Important to know:
To map to a channel, go to Distribution > Channels.
You can only map channels that are Enabled or Disabled. Channels Awaiting setup cannot be mapped.
Introduction to mapping to a channel
Once you have connected to a channel and have created corresponding room rates in your platform and on the channel's extranet, you will need to map your required room rates to your connected channels.
Mapping is essential to ensure your platform’s inventory updates are sent to your connected channels and that any inventory updates or new reservations made via your connected channels are sent directly into your platform. This reduces the likelihood of overbookings or missed reservations.
If you have a property management system (PMS), revenue management system (RMS) or central reservations systems (CRS) integrated with the SiteMinder platform (Distribution > Connectivities), you must also map all your required room rates in your platform to the corresponding room rate in your connected system to reduce the likelihood of overbookings or missed reservations.
Before mapping to a channel, make sure you create room rates in your platform, and create corresponding room rates in your channel’s extranet.
To help prevent cross-mapping and overbookings, rooms and rates must be configured in the same manner across your platform, channels, and your PMS, RMS, or CRS that is connected in Distribution > Connectivities.
Map your room rates to a channel
Follow these steps to map your room rates to a channel:
Go to Distribution > Channels tab.
On the My channels tab, locate the channel and click on the ellipsis (...) to open the Channel actions menu.
Select Edit room rates mapping.
Use the Mapping status toggle to select Unmapped.
In the channel column, there are Map to <channel name> buttons for all unmapped rates. Locate the platform room rate and click on the Map to button.
To start sending rates, availability, and restrictions, click on the Yes toggle to Start updating channel.
Select the corresponding channel rate from the Mapped to drop-down menu.
Configure any additional settings for the channel rate.
Click Save.
Note:
Once you map a room rate to a channel, a “channel room rate” will be created.
You can also map through Rooms and rates > Rate plans:
Locate the room rate to map and click on it.
On the Room rate actions menu, select Map to channel and then select the channel you want to map the room rate to.
Check that all required room rates are mapped
Go to the channel’s Room rates mapping tab and use the Mapping status toggle to select Unmapped.
To help avoid overbookings or missed reservations, you must also map all of your required room rates from your platform to your PMS, RMS, or CRS that is connected in Distribution > Connectivities.
If you do not:
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 PMS, RMS, or CRS (if applicable).
If you have no unmapped room rates, but you have additional room rates on the channel that have not been mapped, it may mean that more room rates were created on the channel than on your platform:
To keep offering them on the channel, create more room rates on your platform and map them.
To no longer offer them on the channel, delete the room rates from the channel’s extranet.
Review rates and restrictions for channel room rates
Go to the Inventory grid (Distribution > Inventory) and filter by channel to check that all recently mapped rates show the correct values for rates and restrictions.
If you have an integrated property management system (PMS), a central reservations system (CRS) or a revenue management system (RMS), availability, rates and restrictions may be sent from your integration to your platform. Always check with your provider first what inventory updates are sent before you make any manual updates.
If you do not have any integrations, you can make a manual or bulk update via the Inventory grid.
Enable the channel
Once you have mapped all required room rates, and have checked that rates, availability, and restrictions are correct, you are ready to enable the channel. To enable the channel, go to Channel settings and click Enable connection.
Update or disconnect your channel room rates
A "channel room rate" is created as the result of mapping a room rate to a connected channel.
Go to Distribution > Channels tab.
On the My channels tab, locate the channel and click on the ellipsis (...) to open the Channel actions menu.
Select Edit room rates mapping.
Click on the channel room rate you want to update.
In the Channel rate configuration menu, click Configure > make your changes > click Save.
Or, to unmap the channel room rate, click Disconnect from channel. Review the warning and click on Disconnect.
Disconnecting a channel room rate:
Will stop all updates being sent from your platform to those rates on the channel.
Won’t delete the equivalent room rates on your channel (except for Airbnb and Tripadvisor, as well as Booking.com when Enhanced sync is enabled). You should remove room rates from the channel before disconnecting them from your platform. Contact the channel’s support team if you need assistance removing them in the channel’s extranet.
Disconnecting a channel room rate cannot be undone, but if needed, you can follow the usual process to map the room rate to the channel.