General Help and Questions

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How will Airbnb's new policy of masking guest details effect our collection of guest data through OR? Will data through Channel Bridge be impacted?

The photos are stored correctly, but we have not yet gone everywhere throughout the app and sites and updated to use the new resizes vs old crops versions of the images.

I'm not catching entirely what you're saying. What do you mean by "some areas" and "other locations?"

Once you get everything signed, the integration tends to go pretty quickly.

This seems to be a known issue in LastPass that they haven't fixed for a very long time: https://forums.lastpass.com/viewtopic.php?t=290695 -- as a LP user myself that's pretty frustrating.

The only workaround I'm aware of is to bookmark the site in the browser instead of using the app. The experience is the same either way, the app just gives you a handy shortcut and a bit more screen real estate than in browser.

The photos are stored correctly, but some areas are still using the old crops instead of the new resizes. Will keep you posted when we update the other locations to show the resize versions.

The questions will display for every agreement right now -- there's not a way to do separate custom fields for different agreements.

We found a bit of overzealous safety checks on the triggers to keep triggers from going out on cancelled bookings -- that was also keeping the cancellation events from sending.

Hotfix is released -- have a go at it again!

I just did this myself and I was having the same problem before I realized the window was too small to show the results. Maybe try making the window bigger so when you search there is room for the units to appear.

Marcy

How long have you been waiting since the PO order went in for the rep to call you. He indicated to me that once the PO went into the queue he had 2 days to complete it. I am just trying to time this with my busy schedule.

Marcy

Is kind of an annoying thing that happens with some apps. With the OR android app, it seems to fill the userid field okay, but the password doesn't fill automatically so I need to go into lastpass and find the password and copy/paste it. And oddly enough sometimes that even fails.

The end result is that I often go for days or weeks without being able to use the OR app on my phone, and I just use VRBO instead.

Just wondering if anyone has figured out a way to make lastpass work reliably...

Hi - I'm trying to set up the avail/property widget so properties display on a separate page. I've added the widget code to the results page. However, the results don't show up - only the calendar entry fields. I must be missing something?

What is the status on the upgrade for the photos?

Vertical photos are still being converted to horizontal when uploaded, and thus cropped top and bottom and resized to being too small, and photos that are too large are still not being resized.

If I want to have the pet approval form completed (a list of questions with fill in the blank answers) after booking rather than during checkout, what's the most seamless way to do that?

Yep, big week for them, heh.

Answers:

1) No, no cost differences on the OR side -- the API integration is part of the channel management package. And there's no differences on the HA side either -- you'll pay the same subscription or PPB fee.

2) You can actually add the channel now (and you need to before starting the integration process with them). This is in Settings > Channel Connections -- click "Connect a Channel" and then under the API Integrated section connect new HomeAway type channel.

The IPM team at HomeAway will work through the process with you, reviewing your listing and doing any merging of listings etc that needs to be done and they'll get you live. We will be available if there are any questions, but most of the work is on the HomeAway side.

Excellent overview. I'm in the queue for IPM team at HA/VRBO, but as you probably know, they've had a rough week so I'm not sure when I'll hear from them.

I do have 2 lingering questions.

1. Are there any cost/fee differences I need to be aware of on the OR side?

2. Once the HA/VRBO IPM team has set up the integration on their end, what is my next step with OR? Will I need to contact someone at OR to complete the integration or does that happen on the back end, direct between HA/VRBO IPM and OR and nothing needed by me?

It was a recently cancelled booking, the guests name was Jimtest and the property was 3501.

I tried twice actually three times I think and can't get it to trigger

I tried various combinations of leaving the check boxes to send third party alerts picked

Yep, it looks like VRBO have changed their format slightly on the second payment + RDD. We just released a hotfix that should solve this issue.

Run that channel bridge import for that booking again and let me know how things look.

Yes, you can add custom fields that will be entered during quote or signature process: https://www.ownerrez.com/support/articles/capture-additional-fields-on-checkout-quote-acceptance. However, right now those fields are going to always show -- there's no way to show them whether there is a pet or not, so if you want to make them required you'd put (or N/A if no pet) in the description.

For channel bookings, you can create a trigger that'll go out with the renter agreement signature link in it: https://www.ownerrez.com/support/articles/airbnb-request-for-contact-info-real-email-address-and-signed-renter-agreement -- that one shows Airbnb, but HomeAway and VRBO are similar. However for HA/VRBO, you'll have to run the channel bridge to populate the email address and send the create trigger -- unless you're on API mode, where it will happen automatically.

In terms of a second contract, you'd need to send that manually -- there's no way to do logic like "send this one if there are pets". Or what we see a lot of folks do is combine the agreements together and write in the agreement "pet addendum only applies for pets"

The article is in draft right now, but here's the basic info on the API vs platform modes and what changes...

