The most fundamental part of channel management is knowing which listings are between a channel (e.g., Vrbo, Airbnb) and OwnerRez. Whether you're manually importing reviews, forwarding inquiries, or running Channel Bridge, OwnerRez has to know your listing numbers and the corresponding property for each in OwnerRez.
Why this matters
Here is a visual illustration of the problem. The picture below shows the same properties on OwnerRez and Vrbo.
On the left side, the OwnerRez properties show a clean name, ID, and code. On the right side, Vrbo shows the listings with similar names (or possibly marketing headlines) and listing numbers that are entirely different. In real life, these are the same physical properties.
As property owners or managers, you can readily identify which properties go together, but OwnerRez cannot. Even if you name them identically in both OwnerRez and the channel, it won't match them because sometimes the listing number, not the property name, is used when syncing data.
The screenshot shows a Vrbo listing next to the same property in OwnerRez. The names match, but the listing/property number does not.
Channel data always includes the listing number (e.g., 194109) but not the listing name (e.g., "Tiny Terrace"), so OwnerRez must determine which property 194109 is.
To address this issue, we created an "Identifier Mappings" page where you can specify which listing number corresponds to which OwnerRez property.
Setting the mappings
Go to Settings > Channel Management > Identifier Mapping in OwnerRez. You'll see a large list of channels, including the ones you're currently connected to.
Find the channel you want to map and click the "Map" button. A page will load, showing your list of OwnerRez properties along with a column displaying the corresponding listing number for each channel. If this is your first time in this area, no channel listing numbers will be visible.
Click the "Change Mappings" button at the top and enter your listing number in the corresponding field.
This is a straightforward page. Enter each property's channel listing number and click Save. Nothing else needs configuration. Once you've entered your listing numbers, you're all set. Leave empty if no listing exists for a property.
Common problems and questions
There are a couple of common problems that users often encounter when setting up Identifier Mappings.
If it's something other than what we have below, contact us.
Multiple listings for the same property on the same channel
For various reasons, some users have multiple listings on the same channel for the same single property. If you have multiple listing numbers, enter them all together, separating each with a comma.Different brand names for the same channel
Some large international channels own multiple brand names under one roof, like Vrbo, which runs Vrbo.com, VacationRentals.com, and other regional sites. We offer options for each variation so you can enter the correct listing number for each brand. Always use the correct listing number.Listing numbers versus unit numbers
Some channels support 'units' within a listing, but OwnerRez does not. Each property in OwnerRez is a separate bookable entity. If your house has 3 virtual units, each should be a separate property with its own listing. The listing number is the only thing you can enter in the Identifier Mapping area.
Property Mapping Warnings
When mapping properties to a channel integration, OwnerRez displays key warnings or errors that may prevent you from connecting those properties. The Property Mapping Warnings and Layout includes hyperlinked text for each warning or error, allowing users to click and resolve them.Users can check for Property Mapping Warnings by navigating to Settings > Channel Management > Channel Integrations > their specific Listing Channel > Change Property Mappings.