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Synchronizing local and online bookings: Part and Full Updates

We have written a complete document that walks a user through all the steps needed to sell through the BookingCenter Global Booking Network. Please download the Online Checklist from the BookingCenter Support Area if you are having any troubles. There are troubleshooting tips found here.

By keeping the CRS up-to-date, you will assure there are no double-bookings and inventory is always correct. You can automate your updates.

There are five types of updates: Part Update, Inventory Update, Full Update, Automatic Update, and 'Live Sync'. The updating process can be automated as well. MyPMS users, click here for updating information.

• To prepare your datafile for an Upload, make sure the following are entered correctly:
• Make sure you have clicked the ‘Setup’ button on the top of the ’Internet Configuration’ window (Parameters | Internet Configuration) to setup the export of files for your computer.
• Make sure you have a connection chosen to connect to the Internet (such as Dial Up - Manual, etc.)
• If you want to connect automatically every x hours frame, choose the ‘Automatic Update’ and click the time frame you'd like to use - learn how to do this.
• Make sure you are happy with the classification for how bookings will be brought down from the Internet - Review, Confirmed, or Unconfirmed.
• Make sure the admin.bookingcenter.com address is listed as your Admin Server
• Provide the correct SMTP server address and your name & password for your Internet connection. Usually your Internet Service Provider (ISP) will provide this to you, as this is the server you use when connected to the Internet to SEND email.

Regardless of the type of update chosen, all bookings, modifications, and cancellations from ANY Global Network Partner are sent to you during the Update.

Partial Update

Only availability information changed since the last Upload was successfully accomplished is sent to the CRS during a Part Update. This keeps your local booking database synchronized with the CRS. You can do a Part Update by choosing ‘Update Internet” from the BookingCenter menu or the Home screen.

Inventory Update

The uploads ALL your bookings since you started using BookingCenter. All booking regardless of the date will be sent to the CRS. This can be done by pressing the button on the Parameters | Internet Configurations screen called “Update Availability”.

Full Update

When your images, marketing messages, or Company Information changes, BookingCenter sends these new files to the CRS and to all the Global Booking Partners that list your property so that current policies, rates, images, etc. are used to represent your property. Expect the Full Upload to take between 1 and 5 minutes, depending upon the sizes of each of your files.

Any image or message that has been modified since the CRS was last updated will overwrite ones on the CRS. Keep in mind that the CRS will display only those images that correspond to the requirements that are listed in your Member's Area (login to

https://members.bookingcenter.com/

Please make sure you read the ’Check your images’ section carefully.In order to accomplish a Full Update, you must have registered for the BookingCenter Network and entered the correct Lock Code into your BookingCenter software. Your Parameters | Company Information | Register section should have the ‘Network Distribution’ checked ON to enable the Full Update, as shown here:

If your Network Distribution option is NOT clicked and you have signed up for the network, please email and we will help you get the proper code.

Once you are ready to perform a Full Update, go to the Parameters | Internet Configuration and choose the button labeled Upload All Info as shown here:

Hint: only Upload Images when you have changed your images. If you have NOT changed your images, DO NOT upload Images.Image Update. An image upload replaces all the images that BookingCenter uses to represent you on the Global Booking Network. If you change even one image, you need to perform an Image Update and all images will be replaced.

Automatic Update

The Parameters | Internet Configurations area of your BookingCenter software allows you to automatically update every hour, 3, 6, 12, 24, or at startup. By setting the box to “automatically update”, your computer will automatically connect to keep the CRS - keeping your management computer and the CRS “synchronized”. Remember that the computer that is maintaining the datafile needs to be setup as the computer that connects to the Internet. In a networked environment, this is the Server computer, and is set by clicking the button "Network Manager" on the computer that will act as the Network Manager.

'Live Sync'

With BookingCenter Desktop Version 5 BookingCenter introduced 'Live Sync' which keeps your BookingCenter Desktop PMS synced after each new, modified, or cancelled reservation. 'Live Sync' is recommended only for those users who have a broadband Internet connection such as DSL, ISDN, or cable modem. By choosing this option from your Internet Configuration screen, after each reservation change, BookingCenter automatically updates the CRS and all in the Global Booking Partners with the current availability - assuring up-to-the-second availability synchronization between your local operation and the CRS & Global Booking Network.It is still recommended to use the '' with Live Sync, set at one or three hour intervals. If you are using the Member's Area to track booking details, make sure to perform a 'Full Update' once a day to upload ALL information about the day's bookings and status changes to the CRS. By doing this, your remote managers can view specific booking and guest details from the day.