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Import bookings, payments and refunds from Excel

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Here at OwnerRez, we've seen a lot of growth in new sign-ups over the past 6 months.  With that, many new users (and old ones too!) have brought with them booking data from other software systems.

And hey, our reporting is kick-ass so why not use the same reports to check out your old booking data?  Or maybe you have bookings from listing sites or spreadsheets you keep on the side.

Whatever it is, you can now import bookings, payments and refunds directly, using Excel.

Under the Tools menu, you'll see the new options for importing data.

From there, select the type of records you'd like to import and follow the instructions.  First, you'll download the Excel spreadsheet template to fill out.  Once the spreadsheet is the way you want it, upload it back on the same page and we'll bring it in.

We have a number of validations and checks in place to make sure you don't link to the wrong data or use bad references.

If you enter bad data or reference properties or bookings that don't exist, you'll see nice clean messages that explain what the problem is.

 

Do make sure to read the instructions on the import pages so that you understand how to include the legacy booking # from other software systems to match up your payments and refunds.

As always, if you have any questions, use our contact page to talk to us directly or post questions in the public forums.

 

9 Comments (add yours)

BlueMtnCabins
Dec 13, 2018 8:48 AM
Joined Jun, 2016 1133 posts

Ok, I give up. I cannot figure out proper options to correctly import from VRBO.
here is what I have used:
* Everything - Import everything or only service fees. Service fee only import is useful if you're on the Alternate Payments plan where you're already managing the charges and payments inside OwnerRez.

On Non Matching Bookings
* Error - If a row in the HomeAway/VRBO file can't be matched to an OwnerRez booking, what should be done?

* Imported Payments - HomeAway/VRBO doesn't provide per-reservation totals in the export. Should charges be generated from the rates you have configured in OwnerRez or from the current balance for each reservation as imported (which will represent partial amounts until the reservation is fully paid).

On Existing Charges and Fees
* Overwrite - the existing ones (as long as they haven't been manually edited), Skip adding them to the booking, overwrite the existing ones, or return an error and stop processing the import?

On Existing Payments
* Overwrite - If existing payments are found on a booking, what should be done? Merge with the existing ones, skip the booking for payments, overwrite the existing payments, or return an error and stop processing the import?

On Negative Booking Total
* Skip

despite that when i do import by range of dates, it seems to overwrite some amounts to some strange amount that I cannot equate to any charge (partial rent? 1st payment?).

Is there a rule of thumb how to properly import considering that VRBO does not show future pending payments , AND when you select date range (ex: Dec 1, 2018, - Dec 31, 2018), payments that were made for the stay on Dec 15 will be left out as they have been made prior to Dec 1st.
And so, the amounts imported will not reflect full actual charges?

TIA

Chris Hynes
Dec 13, 2018 9:30 AM
OR Team Member Joined Oct, 2012 1401 posts

This is why we built Channel Bridge :-). The VRBO exports are very sparse, missing a bunch of info. Channel Bridge logs into your VRBO account and downloads all of the guest info and financials (both invoice charges and payments/refunds). Then you can upload that file into the special Tools > Channel Bridge Import.

More on this: https://www.ownerrez.com/support/articles/channel-bridge

BlueMtnCabins
Dec 13, 2018 9:44 AM
Joined Jun, 2016 1133 posts

Did that too with seemingly same inconsistencies

Chris Hynes
Dec 13, 2018 9:48 AM
OR Team Member Joined Oct, 2012 1401 posts

If you've run other imports before, the channel bridge import will warn you that the numbers are off (because the old ones weren't right but the new ones are). To fix that, pick it to overwrite both charges and payments and re-run the channel bridge import.

The only reason you wouldn't want to do an overwrite is if you have taken payment for additional items on those bookings outside of VRBO and recorded those in OwnerRez. The import doesn't know the difference between manually added correct numbers and wrong numbers, which is why it gets you in the loop to choose whether to overwrite.

BlueMtnCabins
Dec 13, 2018 9:55 AM
Joined Jun, 2016 1133 posts

I will try
Just attempting to get 2018 data in order for taxes.

Chris Hynes
Dec 15, 2018 9:46 PM
OR Team Member Joined Oct, 2012 1401 posts

@BlueMtn, were you able to get that running?

BlueMtnCabins
Dec 15, 2018 10:50 PM
Joined Jun, 2016 1133 posts

I thought I sent the issues I encountered to support email with screen prints. Some fees are doubled up.

BlueMtnCabins
Dec 15, 2018 10:54 PM
Joined Jun, 2016 1133 posts

Sent email to help on the 13th re channel bridge import. Some fees are doubled up, some mounts are strange and do not seem to agree.

Chris Hynes
Dec 15, 2018 11:43 PM
OR Team Member Joined Oct, 2012 1401 posts

Found your message buried in the spam folder for some reason. Rescued it and we'll get back to you soon!