active, platform checks external HospiEdgeTool.org activation by manager email.
  3. Integrated environments can grant access via table.access entitlement.
  4. If none apply, user is redirected to renewal workflow.

11) Locations Dashboard and Multi-Location Oversight

/locations/dashboard.php, /manager/reports.php

  1. Use the locations view to compare floor readiness, booking posture, and service patterns across restaurants.
  2. Keep local rules flexible while holding common standards for publish discipline, guest channels, and reporting.
  3. Use locations-level reporting to spot where section balance, wait quotes, or guest-channel settings drift away from target execution.
  4. Treat multi-location oversight as an operating control layer, not just a separate admin page.

Guest Channel Runbooks

How guest-facing surfaces behave so your team can support them without guesswork and keep guest-side actions aligned with real floor capacity.

1) Public Reservations Directory and Location Pages

hetable.com/reservations, hetable.com/reservations/location.php?slug=location-slug

  1. Guest starts in the public reservations directory or opens a direct location page when the restaurant is already known.
  2. Location page shows the enabled reservation or call-ahead path for that restaurant.
  3. Guest submits details and the reservation is created through the live public flow.
  4. If no table is available, the restaurant can route the guest into the waitlist or call-ahead fallback it supports.

2) Guest Confirmation and Cancellation Flow

Guest-side confirmation page generated by the live public reservation flow

  1. Guest sees reservation details and current status.
  2. Guest can cancel reservation through the guest-safe confirmation flow.
  3. Guest-facing links should avoid exposing direct internal record IDs.
  4. Hosts can reconcile cancellations quickly in reservation view.

3) Self-Seat Guest App

/selfseat/index.php

  1. Guest sees live map and available tables.
  2. Guest selects table and confirms party size/name.
  3. System records seating state and updates host floor state.
  4. If full, guest can be routed to waitlist flow.

4) Public Waitlist Status Board

/wait/index.php

  1. Guest selects restaurant and sees waiting/notified list state.
  2. Guest can subscribe to push notifications where supported.
  3. Status transitions to READY trigger guest-facing notification messaging.
  4. Use this during busy periods to reduce host stand crowding.

Weekly and Monthly Routines

Keep these routines on calendar so table operations stay sharp and the front-door workflow keeps supporting the wider shift smoothly.

Weekly Service Ops

  • Re-run section and assignment quality check before peak days.
  • Audit waitlist quote accuracy against actual pacing and the service team's real turn timing.
  • Review move and support-extra logs for layout bottlenecks.
  • Refresh host join code usage and deactivate stale access.

Weekly Guest Experience

  • Test booking link, confirmation page, and cancellation behavior.
  • Test kiosk/self-seat flow on live device.
  • Check push notification readiness for public waitlist page.
  • Review reservation status mix (booked, seated, cancelled) and compare it to actual service outcomes.

Monthly Platform Hygiene

  • Rotate API keys and remove inactive integrations.
  • Review webhook failures and retry patterns.
  • Clean old floorplan versions and keep only useful history.
  • Validate billing/entitlement status and partner activation assumptions.

Commercial + Engineering Context

This guide stays operational. Use Pricing for commercial decisions, Contact for launch review, and Engineering only when the next question is licensing or build-value detail.

HETable Value Snapshot

  • Current rebuild value range: $450,000 - $1,100,000
  • Published midpoint baseline: $760,000
  • This guide currently documents 136 files, 597 functions, and 36,732 PHP lines.

Midpoint follows the same inventory and complexity-weighted rebuild-cost model used across all HospiEdge apps.

Use the main HETable page or the integrated platform workflow guide only when the question shifts from front-door execution to broader package fit across the stack.

Table License Reference

  • Lifetime internal-use source-code license: $92,000
  • Optional annual updates after year 1: $16,500
  • Standalone SaaS: $249/month with no per-cover fees
  • Live platform pricing: $279/month or $2,899/year for 1 account, $749/month or $7,799/year for 3 accounts, and $2,190/month or $22,999/year for 10 accounts, with AI included
View Pricing Talk Through Launch Build-Cost Methodology License Pricing

Technical Appendix (File Inventory)

User workflow guide above is primary. This appendix is for build and engineering reference.

