General Help and Questions

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Question about Property Field Differences when integrated with Airbnb 15 replies

Lydia B
Jan 18, 2020 12:07 AM
Joined May, 2019 159 posts

Valerie - interesting question. You're right, the API fields table does not specifically define what feeds the House Manual (which is part of Guest Resources). And I can't find anything in AirBnB that's called "Guest Access". And definitely want to make sure whatever info you enter is only shown to booked guests. (Also - I know where the "Interactions with Guests" is in OR, but where is "Guest Interaction" in AirBnB?) Hahaaaa! Let me know if you figure this out.

Question about Property Field Differences when integrated with Airbnb 15 replies

BlueMtnCabins
Jan 17, 2020 10:40 PM
Joined Jun, 2016 1172 posts

Do you already have Airbnb listing ? if so, you will hardly need any of that because most likely you already have all that defined on Airbnb.

Entering banking info on VRBO for payment? 6 replies

BlueMtnCabins
Jan 17, 2020 10:26 PM
Joined Jun, 2016 1172 posts

Lydia B said:

Just be careful about completing the part in VRBO that allows them to debit your account. You should always think long and hard about giving anyone that right. It may mean you have to wait until after the guest checks in for funds to be released, so you'll need to decide which matters more to you.

You cannot get around allowing to debit account. How else you do refunds? Such as, comp for some malfunction. I do not think they will allow to sign up without debit authorization. Also ion case of charge back they initially debit the account until charge back is resolved. That is standard practice, stripe does the same

Entering banking info on VRBO for payment? 6 replies

Lydia B
Jan 17, 2020 9:30 PM
Joined May, 2019 159 posts

Just be careful about completing the part in VRBO that allows them to debit your account. You should always think long and hard about giving anyone that right. It may mean you have to wait until after the guest checks in for funds to be released, so you'll need to decide which matters more to you.

Need help with widgets 3 replies

BlueMtnCabins
Jan 17, 2020 9:02 PM
Joined Jun, 2016 1172 posts

I probably do not on mobile. desktop version has it on Availability Search page.

Using the hosted website as a guidebook? 6 replies

BlueMtnCabins
Jan 17, 2020 9:01 PM
Joined Jun, 2016 1172 posts

If you mean guide to local attractions etc you actually WANT public to see it as it increases traffic to your site and helps with SEO. If it is something that only booked guests can see, I suppose you can as OR support if you can have a password-protected page on your website maybe.
You can look at my website and see I have blog, vacation guide and Top-10 page... none of them are secret and actually help seo quite a bit. bluemountaincabins.com

Using the hosted website as a guidebook? 6 replies

Doug D
Jan 17, 2020 4:26 PM
Joined Jan, 2020 16 posts

Many of us use an online guidebook through another company, but is it possible to use our own hosted website as a guidebook?
Can we just add a page that people can't see unless given the specific link for it, thereby basically hosting our own online guidebook that the general public can't see unless given access.

Need help with widgets 3 replies

TheGrandHacienda
Jan 17, 2020 3:15 PM
Joined Apr, 2018 17 posts

Thank you! Nice site! I don’t see that your site is using the ribbon or the widget to enter a date and show all available properties? I only see the booking widget where you pick a single property. The widgets I’m talking about are the ribbon and the booking/inquiry that gives a list of available properties.

Discount codes 8 replies

BlueMtnCabins
Jan 17, 2020 2:48 PM
Joined Jun, 2016 1172 posts

Joe S said:

One more question, if I create an AirBNB discount code, is there a place an area during checkout on AirBNB that a guest can enter it?

Discount codes on Airbnb , IMO, make 0 sense. So you discount a stay by $50 (for example) only to have Airbnb add on higher "service fee" thus negating your discount. If people want discounts they should book direct without add on service fee- that is a nice discount in itself.

Need help with widgets 3 replies

BlueMtnCabins
Jan 17, 2020 2:46 PM
Joined Jun, 2016 1172 posts

I do not seem to have any of those issues, that may be your website builder/provider. You can look at my site bluemountaincabins.com

Entering banking info on VRBO for payment? 6 replies

BlueMtnCabins
Jan 17, 2020 2:37 PM
Joined Jun, 2016 1172 posts

are you Ownerrez integrated with vrbo? if not, you do NEED to enter banking info. As someone mentioned above, they have moved from yapstone payments processing (3rd party) to in-house. if you do not provide the info, they CANNOT pay you and they will shut your listing down. When you signed up, you provided your info to yapstone (which is 3rd party processor that they no longer use and are winding down). When they switched payment processing to inhouse, by law they need to ask for your bank info explicitly - they cannot just take it from yapstone. This was a big hoopla last year, about August I think? when the move started.

