Notifying and Tracking XML Bookings Inside a BookingCenter Product

When a client integrates the XML into their system, the bookings saved will not trigger a booking confirmation event from BookingCenter. Thus, the XML developer must build their own notification system to notify both the property and guest that an online booking occured.

The property managers then uses the notification built by the XML developer to get notification when online bookings come in.

To search for bookings generated by the XML, the developer ought to set both the Source and Guest Type for each booking to allow searches for online bookings in MyPMS or the Desktop PMS. The XML code is detailed in the XML API, but the basic message is:
<RoomStay SourceOfBusiness="U" MarketCode="U">

Thus, the above codes are using:
Source="U" (unknown)
Guest Type="U" (unknown)

These can be set to any Source of Guest Type codes you have setup in BookingCenter for ease of tracking.

When a booking comes from the GDS/OTA/Global Booking Network, the auto confirmation letter is sent (usually) from the Travel Agent/OTA to the Guest and not from BookingCenter, so guest emailing is not assured when booked through 3rd parties. We recommend our properties to send a follow up confirm letter for these bookings.   However, when a booking comes from the GDS/OTA/Global Booking Network, our system does notify the Property, via email with the Booking ID, of a new Booking, and send them to the Members Area or their PMS for specific booking details of the booking.  If a developer wishes to be notified of online bookings, we support a notification process to call your notification URL.  The notification process uses the OTA_HotelGetMsgRQ/RS - (notify of booking).  

Upon receipt of the notification, the developer ought to trigger the XML Web Services 'OTA_ HotelResNotifyRS/RQ - (get booking) message.

How does BookingCenter notify when a booking comes from the GDS/OTA/Global Booking Network? There are two options, both of which can only be set by BookingCenter:

If the Site is a stand-alone (ie, just one Site not part of a 'group' of properties or a Portal), then there is an XML notification URL (https://adminonline.bookingcenter.com/site_details.phtml?site=xxxxx) for the Site Admin area of BookingCenter for BookingCenter to notify the developer's application for when a new or cancelled booking occurs via BookingCenter.

If the Site is part of a Group of properties, or a Portal, then they would place a web address in the 'Notify URL' in the Portal Admin area of BookingCenter (https://adminonline.bookingcenter.com/portal_details.phtml) in order for BookingCenter to notify the developer's application when a new or cancelled booking occurs via BookingCenter network partners. 

We have a separate article for Notification and Credentials for Partner Bookings via XML here.