136 files | 597 named functions | 36,732 PHP lines

api (1 files) 
api/host/clear_table.php
auth (8 files) 
auth/forgot.php
auth/join.php
auth/login.php
auth/logout.php
auth/register.php
auth/reset_password.php
auth/sso/callback.php
auth/sso/start.php
billing (4 files) 
billing/create_checkout_session.php
billing/renew.php
billing/success.php
billing/webhook.php
book (3 files) 
book/api.php
book/confirm.php
book/index.php
floorplan (7 files) 
floorplan/_shared.php
floorplan/api.php
floorplan/builder.php
floorplan/health/index.php
floorplan/health/ping.php
floorplan/index.php
floorplan/versions.php
health (3 files) 
health/host_floorplan_fix/host_api.patched_final.php
health/index.php
health/ping.php
hospi_chat (33 files) 
hospi_chat/ai_parse.php
hospi_chat/api/_helpers.php
hospi_chat/api/add_action.php
hospi_chat/api/chat.php
hospi_chat/api/db_test.php
hospi_chat/api/draft_goal.php
hospi_chat/api/endpoint.php
hospi_chat/api/get_goal_details.php
hospi_chat/api/guest.php
hospi_chat/api/health.php
hospi_chat/api/hellllo.php
hospi_chat/api/hello.php
hospi_chat/api/hospi_edge_ai_api.php
hospi_chat/api/key_test.php
hospi_chat/api/logtail.php
hospi_chat/api/openai_auth_test.php
hospi_chat/api/openai_test.php
hospi_chat/api/outbound_test.php
hospi_chat/api/ping.php
hospi_chat/api/tmplog.php
hospi_chat/api/tmpwrite.php
hospi_chat/api/update_goal.php
hospi_chat/api/x2.php
hospi_chat/api/x3.php
hospi_chat/api/x3_kiosk.php
hospi_chat/config.php
hospi_chat/env.php
hospi_chat/env/env.php
hospi_chat/env/load_env.php
hospi_chat/env/ls.php
hospi_chat/header.php
hospi_chat/index.php
hospi_chat/load_env.php
host (14 files) 
host/_shared.php
host/guest_kiosk.php
host/host.php
host/host_api.original.php
host/host_api.php
host/index.php
host/kiosk_api.php
host/kiosk_chat.php
host/reservations.php
host/reservations_api.php
host/seat_yourself_api.php
host/seat_yourself_guest_api.php
host/station_assignments.php
host/waitboard.php
includes (3 files) 
includes/booking_helpers.php
includes/guest_functions.php
includes/sms_helper.php
manager (24 files) 
manager/api.php
manager/api_keys.php
manager/api_keys_api.php
manager/assign.php
manager/assign_api.php
manager/booking_settings.php
manager/booking_settings_api.php
manager/index.php
manager/invite_api.php
manager/locations_api.php
manager/moves.php
manager/moves_api.php
manager/ratings.php
manager/reports.php
manager/reports_api.php
manager/schedule_auth_api.php
manager/sections.php
manager/sections_api.php
manager/staff_ratings.php
manager/staff_ratings_api.php
manager/support.php
manager/support_api.php
manager/webhooks.php
manager/webhooks_api.php
platform (1 files) 
platform/integration/core.php
root (3 files) 
guide.php
index.php
schedule_auth_api.php
selfseat (3 files) 
selfseat/api.php
selfseat/hospi_chat/api/guest.php
selfseat/index.php
server (1 files) 
server/pocket_view.php
wait (13 files) 
wait/_webpush.php
wait/gen.php
wait/host/host_api.original.php
wait/host/host_api.php
wait/index.php
wait/push_config.php
wait/push_subscribe.php
wait/wait/_webpush.php
wait/wait/index.php
wait/wait/push_config.php
wait/wait/push_subscribe.php
wait/wait/tools/generate_vapid.php
wait/wipe.php
_core (14 files) 
_core/api_auth.php
_core/auth.php
_core/billing.php
_core/bootstrap.php
_core/config.local.php
_core/config.php
_core/csrf.php
_core/db.php
_core/env.php
_core/helpers.php
_core/integration_bootstrap.php
_core/rate_limiter.php
_core/response.php
_core/webhook_dispatcher.php
_includes (1 files) 
_includes/platform_nav.php