Enable guest communication e-mails for Direct booking
Send e-mails to guests who book through your SiteMinder booking engine. Enable outgoing e-mails in Direct booking > Configuration > Guest communications by turning on the toggle next to each e-mail you want to send to guests:
Reservation confirmation
Reservation modification
Reservation cancellation
Pre-arrival message
Post-departure message
Note: Once you have enabled each e-mail type, you will need to customise each e-mail template, or guests will receive blank e-mails.
What can be edited?
The following fields can be edited in your email templates that will be sent to your Direct booking guests:
Subject line
Header and footer text
Header and footer images (you can include a URLs so that if guests click on the image, they will be directed to a specific URL
Tip: the recommended dimensions for the header and footer image in Direct booking e-mails are 600px width and 210px height.
Use advanced code editing (HTML/Liquid template code)
The Code editing feature requires web development experience using HTML and liquid objects and is best for advanced users with skills in programming. All changes made are at your own risk.
See what dynamic data variables can be added to your template with our guide on Liquid Available Objects.
To enable code editing and make updates to e-mail templates using HTML and Liquid template language (advanced coding skills required), follow these steps:
Go to Direct booking > Configuration > Guest communications.
Click the Edit icon on the e-mail type you want to edit.
Click on the toggle Code editing to turn it on.
Read the pop-up warning and click on Confirm if you’re happy to proceed.
When editing the code, manage your changes with these buttons:
Discard draft — undo all changes saved to draft and revert the code back to the current published template.
Reset to default template — turn off the Code editing feature. Any previously saved changes using code editing will be lost.
Save draft
Publish template
Note: if you don’t see the Code editing when editing an e-mail template, it means that the Code editing feature is already enabled for this template.
Test your e-mail templates
In addition to using the Show preview feature, it’s recommended to check your direct booking e-mail template by sending a test e-mail. You can make dummy reservations using your own e-mail address, then check how the e-mail you receive displays in various ways such as:
Via different devices (desktop vs. mobile)
Using different email providers (Gmail vs Outlook)
Across various web browsers (Chrome vs Firefox)
Edit the Google Maps link for your reservation confirmation e-mail and Contact us page
The Location of your property on Google Maps will be the link used when a guest clicks:
“Show on map” in their reservation confirmation e-mail.
Your property's address on your booking engine's “Contact us” page.
To make your property address clickable in the reservation confirmation e-mail and on your booking engine's “Contact us” page, follow these steps to add a google maps URL:
Go to Direct booking > Configuration > Guest communications.
Click the pencil edit icon next to Location of your property on Google Maps.
Open Google Maps from your browser.
Search for your property using the search bar in the top left.
Once a red marker is pointing at your property, a menu will appear on the left.
Click the option Share.
Click on Copy Link in the window that appears (make sure that you are in the tab Send a link). Please note: do not use the code or the link in "Embed map".
Paste this link in the field.
Click Publish changes.
Note:
If the Location of your property on Google Maps field is blank, the address on your Contact us page will not be hyperlinked.
The embedded map on your booking engine’s Contact us page is related to your address in Property settings. If the map points to an incorrect location, please update your address details in Property settings > Property details > Property.