Managing inventory updates
💡 Two-way PMS/RMS integration: If you have a PMS/RMS/CRS integration that sends inventory updates, manage inventory updates directly in your PMS/RMS/CRS. Any manual updates will be overwritten when your connected system sends its next update, and these manual changes will not sync back to your PMS/RMS/CRS .
💡 One-way integration: If your integrated system (PMS/RMS/CRS) only receives reservations, or does not send certain inventory types - rates, availability, or restrictions, then manage the inventory in SiteMinder.
Control how inventory syncs between SiteMinder and your PMS/RMS
Choose how inventory data flows between systems: Update inventory settings for your connected PMS/RMS. Go to Distribution > Integrated Systems, select your connected PMS/RMS:
PMS/RMS → SiteMinder: if this setting is enabled, your PMS/RMS/CRS sends these updates to your SiteMinder platform inventory grid. SiteMinder then pushes these updates to all your connected channels (as long as the channel supports receiving that specific type of update).
Do not sync: manage inventory data directly in your SiteMinder platform. Data does not sync from your PMS/RMS to SiteMinder. Inventory will still be sent from your SiteMinder platform to your channels (OTAs).
SiteMinder → PMS/RMS: manage rates and restrictions in your SiteMinder platform and sync them to your PMS/RMS. The SiteMinder → PMS/RMS direction is only available for Opera OHIP, Oracle, Cloudbeds, Mews, and RMS connections. It is not available for Opera ADS or Opera OXI connections. Oracle syncs rates only; stop sell, close to arrivals, close to departures, and minimum length of stay cannot be synced from SiteMinder to Oracle. Contact our support team to enable SiteMinder → PMS/RMS sync before you activate it in your inventory settings.
Troubleshooting inventory sync
If your room rates are mapped and inventory (rates, availability, restrictions) is still not syncing or is showing incorrectly in your SiteMinder platform, see Troubleshoot inventory not syncing from your PMS/RMS/CRS.
If you need to troubleshoot inventory not syncing to a channel or OTA and the issue is between SiteMinder and the channel, not between your PMS/RMS/CRS and SiteMinder, see Troubleshoot inventory not syncing or displaying correctly on channels.
Map all room rates to your connected channel(s) and PMS/RMS/CRS
Map all your room rates in your platform to the corresponding room rate in your connected PMS, RMS, or CRS. This will ensure your inventory grid reflects accurate availability and rates, and ensure any new reservations made via your connected channels are sent directly into your connected systems, reducing the likelihood of overbookings or missed reservations.
Map all your room rates in your platform to the corresponding room rate in your connected channel(s). If a channel is connected and enabled, but a channel rate is not mapped in your platform, reservations for that unmapped room rate will still be able to be made, but:
Your platform will not be able to locate the correct room type and room rate.
The availability will not be modified automatically.
You will be notified to modify the availability manually.
⚠️ If you have unmapped rates:
Availability, rate, and restriction updates made in your connected PMS, RMS, or CRS will not be sent to your SiteMinder platform or to your connected channel(s), and vice versa.
If an unmapped rate is booked on a connected channel, the reservation will not be sent through to your connected PMS, RMS, or CRS (if applicable).
To review and map any unmapped rates, go to Distribution > Integrated systems > Room and Rate Mapping tab > Unmapped.
To map room rates to your PMS/RMS/CRS: Distribution > Integrated systems
To map room rates to channels: Distribution > Channels
If a channel or certain rate types do not support certain inventory data (rates, availability, or restrictions such as CTA and CTD), you may be able to set up and manage these inventory updates directly in the channel's extranet.
Ensure a like-for-like room rate configuration
Make sure your rooms and rate setup is the same across your platform, channels, and connected PMS, RMS, or CRS. Each room rate must have a corresponding room rate to map to.
The names of room rates in your SiteMinder platform, channels, and connected systems may vary. For example, a "Double room: standard" room rate in your platform may be called "Double room: room only" in your PMS, which is fine as long as they have the same configuration and are corresponding. Contact the channel's support team if you need help checking the configuration matches.
⚠️ Not having a like-for-like configuration can cause cross-mapping issues that lead to overbookings.
Understanding room codes and rate codes:
Room and rate codes must match exactly between your PMS/RMS/CRS and SiteMinder platform (including spaces and capitalisation).
Room code: The identifier your PMS uses for each room type (for example, "STD" for Standard, "DBL" for Double).
Rate code: The identifier your PMS uses for each rate plan (for example, "BAR" for Best Available Rate, "ADV" for Advance Purchase).
💡 SiteMinder may not receive complete inclusions/meal plan information from the channel. If a reservation shows breakfast included on the channel but not in your SiteMinder or PMS system, verify your room rate mapping to your channels and PMS are correct. If mappings are correct, contact the channel to confirm any inclusions with the rate plan.
How reservations are delivered
When you receive a reservation from a connected channel, if all room rates are mapped to your connected systems (your PMS/RMS/CRS and your channels), your SiteMinder platform will automatically:
Decrease the availability and send the updated availability to your connected channels.
Send the reservation and availability update to your connected PMS/RMS/CRS.
⚠️ For successful reservation delivery from your channels to your platform and PMS/RMS/CRS, room rates must be mapped to all systems, channels must be enabled, and the channel rate's Start updating channel setting must be Yes.
Modify or cancel reservations directly on the channel
Always modify or cancel channel reservations directly through the channel. Modifications and cancellations made via channels are sent to your SiteMinder platform and your PMS, CRS, or RMS. Modifying or cancelling directly through the channel also ensures the correct taxes, commissions, and fees are applied.
⚠️ If you modify or cancel a channel reservation on your PMS, CRS, or RMS, the changes won't be reflected on your SiteMinder platform or the channel.
Create walk-in reservations
⚠️ Add walk-in reservations to your PMS, CRS, or RMS promptly to avoid any risk of overbookings. How you handle them depends on your setup:
If you have an integrated PMS, CRS, or RMS: Create walk-in reservations in your PMS, CRS, or RMS. The inventory update will be sent to your SiteMinder platform automatically.
If you don't have a PMS, CRS, RMS, or booking engine: Update the inventory manually in your SiteMinder platform to help prevent an overbooking.