Refund Vouchers
This page explains how to set up Deposit/Refund Vouchers
If you would like to provide a 'Voucher' for deposit/payments made for cancelled bookings see the details below.
Contents
1 Option 1 - Keep the original booking, remove existing charges and keep payments
1.1 How it works
You have bookings that have been cancelled, you are not refunding the payments however would like to honor the payments collected for a future date.
This option will utilise the Group function in Beds24 to link the cancelled booking with the payment details to a new booking.
The original booking id/reservation number will be used as the Guest Voucher code.
1.2 Set up Booking page
In order that you can link the original booking and new booking then you need to add a booking question to collect the original booking id when the guest makes their booking.
1. Go to SETTINGS -> PROPERTIES-> BOOKING QUESTIONS >
Create a Custom Booking Question:
- Question = "Please provide Original Booking id" (for example)
- Type = Single Line Field
- Usage = Optional
1.3 Manage Bookings
2. Original Booking Status = Cancelled (you can manually cancel the booking or it has been cancelled by a Channel)
Open the Booking,
- Go to "Charges & Payments" tab and delete the Charges section (usually the top row), use the red X.
This will remove the Charges but leave the payment details and Payments leave as is.
3. New bookings
When a guest creates a new booking, you should see the original booking id entered in the Custom Question.
- Copy and paste the Original Booking Number,
- Go to the Invoice Tab of the New booking,
- Enter the Original Booking Number into the box ‘Add Existing Booking to Group’ - this will create a ‘group booking’ and add the Original value to the "Invoice" tab of the Booking.
4. Create an Auto Action to send email confirmation to the guest.
- Go to SETTINGS -> GUEST MANAGEMENT -> AUTO ACTIONS
It is possible to use the Custom Question to trigger Auto Actions,
Trigger tab :- Booking Field Does Not Contain = Custom Question X - (leave next field blank) then this auto action will only trigger if the Custom Question field is filled.
Message tab :- Enter the text you need to send to the guest with/without a payment link if there is additional payment required.
2 Option 2 - If you want to view/keep the original charges made on the 'original booking'
2.1 How it works
You have bookings that have been cancelled, you are not refunding the payments however would like to honor the payments collected for a future date.
You would like to keep the details of the original booking charges.
The option will utilise the Group function in Beds24 to link the cancelled booking with the payment details to a new booking.
The original booking id/reservation number will be used as the Guest Voucher code.
2.2 Set up Invoicee
1. Create an Invoicee
Go to SETTINGS -> GUEST MANAGEMENT -> INVOICEES > Create New Invoicee
2. Create the Name and details - for example Invoice = COVID-19
2.3 Set up Booking Page
3. Go to SETTINGS -> PROPERTIES-> BOOKING QUESTIONS, so the guest can enter the original booking id.
Go to SETTINGS -> PROPERTIES-> BOOKING QUESTIONS >
Create a Custom Booking Question:
- Question = "Please provide Original Booking id" (for example)
- Type = Single Line Field
- Usage = Optional
2.4 Manage bookings
4. Original Booking Status = Cancelled (you can manually cancel the booking or it has been cancelled by a Channel)
Open the Booking,
- Go to "Charges & Payments" tab and for each 'charge' click ... (3 dots - far right) and select Invoicee - COVID-19, repeat for each 'charge' you will see the values at the bottom of the page.
Payments leave as is
5. New bookings
When a guest creates a new booking with details entered in the Custom Question,
- Copy and paste the Original Booking Number,
- Go to the Invoice Tab of the New booking,
- Enter the Original Booking Number into the box ‘Add Existing Booking to Group’ - this will create a ‘group booking’ and add the Original value to the "Invoice" tab of the Booking.
6. Create an Auto Action to send email confirmation to the guest.
- Go to SETTINGS -> GUEST MANAGEMENT -> AUTO ACTIONS
It is possible to use the Custom Question to trigger Auto Actions,
Trigger tab :- Booking Field Does Not Contain = Custom Question X - (leave next field blank) then this auto action will only trigger if the Custom Question field is filled.
Message tab :- Enter the text you need to send to the guest with/without a payment link if there is additional payment required.
