Difference between revisions of "Category:Channel Manager"

This page is about the menu SETTINGS->CHANNEL MANAGER

The Channel Manager allows individual properties or agencies managing multiple properties to keep inventory up-to-date in real time at our channel partners, allowing hosts to use and get the most out of multiple on-line booking channels without the hassle of constantly signing-in and updating all of them individually each time a booking is made (or cancelled) via one of them.

Two-Way XML connections with Booking.com, Expedia, Agoda, Hostelworld and many more leading OTA`s export prices and inventory and import bookings instantly.

A basic example for how it works:

Lets say your are a B&B and you have 2 double rooms. The inventory in the system is set to 2. This inventory gets exported to the booking channels and your web site. Both your website and the booking channels can sell 2 rooms. If you get a booking on your web site the system automatically reduces the inventory to 1 room. It sends the new inventory information to the booking channels so so only one more room can be sold.

It works the same the other way around. If you get another booking through a booking channel this information gets sent to the system. The inventory gets reduced to 0 rooms. Now your rooms are fully booked and both your webdsite and the booking channels will show no availability.

The Ical sync updates all calendars which support the widely used Ical format including Google calendar, outlook and many rental portals.

The capabilities of the connection depend on the channel.

1 Set up

To use the channel manger you need accounts with the booking channels you want to use and connect them to the channel manager account.

Before you connect channels:

• Set up your rooms. If you are selling rooms in different constellations on booking channels you might need virtual rooms.
• Set up prices.

To set channel management up go to SETTINGS-> CHANNEL MANAGER. After you have selected the channel you want to set up click on HELP (top right menu) to open the set up instructions.

You can enter the required information for each site and turn on synchronisation on a room by room basis. Each site has slightly different requirements and each has a help document explaining exactly what and where to get the information you need. Please read our User Agreement and in particular the liability section.

Before your activate a connection make sure your rates and inventory are set up correctly. The channel manger can only import bookings from the time the connection was activated. If you have previous or other bookings outside the Beds24 system you have these options:

• For some channels we import upcoming bookings. If this is possible you will find information about this in the set up instructions.
• To block booked dates go to the CALENDAR in your control panel and change the inventory for the dates you have bookings for.
• If you need the booking details in Beds24 will need to enter the bookings manually. If you are comfortable working with .csv files you can import data into Beds24 using our API (https://www.beds24.com/api/).

Once you activate the channel manger Beds24.com will maintain the live master version of your availability and export this to all the sites, updating them as new bookings are taken.

2 FAQ

2.1 How do I modify or cancel a booking?

Bookings coming from a channel should be modified by the channel. Cancelling a booking in Beds24 will not cancel the booking in the channel and can cause a double booking.

If for some reason you need to make a change in Beds24 and do not want the channel to override it, you can set "Allow Channel Modifications" = No ("Details" tab of the booking").

2.2 How do I add a promotion or special price?

Special offers do not send from the channel manager. All special offers must be managed manually in the channels extranet.

2.3 Can I send different prices for different minimum stays or different numbers of guests?

The capabilities depend on the channel. Please see the help page for the channels you are using for details.

2.4 I have multiple properties. How do I set this up?

The system can handle multiple properties in one account. How you set this up depends on the channel. Please see the instructions for the channels you want to us.

2.5 What to do when I receive an overbooking?

• Check if you are receiving error messages by email or in the potential issues menu. Error messages need to be addressed immediately because they can mean the channel manger is able to make updates.
• Entering the same room code in multiple rooms in Beds24 can cause overbookings. Check your set up for warnings.

If you can not see a problem in your set up send us a support ticket with the booking numbers and dates.

2.6 Why did a booking not import?

• Check if the room for which you received the booking is properly mapped.

If you can not see a problem in your set up send us a support ticket with the booking number and the date the booking was made.

2.7 Why is the price for the booking wrong?

• A special offer set up in the channel may have reduced the price the channel manager sent.
• You have linked rates in the channel.
• Your prices are not set up as you expect.
• The channel manger can not export rices to all channels. If you have set up minimum prices in SETTINGS->PROPERTIES->ROOMS->SETUP the system will use these minimum prices.

2.8 Can I send different availability to channels?

You can set up virtual rooms if you want to send custom availability to one or more channels. For example you may not want to sell via a particular channel at certain times of the year.

2.9 What do I do when I have a no show?

To report a no show to Booking.com open the booking and click the button in the "Details" tab. For other channels you will need to contact the channel if required.