API with Vrbo - an issue of calendars being blocked? 3 replies

BlueMtnCabins
Jan 17, 2020 2:22 PM
Joined Jun, 2016 1172 posts

This was posted on HA forum. Looks like issue on Vrbo side though.
https://community.homeaway.com/thread/60546

Why aren't PriceLabs rates showing in my API (integrated) VRBO calendar? 3 replies

Valerie R
Jan 17, 2020 1:15 PM
Joined Sep, 2019 122 posts

Hello,

Re: RogersVRs (personal) account

I am taking advantage of PriceLabs's 30 day free trial so have connected PriceLab to my OR account. My OR account is integrated with VRBO and Homeaway.

I still see my regular "seasonal" rates on the VRBO calendar, but the PriceLab suggested rates are being calculated on quotes. That can lead to confusion & unhappiness from guests, who expect to pay the rate they see on the calendar but might end up with a more expensive quote if the PriceLab rates are higher than my seasonal rates.

Is this happening because the PriceLab rates are "Spot Rates" but VRBO calendar shows seasonal rates? Is there a way to change this?

Question about Property Field Differences when integrated with Airbnb 15 replies

Valerie R
Jan 17, 2020 11:30 AM
Joined Sep, 2019 122 posts

Re: instructions on this document:

https://www.ownerrez.com/support/articles/channel-management-api-integrations-property-field-differences

I'm wondering how to make sure my Airbnb guests can see the "House Manual" (or now called "Guest Resources" in Airbnb) information?

Looking at the "Property Field Differences", is it the "Guest Access" field in OR that populates to the House Manual or Guest Resources manual in Airbnb? This would be where I would have entered the Wifi instructions and house manual if I was going to do it through Airbnb (but of course I can't because I'm using the API so it is greyed out on Airbnb.)

OwnerRez is a thing of joy ;-) 10 replies

Tim M
Jan 17, 2020 7:56 AM
Joined Dec, 2019 8 posts

cool. what it hard for you to figure out? how long have you been on OR. are you tech savvy?

Need help with widgets 3 replies

TheGrandHacienda
Jan 17, 2020 2:17 AM
Joined Apr, 2018 17 posts

Hi - I'm struggling with the availability and booking widgets.
- on the booking widget, is it possible to make the font headings on the results page smaller (they are way too big) and customize the wording - to change "details" to "Book Now"?
- is it possible to delete all the descriptions on the availability results, just show the picture and title?
- the ribbon is so squashed on phones - what can be done to improve? Smaller font? Resize for mobile? The majority of users come through mobile, and the ribbon does not work on mobile.
Thank you for any help!
Carolyn

Balance Forward Through Statements 1 reply

Marcos B
Jan 16, 2020 10:34 PM
Joined Oct, 2019 25 posts

Hi Guys, there are any way to move previous balance forward through statements?

Discount codes 8 replies

Ken T
Jan 16, 2020 11:47 AM
OR Team Member Joined Aug, 2019 1704 posts

It is not possible to use the OwnerRez discount codes through Airbnb, they are two separate systems, and Airbnb doesn't provide a means to integrate them.

OwnerRez is a thing of joy ;-) 10 replies

Rich S
Jan 16, 2020 8:57 AM
Joined Dec, 2018 302 posts

Lydia B said:

Rich, have you tried making a custom field requesting the guest's direct email? Make it a required field that they have to complete as part of the booking/agreement signing process.

Lydia - I just checked this morning and OwnerRez already has my Airbnb guest's personal email. Weird, I imagine that they are able to pull it using the API and assign it where it needs to be. That's another thing of joy ;-)

I am lookin for a mentor that can help me navigate this software 0 replies

Tim M
Jan 16, 2020 7:29 AM
Joined Dec, 2019 8 posts

My name is Tim and I am a property manager in New York City. I am not a tech person at all. i manage only 5 units. learning ownerrez software has been a challenge, but i am picking it up. There is still so much i do not know. I had my friend's son who is majoring in computer science at Cornell help me set it up . But he is going back to school in 3 days and he will no longer be available. I will be officially on my own and I am kinda nervous. I am looking for a mentor that can help me figure this out. such as:
responding to a booking request.
altering the booking request so It turns into an inquiry.
refund,

I know i will pick it up. but my learning process is more being shown what to do over the phone as apposed to reading an article.
I hope there is a kind PM that would be willing to assist.. I will give them a free weekend in New York :)

OwnerRez is a thing of joy ;-) 10 replies

Lydia B
Jan 15, 2020 11:23 PM
Joined May, 2019 159 posts

If you make Custom Fields to be completed by the guest as part of the rental agreement process, their entries in those fields will show up in their individual booking under Custom Fields. BUT - I do not think your asking for an email as a Custom Field will transfer to the Guest's record. You may have to cut and paste. Maybe the folks at OR can clear this up for us.

