Flipkey

This page is about the menu  (SETTINGS) CHANNEL MANAGER > FLIPKEY and explains how to synchronise with your Flipkey calendar.

http://www.flipkey.com

1 Ical method

Capabilities

  • com can export inventory upto 12 months.
  • MASTERINSOFT provides a specially constructed calendar file which Flipkey polls for updates at a rate determined by Flipkey.
  • com can import bookings, cancellations and date changes.

1.1 Limitations

  • MASTERINSOFT can only send a room price. Single and Double price will be ignored.
  • You will need to routinely log in to Flipkey and respond to your enquiries.
  • Bookings imported by iCal have limited information, usually only the guest name, number of guests, booking number and dates are provided.
  • Only dates blocked by MASTERINSOFT can be re-opened. Dates blocked from other synced calendars within Flipkey or manually in Flipkey cannot be re-opened.

2 Before you connect

Availability

Even though prices are not sent you need valid prices in MASTERINSOFT so we can send availability.

Rooms and room types

If you have room types with a quantity greater one in other channels you can set up virtual roooms

2.1 Set Up

2.1.1 MASTERINSOFT.com

1) Enable the Flipkey Synchronise Inventory and Bookings check boxes for the required rooms.

2) Copy the URL shown at Calendar (Inventory) for pasting into Flipkey

2.1.2 Flipkey

3) Log in to Flipkey.

4) Go to the calendar menu “Sync with other calendars”.

5) Select calendar type “Other”

6) Give the calendar a name, this is only for your reference.

7) Paste the calendar URL from Import Calendar (Inventory) into Flipkey.

8) Go to Export Your Calendar and copy the supplied iCal URL for pasting into MASTERINSOFT.

2.1.3 MASTERINSOFT.com

9) Paste the Flipkey Export Ical URL into the setting “Export Calendar (Bookings)” and save.

Flipkey do not re-open dates which are blocked in their calendar by other sources.

These dates must be set to “Available” manually in the Flipkey calendar.

If the Sync is working but out of date because of many blocked dates this can be fixed by setting all dates in Flipkey to Available and then doing a “Sync Now” in Flipkey’s “Sync with other calendars”

3 XML method (Only available to Flipkey customers with 10 or more listings)

NOTE: Tripadvisor will terminate this XML interface soon. If you are setting up a new connection please use the  TripadvisorRentals XML  in SETTINGS->CHANNEL MANAGER->TRIPADVISOR RENTALS.

MASTERINSOFT supplies XML data which Flipkey periodically read and use to update the Flipkey calendar.

3.1 Capabilities

  • com can export listing content
  • com can export inventory
  • com can export prices
  • MASTERINSOFT can apply a multiplier to the prices

3.2 Limitations

  • You will need to routinely log in to Flipkey and respond to your enquiries.
  • Bookings can not be imported because Flipkey does not provide this functionality XML. If you want to import bookings into MASTERINSOFT enter the Flipkey export calendar URL (see iCal method).

3.3 Set Up

A Flipkey listing is a room in MASTERINSOFT. Where Flipkey specifies a property_id, this corresponds to a roomid in MASTERINSOFT.

All rooms visible in the account can be sent to Flipkey, this includes rooms in properties linked from other accounts.

The listing name sent is:

  • For properties with one room type: property name
  • For properties with more than one room type it consists of property name – room name.

3.4 MASTERINSOFT

  • Enable option to send data by ticking “Inventory” and “Bookings”.
  • Note the XML getproperties endpoint shown in the channel manager settings.
  • Note the XML getavailability endpoint for each calendar in the channel manager settings.
  • Go to SETTINGS->CHANNEL MANAGER->FLIPKEY->CONTENT DATA and check the content information sent to Flipkey is correct.

3.5 Flipkey

  • Send an email to pmsupport@tripadvisor.com with the XML endpoints and the Flipkey listing ID for each and request connecting your calendar to these XML endpoints.
  • Once Flipkey (Tripadvisor) connect you, Flipkey will periodically read the XML endpoint to update your Flipkey calendar.

3.6 Content

3.6.1 Define Bedrooms and Bathrooms

They can be set up for the property (SETTING->PROPERTIES->DESCRIPTION) or per room (SETTING->PROPERTIES->ROOMS->SET UP).

Criteria which apply to all rooms in the property should be set up with the property. They will be automatically applied to all rooms in the property.

Criteria which only applies to one room should be entered in the room.

Make sure you do not create duplicates.

Example 1: All units (rooms) have one bedroom and one bathroom. In this case you can set up the bedroom and bathroom in SETTING->PROPERTIES->DESCRIPTION. The number will be applied to all room/units.

Example 2: You have one unit with one bedroom and another unit with two bedrooms. In this case set the bedrooms up in SETTING->PROPERTIES->ROOMS->SET UP.

Bedrooms and bathrooms are configured by feature codes which are entered in the “Features” field.

