Connecting to Expedia

Minimum requirements to connect

In order to connect the Property Manager’s (PM’s) property to Expedia, the following requirements must be met:

• Property name is provided.

• Property type is selected.

  Note: If the Property type is mapped to Aparthotel, Apartment, Condo or Cottage , then the property must have at least one bathroom!

• Maximum number of guests value is provided.

• Address and Geo-coordinates are provided.

• Kitchen is available at the property, see Kitchen.

• Number of beds equals the Maximum number of guests.

• Description has at least 700 characters.

• Photos: 
  • At least 10 photos are uploaded.
  • The minimum width is 1024 px; the minimum height is 768 px.
  • Main picture is selected.
• Prices and availability are provided for some seasons;

• Payment methods are provided.

• Cancellation Policy is set in a continuous way, which means there are no non-penalty periods between two periods with a penalty.

• Cancellation Policy: If there are multiple cancellation policies, the fee amount must increase (or at least remain on the same level) towards the check-in day. For example, the fee applied if a reservation is canceled within 10 to 7 days before the check-in should be lower than the fee applied if a reservation is canceled within 6 to 1 days before the check-in.

Connecting properties

Follow the below procedure if you already have some properties created in Channel Manager and you want to connect them to Expedia.

1. Log in to White Label Channel Manager and go to the Channels tab.

2. Select Expedia from the Your sales channel section. Please, see an exemplary view below.

   

3. Select the Property Settings tab on the top.

   

1. Connect the property.

   Depending on whether you already have some properties connected to Expedia or not, you are presented with two different options.

   • If it is the first property to be connected, click the Connect your first property button.

     

   • If it is the next property to be connected, click the Add more properties button.

     

2. A dialogue window appears with the question if the property is already published in Expedia.

   • If the property is listed in Expedia, terminate the process and map your properties to the Expedia listings.

   • If the property is not listed in Expedia, click No.

3. If needed, provide the required information and click Next.

   Note: Different channels require different information to successfully identify your account:

   • for Booking.com it is Legal Entity ID,

   • for Agoda it is Chain ID,

   • for Expedia it is PM Name,

   • for Trip.com it is Code Context.

   If you cannot find this information in your agreement with the channel, please contact the channel directly.

   Tip: If you have multiple accounts in the channel, you can add them all to Channel Manager. To do this, select the Add new option from the dropdown and provide the required data. Then, you will be able to connect your properties to this new account.

   

4. Start typing the property name or scroll down through the dropdown list. Select one or more properties to be connected to Expedia.

   

5. Click the Next button.

6. The content quality is analyzed. The process should take up to a few minutes.

7. The summary of properties’ content is displayed.

   

   If some properties are not ready to publish, improve the content.

8. If the properties are ready to publish, adjust the mark-up for each of your properties.

   

9. Click the Publish properties button.

10. The published properties enter the  Pending status.

    Tip: Each property created this way in Expedia will become a hotel. If you want a multi-unit set-up (several room types in the same hotel), you will need to manually create the set-up in Expedia and then be able to map it in Channel Manager.

Setting Channel Manager

In order to fully utilize the capabilities of Channel Manager and make the linking of the two systems possible, you need to set Channel Manager as the connectivity provider in Expedia. For example, this is required in order to enable mapping properties to the listings in the channel. Please, perform the following.

1. Log in to the Expedia dashboard.

2. Go to the Rooms and Rates section.

   

3. Select Expedia Connectivity Settings from the Setup section.

   

4. Select "Quick Connect" as the System Provider. Check both connectivity options available: Availability and rates as well as Booking retrieval.

5. Make sure that the changes are saved.

Once the connection with Quick Connect is activated, you can start the connection process in Channel Manager.

Mapping properties to existing listings

If you already have properties in Expedia and only want Channel Manager to manage prices and availability, you may map properties between the two systems. Make sure that you have already established initial connection to the Expedia channel - Setting Channel Manager. Once the connection with Expedia is activated, you can start the mapping process in the Channel Manager.

1. Log in to White Label Channel Manager and go to the Channels tab.

2. Select Expedia from the Your sales channel section. Please, see an exemplary view below.

   

3. Select the Property Settings tab on the top.

   

1. Connect the property.

   Depending on whether you already have some properties connected to the Expedia or not, you are presented with two different options.

   • If it is the first property to be connected, click the Connect your first property button.

     

   • If it is the next property to be connected, click the Add more properties button.

     

2. A dialogue window appears with the question if the property is already published in Expedia.

   • If the property is listed in Expedia, click Yes.

   • If the property is not listed in Expedia, terminate the process and start with connecting your properties to the Expedia.

3. Provide the required information (Hotel ID) and click Next.

   Note: Hotel ID can be found in the Expedia dashboard. If you are unable to find it, contact the Expedia Support Team.

4. The hotel data is retrieved. Click the Next button.

   

5. Click the Connect this room button.

   

6. A property list opens. Select the properties you want to map to this room type. One or more properties may be mapped to one Expedia listing.

   

   Tip: Multiple properties should be selected only if they share the same characteristics (amenities, photos, pricing etc.). If you do so, you will create a multi-unit listing in Expedia. Read about Moves algorithm to find more on how availability is managed for the multi-unit listings.

