Entering Seasons & Prices etc.

In this section you will create a Data File that holds information about the seasons, prices, and the rental types etc. for your property.

Creating a Date File is split into four sections. "General Information", "Rental Details", "Rate Matrix Dates", "Rates".

Section One (General Information)

Complete each line in this section then press the "Continue" button. The lines to complete are:

Rates per rental or per person: Select the type of rate that you wish to use. For an explanation of rates types click here.

Type of rate matrix: You can select from three types of rate matrix. Seasonal, Daily or Flexi-Rate. For an explanation of matrix types click here. Note you cannot use Flexi-Rate matrix with per person pricing.

Immediate update of availability table: When a reservation is submitted availability can be updated automatically, ie. the rental booked is removed from the available, or in the event of a cancellation returned to those available. Click "Yes" to enable this automatic update. If you click "No" the availability will not be updated automatically.

(IF B&B) The number of different room types: This is the number of different room types in your property. If, for example, you have single rooms, twin rooms and double rooms you would enter 3. Maximum number is 50.

The number of rate bands in the matrix: The number of rate bands in the rate matrix that you selected in line 2. A seasonal or flexi-rate matrix can have up to 24 rate bands or seasons per year. The daily matrix can have up to 4 rate bands or blocks of days per week.

Minimum lead time in days for reservations: Lead time is the number of days between the date of booking and the arrival date. If you specify a lead time of 2 a visitor making a booking on 20 July, 2005 would not be able to enter an arrival date before 22 July, 2005. You can specify a lead time of 0 (zero) to allow arrival on the day a booking is made.

Maximum number of nights that can be booked: The maximum number of contiguous nights that can be booked for any single booking. This is any booking within the booking list and not the total number of nights for the entire booking list. Therefore, if you enter 30 a visitor cannot book more than 30 nights for each booking. But the visitor could book 20 nights in a single room and 20 nights in a double room since these would be classed as separate items in the booking list.

Minimum number of nights that can be booked: The minimum number of contiguous nights that can be booked for any single booking. This is any booking within the booking list and not the total number of nights for the entire booking list. Therefore, if you enter 2 a visitor cannot book less than 2 nights for each booking.

Date from which reservations can be accepted: This is the date from which you can accept bookings and determines the first arrival date that a visitor can enter into the booking form. If you entered 1 July 2005 the system would not allow a visitor to enter an arrival date earlier than 1 July 2005. (Click the calendar icon then select the date you require)

Date up to which reservations can be accepted: This is the date up to which you can accept bookings and determines the latest departure date that a visitor can enter into the booking form. If you entered 31 December 2006 the system would not allow the visitor to enter a departure date later than 31 December 2006. (Click the calendar icon then select the date you require)

Section Two (Rental Details)

This section has one line for each rental type you entered in section one. Each line has 6 columns. Complete each column in each line then press the "Continue" button. The columns to complete are:

Name or Type: A name that you want to use for each rental type. You should use descriptive names such as "Single", "Double" etc. because visitors to your site will see these names in the booking form.

Max. Adults: The maximum number of adults that can be accommodated in this vacation rental. The Reservation Portal will not allow a visitor to place more than this number of adults in this rental.

Max Child: The maximum number of children that can be accommodated in this rental. the system will not allow a visitor to place more than this number of children in this rental. Enter the number of children per rental. If you do not include "Number of Children" in your booking form "Max. Child" does not have any effect.

Max. Occ: The maximum number of occupants that are allowed for this rental. Occupants is calculated as adults+children.
Example: If you have set "Max Adult" to 2, "Max Child" to 2 and "Max Occ" to 2 the options are: 2 adults, or 2 children or 1 adult and 1 child.

Min. Occ: The minimum number of occupants that are allowed for this rental. If you have set "Max Child" you will probably want to set "Min Occ" to ensure that a rental cannot be occupied by a single child.
Example: If "Max Child" is set to 1 and "Min Occ" is set to 2 the rental must be occupied by 2 adults or 1 adult and 1 child.

Section Three (Matrix Dates)

This section has one line for each rate bands you entering in section one. Each line will have a "From" and "To" column. If you selected Seasonal Matrix each column will have a day and month select box. If you selected Daily Matrix in section one each column will have a day of the week box. If you selected Flexi-Rate Matrix in section one you will see columns for days and months plus weekdays.

From &To (Seasonal Matrix): These are the start and finish dates for each season in your rate matrix. You can start the first season on any date it does not have to be 1 January. However, once you enter the first season all other seasons must continue through a full year. Suppose, for example, your first season is from 7 April to 23 June then the second season must commence on 24 June and the last season must end on 6 April.

From &To (Daily Matrix): These are the start and finish days for each block of days in your rate matrix. You can start the first block on any day of the week. However, once you enter the first block all other blocks must continue through a full week. Suppose, for example, your first block of days is from Monday to Wednesday then the second block must commence on Thursday and the last block must end on Sunday.

From &To (Flexi-Rate Matrix): The first section is the start and finish dates for each season in your rate matrix (same as seasonal matrix). The second section is the start and finish days for each block of days within each season (same as daily matrix). Example: You could have a season that ran from 7 April to 23 June with one price from Monday to Friday and another price for Saturday and Sunday.

1. Notes:
1. Error checking routines built into the system will not allow you to proceed to the next section if invalid dates are entered or the seasons or day blocks are incorrectly specified.
2. Season dates are not year specific therefore entering February 29 as a date will produce an error. However, during a leap year, visitors to your site will still be able to make a booking for February 29 . The Reservation System will automatically place February 29 in the same season as February 28

Section Four (Rates)

This section contains a number of boxes into which you enter room rates. The layout of the form will vary according to the matrix type and the type of pricing (per vacation rental or per person).

Seasonal or Daily Matrix & per Rental Pricing: The form will have one section for each season. Within each section there will be one line for each rental. Next to each rental you will see a box into which you enter the rate for that rental and season. Example:

The seasons will be dates for the seasonal matrix or days for the daily matrix.

Flexi-Rate Matrix & per Rental Pricing: The form will have one section for each season. Within each section there will be one line for each rental. Next to each rental you will see two boxes (one box for each day block) into which you enter the rate for that rental type, season and day block. Example:

Seasonal or Daily Matrix and per Person Pricing: The form will have one section for each season. Within each section there will be one line for each rental. Next to each rental you will see 6 boxes. These boxes are the rate per rental when that rental is occupied by 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 adults. The last box is the rate per child in that rental. Example:

You do not have to enter rates in each box. If a box is not applicable enter 0 (zero) do not leave it blank. When you enter prices remember that they must be consistent with the data you entered into section two. For example if you specified "Max Adult" as 2 and "Min Occ" as one then you must enter prices for 1 and 2 persons. If you specified "Max Child" as more than zero you must enter a child price. If data is not consistent the system will not be able to calculate prices correctly.

Enter different prices for next year: Below the rates you will see a checkbox "Enter different prices for next year". If you check this box you will be able to enter prices for a two year period. If you do not check this box the system will assume that prices are the same for this year and next year. Note that the prices you enter are for the current year and following year and that they will be carried forward. Therefore, if the current year is 2005 the prices are for 2005 and 2006. When the current year changes to 2006 the prices will be for 2006 and 2007. Therefore, you must remember to update prices when the year changes. You do this using the Online Administration feature.

1. Notes:
1. Do not enter a currency symbol or use any formatting, only numbers and the decimal point are valid. (Theb system will add the currency symbol and formatting whenever rates are displayed).

Edit or View Data

After you have entered all data you can edit or view the data using The systems Online Administration feature to edit the Data File online.