What are the system requirements to use BookingCenter?

MyPMS
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* Internet Explorer versions are not supported, please use Edge (why we don't support IE: https://medium.com/@burger.neal/the-end-of-life-of-internet-explorer-11-12736f9ff75f).
* Safari 2.0 or higher browser.
* FireFox version 3 or higher.
* Google Chrome 1.x or higher browser.
* iOS version 3.x or higher.
* Android 2.2 or higher.
* Firewall/Network Connectivity Requirements: open Port 80 (http) and port 443 (SSL port)

Apple iOS MyGuest App
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Apple's iOS Ver 10 or later

Android MyGuest App
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Android OS Ver 5.1 or later

 Channel Manager
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* Internet Explorer version 7 or higher browser.
* Safari 2.0 or higher browser.
* FireFox version 3 or higher.
* Google Chrome 1.x or higher browser.
* iOS (iPod and iPad operating system) version 3.x or higher.
* Android 2.2 or higher.
* Firewall/Network Connectivity Requirements: open Port 80 (http) and port 443 (SSL port)


Desktop Pro /Lite Product (more variants, see below for your OS platform):
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Operating Systems: Windows 3.1, Windows 95, Windows 98/ME/2000/XP/Vista, Windows 7, Edge

* Video: 800 x 600 VGA
* RAM: 8 megs of free RAM
* Hard Drive: 145 megs (for backups, use external hard drives, ZIP discs,
* Network: Network card (to take advantage of multi-user capabilities); modem (any speed) and an Internet connection (to take advantage of Internet bookings).

Operating Systems: Macintosh System 7,8, and 9

* Video: 800 x 600 VGA
* RAM: 8 megs of free RAM
* Hard Drive: 40 megs (for backups, use external hard drives, ZIP discs,
* Network: Network card (to take advantage of multi-user capabilities); modem (any speed) and an Internet connection (to take advantage of Internet bookings).

Operating Systems: Macintosh OS X 10.1 - 10.14 (Mojave)

* Video: 800 x 800 VGA
* RAM: 64 megs of free RAM
* Hard Drive: 140 megs (for backups, use external hard drives, ZIP discs,
* Network: Ethernet card (to take advantage of multi-user capabilities) and an Internet connection (to take advantage of Internet bookings).

All Desktop users who wish to connect to the Central Reservation System need to open, for BookingCenter Desktop's use, FTP port 21 (or designate a differing one), Port 80 (http), SMTP (port 25), and port 443 (SSL port) for full connectivity.

Web traffic analysis shows that each page of a property website ought to have a clear 'call to action' accepting "Arrival Date" and "Departure Date" and, when submitted, the user gets availability results from the Booking Engine for those dates.  Because BookingCenter supports a few different Booking Engine technologies (advertised at: http://www.bookingcenter.com/interfaces-and-modules/bookingengine-api/), the Quick Reservation code specification is a bit different between the Booking Engine services.  

Choose from  Booking Engine Templates below:

Multi Room, Multi Rate Booking Engine template offers two variants: https://book.bookingcenter.com/02/?site=xxxxx and https://book.bookingcenter.com/04/?site=xxxxx

The Multi Room Booking Engine templates allow a property who has multiple Rooms / Types, with multiple Rates and Packages, to have a graphically-rich Booking Engine accessed via a QuickReservation link.

The 2 options are:

1. https://book.bookingcenter.com/02/?site=xxxxxxx. Using an 'Info Page' as the default 'introductory' page, this Booking Engine template offers a flexible option and contains many graphics and ability to write a lot of info about your property on the 'first page'. See an example here if one were NOT to use the Quick Reservation code for submitting dates, rather a direct link: https://book.bookingcenter.com/02/?site=MYPMSDO Note, if a webmaster uses the '02 Info template', and a traveler clicks the breadcrumb to return to the first page, they will be directed to the 'info page' as the example link above shows and is documented at: https://docs.bookingcenter.com/display/MYPMS/Booking+Engine+%7C+Website+Code

2. https://book.bookingcenter.com/04/?site=xxxxxx. Using an 'Calendar of Availability' as the default 'introductory' page, this Booking Engine template offers a visual calendar option of property availability (ie, showing which dates have rooms and which do not) and enables Guests to choose arrival and departure dates. See an example here if one were NOT to use the Quick Reservation code for submitting dates, rather a direct link: https://book.bookingcenter.com/04/?site=MYPMSDO Note, if a webmaster uses the "04 Calendar template', and a traveler clicks the breadcrumb to return to the first page, they wil be directed to the 'calendar page' as the example link above shows and is documented at: https://docs.bookingcenter.com/display/MYPMS/Booking+Engine+%7C+Website+Code

Single Room Booking Engine template offers two variants: https://book.bookingcenter.com/01/?site=xxxxx and https://book.bookingcenter.com/03/?site=xxxxx

For our Legacy Booking Engine, we provide sample code below to facilitate your HTML coding in this HelpDesk article, and we host a JavaScript file to assist with date formatting. If this HTML information is to complex for you - no worries! BookingCenter staff will do this work for you, or we'll assist your webmaster. Simply send us the login ID and password for your website and we can place this code for you.

Many folks do not wish to use the basic 'calendar' feature that BookingCenter provides as a default template.  There is a sample page we have created at: https://demo.bookingcenter.com/ so you can click 'View Source' and view how this works using a Site called 'MYPMSDO' ('Site' is what BookingCenter refers to as a property).

