Homeaway XML Migration to 4.1

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This page explains how to migrate from Homeaway XML 3.4 to Homeaway XML 4.1

Why is migration required?

Homeaway is obsoleting XML 3.4 and requires all properties to migrate to XML 4.1

XML 4.1 has a number of beneficial improvements:

  • better price accuracy which can have a positive impact on the ranking.
  • support of guaranteed priceing which has a positive impact on the ranking. Homeaway is still working on this function.
  • support for discounts based of length of stay.
  • support of extra person pricing.

Check what is sent to Homeaway

Go to SETTINGS->CHANNEL MANAGER->HOMEAWAY and click on the "View content sent to Homeaway" link. Any settings which do not meet Homeaways requirements for XML 4.1 are highlighted on red. Click on the links to go to the settings where you can fix the problems.

What do you need to adjust?

Prices and Discounts

The way the prices sent to Homeaway are calculated has changed.

Go to SETTINGS->CHANNEL MANAGER->HOMEAWAY XML and click on the "View Actual Data" button to check your prices are correct.

We can still only send one price per day. If there are multiple prices for the same day activated for Homeaway the system will send the one with the lowest minimum stay.

In SETTINGS->CHANNEL MANAGER->HOMEAWAY XML ->SPECIFIC ROOM CONTENT you can now set:

  • The number of guests for which the price applies.
  • An extra person price (the extra person price in rates does not send)
  • A long stay discount. Discounts are only applied to the room price not on extras.


Quoted Pricing and Guaranteed Pricing

You can set your pricing policy in SETTINGS->CHANNEL MANAGER->HOMEAWAY XML ->SPECIFIC ROOM CONTENT.

  • With "Quoted" Homeaway will request the price again at the time of the booking. If the price changed recently the guest will book at the new price.
  • With "Guaranteed" pricing the guest books with the price from the Homeaway cache which may be up to two hours old.
Note: Guaranteed Pricing is still under development at Homeaways end.

Rental policy

Homeaway requires a link to a pdf version of your rental policy.

1. Upload a pdf version of your rental agreement to your web site.

2. Enter the link to your rental agreement in SETTINGS->CHANNEL MANAGER->HOMEAWAY XML ->SPECIFIC ROOM CONTENT

Payments and Payment Schedule

By default payment is due on arrival. If you have set up deposit collection in SETTINGS - > PROPERTIES- > PAYMENT COLLECTION we will send deposit amount set there to be due at the time of the booking and the remainder if any at arrival.

In SETTINGS - > CHANNEL MANAGER - > HOMEAWAY.COM -> SPECIFIC CONTENT you can set which payment types you accept. Beds24 supports following payment options:

1. Invoice

If you choose "Invoice" you need to enter a description on how guests can pay in SETTINGS - > CHANNEL MANAGER - > HOMEAWAY.COM -> SPECIFIC CONTENT "Payment Options Description "


2. Credit Card

The cards you have activated in SETTINGS - > PROPERTIES - > CREDIT CARD will be sent as accepted cards.

Taxes and fees

Taxes and fees do not come from upsell items.

Unit area

Showing the space you offer is optional but recommended. You can add the "Size (m2)" in SETTINGS->PROPERTIES-->ROOMS->SETUP.

Pictures

Homeaway requires at least 6 pictures for each listing.

Invoice Payment Note

The invoice payment not can have max 200 characters.

Pets

By default we send that pets are not allowed. If you allow pets you need to select the feature "Pets Considered" (SUITABILITY_PETS_CONSIDERED).

Features

The new version supports more features codes.

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