With Direct Connects, Availability is automatically updated to the OTA’s whenever a unit is blocked or booked from the Calendar or the Booking Engine. However, if any changes are made to Minimum Night requirements using the Reservation Rules, then Availability must be pushed.
Rates are not automatically updated. Any time rates change or new Seasonal Rates are added/updated, then Rates must be pushed.
NOTE: If any date on the OTA side has Rate info but not Availability (or vice versa), then that date will not be bookable. Therefore, any time Rates are pushed, Availability should also be pushed with the exact same dates.
NOTE: Default Availability should only be selected during first time setup or when rooms are added or removed and also after the initial default availability expired (A banner notification will be shown in the PMS at the top of the screen)
How to push Default Availability:
Steps:
- Go to Setup>>OTA Tab>>Booking.com/Expedia Settings
- Select the Default Availability bullet, enter the Start Date and End Date, and press Send Availability. NOTE: Always select a date range that is at least several months long. One year is recommended. Any push that is shorter WILL result in overbookings.
How to push Rates
Steps:
- Go to Setup>>OTA Tab>>Booking.com/Expedia Settings
- Select the Rate bullet, enter the Start Date and End Date, and press Send Rate. NOTE: Always select a date range that is at least several months long. One year is recommended. Any push that is shorter WILL result in overbookings.
- Similarly steps followed for Actual Availability as well.
GDS Log
The GDS Log is accessed by clicking on the GDS icon in the Easy Innkeeping icon bar. A small red number will indicate new updates to the log since the last time it was viewed:
The GDS Log tracks activity from the OTA’s and will show:
- New Reservation Downloads
- Reservation modifications
- Reservation Cancellations
The information shown in the GDS Log, from left to right is:
- The OTA Reservation ID number
- The Easy Innkeeping Reservation ID number
- Guest First and Last Name
- Arrival/Departure dates
- Room Type Booked
- Unit Total price (Pre-Tax Total)
- Source of the booking (Expedia, Booking.com, etc.)
- Booked On date
- Type of request (Booking, Cancellation, Modification)
Currently we are working on other forms of notification of changes to the GDS Log