This release brings new MyPMS enhancements to the user login as well as to Group Bookings. With Group bookings, you are now able to check-in all reservations within a group by clicking a single button. BookingCenter is also certified to the Google Hotels interface which allow real-time bookings from a Google search for your property - with no ads to buy or commissions to pay. We have also updated the Expedia (and Booking.com) interface to better accommodate OTA tax remittance. A detailed summary is included below.

Enhancements – MyPMS and Group Bookings

Group Booking

• The Group Booking module now offers the option to “Mass check-in” or check-in all bookings associated with a Group. This allows a more efficient flow to check-in all guests for a large group checking into the property.  Note, this button only appears when the Group Booking arrival date is the same as 'today's' System Date.  And this process will bypass (ie, these events will not happen, as these are controlled on a booking-by-booking basis that this button bypasses) all programmed events that take place during manual Check-in, such as: authorize at checkin; setting a Guest Service device to on/off; triggering a Door Lock code or key to be created; issuing a WebHook or API command.
• Added a ‘Rate of the Day’ to each room type when creating a new Group to expedite the group booking creation process.

MyPMS

• Within MyPMS, we have implemented a new user landing page default setting. At the User level, you can now choose what page MyPMS will automatically load/go to first when you login. The options include those below and you can learn more here:
  • Front Desk
  • Tape Chart
  • Housekeeping
  • Booking By Availability
  • House Accounts
• On the Default Rates Page, you are now able to segment rate plans into either Active or Inactive status
• On the ‘Search Bookings’ page, you can now exclude status ‘Cancelled’ on the search booking results
• On the Tape Chart, we now display the first 15 characters of the Out-of-Order (OOO) message
• Added new colors to the various buttons within MyPMS. This allows for a clearer breakdown of each button.

Security

• We have removed the challenge question and answers on the User detail page and from the ‘Forgot Password’

Self Check-In Enhancements

• We added a self check-in icon to the Tape Chart when a booking is self-checked in

Self Check-out

• Self check-out letters added to MyPMS, allowing you to select SMS and emails and define which time(s) each will be set.
• We added a self check-out icon to the Tape Chart so its visually clear to your staff when a booking has 'self-checked out's opposed to having it manually occur.

Owners Area

• If the Owner has an active Lock system, they can view the Door Entry Instructions for the booking, which is handy for sending to their guests.  Learn more here.

Google Hotels

BookingCenter is now a certified partner with Google Hotels. There have been some properties that are live on the pilot program, and we are now rolling this valuable OTA channel to all interested properties.  This works just like a connection with Airbnb, Expedia, or Booking.com. BookingCenter synchronizes your rates, restrictions, and availability in real time with Google Hotels and anytime a reservation is made, it will seamlessly import back into your BookingCenter software. The program is like TripAdvisor's "Instant Booking", where booking uses your Booking Engine and becomes a 'direct booking' to you, so you can cancel, modify, enforce (or not) your deposit and cancellation policies without any concern for Google.  Contact Sales to get started with the Google Hotels program for unlimited bookings without any advertising purchase required by Google.  Note, your property must be a registered Google Hotel, which is free, to enable this feature.

Distribution Tax Remittance (Primarily Expedia Collect)

BookingCenter supports Expedia Collect in certain jurisdictions where Expedia is responsible for tax remittance. Properties can work directly with BookingCenter to confirm which taxes Expedia will remit and what taxes the property are responsible to remit. BookingCenter supports all combinations of tax remittance for Expedia Collect reservations.  

Whistle Interface 

Whistle is an interactive messaging platform that uses SMS and 'push notifications' to engage customers.  It can be used as an alternative to the SMS features built-into BookingCenter, or to supplement them for the unique approaches Whistle uses.  A customer would sign up for Whistle, and then the PMS would keep the Whistle up-to-date with any new, cancelled, or modified bookings and/or Guest information. 

System Enhancements

BookingCenter continues to update our back-end infrastructure.

Bug Fixes

• When Deleting a Letter, the system now Checks if the Letter is Set as a Default Letter
  • We will prevent the deletion if this is the case
• Updated Maidsheets to Display S/O Room when running in HTML
• Updated merge field projected taxes
• Updated tax exempt setting for Group Bookings and the 3rd+ taxes
• Multi Room Booking with Different Guest Counts fixed on Booking Engine
• Fixed the N/A display showing on the Tape Chart for dates less than 18 months in the future
• Updated Occupancy Forecast Report Revenue to ignore Room Assignment
• Add the 'Cancel' Logging for Expedia and GDS bookings to match what is done for the Booking.com channel