7. Click the Save & Next button.

8. The summary is displayed. You can set the rate mark-up now.

   

9. Click the Connect property button.

   Your properties are now successfully mapped to the Expedia listings and remain in synchronization. Channel Manager synchronizes the prices and availability to the channel and Expedia passes correctly all the reservations. You can always add more properties under a particular room type. To do this, click the three-dot menu and select the Change mapping option.

Editing rates

The information in this chapter is useful when you already have properties connected or mapped, but you want to introduce changes to rates that will affect only Expedia.

Quick editing data for single rates

With these settings, you can override the property data you have. Before the property data is sent to Expedia, it is modified with additional configuration you can apply now. Note that whatever you set right now will apply only to this channel.

1. Click the Manage rates button.

   

2. The Management page opens. At this point you can edit the mark-up value. Mark-up indicates the value that the prices in Channel Manager should be adjusted by before sending to the channel.

   

3. Click the Advanced button to open Advanced settings.

   

   • Number of people in price - it refers to the Standard number of guests the price is calculated for. It is possible to overwrite the value set for this property in Standard number of guests.

   • Minimal price per night - you can set up a minimum price for this property in Expedia; then, in case this property's prices are set below this level, they will be increased.

   • Additional amount per day - you can specify an additional amount that will be charged each day of the reservation. It may cover for additional services available at this rate

     Example: If you offer a breakfast service to your guests, you can create a rate for this purpose and cover it in the additional amount per day.

   • Overwrite minimum stay - it is possible to overwrite the property's minimum stay in this particular rate.

     Example: Minimum stay from Monday to Friday is 2 nights, from Saturday to Sunday is 4 nights.

     • If you set the overwrite minimum stay value to 1 or 2, nothing will happen.

     • If you set the overwrite minimum stay value to 3, only the Monday to Friday season will be overwritten.

     • If you set the overwrite minimum stay value to 5, the Monday to Sunday season will be overwritten.

4. Click the Save changes button.

   Note: Changes introduced here will not affect any other channel than Expedia and will only apply to this rate.

Manual options for all rates in a group

With these settings, you can override the property data you have in the Edit property page for the reservations coming only from the Expedia channel.

1. Click the Manage rates button.

   

2. Scroll down to the Manual options section and click the Activate manual options button.

3. Adjust the available options.

   

   • You can verify the availability of a single rate, as well as the total availability of all rates in the Availability summary row.

   • You can verify and temporarily update total availability by typing the new value. If the field has been edited, it is highlighted in blue. To undo the manual settings, click the blue field, delete the value and click away. The field now contains the default value.

     Example: You received a reservation from 26 May 2021 to 30 May 2021 for Property 15 from another channel. The availability is blocked. However, you already know that the reservation is cancelled, but the availability has not been updated yet. You may still want to rent the property at this time, hence you can temporarily update the availability and receive reservations for this time.
     Important: Bear in mind that once you change anything in manual options, the settings will be persisting until you manually undo them! For example, if you bump up the availability and a reservation comes in, the availability will not be automatically closed and over bookings are possible! You will have to reset the settings in manual options.

   • You can verify and temporarily update price and minimum stay by clicking the pencil icon next to the relevant rate and typing the new value. The field now contains the default value. If the field has been edited, it is highlighted in blue. To undo the manual settings, click the blue field, delete the value and click away.

     

   • You can also update availability, price and minimum stay for one rate for multiple days.

     

     1. Click the Batch edit button.

     2. Select rate from the dropdown.

     3. Specify dates.

     4. Update availability, price and / or minimum stay.

     5. Click Save changes.

     Edited fields are highlighted in blue. It is not possible to undo manual settings in batch. To undo the manual settings, click the blue field, delete the value and click away. The field now contains the default value.

Updating listings

If you introduce changes to your property's content and you want these changes to be reflected in the channel, you need to remember to trigger a content update. While ARI updates are handled automatically, the updates made to the static content are not. Hence, if you do not update the channel - your listing may display outdated information to your guests.

The scope of changes that need updating the channel is broad and includes updates to descriptions, photos, property data, fees and taxes and many more. Follow the procedure below to send changes to Expedia.

1. Log in to White Label Channel Manager and go to the Channels tab.

2. Select Expedia from the Your sales channel section. Please, see an exemplary view below.

   

3. Select the Property Settings tab on the top.

   

1. You have changed content of your property. Find the cluster to which this property is assigned.

2. Hover over the three-dot menu on the cluster level. Click the Update listing content option.

   

3. Decide whether you want to update the entire property content or selected areas only. Click the Update selected button.

   

   Important: This process overrides any information that has been manually changed for this property in the Expedia dashboard. Make sure that it is what you really intend, as it is not possible to reverse this process.

   Tip: If you do not want to update the entire listing, you can update specific areas only. It is possible to select multiple bullets at once. By doing this, you may avoid overriding areas that have been manually edited in the Expedia dashboard.

   

   Note that the actual areas to select may vary from what you can see in the above screenshot. Refer to what is displayed in Channel Manager.