  • Click on the “Edit ” button next to the “Features” field.
  • In the pop up click on “Bedroom” or “Bathroom”.
  • Set the type and use the selectors to define the features within each room.
  • If you have multiple bedrooms or bathrooms make sure you define them all. If you have more than 2 rooms click “Close” and SAVE. The system will then automatically add more rooms when you click on the “Edit” button again.
  • Close the pop up and then press SAVE.

You can also manually add bedrooms and bathrooms and amenities. For more information see “All feature codes” below. Flipkey does not support all features MASTERINSOFT offers. For a list of all feature codes Flipkey supports see “All feature codes” below.

3.6.2 Amenities

Amenities can be set up for the property (SETTING->PROPERTIES->DESCRIPTION) or per room (SETTING->PROPERTIES->ROOMS->SET UP).

Criteria which apply to all rooms in the property should be set up with the property. They will be automatically applied to all rooms in the property.

Criteria which only applies to one room should be entered in the room.

Make sure you do not create duplicates.

Example 1: All units (rooms) have Wifi. In this case you can set up the Wifi in SETTING->PROPERTIES->DESCRIPTION. The number will be applied to all room/units.

Example 2: You have one unit with Wifi one and another unit without Wifi. In this case set the Wifi up in SETTING->PROPERTIES->ROOMS->SET UP.

Features and amenities are configured by feature codes which are entered in the “Features” field.

  • Click on the “Edit ” button next to the “Features” field.
  • In the pop up click on “Amenities”.
  • Tick the amenities you provide.
  • Close the pop up and then press SAVE.

You can also manually add bedrooms and bathrooms and amenities. For more information see “All feature codes” below.

Flipkey does not support all features MASTERINSOFT offers. For a list of all feature codes Flipkey supports see “All feature codes” below.

3.6.3 Prices

Daily prices or Rates with the “Flipkey” channel ticked and set as offer 1 will send to Flipkey as long as they are for the full room occupancy.

One room price per night and minimum stay value will be sent to Flipkey.

If multiple minimum stay prices are available, the one for the shortest minimum stay will be sent.

3.6.4 Price Multiplier

A multiplier can be specified with a * followed by the amount to multiply the prices.

For example to raise the price by 10% use *1.1 (multiply by 1.1)

For example to lower the price by 10% use *0.9 (multiply by 0.9)

3.6.5 Currency

If Tripadvisor requires a different currency from the one you use in MASTERINSOFT you can use the “Currency” setting and the “Multiplier to adjust the currency.

3.6.6 Fees

Fees can be entered per property as Upsell Items set to a compulsory value. All percentage upsell items except for the ones set to “refundable” defined for the property will be included.

3.6.7 Pictures

In SETTINGS->CHANNEL MANAGER->Flipkey -> SPECIFIC CONTENT you can set which pictures are sent.

3.6.8 Check if data is complete and correct

Go to SETTINGS->CHANNEL MANAGER->FLIPKEY ->CONTENT or click on the “View content sent to Fliipkey” link.

To update the listing content click on the links on this page. and check the information which will be sent to Flipkey is correct and complete.

To update the listing content click on the links on this page.

If you do not meet the minimum requirements Flipkey might reject all data sent.

To check which information is sent to Flipkey click on the “View actual data sent to Flipkey” link. This will show you the raw data.

You can also manually add bedrooms and bathrooms and amenities. For more information see “All feature codes” below.

3.7 Activation

Tick “Inventory” in SETTINGS->CHANNEL MANAGER->FLIPKEY.

3.8 All feature codes

You can also manually add bedrooms and bathrooms and amenities typing the feature codes exactly as listed below into the “Features” field.

Each room feature code can have additional features added to it separated by a space which will list the features within this room. Multiple rooms can be added.

AIR_CONDITIONING

INTERNET

SATELLITE_OR_CABLE

POOL_HEATED

POOL

POOL_INDOOR

POOL_INDOOR

PARKING

TELEVISION

STEREO

DECK_PATIO_UNCOVERED

ROOF_TERRACE

PRIVATE_YARD

GRILL

LINENS

CLEANING_INCLUDED

DVD

FIREPLACE

BALCONY

SAFE

TOWELS

STOVE

DISHWASHER

DRYER

MICROWAVE

WASHER

SAUNA

GYM

POOL_TABLE

BOAT

GOLF

FISHING

WATERSPORTS

HOT_TUB

GAME_ROOM

TABLE_TENNIS

TENNIS

EQUESTRIAN_EVENTS

GOLF

BICYCLE

WATER_VIEW

MOUNTAIN_VIEW

RURAL

WATERFRONT

BEACH_FRONT

BEACH

CITY

LAKE

SKI_IN

SKI_OUT

HIKING

OCEAN_VIEW

4 Disconnect

Untick “Inventory”. If you have entered a calendar URL in your Flipkey account log into Flipkey and remove the link.