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Getting Started

2. Getting Started​

This section covers the basic concepts and navigation patterns you need to know before working with any specific module.

2.1. Accessing the Platform​

Navigate to hub.vivin.app and log in with your account credentials. Upon logging in, you will land on the Dashboard — your central hub for monitoring business performance at a glance.

2.2. Understanding the Interface Layout​

The Vivin interface has three main areas that remain consistent across all modules:

Main Navigation Menu (left sidebar) A vertical menu providing access to all major modules: Dashboard, Listings, Bookings, Sales, Finance, Operations, Utilities, and Settings. Click any item to navigate to that module. The menu is always visible.

Header Bar (top) Contains two key elements:

  • + Create New button (top left) — opens a quick-access menu for creating properties, units, bookings, tickets, and more without navigating away from your current view.
  • Notification Bell (top right) — displays alerts for new bookings, payment events, and ticket updates.

Main Content Area (center) The active module's data, tables, forms, and visualizations. This area updates when you select a different module from the navigation menu.

2.3. Core Concepts and Terminology​

Before working with specific modules, it is important to understand the entities and terms used throughout Vivin.

The Portfolio Hierarchy​

Vivin organizes your portfolio in a two-level hierarchy:

Property (building or complex)
  └── Unit (individual rentable space)

A Property represents a physical building or location (e.g., "Alpha Building," "Riverside Complex"). A Unit is an individual rentable space within that property (e.g., "Room 101," "Studio A," "Bed 3"). Every unit belongs to exactly one property.

Bookings and Tenants​

A Booking is a reservation linking a Tenant (the person renting) to a Unit for a specified period. Bookings progress through a lifecycle:

StatusMeaning
UpcomingBooking confirmed, move-in date has not yet arrived
OngoingTenant is currently occupying the unit
EndedBooking completed, tenant has moved out
CancelledBooking was terminated before completion

Dates: Contract vs. Occupancy​

It is important to distinguish between two types of dates:

  • Contract Date — when the rental agreement legally begins (used for payment scheduling)
  • Occupancy Date (Move-in Date) — when the tenant physically enters the property

These dates may differ. For example, a contract might start on the 1st of the month, but the tenant physically moves in on the 5th.

Payments​

Vivin uses a two-layer payment model:

  • Scheduled Payments (Contract Values) — what the tenant is expected to pay and when (generated automatically when a booking is created)
  • Incoming Payments (Transactions) — what the tenant has actually paid

A payment is marked as "received" only when an incoming payment is recorded and allocated to a scheduled charge.

Tickets​

Tickets are actionable operational tasks: maintenance, cleaning, inspections, repairs, or tenant requests. Each ticket has:

  • A priority (Low, Medium, High, Critical)
  • A status (Open, In Progress, Resolved)
  • An assignee (the team member responsible)
  • A category and due date

Cash Flow​

Cash Flow refers to operational financial transactions — expenses and income that are not part of a tenant's booking payment. For example: a contractor invoice for plumbing repairs, or income from a one-off service fee. Cash flows are tracked in the Operations module.

2.4. The + Create New Menu​

The + Create New button in the header is your primary shortcut for adding new records. Clicking it reveals a categorized menu:

Listings group

  • Property — add a new building or complex to your portfolio
  • Unit — add a new rentable space to an existing property

Bookings group

  • Booking — create a new tenant reservation

Other

  • Ticket — create a maintenance or operational task
  • Owner — register a new property owner

You can use this button from any screen — you do not need to navigate to the relevant module first.

2.5. Working with Tables​

Data tables appear throughout the platform. They share consistent behavior:

  • Click a row to open the detail view for that record
  • Column headers can be clicked to sort the table
  • Filter controls appear above the table and update results in real-time
  • Search bars filter results as you type

If you are setting up Vivin for the first time, follow this sequence to configure the platform before adding operational data:

  1. Account Settings > General Information — set your company name, logo, and contact details
  2. Account Settings > Users & Roles — add your team members and owners
  3. Account Settings > Invoicing & Payments — configure payment rules, VAT rates, and due date policies
  4. Account Settings > Contract Templates — upload your standard contract template
  5. Account Settings > Categories — create categories for properties, tickets, and financial items
  6. Account Settings > Email Templates — customize automated emails sent to tenants
  7. Account Settings > Integrations — connect external platforms (Airbnb, Nuki, etc.)
  8. Listings — create your properties and units
  9. Bookings — start creating or importing reservations