Ensure your data-readiness: Content, Images and Rates
A comprehensive sync between the iPRO Channel Manager and your chosen sales channels:
- Description
- Rooms
- Images
- Amenities (when mapped correctly)
- Distances of Points of interest
- Location & Address
- Arrival information
- Check in / out times
- Licence
- Rates (See below to learn what options are compatible)
- Extras
- Accepted payment methods
- Cancellation Policy (default)
To sync your properties with the iPRO Channel Manager, there is a minimum content requirement
This means you will need to ensure that your properties are up to date and have the necessary content and images to be able to sync with the Channel Manager, so that they can then be distributed with the relevant sales channels.
1. Go to the Distribution tab of the property and fill in all the fields with the appropriate details then Click Save and Publish.
2. Do the same for the Attributes tab.
3. Update the 'Rooms' sub-node of the Property - Under the property node in the CMS, expand the Rooms node and make sure that the # of rooms e.g. bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchen, etc matches the exact # of rooms/sleeps under the Attributes tab of the property.
To create a new room, right-click on the Rooms node and select the appropriate room type you wish to add:
Content: Bedroom is for bedrooms
Content: Other Room is for other room types like kitchens and bathrooms
Once the room node is created, update the Content and Amenities tab.
Remember that the total # of "sleeps" of all the bedrooms should exactly match the sleeping capacity of your property as defined under the property's attributes tab.
The bed amenities should also match the total # of sleeps defined for the room e.g. Sleeps 2 should have a bed capacity capable of sleeping 2 e.g. Pair of Twin Beds or putting in 2 single beds:
You can add amenities by clicking on the amenities field and choosing from the list or typing directly in the field to filter down the search. If you don't see any amenities available, please contact support so we can fix it for you:
Updating other room types looks a bit different because everything will be under the Content tab. Make sure to specify the room type e.g. bathroom and add the amenities below:
4. Rates and Notes - Channel manager requires 12 months of future rates in order to sync. Other information on this tab that is sent to the channel manager are.
- Check In From / Check In To / Check Out Time - if you have consistent check in/out times and your office is open to a set time for collecting keys, etc, then we would recommend just leaving this blank. However, if you vary these times per property, then you need to fill out these fields as this will be the basis for the information included in your arrival emails so guests know what time they need to arrive/leave or if additional arrangements need to be done to get the keys, etc.
- Directions - this is where you can put directions and other essential information for your guest which you could use in your arrival emails at displays on the sales channels. This cannot contain links or sensitive information as it is publicly displayed on some sales channels. This is optional and not a requirement to sync to the channel manager
6. Image / Floor plan - Property needs 10 images or more to sync to the channel manager.
Please see the guides below which cover how to upload and the recommended dimensions
Optimising images / lossless compression
7. Map / Address - The address of the property is needed to sync to the channel manager
Geo Location - this is where you set the location of the property on the map. You are required to register for a Google Map API key to be able to use this feature. If you don't have an API key yet, click here.
Google also requires that you have Billing enabled on your account, so please make sure you have a registered payment method linked to it.
When setting the map, make sure to move the marker to the correct location > click on it > then click 'Use this location' which will automatically populate the coordinates and zoom level of the map.
Detailed guides per Sales Channel i.e Booking.com, VRBO, Airbnb, etc....
>> Detailed explanations per sales channel
Compatible Pricing Systems & Restrictions
To understand how rates work within iPRO, please visit our Rates & Pricing Fact Sheet.
Nightly Pricing
Whether you set your rates per night or utilise a third-party dynamic pricing tool like PriceLabs or Beyond Pricing, our iPRO Channel Manager seamlessly syncs your nightly rates, tailored to individual seasons. Even if your dynamic pricing leads to seasons as short as one night, our system ensures a smooth integration.
Furthermore, your short break rules and changeover day rules will sync seamlessly with the sales channels to ensure minimum night stays will be honoured along with what days a booking can start or end on.
Weekend Pricing
If you wish to use weekend pricing, then you must create your seasons as follows:
Season 1 - Mon to Thu
Season 2 - Fri to Sun
Season 3 - Mon to Thu
etc.....
When you combine these seasons with Nightly LOS Pricing, you can have unique pricing for the midweek and weekends but also provide reduced rates for longer stays.
Weekly Pricing
If you set your prices per week based on seasons iPRO will automatically convert this to nightly prices for the sales channels.
Furthermore, your short break rules and changeover day rules will sync seamlessly with the sales channels to ensure minimum night stays will be honoured along with what days a booking can start or end on.
Nightly LOS Pricing (The nightly rates vary depending on how long you stay)
When leveraging our advanced Nightly Length of Stay (LOS) Pricing feature, your data is directly synced with the channel manager, guaranteeing precise pricing for both short and extended breaks. The synchronisation adapts seamlessly based on the number of nights you cover with your LOS Pricing
Short Break Supplements
If you have a fixed percentage of the weekly rate for short breaks, iPRO automatically converts this to the industry-standard Length of Stay (LOS) Pricing. This ensures compatibility for all your short breaks and extended stays, maintaining consistent pricing alignment between iPRO and your selected sales channels.
Note: Your supplement needs to have all the nights configured that your minimum stay allows. If have configured 3-6 nights but your minimum stay is 2 nights. This is user error and the system will not send any length of stay pricing for those seasons.
To use short break supplements for LOS pricing, the minimum stay setting must have a corresponding supplement.
Rates which are not compatible with the sales channels:
Minimum Charge per season
The channels do not support a minimum charge per season. If you are utilizing this feature within nightly or weekly seasons, please be aware that it will be disregarded when using the iPRO Channel Manager. Failure to configure minimum stay rules correctly may result in bookings being priced lower than anticipated.
Monthly Pricing
The channels do not support monthly pricing; therefore, please input either nightly or weekly rates. iPRO will apply the monthly price when the duration exceeds 30 days or encompasses every single day in a month.
Restricted short breaks
The channels do not support restricted short breaks. iPRO will ignore this rule, resulting in breaks of 10 or 11 nights being charged based on the LOS pricing rules. It's important to note that when using this feature, bookings from the sales channels may be much cheaper than direct bookings, as it pro-rata's the weekly rate.
Pricing Groups
This pricing strategy is not supported and will not work in the iPRO Channel Manager.
Custom Pricing
This pricing strategy is not supported and will not work in the iPRO Channel Manager.
Next, understand how data is received into iPRO >>
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