How to set up automatic/scheduled payment processing for OTAs and Booking Engine

Our system receives guest credit card information from OTAs (e.g., Booking.com, Expedia) for reservations without prepayment. This allows you to configure Cloudbeds PMS to automatically process deposit payments.

• This functionality also applies to your reservations coming from the Cloudbeds Booking Engine (Booking Engine).

• This feature requires the Payment Processing add-on. If you're interested in it, contact our support team or your Cloudbeds Market Manager.

How it works

1. A guest books your property on a supported channel below and secures the reservation with a credit card. The channel places an initial verification on the credit card to ensure it is a valid card.
2. The reservation is imported into Cloudbeds PMS and includes the guest's credit card details.
3. Once your payment gateway connection is set up properly, our system will do one of three things based on your configuration for the channel:
   • Do nothing
   • Authorize the credit card for the amount of the deposit, but do not collect the payment
   • Process the payment for the amount of deposit (immediately or a certain # of days before the arrival date)

How to Set Up Automatic/Scheduled Payment Processing

Step 1: Set up the Channel(s)

Before you can set the payment options for the external OTAs, you must first set up those channels within Distribution. Please see our Distribution Setup Guide if you need assistance.

Step 2: Set up your Payment Gateway

The next step is to set up your Payment Gateway, which allows you to process, verify, and accept or decline credit card transactions on behalf of the merchant through secure Internet connections. For assistance in that process, please see our Payment Processing Setup Guide.

Step 3: Configure your Payment Options

1. Go to Payments
2. Scroll down to the Processing Methods section.
3. Choose one of the following three options:
   • Do nothing. I will process payments at a later time: The credit card information will be saved in the application for later use. Cloudbeds will not attempt to collect the payment or verify the validity of the credit card.
   • Authorize credit card for the amount of deposit, but do not collect the payment: When this is selected, Cloudbeds sends the transaction to your processor for authorization. If approved, the transaction is placed in your Unsettled Transactions with a status of Authorized/Pending Capture. The authorization places the funds on hold with the guest's bank.
   • Process the payment for the amount of deposit. With this transaction type, the process is completely automatic. The transaction is submitted to your processor for authorization and, if approved, is placed in your Unsettled Transactions with the status Captured Pending Settlement.

Choosing the processing method for the first time or modifying the previous configuration will only apply to the new future reservations and not the past reservations.

The system doesn't allow you to:

• Automate more than one payment process. Example: It is not possible to set up the payment gateway to take a 20% deposit at the moment of the reservation, and the outstanding 80% balance to be paid 1 day prior to check-in.
• Have different automations per reservation source. Example: It is not possible to set up the payment gateway to take a 100% deposit for some reservations made via the Cloudbeds Booking Engine and a 50% deposit for other reservations made through the same source.

Frequently Asked Questions