Knowledgebase
Notification and Credentials for Partner Bookings via XML of New and Cancelled Bookings
Posted by Jeff Tweddale on 12 Dec 2011 09:48 PM

Notification and Credentials for Partner Bookings via XML


BookingCenter supports notifying when an online booking is received for a Site.  An online booking is one that is made via a website, mobile device, GDS, or an OTA such as Expedia or Booking.com.  When a 'notification URL' is provided by a partner, our system will trigger that URL, and that is the event a partner uses to 'pick up' a booking (new and cancelled events are supported) so that booking details can be stored in the requesting system. Common uses for this data include picking up bookings created inside a BookingCenter CRS (GDS, Expedia, Booking.com, etc); keeping an outside database of bookings, including guest details, and automating communications when bookings or cancellations occur.  Note that the URL used by the partner for their notification script must be entered without https:// and must be available under ssl. 

Portal Notification
Both the credentials for the Portal and the Notify URL are set on the Portal Details page in the admin area.  Click on Portal Details under the My LDS Tab (https://adminonline.bookingcenter.com/portal_details.phtml).  If set for a Portal, then all bookings made for Sites in that Portal will trigger the notification URL.

Site Notification
A specific Site URL can be set in either the MyPMS product (https://mypms.bookingcenter.com/site_enquiry_settings.phtml) or the Channel Manager (https://members.bookingcenter.com/site_enquiry_settings.phtml) product. Click on Booking Engine Settings under the Setup Tab.
   
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Note that credential values are as following:

Agent is going to usually be BC (public website), unless the developer(s) decides to use a different agent.

Chain Code is BC (for BookingCenter) unless you are developing for a unique LDS.

HotelCode is: <SiteID> Thus, if you are using BCDEMO as a Site ID, then the HotelCode is BCDEMO.

Booking ID.  When seeking to pick up the booking from the CRS, via the OTA_ HotelResModifyNotifyRS/RQ, note that the booking will be the 'raw' Booking ID and not preceded with the Site ID.  So, if the Booking ID (ie, the Confirmation number) is: 1197973649B, to pick up the booking use only the number and not BCDEMO1197973649B. 

The actual structure of the notification message, and the XML for parsing the booking data when picked up by the partner, are both detailed in the API spec we make available when a developer/webmaster has signed and returned the Mutual NDA.  This can be downlaoded and sent to us from here. Please tell us which customer (Site) you are developing for when returning the Mutual NDA for the API access.  Send the signed and dated NDA via email to info@bookingcenter.com or via fax to +1-718-228-5959.

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