Managing Availability by BrookAve

Here is a digest of all topics related to Availability.

To help you skip the padding, misinformation, misunderstandings, and just get to what is relevant and some of the mistakes that are made too.

Short List of related Guides by Partners

• How-To Enable Extended Fields in Calendar List View
• How-To Setting minimum stay and context
• HowTo : Restricting Check-in Day of the week and Checkout Day
• How-To Last Minute, Same Day Limitations and Min Adv Reservation Extended Field

• NEW August 2020-  Rate Plans, add weekly and monthly rate plans

Using Browser on a computer to Access Extranet

• How can I update my availability?
• A step-by-step guide for loading rates and availability
• A step-by-step visual guide for adding restrictions to your availability
• How can I avoid overbookings?
• How can I check if guests can book my property on Booking.com?

Using pulse app on smart phone

• How to update your calendar availability using the Pulse app
• A Step-by-step Visual Guide for Updating Your Availability on Pulse
• How can I check on Pulse if guests can book my property on Booking.com?

Already using Channel Manager 3rd party service

• How do I close out my availability on Booking.com if my channel manager is down?
• I work with other OTAs, as well as Booking.com. How can I manage my availability?

At the end of the day whether you read and learn how it all works, what doesnt work, what limitations and restrictions there are it comes down to this:

1. Simply if a room type has an inventory count higher than one, the iCAL sync features are hidden.
    
2. If you are using 2 or more OTA services, e.g. Expedia + BdC, do not rely on the ICAL sync for instant and 100% sync , as it will never work that way, BY DESIGN of BdC webdevs.
    
3. The only sure fire way to have 99.9% zero over or double bookings is to leverage a 3rd party service known as a Channel Manager, where by it becomes the golden calendar and pulls all into itself and back. 
    
4. This means it initiates al lthe calendar syncing, and that is why BdC cal sync never works like others because it does not schedule and initiate a calendar sync.
    
5. BdC cal sync can only be done manually by logging and telling it to sync.
    
6. Exporting BdC calendar to an external calendar such as Google Mail calendar or microsoft outlook is not the same thing and its the only useful feature of it if you DO NOT employ a Channel Manager service.
    
7. Are channel managers worth their monthly/annual cost?
   
   in my opinion yes, but no two are the exact same in features.

I have reviewed many, and the two for free and paid for I really liked for both ease of use , setup and features were: NoBeds (free) and Cloudbeds (paid based on number of rooms or package)

Kind Regards,

An Irish leprechaun :)