Setting up primary providers and subproviders

When one provider works under another

Sometimes, a provider delivers an activity on behalf of another. By using Primary Providers and Subproviders, you can assign the operational responsibility to one provider while indicating that another provider actually performs the service.

Examples

An in-house spa (Primary Provider) that uses freelance therapists (Subproviders)
An in-house tour operator (Primary Provider) that contracts with another tour operator or freelance guide
Freelance drivers (Subproviders) who drive your hotel shuttle (Primary Provider)

How to Work With Subproviders in Planniac

Step 1: Designate a Primary Provider

When setting up any provider in Settings → Providers, enable the option to mark it as a Primary Provider.

This allows activities assigned to that provider to also specify a Subprovider.

Step 2: Set Up Subproviders

Subproviders are added the same way as any other provider—there is no special setup.

This flexibility allows you to:

Use a provider under a Primary Provider sometimes,
And book directly with them other times.

For example:

Your in-house tour operation may subcontract to a specific tour operator for some activities, but also book guests directly with that operator for activities outside your in-house offerings.

Step 3: Assign Subproviders When Creating Planns

When you add a Plann for a guest and select a Primary Provider, a second dropdown will appear.

This dropdown allows you to choose the Subprovider who will actually deliver the service.

Step 4: View Subproviders on the Dashboard

Scheduled activities appear on the dashboard as usual.

Planniac will display an indicator next to the Primary Provider’s name. Hovering over it shows details about the Subprovider, such as their name and phone number.

Using Team Members as Subproviders

You can also use Team Members as Subproviders—for example, for spa services or tours provided by on-site staff.

To use this option:

Set team members up in Admin Settings.
Once configured, they appear in the Subprovider dropdown after selecting an activity and a Primary Provider.

Why to use primary resources and sub-vendors 🤝

Some services have layers—an in-house operator, a trusted freelancer, a third-party provider.

Using primary and sub-vendors helps you show the real workflow clearly.

This setup:

keeps responsibilities clear
makes dashboards more accurate
keeps staff from guessing who’s actually delivering the service
improves communication with guests and operators
reduces back-and-forth at the front desk

It’s structure that brings clarity.

Clarity brings confidence.

Confidence brings better guest service.