Summary
If someone in your household already has their own Flow account, you can link it to your group online, without visiting reception. Once enabled, a primary member can:
✅ Send a link request to another member using their Customer ID and last name or email.
✅ Choose their role in your group: Admin or Dependent.
✅ Manage bookings and memberships on their behalf once the link is approved.
The person you invite approves the request before anything is linked, so both people stay in control of their accounts. There is no separate confirmation step for you as the requester; the other person's approval completes the link.
Role Definitions
| Role | Description |
|---|---|
| Owner | The main account holder (e.g., parent or primary guardian). |
| Admin | A secondary manager of the group (e.g., nanny or carer). |
| Dependent | A linked member of the group (e.g., child). |
How to enable this feature
This feature is switched off by default and is enabled by OpenPlay. Please contact your Client Success Manager (CSM) to activate it.
Once enabled, the Link existing account option appears in My account > Account details.
Step-by-step guide for your customers
1. Open Account details
- Sign in and go to My account > Account details.
- Under Group Members, select Link existing account.
2. Search for the account and choose a role
- Enter the person's Customer ID (for example OP1234567).
- Enter their last name or email address.
- Choose the role they should have in your group:
- Admin: usually an adult. This customer will have online access and the ability to manage some aspects of their own account.
- Dependent: usually a child. This customer will not have online access to their account.
- Select Send invite.
Note: For everyone's security, Flow shows the same confirmation whether or not a matching account is found; the success screen appears even if the details do not match an account.
3. The request is sent
You will see Account link requested. If the details match an account, that account holder receives a request to approve. Once they approve, the account is linked to your group.
The request stays pending until they respond. If it is not approved within the invitation period (7 days by default), it expires and you can send a new one.
You can also cancel a pending request from Account details at any time.
What the invited user does
They approve or decline the request in one of two ways:
- From their email: they open the invitation email and follow the link to approve or decline. They may be asked to sign in first.
- From their account: signed in, they will see the pending incoming request under Account details and can Accept or Decline it.
Online |
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|---|---|
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NOTE: Email content can be customised with the template "Sent to a customer when another account requests to link them into their group" |
There are three new email templates which can be configured for the end user journey:
- Sent to a customer when another account requests to link them into their group
- Sent to both parties when an account link request is approved and the link is complete
- Sent to the initiator when the target declines an account link request
When they approve, the accounts are linked, both people receive a confirmation email, and the linked member appears in your Group Members list. When they decline, no link is created and you are notified.
Group roles and permissions
Group Roles
Owner: Each group has one owner. You are automatically the owner of the group you create, to which you can add group members (provided they are not already part of another group).
Admin: Each group can have multiple admins. Usually adults, admins have online access and the ability to manage some aspects of their own account.
Dependent: Each group can have multiple dependents. Usually children, dependents will not have online access to their own account. The owner is responsible for managing all aspects of dependents' accounts, memberships, and bookings.
Role Permissions
| Permission | Dependent | Admin | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Account | |||
| - Manage own account | Yes* | Yes | Yes |
| - Manage own bookings | Yes* | Yes | Yes |
| - Manage own memberships | Yes* | Yes | Yes |
| On behalf of Dependants in the group | |||
| - Manage account | No | No | Yes |
| - Create bookings | No | Via Foh | Yes |
| - View bookings | No | Via Foh | Yes |
| - Edit bookings | No | Via Foh | Yes |
| - Cancel or manage bookings | No | Via Foh | Yes |
| - Buy memberships | No | No | Yes |
| On behalf of Admins in the group | |||
| - Manage account | No | No | Yes |
| - Create bookings | No | No | Yes |
| - View bookings | No | No | Yes |
| - Edit bookings | No | No | Yes |
| - Cancel or manage bookings | No | No | Yes |
| - Buy memberships | No | No | Yes |
| Group management | |||
| - Add new accounts to the group | No | No | Yes |
| - View accounts in the group | No | Via Foh | Yes |
| - Remove accounts from the group | No | No | Via Foh |
| - Be part of multiple groups | No | No | No |
*If the linked dependent account already had access and the ability to manage their account, bookings and memberships.
Troubleshooting
I do not see "Link existing account".
The feature is enabled by OpenPlay; contact your Client Success Manager if you would like it switched on.
Nothing happened after I sent the invite.
The confirmation screen appears whether or not a match is found (this protects account holders' privacy). Check the Customer ID and last name/email are correct, and ask the other person to check for the request in their account or email.
The other person has not received the email.
Ask them to check their spam/junk folder. They can also approve by signing in to their own account and opening Account details.
The request expired.
Pending requests expire after the invitation period (7 days by default). A new invite can be sent once it has expired.
Can the request invitation / expiry period be changed?
Yes, the default is 7 days but this can be increased or decreased in days. We recommend keeping the period 7 days or less for user security.
Will the users profile image be shown before they accept the invite?
No, we only show a placeholder image for link requests. Only after the user has accepted the invite will the users actual profile photo show in the "My Account" section.
Related articles
- Account Linking (Customer Groups): Managing groups at the front of house
- Account Linking (Creating & linking a new dependant online): Creating a new dependant online
- How to book activities for members of your Customer Group (Multi-Bookings)