Support Access Requests Validation

Overview

When an installer or the Selora Homes support team needs remote access to a homeowner’s Home Assistant installation, they submit an access request through Selora Connect. Today, the homeowner receives an email and has to log in to their Selora Connect dashboard to approve or deny the request.

This feature adds SMS as a first-class validation channel: homeowners receive the request by text message and can approve, deny, or revoke access with a single reply — no email inbox, no app, no login. The existing email and dashboard flow continues to work in parallel as a fallback for homeowners who prefer it.

Today vs. with SMS validation

The request form, session mechanics (temporary user account, double authentication, time-boxed duration, extensions), and audit logging all work exactly as today. This item only changes how the homeowner is notified and how they respond.

Workflow

1. Request (unchanged)

The installer or support team requests temporary remote access through the Selora Connect installer dashboard, specifying:

• Why: Reason for access (e.g., troubleshooting, configuration, firmware update)
• How long: Requested duration (e.g., 30 minutes, 1 hour)

2. SMS notification (new)

Instead of email only, the homeowner receives a text message with:

• Installer name and company
• Request reason
• Requested duration
• Timestamp of the request
• The two available replies: approve or deny

Example SMS:

Selora Homes: Installer John D. from BrightTech Solutions requests remote
access to your Home Assistant installation to troubleshoot lighting control.
Duration: 30 min. Reply APPROVE or DENY to confirm.

3. Decision via SMS reply (new)

The homeowner responds by text — no app or login required:

• Reply APPROVE to grant access (optional duration modifier, e.g. APPROVE 1 hour)
• Reply DENY to reject the request (optional reason, e.g. DENY — busy now); the installer is notified
• No response: the request expires after a configurable timeout (default 15 minutes) and the installer is notified

Homeowners who use the Selora Connect dashboard instead can approve or deny there, exactly as today.

4. Session execution (unchanged, plus SMS events)

Once approved, the session runs as it does today — temporary user account, double authentication, time-boxed duration. New: the homeowner receives SMS notifications at key session moments:

• When the session starts: Access started by John D.
• When 5 minutes remain: 5 minutes remaining in access session
• When the session ends: Access session completed

5. Immediate revocation (new via SMS)

The homeowner can terminate any active session at any time with one SMS:

• Reply REVOKE to end the session immediately
• Installer receives: Access revoked by homeowner — session ended at [time]
• The session is logged in the access history with status revoked

6. Logging and audit trail (unchanged, plus SMS access)

Every access event continues to be recorded and visible in the Selora Connect dashboard as today. New: homeowners can retrieve recent events by replying HISTORY to any Selora SMS.

SMS integration details

Provider and configuration

• Primary: Twilio SMS API (or equivalent provider)
• Phone number stored per homeowner account, collected during onboarding
• Fallback: email notification if SMS delivery fails (per household)

Message formatting

• Concise messages, under 160 characters where possible
• Keywords: APPROVE, DENY, REVOKE, HISTORY — case-insensitive
• Timezone-aware timestamps in all messages
• Sender ID: “Selora” (branded sender, for recognition and searchability)

Privacy and security

• Phone numbers stored encrypted, never logged in plaintext
• Each SMS includes the request ID for audit-trail correlation
• No credentials or sensitive data in SMS content
• Homeowners can opt out of SMS at any time and fall back to email

Delivery guarantees

• Retries up to 3 times at 2-minute intervals
• Delivery confirmation logged
• Homeowner notified if a message failed to deliver

Dashboard integration

SMS is the fast path; the Selora Connect dashboard remains the system of record and continues to provide:

• Complete access history with all events
• Active session monitoring (duration, remaining time)
• Request submission for installers and extension requests
• Approve/deny as an alternative to SMS
• Access log export for compliance

Customer value

For homeowners

• Full control without a login: approve, deny, or revoke from any phone
• Immediate revocation: one REVOKE stops an active session
• Transparency: SMS notifications for every session event
• Fallback preserved: email and dashboard keep working as today

For installers

• Clearer outcomes: SMS replies give a faster, more reliable response than waiting for a dashboard login
• Same workflow: request form, session mechanics, and extension flow are unchanged

For the support team

• Compliance: full audit trail of every access event, as today
• Security: homeowner-controlled access with explicit, logged approval

Scope (first iteration)

• SMS provider integration (Twilio or equivalent) for request notifications
• Approve/deny/revoke via SMS reply with case-insensitive keywords
• Automatic expiry for unresponded requests (configurable timeout)
• Session-event SMS notifications (start, 5 minutes remaining, end)
• HISTORY SMS command for recent access events
• Phone number management per homeowner account with opt-out to email
• Email fallback when SMS delivery fails
• No changes to the request form, session mechanics, or dashboard logging

Target customers

• Homeowners: SMS-based access control without logging in
• Installers: faster, more reliable homeowner responses
• Support team: same audit trail and compliance logging

Related

• Request Remote Support Access — the current installer-facing request workflow this builds on
• Manage Installer Remote Access — the current homeowner-side approval flow (email + dashboard)