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Right now you're on what's called the HomeAway/VRBO "platform" mode, where HomeAway payments is the merchant of record and collects the payments on your behalf. HomeAway also offers API integrated/Integrated Property Manager (IPM) mode for accounts with at least 5 properties. With API integrated mode, you're the merchant of record and all payments will be processed through the credit card processor you have connected to OwnerRez. It's a little less publicized because of that 5 property restriction, and you have to go through the IPM team to get your account set up that way. If you don't have a credit card processor yet (or are on PayPal which doesn't support processing cards directly), we recommend Lynnbrook Group.

You also get a bunch of automation with the API mode as well as being the payment processor/merchant of record. Once the API connection is in place and running live, OwnerRez will drive all updates to your HomeAway account. Any changes made in OwnerRez - for property content photos, amenities, rates, rules - will always overwrite whatever is in HomeAway. And when you login to HomeAway, their system won't let you make updates there. They will direct you to use OwnerRez instead. Bookings from HomeAway/VRBO websites will automatically be pushed to OwnerRez for processing.

If you don't have property content (photos, amenities) in OwnerRez yet, you would need to do that first. You can use our Import From HomeAway or Import from Airbnb pages to suck in a bunch of content from your live listings. Look for those tools on Tools > Import/Export page. Or use the links on the Properties menu.

We also have a Tools > Listing Quality Analyzer that will show you all the problems/holes with your listings and the recommended course of action.

Don't be worried about overriding blank or empty content - that won't happen. During the process of connecting the API, a HomeAway integration specialist will be assigned to you, and you will not be able to move forward until they verify everything.

FYI, There are two limitations that we're aware of on the API vs. platform: bookings must all be instant book via credit card (no invoice or 24 hour review), and because it's instant book there's no way to customize a quote. Instead you would alter the booking charges and payments after it comes in if you need to adjust amounts. With the API integration you have full control over charges and payments for HomeAway bookings just like you do on direct bookings in OwnerRez.

HomeAway is able to take your existing listings and convert them to API mode while retaining the listing numbers, reviews, etc. The ranking will be the same for API integrated as the platform side.

What booking is it that you are running against?

Currently there isn't a trigger for reactivation.

I'm using a trigger for when a booking is canceled/deleted but it's not wanting to fire.

I have a similar trigger for dates changed and I found I needed to check the box to allow it to be sent multiple times, but of course I can't cancel a booking multiple times so I'm thinking that isn't the issue.

Otherwise my trigger seems enabled and has an email associated with it... any ideas ? My triggers all have the term 'Podio Alert' in them so they are easy to see

(updated) also wondering if there is a trigger available for when a booking is reactivated.

Thank you for the feedback and suggesting those points to think about.

I've already been migrated to HomeAway's new in-house processor (Hyperwallet) rather than Yapstone, and I'm seeing a standard, flat 3% fee. I did not accept Yaps offer to get early payments with a 6% fee on their payment platform.

I will look at Lynnbrook for direct bookings to see what rate I can get there.

I already collect and remit all taxes so this won't be a change for me.

Is there a help article I could read to see more about how this would work on the integration/API side? Right now I use channel bridge and ical sync. My understanding is that if I go to PM status at HA, I will be able to use an API connection to integrate listings and process my own payments directly. Still looking for more details on that migration process.

Hi, Chris -- and anyone who has successfully done this.

I'm working on automation for my pet approval/contract... which for me is a 2 part process.

1. I require a completed pet questionaire for pet approval.

2. Once that is complete I require a separate pet contract.

Is the best way to do this to add additional fields to my booking page for the pet questionnaire? I have not tried that in the past. How would that work for HA/VRBO/ABB bookings?

And once I receive that info, I would trigger a separate contract? How would that trigger work? When I look at the regular email triggers, I don't see my legal documents as options. I do know that I can go to 'legal' under each reservation and send them manually.

TIA

Unfortunately we don't have any special influence or contacts with BDC. You'll just have to keep bugging them until they get it done.

A couple points to consider as you make this decision:
- We've heard from some users that, when they converted to the new payment system and returned to "on time" (early) payments, their fees increased. So if you have your own card processor and use them instead, your net card fees may go down, saving you money. This is less true for Stripe, but processors like Lynnbrook are often considerably less expensive. We recommend doing some research and the math.
- If you use your own card processor, you'll also have to both collect and remit all applicable taxes. In many cases, HA/VRBO does this for you if you are using their payment system.

yes the idea is to switch to OR payments, However process is slow as molasses and it usually takes 3-4 phone calls to get anything done on BDC. I already told 3 reps that I need it switched to OR processing, and they still have not done a thing.

Yes. "Seasons" can overlap, and they have the ability to set minimum and maximum number of nights. And you can connect them to different rate schemas.

So you'd have the "Summer short" season with 3 day minimum and 13 day maximum. And a "Summer long" with 13 day minimum and 27 day maximum. And a "Summer month" season with 28 day minimum and no maximum. Each with rates accordingly.

Hope this helps!

You're using the BDC API, so OR will know when guests make payments using BDC.

Is that what you want thought? You might want to talk to BDC support about switching that third property to use your OR processor like the other 2.

Disregard. I figured it out.