Channel Configuration Overview (Boost New UI)

Owned by Greg Shaffran (Unlicensed)
Last updated: Jun 03, 2022 by Chelsea Swenson

The purpose of this article is to provide a high-level overview of the commonalities, and differences, between configuring channels with the new Boost interface.

 

 

What Gets Configured

All configurations are done on a channel-by-channel basis. That means things like fees, taxes, and amenities will have to be setup for each channel (i.e. if you are distributing to 3 channels, you will map amenities 3 times). When making configurations changes, you are only impacting one channel at a time.

How To Get Started

Check out this How to Get Started document for an introduction, and some general information about the new Boost interface.

Once logged in, select your channel:

 

Channel-By-Channel Configurations

For each channel you will see a common set of tabs that need to be configured on the left hand side of the page. In the upper left corner you will see what channel you are currently configuring.

Channel specific Settings will include things like Merchant Name, Accepted Payment Types, Booking Policy’s, etc.

Payment Schedule

  • HomeToGo and VRBO are the only channels that permit a customized payment schedule - expand this article here to learn more about setting this up

This article provides detailed instructions on how to create a Payment Schedule for Vrbo and HomeToGo.

About Payment Schedules

How to setup a Payment Schedule

Payment Schedule has 3 sections as shown below. 

 

  • At Booking and Balance Due sections are required fields.

  • You may add 3 additional payments using the 6 options under Additional Payments

 

At Booking

Enter the Amount and Amount Type for payment due at the time of booking

 

Additional Payment Schedules

To add an additional payment - Click the option name, Click the blue + and enter required information for that option.

There are 6 options for adding additional payment schedules.

 

  • Before Checkin     

  • After Booking

  • After Checkin

  • After Checkout

 

Enter the Number of Days, Amount and Amount Type for payment due

 

  • At Checkin

  • At Checkout

Enter the Amount and Amount Type for payment due

Balance Due

Select due type from the drop list and add the number of days.

Note: If the policy is 100% paid at time of booking, select “At check in” for the Balance due and enter “0” in the field

 Examples of payment schedules

 

  • 50% due at time of booking

  • balance due 30 days prior to arrival

 

 

  • 25% due at time of booking

  • 25% due 30 days after booking created

  • 50% due at checkin

 

 

 

  • There is a maximum of 5 payment selections, i.e. 25% at time of booking, 25% 60 days prior to arrival, 25% 30 days prior to arrival, 25% 7 days prior to arrival

  • More common choices are 50% at time of booking, 25% 30 days prior, 25% at check in

  • A client may also set up an individual payment plan at the listing level vs at the channel setting level

These Fee Mapping, Tax Mapping, and Amenity articles will further outline some of the considerations for completing those configurations.

Fee, Tax, and Amenity mappings will be done at a global level, meaning these are settings that impact all listings distributed on that channel. Some settings like booking policies, content, and price modifications can be modified under the Listings tab for individual, or groups, of units. This article here will outline more information about these sorts of bulk configuration settings.

Best Practices for Channel Configuration

Booking Lead Time (Booking Lead Time Hours)
This setting will only be needed if you are trying to override what you have set in your PMS. If no value is set, Boost will default to the booking lead time pulling from your PMS. 

In order to accept bookings in Boost - Boost must be set EQUAL or MORE RESTRICTIVE than your PMS 

If Boost is set as LESS RESTRICTIVE, this can cause bookings to fail  

  • For example if you have your Boost settings set at 2 days notice and your PMS is set for 3 days notice, this may cause a booking failure.

NOTE: For clients using rate management platforms such as RevMax or Beyond Pricing, please note that your booking lead time settings will override your PMS settings