4. Confirm by clicking the OK button. Wait until the process is finished. You may preview the listing on the Expedia website after the indicated time is passed.

   

5. The property status enters the Pending state. Once the operation is successful, the status updates to Active. You may preview these changes in the Expedia dashboard or already on the Expedia website.

Deactivating rates

1. Log in to White Label Channel Manager and go to the Channels tab.

2. Select Expedia from the Your sales channel section. Please, see an exemplary view below.

   

3. Select the Property Settings tab on the top.

   

1. Search for the property you want to deactivate rates for by scrolling down or filtering the property out.

2. Click the Manage rates button.

   

3. A property management page is opened.

4. Click the Deactivate button.

   

   Note: 

   • If there are multiple rates in a group, you stop sending availability and prices to Expedia, leaving the property open to new reservations on the Expedia channel. This means that new reservations can be made through Expedia, but the channel will not receive the correct availability and pricing information.

   • If there is only one rate in the group or you deactivate the last rate, you need to choose if you want to stop sending availability and prices to Expedia, leaving the property open to new reservations on the Expedia channel or to close the availability. This means you will not receive reservations from Expedia anymore.

   Availability can be always re-opened by clicking the Activate button next to the rate.

   

Once the rate has been deactivated, it will still be visible in the Property Settings. If you want to remove it from display, you should follow the below steps. Note that rates can be deleted only if there are no existing reservations that use this rate.

1. From the three-dot menu, select the Confirm removal option.

2. The rate is removed. No additional confirmation is required.

Removing hotels and room types from Property Settings

If you have some properties that are no longer listed in Expedia, but still appear in Property Settings in Channel Manager and pollute your view, you may remove them from Property Settings. After deactivating the hotel or room type in Expedia, just use the Remove options available in Property Settings to make the property list in Property Settings identical in Expedia and Channel Manager. There are two options available now:

• Remove the whole hotel

• Remove room type

Note, however, that these options can be used only to remove the hotels and room types from the Property Settings list. They do not stop your properties from being rented on the Expedia website.

1. Log in to White Label Channel Manager and go to the Channels tab.

2. Select Expedia from the Your sales channel section. Please, see an exemplary view below.

   

3. Select the Property Settings tab on the top.

   

1. Search for the property you want to remove by scrolling down or filtering the property out.

2. Once found, decide whether you want to remove the entire hotel or particular room types only. Make sure that you have already removed the same properties in Expedia dashboard.

   • If you want to remove the whole hotel, hover over the three-dot menu on top of the cluster and select the Remove hotel option. Hotels stuck in the Pending state can be deleted from the Property Settings, too.

     

   • If you want to remove specific room type only, unfold the hotel cluster and hover over the three-dot menu next to the room type to be removed. Click the Remove room type option.

     

3. A notification is displayed. Click the Refresh synchronization settings button to confirm.

   • If you wanted to remove an entire hotel, the following notification is displayed:

     

   • If you wanted to remove a room type, the following notification is displayed:

     

   Note: The Remove option will usually point you to refresh the property set-up in order to maintain synchronization with Expedia. Hence, make sure to remove the hotel or room type in Expedia dashboard before attempting to remove it in Channel Manager. If you need more information how to proceed with hotel or room deletion in Expedia, you may want to contact the Expedia Support Team directly and request detailed instructions.

4. Confirm the process by clicking the Confirm button.

   

5. The summary of changes is displayed. If you removed the hotel or room type correctly in Expedia, you should see this change in the pop-up.

Handling notifications

Channel Manager constantly validates and monitors the quality of your properties’ content in our system as well as in the connection between Channel Manager and the channels. Hence, you can easily check the current status of your connection and take proper steps in case improvements are needed.

Notifications may be displayed on two levels: the property level and the rate level.

In order to learn more about the received notifications, click the Check notifications button. In most cases, you are prompted to see what can be done to clear the notification away. Depending on an notification type, you can either:

• Retry - Rentals United attempts to synchronize your property content again

• Clear all - you confirm you read the notifications, but intend no action

• Manage - you need to manually adjust the property’s content according to the prompt

Reasons for connection deactivation

There are three reasons a connection with the channel gets deactivated.

• The connection was deactivated purposefully

  In case you would like to stop offering your listing on Expedia, you can do it at your convenience. In order to do so, follow the steps in Deactivating properties. Once completed, Expedia will no longer have access to your property data, nor will they be able to accept bookings for this property. You can always resume updates with just a few clicks. To do so, Click the Activate button.

• The property that was connected to the channel listing is no longer available

  This may happen if you have removed the property or changed its status to inactive in Channel Manager or your PMS without disconnecting from the Expedia first. In such a case, Channel Manager automatically closes availability in Expedia. When the property is activated in Channel Manager again, updates will be resumed automatically.

• There is an error preventing updates

  This means Channel Manager attempted to update the data in Expedia, but the channel declined. For example, Channel Manager may no longer have access to your listings in the channel or the listing in the channel was removed. In such a case, the connection cannot be activated again until the source of the problem is eliminated.

  Note: It is very important to watch out for these errors and take action immediately. Without immediate actions, you risk over bookings as well as incorrectly priced reservations.