OwnerRez is a thing of joy ;-) 10 replies

Rich S
Jan 15, 2020 9:44 PM
Joined Dec, 2018 302 posts

Lydia B said:

Rich, have you tried making a custom field requesting the guest's direct email? Make it a required field that they have to complete as part of the booking/agreement signing process.

I haven't tried that, but that sounds like a logical thing to do. Make everyone provide it, even though I have it already from vrbo guests, but sometimes folks provide different email addresses anyway so can't hurt.

Are you doing this? How do the email addresses get incorporated back to the guest, do I have to do that manually.

Discount codes 8 replies

Sarah H
Jan 15, 2020 8:50 PM
Joined Jul, 2019 109 posts

One more question, if I create an AirBNB discount code, is there a place an area during checkout on AirBNB that a guest can enter it?

OwnerRez is a thing of joy ;-) 10 replies

Lydia B
Jan 15, 2020 7:23 PM
Joined May, 2019 159 posts

Rich, have you tried making a custom field requesting the guest's direct email? Make it a required field that they have to complete as part of the booking/agreement signing process.

OwnerRez is a thing of joy ;-) 10 replies

Rich S
Jan 15, 2020 6:49 PM
Joined Dec, 2018 302 posts

Valerie R said:

Hi Rich,

I agree! Every day I am learning more how to customize OR to make handling our 6 STRs (10 configurations, each with its own VRBO/Airbnb listing = 20 listings) more streamlined.

I'd like to ask about your reminder to guests to sign the rental agreement. Do you handle that reminder the same for Airbnb bookings as for others?

I'm asking because I use a version OR's "Booking Clean-Up Form" for Airbnb bookings, which makes them provide their personal email address. I use a different message to ask guests who booked elsewhere to sign the rental agreement.

Which message do you use for Airbnb bookings if you have any?

I just started using Airbnb and haven't worried about having the guest's actual email, but you're right I should be getting it.

I didn't change anything with regard to my email templates and triggers for the rental agreement. I think it worked same as with VRBO, nothing needed to change. Now for taxes I had to do things differently because with airbnb I configure all of the taxes myself and with vrbo they collect some taxes (state/county) themselves.

Can you tell me more about how you get the guest's actual email? I figured I'd need to send yet another email template so that I could use the trigger to only send it to airbnb guests, not others.

I don't think that a custom field can be configured to be blank if being pulled on a vrbo guest but otherwise have a request to send email, but in any case I figured that I'd just keep using the airbnb proxy email until someone tells me a good way to get the guest email ;-)

OwnerRez is a thing of joy ;-) 10 replies

Valerie R
Jan 15, 2020 1:43 PM
Joined Sep, 2019 122 posts

Hi Rich,

I agree! Every day I am learning more how to customize OR to make handling our 6 STRs (10 configurations, each with its own VRBO/Airbnb listing = 20 listings) more streamlined.

I'd like to ask about your reminder to guests to sign the rental agreement. Do you handle that reminder the same for Airbnb bookings as for others?

I'm asking because I use a version OR's "Booking Clean-Up Form" for Airbnb bookings, which makes them provide their personal email address. I use a different message to ask guests who booked elsewhere to sign the rental agreement.

Which message do you use for Airbnb bookings if you have any?

OwnerRez is a thing of joy ;-) 10 replies

Lydia B
Jan 15, 2020 11:11 AM
Joined May, 2019 159 posts

AMEN!

OwnerRez is a thing of joy ;-) 10 replies

Rich S
Jan 15, 2020 9:36 AM
Joined Dec, 2018 302 posts

I have to say this - I'm in the middle of the busy ski season with three units, on Airbnb and VRBO, and everything is running smoothly, in large part because of OR. Everyday there are 5-10 email templates going out, and the reminders I've created using triggers are working to get people to sign the rental agreement. I'm confident that my cleaner knows what to do, and that I'm getting fully paid (and signed rental agreement) before I provide anyone with key codes. It's so nice to have automation doing its thing to make my life easier ! Thanks to the OR team for making this great product !

Invoice Factoring 0 replies

Exclusive Retrea
Jan 14, 2020 2:52 PM
Joined Oct, 2019 1 post

Does anyone know of a company that provides invoice factoring financing for vacation rentals?

Question about the "Listing Site Conversion" report 5 replies

Valerie R
Jan 14, 2020 1:44 PM
Joined Sep, 2019 122 posts

Thank you. I've entered URLs into these custom sources and have run the Listing Site Performance report again, but nothing has changed. I still see the [direct] (14 bookings) on the report. I'd like to know which bookings these are so that I can correct the source.

https://snipboard.io/WKr0BU.jpg