Cloudbeds PMS allows you to configure automatic payment processing for reservations received from supported Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) and the Cloudbeds Booking Engine.
For reservations without prepayment, supported channels may send guest credit card information to Cloudbeds PMS so that you can automatically process deposit payments. Some OTAs also provide virtual credit cards (VCCs) for Channel Collect reservations, which can be processed according to the configured payment rules.
- This functionality also applies to reservations coming from the Cloudbeds 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
- A guest books your property on a supported channel and secures the reservation with a credit card, or the OTA collects payment from the guest and provides a virtual credit card for the reservation.
- The reservation is imported into Cloudbeds PMS with the applicable payment card information.
- Once your payment gateway connection is set up properly, Cloudbeds PMS follows the processing method configured for that 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 the deposit (immediately or a certain number of days before the arrival date).
Virtual credit cards (VCCs) provided by OTAs may have specific processing requirements. Please confirm the policy with the OTA before setting your payment processing method. Some virtual cards can only be charged one day after check-in or on the check-out day, in the exact amount sent by the OTA.
Examples:
- Agoda Collect cards can only be charged one day after the check-in date.
- Booking.com's VCC can be charged immediately, closer to the arrival date, or you can postpone until one day after the arrival date. More information: Booking.com FAQ.
How to Set Up Automatic/Scheduled Payment Processing
Step 1: Set up the Channel(s)
Before you can set the payment options for 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
- Go to Finance > Payment Options.
- Scroll down to the Processing Methods section.
- Find the channel you want to configure and 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 cardholder'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 a processing method for the first time or modifying an existing configuration only applies to new reservations received after the configuration is saved. Reservations received before the change are not affected.
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 one 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.
If you choose the option Postpone until closer to the arrival date, until the payment is posted, the scheduled payment will not affect the guest's balance due (Amount Paid field under the balance due window).
Why? There is no guarantee that the payment will be posted. The credit card couldn't be authorized, or the transaction could fail due to payment processing errors.
Supported Channels
The channels supported for automatic payment options are:
- Agoda / Priceline (Agoda / Priceline Collect)
- Agoda / Priceline (Hotel Collect)
- Booking Engine Reservations
- Booking.com (Booking.com Collect)
- Booking.com (Hotel Collect)
- Trip.com / Trip.com (Trip.com / Trip.com Collect)
- Trip.com / Trip.com (Hotel Collect)
- D-edge
- Despegar/Decolar
- Dorms.com
- Expedia (Expedia Collect)
- Expedia (Hotel Collect)
- Goibibo & Makemytrip (Goibibo & Makemytrip Collect)
- Goibibo & Makemytrip (Hotel Collect)
- GuestCentric
- Haoqiao
- SynXis by Aven Hospitality
- Hostelworld & Hostelbookers (Hostel Collect)
- Hostelworld & Hostelbookers (Hostelworld & Hostelbookers Collect)
- HotelBeds
- HotelTonight
- Hopper (Channel Collect)
- HotelREZ
- HyperGuest
- iHotelier by Amadeus
- Inntopia
- Reconline
- Revato by HotelsCombined
- SHR CRS (Windsurfer)
- Simplotel
- SiteMinder
- STAAH
- Tablet Hotels
- The Percentage App
- Traveloka (Hotel Collect)
- Traveloka (Traveloka Collect)
- Vrbo (API)
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if I process a partial amount of the deposit manually before the scheduled date?
The system will process both payments: the manually added payment and the one scheduled to be posted.
How does Payment Scheduling work?
To learn more in-depth about Payment Scheduling, visit: How Payment Scheduling works?
What if I added another credit card to the reservation?
The system doesn't pick a card. The transaction is scheduled with the card that comes with the reservation.
Can I automatically process Hopper virtual credit cards?
Yes. Hopper supports automatic scheduled payment processing for virtual credit cards. Go to Finance > Payment Options, find Hopper under Processing Methods, and configure when the card should be authorized or charged.
- Channel Collect only: Hopper collects payment from the guest and provides the property with a virtual card for the net amount. Only one processing rule is available.
- New reservations only: The rule applies only to reservations received after it is configured. Existing Hopper reservations must still be processed manually.
- Optional setup: If no processing rule is configured, Hopper virtual cards must be processed manually.
- Hopper Homes: Automatic payment processing is not supported for Hopper Homes.
For more information about connecting the channel, see Connect Hopper to Cloudbeds PMS.
Comments
How can auto-payments be setup for OTA Channel Collect for Booking.com? Since channel collect refers to payments via the OTA, will the deposits be just auto-recorded to folio?
Hello, Alexander Goldfarb
Please contact our Support Team for dedicated assistance with this particular request.
Kind regards!
Article is closed for comments.