There are two areas you need to focus on when writing the HTML:

1. Enabling and accessing the "calendar.js". The JavaScript function we host for you to assist with date formatting is referenced at: http://requests.bookingcenter.com/calendar.js
   This "calendar.js", (also attached to this HelpDesk article below, but it's highly recommended you reference ours, as we may improve on it from time to time) validates the dates our Central Reservation System uses for HTML posts.  Thus, in your HTML page where the Quick Reservation code will be placed, make sure to place the <script language="javascript" src="http://requests.bookingcenter.com/calendar.js"></script> in the HEAD area of your HTML so that the "calendar.js" will load, always populate today's date, and send correctly formatted dates to our Central Reservation System.
2. Writing the HTML form elements into your page. You will need to know the Site ID that BookingCenter uses to identify your property. In the code below, we are assuming the Site ID for the property is 'BCDEMO'.
   The standard form values are as follows:
   
   <form action="https://requests.bookingcenter.com/results.phtml" method="post">
   <input type="hidden" name="port" value="BC">
   <input type="hidden" name="ps" value="0"> 
   <input type="hidden" name="site" value="DEMO">
   <input type="hidden" name="agent" value="BC">
   <input type="hidden" name="adult" value="1">
   <input type="hidden" name="child" value="0">
   <input type="hidden" name="infant" value="0">
   
   
   <select id="arrival_year" name="arrival_year" onChange="populateday(this.id);">
   </select>
   <select id="arrival_month" name="arrival_month" onChange="populateday(this.id);">
   </select>
   <select id="arrival_day" name="arrival_day">
   </select>
   
   <p># of nights
   <input type="text" name="stay" size=4>
   
   Don't forget to close the Form tag using code such as:
   <input type="submit" name="Search" value="Search"> </form>
   
   If you are trying to return rate and availability results for a different Agent than the standard Agent 'BC', then use that Agent code in place of the default 'BC'. For example, if you wanted this form to query for rooms and rates allocated to an Agent called 'PACKAGES", then use: <input type="hidden" name="agent" value="PACKAGES">. We have more information on allocating rooms and rates to unique agents at: https://support.bookingcenter.com/index.php?/Knowledgebase/Article/View/205.
   
   

Let us know if you need additional help by logging to the Support Area at http://support.bookingcenter.com. and choose 'Submit a HelpDesk Ticket' to our support staff. If you wish for our staff to place this on your HTML pages for you, you will need to send us the login ID and password for your website, and a HelpDesk ticket is the perfect way to do that.

Enjoy!

We have a simple way for your agents to book so that the Agent can maintain the relationship with the Guest, if you wish.  We call it a Wholesale Agent.  This is a special Agent that causes the Booking Engine (BE) screens to adjust to a paradigm where an Agent is making a booking at a property on behalf of a traveler.  

When this happens a number of screens in the Booking Engine change to reflect the Wholesale Agent.

For example, on the Results page
 
* Note, the banner is now the Agents’ banner and the email is assumed to be the ‘Agents/Booking Consultant’s email’ address.

Also, the ‘Booking Consultant’ can enter in a free-form text field to add their comments:
 
The final booking page has branding that goes to the Agent and/or the Guest containing the Agent’s details, maintaining the Agent’s ‘branding’ throughout the booking process. The Agent’s branding will be sent with the email confirmation as well as the 'Fax or Phone' payment option.

In summary, an Agent designated as a "Wholesale Agent" means that when they make a booking;
·      The Agent branding will be presented to the buyer.
·      They can choose whether or not to email the Guest with the booking details.
·      The Fax confirmation is designed to be sent from the Agent to the Guest.
·      The emails and Booking Engine screen all carry Agent Branding.


An example of the 'email trail might look like this: a Wholesale Agent makes a booking and selects to 'notify guest' with the confirmation, there would be 3 emails generated:


Email to Property (always sent):
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American Express Travel Agency from AmEx Corporate Travel has just made a new booking. Please login to MyPMS to review the details

Although the Guest has received a similar automatic email, we advise confirming with the Agent as soon as possible.

Booking Number: 21823857W
Site ID: JEFTWE


Email to Agent (always sent):
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Attention: American Express Travel Agency, AmEx Corporate Travel
Booking details for: 21823857W

Although the Guest has received a similar automatic email, we advise confirming with the Guest as soon as possible.

Go here to view Booking Details -> http://agents.bookingcenter.com/agent_sites.phtml

Booking Number: 21823857W
Site ID: JEFTWE


Email to Guest would only be sent if the Agent selected 'notify guest' with the confirmation:
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Thank you for your booking with Yellow Rose Inn
If you have any questions, please use the booking number below.

Booking number: 21823857W

Guest... Jeff man
Phone... 707 874 3922
Email... jeff@internetcorps.com



You can make any of your Agents into a "Wholesale Agent" by going to the MyAgents area and choosing the specific Agent you have loaded that you wish to turn into a Wholesale Agent from the "Agent Class" option:

Standard
Wholesale
Promo Code

If your Site ID is 'DEMO' and your Agent ID is: 'TOUR', then the Agent ID used in the URL would be: DEMOTOUR (you need to pre-pend the Site ID to the Agent ID to make it work). For help making Agent URLs, please see this article: https://docs.bookingcenter.com/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=3212361 

In order to use the sample file, attached here, it's assumed you can export your Guest database from your current system using software such as, MS Excel. Simply ask your current provider how to do this - it's a common process used in marketing campaigns, and most systems have documentation to get all guest data out (both guests from the past as well for future bookings). Once the data is out, look at in whatever data tools (like Excel or Apple's Numbers) to ‘massage’ your Guest data into the database file referenced here so that BookingCenter can import your old records.

To import your Guest database:

1. Open the .cvs sample file, attached here, in Excel.
2. Open the file that is your Guest database, exported from your old system, in Excel.
3. Copy & paste the correct columns from YOUR database into the appropriate fields in the sample BookingCenter database referenced above.
4. Send the completed, cleansed, and synchronized, Ezxcel file to your Setup and Training Rep.

Your Setup and Training Rep will assist you if you get stuck during the process.