As you may be aware, SiteMinder forwards data from external connections (Booking.com, Expedia, etc.) based on how that vendor sends them rate price data. They do not have a standard they use specific to how the hotel is set up internally for rates and taxation. We’ve had a number of hotels request consistency in which rate amount to use in these messages. To do this, we are rolling out a solution for this as a two-step item. The first is to create a setting for you, the hotel, to determine which amount to use in messages as the standard:
AmountBeforeTax (for hotels that post taxes as exclusive generally)
AmountAfterTax (for hotels that have taxes posted as inclusive, such as VAT)
We will be updating the logic and process flow as a later step (scheduled for January 7, 2020). Until the logic is deployed, this setting will not yet do anything. Prior to January 7, 2020, your hotel needs to determine which amount to use as the standard—update it in the settings and save it. To make the change, a person with appropriate access needs to do the following:
Log into StayNTouch
Go to Settings > Integrations > Central Reservation Systems > SiteMinder
Scroll to the bottom of the section and find the Reservation Settings
Determine which Reservation Settings your property wants to use for RATE TYPE AMOUNT TO USE ON RESERVATION IMPORT
Save
Once the logic is in place, we will work on the following basis, as this is a default setting:
If the setting AmountAfterTax is selected, the following will occur:
If a message comes in with both AmountAfterTax and AmountBeforeTax, AmountAfterTax will be used
If a message comes in with ONLY AmountAfterTax, AmountAfterTax will be used
If a message comes in with ONLY AmountBeforeTax, AmountBeforeTax will be used
If the setting AmountBeforeTax is selected, the following will occur:
If a message comes in with both AmountAfterTax and AmountBeforeTax, AmountBeforeTax will be used
If a message comes in with ONLY AmountAfterTax, AmountAfterTax will be used
If a message comes in with ONLY AmountBeforeTax, AmountBeforeTax will be used
The logic to use this setting is currently set to be released on January 7, 2020; there may be changes to that date. There will be no change to current functionality until the update code is deployed.
Please ensure that your hotel has updated this setting prior to January 7, 2020.
To proceed with the second stage, your hotel will need to complete the following steps:
Before the Deployment Date
Hotels using rates for SiteMinder with VAT set as exclusive need to have these rates identified.
Create new rates based on the existing rates for SiteMinder for the rates identified (as a preparation). These should be linked to a charge code with the VAT set as inclusive and a temporary rate code (to later replace this with the existing rate code that is mapped to SiteMinder).
On the Deployment Date
Switch OFF the Download Reservations option in Settings > Integrations > Central Reservations Systems > SiteMinder.
Change the rate code and the rate name in the existing rate (add OLD to the end of these).
Flag the existing rate as inactive.
Change the rate code in the newly created rate to the one that was in the now inactive rate (the rate code used in SiteMinder, as well).
Go to Settings > Rates > Channel Manager > SiteMinder and delete (red X to the right of the rate) the rates with OLD in the name and add the same rates again (without OLD in the name).
Switch ON the Download Reservations option in Settings > Integrations > Central Reservations Systems > SiteMinder.
After this, verify if the rates show correctly in SiteMinder. If they do not show correctly, run a full sync (Settings > Integrations > Central Reservations Systems > SiteMinder> FULL SYNC)
All hotels using rates for SiteMinder with VAT set as exclusive will need to connect with kees.lek@shijigroup.com. We have a list of rates identified per property that will need to undergo the changes listed in the above section. Kees will provide the list per hotel and walk you through the steps you need to undertake.
Dear Hotel Partner Using SiteMinder –
As you may be aware, SiteMinder forwards data from external connections (Booking.com, Expedia, etc.) based on how that vendor sends them rate price data. They do not have a standard they use specific to how the hotel is set up internally for rates and taxation. We’ve had a number of hotels request consistency in which rate amount to use in these messages. To do this, we are rolling out a solution for this as a two-step item. The first is to create a setting for you, the hotel, to determine which amount to use in messages as the standard:
We will be updating the logic and process flow as a later step (scheduled for January 7, 2020). Until the logic is deployed, this setting will not yet do anything. Prior to January 7, 2020, your hotel needs to determine which amount to use as the standard—update it in the settings and save it. To make the change, a person with appropriate access needs to do the following:
Once the logic is in place, we will work on the following basis, as this is a default setting:
The logic to use this setting is currently set to be released on January 7, 2020; there may be changes to that date. There will be no change to current functionality until the update code is deployed.
Please ensure that your hotel has updated this setting prior to January 7, 2020.
To proceed with the second stage, your hotel will need to complete the following steps:
Before the Deployment Date
On the Deployment Date
All hotels using rates for SiteMinder with VAT set as exclusive will need to connect with kees.lek@shijigroup.com. We have a list of rates identified per property that will need to undergo the changes listed in the above section. Kees will provide the list per hotel and walk you through the steps you need to undertake.