3 Option 3 - If you want to create a Special rate for guests to rebook
3.1 How it works
You want to offer your guests the opportunity to make a booking with a special price, due to cancellation or special circumstance.
This option utilises the 'Agent' functions in Beds24.
3.2 Special prices and booking page for your guests.
You can create a special booking page which can be used to sell your property at different prices. This can be used for example if you have re-booking after cancellations.
By creating different rates with and without the agent channel activated you can show different prices depending on the URL which opens the booking page.
- Consider if you want the guests to make any payment, if so then select the appropriate Booking Type in the Daily Price/Rate/Offer.
- Consider if you want to accept 'Request or Confirmed' bookings for these bookings, again you can set the Booking Type in Offers.
- If you want to offer different discounts depending on where the guests booked originally (Booking.com/Expedia) then you can create a different Agent code for each Channel with Daily Prices/Rates with the appropriate 'Agent Code'.
3.3 Create your Special Booking Page
3.4 Setup the Agent Codes
1. Go to SETTINGS ->BOOKING ENGINE-> BOOKING PAGE-> BEHAVIOUR. Enter your "Agent Code".
Then you can add the agency code in the format &agent=AGENT_CODE_SETTING to the URL of your booking page.
Example: Your booking page is: https://www.beds24.com/booking2.php?propid=13208
Your agency code is: Agent
Your agency URL is: https://www.beds24.com/booking2.php?propid=13208&agent=COVID19
If you require to see the bookings created by this Agent in reports or use to trigger Auto Actions, then add &referer to the URL
Your agency URL is: https://www.beds24.com/booking2.php?propid=13208&agent=COVID19&referer=COVID19
3.5 Create prices
Create an Offer to use/manage the availability of these Daily Prices/Offers.
2. Go to SETTINGS-> PROPERTIES-> OFFERS and create an offer, (Depending on how you want to manage these bookings).
- Set the 'Enable' Always OR Only when available,
- Booking Type,
- Allow Cancellations.
3. Create the prices
Using daily prices:
- Go to SETTINGS-> PROPERTIES-> ROOMS-> DAILY PRICES click on "Edit",
- set the offer and activate the daily price for www.beds24.com - agents.
- Enter the Agent code(s)
If you have created multiple agent codes enter the code or codes of the agents you want to apply the price to in the field "Agent Codes".
Go to Calendar,
- Enter the prices for this Daily Price.
Using Rates:
- Go to RATES and open an existing rate you want to use or add a new rate.
- Enter the prices and conditions which apply to the agent in the tab "Summary".
- Set the Offer in the tab 'Room'.
- Go to the tab "Channels" untick "www.beds24.com" and tick www.beds24.com - agents" to apply this rate only to the agent.
- Enter the Agent code(s)
If you have created multiple agent codes enter the code or codes of the agents you want to apply the price to in the field "Agent Codes".
3.6 Manage bookings/discount link
Set up an Auto Action to send an email to your guests with the URL to your booking page and the Agent code added.
If you have setup different Codes for each of the Channels, then ensure you select the appropriate 'Booking Source'
4. Create an Auto Action to send email to the guests you are offering the Special Rate to.
- Go to SETTINGS -> GUEST MANAGEMENT -> AUTO ACTIONS
Consider the bookings that were cancelled and how to identify then so you can send the URL to those guests. Did you apply a Booking Info Code, or add NOTES?
Trigger tab :-
Booking Status = Cancelled
Booking Info Code = COVID19 (for example)
Message tab :-
Enter the text you need to send to the guest with the Special Booking Page.
Your normal Booking page URL = https://www.beds24.com/booking2.php?propid=13208 then you add the Agent code details &=COVID19
Then you have = https://www.beds24.com/booking2.php?propid=13208&COVID19
By adding &referer=COVID19 (or any text you prefer) to the end of the URL you will also be able to track any bookings that have been generated by existing guests.
So you can use this URL :- https://www.beds24.com/booking2.php?propid=13208&agent=COVID19&referer=COVID19
- If you use any software (like bitly.com) that can shorten URL links, you can mask the URL if you prefer, have a look on the internet and search for 'Shorten URL Links'
Consider other Auto Actions you want to send to the guests that use this Special Booking Page, use the Referer=COVID19 in the Trigger tab of the Auto Action.