Borrio Support & User Guide

Welcome to Borrio! 

This guide will help you get the most out of sharing books, board games, and tools and much more with your trusted community.

Getting Started

Creating Your Account

1. Download Borrio from the App Store or Google Play

2. Tap Sign Up and enter your desired username, email and password

Setting Up Your Home

Every user belongs to a Home- your shared inventory space perfect for families and roommates.

Create a New Home:

1. After signing up, tap "Create Home"

2. Give your home a name (e.g., "The Smith Family")

3. You'll automatically become the home admin

Join an Existing Home:

1. Ask a household member for an invite code

2. Tap "Join Home" and enter the code

3. You'll be added as a member

Note: You can only belong to one home at a time

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🏠 Managing Your Home

Adding Items (Shareables)

Items you add to your home are called "Shareables" - things you're willing to lend to others.

To Add an Item:

1. Go to the Home tab

2. Tap the "+" button in the Shareables section

3. Fill in:

  - Name (required)

  - Description (optional but helpful)

  - Photo (optional - highly recommended!)

4. Tap "Add Item"

Inviting Home Members

1. Go to the Home tab

2. Tap "Invite" in the Home Members section

3. Enter the email address of the person you want to invite

4. They'll receive an invitation to join your home

Viewing Your Items

- See all your shareables in the Home tab

- Each item shows a status indicator:

 - 🟢 Green - Available to borrow

 - 🟠 Orange - Request pending

 - 🔴 Red - Currently loaned out

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👥 Friend Circles

Friend Circles are your trusted sharing networks. You can only borrow from and lend to homes in your Friend Circles.

Creating a Friend Circle

1. Go to the Circles tab

2. Tap "Create Circle"

3. Enter a circle name (e.g., "Book Club Friends", "Neighborhood")

4. Optionally invite friends by email during creation

5. Tap "Create"

Circle Ideas:

- Book Club Circle - Share books with your reading group

- Neighborhood Circle - Share tools with nearby neighbors

- Game Night Circle - Share board games with gaming friends

- Family Circle - Share items with extended family

Inviting Homes to Your Circle

1. Open your Friend Circle (tap on it from the Circles tab)

2. Tap "Invite" or "Add Homes"

3. Enter email addresses of people you want to invite

4. They'll receive an invitation notification

5. Once they accept, their home joins your circle

Accepting Circle Invitations

1. Check your Notifications tab

2. Find the Friend Circle invitation

3. Tap on it to view details

4. Tap "Accept" to join the circle

Important: You can belong to multiple Friend Circles! Create different circles for different groups.

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📖 Borrowing Items

Browsing Available Items

1. Go to the Circles tab

2. Scroll through the "Borrowables" section

3. Use the search bar to find specific items, homes, or circles

4. Tap on any item to see details

Requesting to Borrow

1. Tap on an item you want to borrow

2. Review the item details, owner, and availability

3. Tap "Request to Borrow"

4. Fill in:

  - Expected Return Date - When you plan to return it

  - Pickup Location (optional) - Where you'll pick it up

  - Notes (optional) - Any special requests or questions

5. Tap "Send Request"

The owner will receive a notification and can approve or deny your request.

Managing Your Borrowed Items

View Active Borrows:

- Go to Dashboard → Borrowed section

- See all items you currently have borrowed

- View return dates and lender information

Returning an Item:

1. Go to Dashboard → Borrowed

2. Find the item you want to return

3. Tap on it to view details

4. Tap "Mark as Returned"

5. Coordinate return with the lender

6. The lender will confirm the return

Requesting an Extension:

1. Open the borrowed item from your Dashboard

2. Tap "Request Extension"

3. Enter new return date and reason

4. Wait for lender approval

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📤 Lending Items

Managing Borrowing Requests

When Someone Requests Your Item:

1. You'll receive a notification

2. Go to Dashboard or Notifications tab

3. Review the request details:

  - Who wants to borrow

  - Expected return date

  - Pickup location and notes

4. Tap "Approve" or "Deny"

  - If denying, you can optionally include a reason

Tracking Lent Items:

- Go to Dashboard → Lent section

- See all items you've lent out

- View who has them and when they're due back

Confirming Returns:

1. When a borrower marks an item as returned

2. You'll receive a notification

3. Confirm the return in the item details

4. The item status will update to "Available"

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🔔 Notifications

Borrio sends notifications for important activities:

- Friend Circle invitations

- Home invitations

- Borrowing requests (when someone wants your item)

- Request approvals/denials

- Return reminders

- Return confirmations

- Extension requests

Managing Notifications:

- View all notifications in the Notifications tab

- Mark notifications as read

- Configure notification settings in your device settings

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🎯 Dashboard Overview

The Dashboard shows you everything at a glance:

- Stats - Total items, active borrows, items lent out

- Borrowed Items - What you currently have borrowed

- Lent Items - What you've lent to others

- Recent Activity - New items added to your circles

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❓ Frequently Asked Questions

General

Q: Is Borrio free?

A: Yes! Borrio is completely free to use.

Q: Who can see my items?

A: Only homes in your Friend Circles can see and request your items. Your items are not publicly visible.

Q: Can I edit or delete an item?

A: Yes! Open the item details and tap "Edit" to make changes. You can delete items, but if an item is currently borrowed, you may need to wait until it's returned.

 Borrowing & Lending

Q: How long can I borrow an item?

A: The return date is set when you request the item. You can request an extension if you need to keep it longer.

Q: What if someone doesn't return my item? 

A: The item will be marked as overdue, eventually we will include a rating system that will allow you to rate borrowers. 

Q: Can I cancel a borrowing request? 

A: If your request is still pending, you may be able to cancel it. Check the item details for cancellation options.

Technical

Q: The app is slow or not loading. What should I do?

A:

1. Check your internet connection

2. Try refreshing the app (pull down to refresh)

3. Close and reopen the app

4. Make sure you have the latest version

Q: I'm not receiving notifications. Why? 

A:

1. Check your notification settings in the app

2. Make sure notifications are enabled on your device

3. Check your email spam folder for email notifications

4. Verify your email address is correct

Q: I forgot my password. How do I reset it?

A: Use the "Forgot Password" option on the login screen. You'll receive an email with instructions to reset your password.

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✅ Best Practices

Being a Good Borrower

✅ Request items you'll actually use 

✅ Return items on time 

✅ Return items in good condition 

✅ Communicate if you need an extension 

✅ Be respectful and reliable 

Being a Good Lender

✅ Respond to requests promptly 

✅ Be clear about return dates 

✅ Trust your circle members 

✅ Be flexible when needed 

✅ Add clear descriptions and photos to items 

Building Your Community

✅ Add items you're willing to share 

✅ Create specific Friend Circles for different groups 

✅ Invite people you trust 

✅ Stay active and engaged 

✅ Communicate clearly 

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🐛 Troubleshooting

I can't see items in a Friend Circle

- Make sure you've accepted the Friend Circle invitation

- Verify the circle has active homes with items

- Try refreshing the app

- Check that you're viewing the correct circle

My borrowing request isn't showing up

- Check your Notifications tab for updates

- Refresh the Dashboard

- Verify you're in the same Friend Circle as the item owner

- The owner may have already responded - check for notifications

I can't add an item

- Make sure you're part of a Home

- Verify all required fields are filled

- Check your internet connection

- Try refreshing the app

I want to delete my account

Contact support through the app's feedback feature or email. We'll help you delete your account and handle any active borrows.

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📞 Need More Help?

If you can't find the answer you're looking for:

- In-App Support - Use the feedback feature in the app

- Email Support - Contact us at support@borrio.com

- Check Documentation - Visit our full documentation for detailed guides

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🎉 Tips for Success

- Add photos to your items - they're much more appealing 

- Write clear descriptions - help others know what they're getting 

- Respond promptly to borrowing requests 

- Return items on time - build trust in your community 

- Create specific circles - organize by interest or location 

- Stay active - the more you share, the more you can borrow! 

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*Happy sharing! We're here to help make community sharing simple and enjoyable.*