We often get asked by clients who are using BookingSuite's website tools to assist them in getting started. We've usually already done training and the property is up and running with their BookingCenter system before they attempt to 'connect' it to BookingSuite. Thus, we have already taught the property how online bookings work and how to allocate rooms and rates to the various channels BookingCenter manages, via the Agent Allocation tools we provide. |
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Here is a brief 'primer' on making sure that BookingSuite is properly configured to your BookingCenter system.
- Once you are ready to activate your BookingSuite system, you need to know your BookingCenter Site ID and password, as BookingSuite will need this. After you have given your BookingCenter Site ID and password to your BookingSuite 'Account Manager', they can make it ready for you.
- Check the rates and Types being allocated to BookingSuite. Keep in mind that what BookingSuite uses from BookingCenter is being driven by the Agent BUT (manage it in the Setup | Relationships | Agent Relationship area) which we have set for you. These are the rooms/rates that BookingSuite will pull from BookingCenter. Make sure you have at least one Rate Plan allocated to each Room Type you wish to sell. Over-allocating more than 1 Rate for a Type will result in BookingSuitedisplaying multiple available rates for the guest to choose from. The description of the rate will come from what is set in BookingCenter in the Description Field of the Rate.
- All bookings made from BookingSuite will save into BookingCenter automatically. There is no need to do anything except watch the bookings appear. Note that the confirmation email that goes to your guest (and notifies you of an online booking) is set in BookingSuite and does not use the BookingCenter confirmation email process, so make sure you get that text to your liking.
- Deposit Policy: Note that BookingSuite will need to get a clear understanding of your deposit policy, as they require that any saved credit card transaction be set as "Capture", "Auth" or "Payment". "Auth" or "Payment" can only occur if your Site has a valid Payment gateway enabled in BookingCenter (MyCard or Authorizenet). And "Auth" or "Payment can only work if the amount to be transacted is > $.01. $0 auths are not allowed. If your Site does not have a Payment gateway turned on, or you do not require any deposit when saving a booking, BookingSuite must be set as "Capture" if the credit card info is to be saved with the booking
- If you wish to use CVV2 (card ID) within BookingSuite, then this must be setup both in BookingCenter and in BookingSuite. Please review this KnowledgeBase article for more details about this policy of of requesting CVV2: CVV2 (card ID) Use In An XML Booking
To use set up Promotions in your BookingCenter system, see BookingSuite: Setting up Promotions for use on your BookingSuite website, see BookingSuite-BookingCenter CRS Sync: Promotion Codes
To get an idea for how this works, we advise making some bookings at your BookingSuite website as a guest, and play around. Then cancel these test bookings after you have finessed the two systems to your liking.
BookingSuite works with these languages:
French
Simplified Chinese
Spanish
Portuguese
Bulgarian
Italian
German
Traditional Chinese
Japanese
Thai
Icelandic
Korean
Romanian
Dutch
Serbian
Croatian
Bosnian
Catalan
Turkish
Vietnamese
Have fun and enjoy the BookingCenter <--> BookingSuite integration!