Dirs21 Account Access Guide
How to locate your Dirs21 credentials, access the Dirs21 dashboard and retrieve the API key needed to activate CockpitMod add-ons.
What is Dirs21?
Dirs21 is a German hotel management software platform operated by dirs21 GmbH, based in Munich. The platform provides property management system (PMS) functionality, an integrated channel manager for distributing room availability across online travel agents (OTAs), and a booking engine for the hotel's own website. Dirs21 is widely used by independent hotels, hotel groups and serviced apartment operators across German-speaking markets and increasingly across wider Europe.
CockpitMod is an independent add-on marketplace that enhances the Dirs21 platform through extensions developed against the official Dirs21 REST API. CockpitMod d.o.o. is not affiliated with or endorsed by dirs21 GmbH. The add-ons available through CockpitMod are third-party software products that connect to Dirs21 through published API endpoints.
Accessing your Dirs21 account
Your Dirs21 account is accessed through the Dirs21 web portal. The standard entry point for most European hotel customers is the Dirs21 customer login portal at dirs21.de. To access your account you will need the username and password issued by dirs21 GmbH when your subscription was set up, or updated credentials if you have changed them through the Dirs21 account administration section.
If you have forgotten your Dirs21 login credentials, use the password recovery function on the Dirs21 login page or contact dirs21 GmbH customer support directly. CockpitMod does not hold or have access to your Dirs21 login username or password — these are separate from your CockpitMod account credentials.
Navigating the Dirs21 dashboard
Once you have accessed your Dirs21 account you will see the main Dirs21 dashboard. The layout varies slightly depending on the Dirs21 version and your subscription tier, but the core navigation is consistent across versions:
- Reservations — view, create and modify individual hotel bookings across all channels
- Channels — manage your OTA connections, rate plans distributed to Booking.com, Expedia, HRS and other platforms
- Rate management — configure room types, rate categories, minimum stay rules and derived rates
- Reports — occupancy reports, revenue statistics and channel performance summaries
- Settings — hotel profile, billing, user management and — importantly — API configuration
Finding your Dirs21 API key
The Dirs21 API key is the credential that allows CockpitMod modules to connect to your property data. To retrieve your API key:
Open account settings
In your Dirs21 dashboard click on your account name or the settings icon in the top navigation bar to open the Account Settings panel.
Navigate to API / Integrations
Look for a section labelled API, Developer Access or Integrations within the settings menu. The exact label depends on your Dirs21 version. In recent versions it is located under Settings → Integrations → API Access.
Generate or copy your API key
If you have not previously set up API access you may need to click Generate API Key to create one. If an API key already exists, it will be partially masked — click the Show or Reveal button to see the full key. Copy the complete key string carefully.
Note your property identifier
Your Dirs21 property identifier (also called the Hotel ID or Property ID) is required alongside the API key. It is usually displayed on the same API settings page or under the hotel profile section.
Enter in CockpitMod
Paste both the API key and the property identifier into the CockpitMod account settings page under Settings → API Configuration. Click Validate & Save. CockpitMod will immediately test the connection and confirm that it is working correctly.
API access permissions
Dirs21 API keys may have granular permission scopes depending on your Dirs21 subscription. CockpitMod add-ons require the following permissions to function correctly:
| Permission scope | Required by | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Reservations: read | All modules | Read reservation data to trigger module actions |
| Reservations: write | Upsell Engine, Corporate Rate Manager | Update reservation details when upsells are accepted |
| Rates: read | Corporate Rate Manager, Channel Marketplace | Read current rate plans to validate against negotiated rates |
| Rates: write | Corporate Rate Manager | Sync agreed corporate rates into Dirs21 channel manager |
| Guests: read | Reviews Aggregator, Loyalty Module | Match guest profiles to reviews and loyalty records |
| Reports: read | Audit Trail Pro, Staff Scheduler | Read occupancy and event data for scheduling and audit |
If your Dirs21 API key does not have a required permission scope, the affected CockpitMod module will show a warning on your dashboard specifying exactly which permission is missing. Contact dirs21 GmbH or your Dirs21 account manager to extend your API key permissions.
API rate limits
Dirs21 imposes rate limits on API usage to protect system stability. CockpitMod modules are designed to operate well within standard Dirs21 API rate limits by batching requests, using webhook subscriptions where available and caching frequently accessed reference data such as room types and rate plans. If your Dirs21 account is on a rate-limited plan, contact dirs21 GmbH to discuss upgrading your API quota before activating multiple CockpitMod modules simultaneously.
Troubleshooting connection issues
If your CockpitMod dashboard shows a connection error for one or more modules, the most common causes are:
- Your Dirs21 API key has been regenerated within the Dirs21 account settings — update the key in CockpitMod settings
- Your Dirs21 subscription has lapsed or been suspended — contact dirs21 GmbH to restore API access
- The specific API permission required by a module has been removed from your key — review and restore permissions in Dirs21 account settings
- A temporary Dirs21 API outage — check the Dirs21 status page or contact dirs21 GmbH support
For assistance with CockpitMod connection configuration, contact our support team at support@cockpitmod.org with your Dirs21 property identifier and a description of the error shown in your CockpitMod dashboard.
Security best practices
Treat your Dirs21 API key with the same care as a password. Do not share it by email, do not commit it to code repositories and rotate it periodically. When you rotate your Dirs21 API key, update it in your CockpitMod account settings within 24 hours. Old keys become invalid immediately upon rotation within the Dirs21 system.