Groups module: What it does and how to get started

Introduction

The Cloudbeds Groups module lets you consolidate reservations from the same group under a single profile, manage a shared group folio, block availability for a specific group, and track group revenue, all in one place.

Without the module, reservations are listed flat on the Reservations page with no way to nest related bookings, share a folio, or block availability for a specific group. With it, you can link reservations under one Group Profile, route charges to a master folio, and give group guests access to a private booking URL at a negotiated rate.

This article explains what the module does, how to navigate a Group Profile, and how to set up your first group from scratch. For detailed steps on each action, follow the links in the How to get started section.

Table of contents

• What the Groups module does
• Groups in action: which type fits your situation?
• Who this affects and how
• How to navigate the Groups page
• How to get started
• Limitations and known behaviors

What the Groups module does

The Groups module gives properties a dedicated workspace for managing group business. Instead of tracking group reservations individually, you can link them to a Group Profile that serves as the central record for that group's activity, finances, and contacts.

Its key advantages are:

• Streamlined booking and simplified payments. Route charges from individual reservations to a master group folio and block inventory for the group in advance, reducing the complexity of managing multiple bookings.
• Flexible rate setting. Allotment blocks can carry a negotiated rate, giving group guests access to a special price through a private Groups Booking Engine URL.
• Consolidated revenue tracking. Revenue, average daily rate (ADR), nights booked, and guest count are calculated automatically from the reservations linked to the group.

Groups in action: which type fits your situation?

The Groups module supports four profile types: Group, Company, Travel Agent, and Wholesaler. The type is a label that helps you filter your group list and does not change how the module functions. Choose the type that best describes the business relationship.

Expand each section below to see a typical scenario for each group type and decide which fits your property's situation.

Who this affects and how

How to navigate the Groups page

The Groups page is the main list view for all your Group Profiles. From here you can search, filter, and open any group, and access all group-level actions.

Access the Groups module

1. Click Main Menu
2. Select Groups.

The Main Menu shows Groups as the destination for this workflow:

Group Profile list

The Groups page displays a table of all your Group Profiles. Use the filters at the top to narrow the list:

Each row in the table shows the group code (always starts with "g"), group name, type, earliest check-in date, latest check-out date, status (Open or Closed), and a gear icon to edit or remove the profile. Click the hyperlinked group name to open the Group Profile.

The table lets you compare the main identifying and stay details for each Group Profile before opening one:

Inside a Group Profile

When you open a Group Profile, the classification shown as Type on the Group Profiles page appears under Event in the profile header. The value itself does not change. For example, a profile with the Travel Agent type displays Travel Agent under Event when you open the profile.

Once inside a Group Profile, you can open or close the group account, use the Actions menu to generate or email invoices and folios, check the group's Balance Due, and navigate between the profile's tabs.

The profile header shows the Event classification alongside reservation and revenue metrics, account status, balance due, and profile navigation:

Expand the sections below for details on the header metrics and each tab.

How to get started

Follow these steps in order the first time you set up a new group. Not every step is required for every group type; notes below each step explain when it is optional.

1. Create a Group Profile. Choose the profile type (Group, Company, Travel Agent, or Wholesaler), configure folio routing, select the source, and save. This is the foundation all other steps build on.
2. Create a contact for the Group Profile. Add the person or organization responsible for the group. Contacts are used for invoices, negotiations, and communications. A profile can have multiple contacts, and a contact can be shared across multiple profiles.
3. Add a credit card to the Group Profile. Optional. Required only if the group will pay centrally. Credit cards stored here are not auto-authorized; you must trigger authorization manually when you are ready to collect.
4. Create an allotment block. Optional. Needed when you want to block inventory in advance or provide guests with a private Groups Booking Engine URL at a negotiated rate. Allotment blocks can span multiple room types under a single code.
5. Share the Groups Booking Engine URL with guests. Required only if guests will self-book. The private URL lets them create reservations using the group code and negotiated rate.
6. Link reservations to the group. Link existing reservations to the Group Profile, or create new ones from the Reservations tab. When routing is enabled, pending transactions are routed to the Group Folio automatically; posted transactions are not moved automatically and must be handled manually.
7. Add notes. Optional. Use the Notes tab to track policies, contact preferences, or group-specific context your team needs. Notes can be scoped to the Group Profile, all reservations, all guests, or all allotment blocks.
8. Review the allotment block pickup. Use the Pickup tab to monitor how many blocked rooms have been reserved. There is no automatic alert for underfilled blocks, but you can set a block to auto-release unreserved inventory by a specified date.
9. Manage the Group Folio. View routed transactions, add charges or payments, and reconcile the group balance. Routed charges do not appear on individual reservation folios and will not flag at guest check-out. To return a charge to a reservation, unroute the transaction manually from the Group Folio.
10. Generate and email Group invoices. Combine one or more folios into a single invoice from the Actions menu. Select the specific folios you want included, or choose Select All. Once generated, invoices cannot be edited; create a new invoice for corrections and keep the original for your records.
11. Access Groups reports. Use the group-specific reports to export folio transactions, review pickup, and reconcile payments. Available reports include: Group Reservations and Folios Transaction Report, Group Profile Balance Summary, Group Reservations Folio, and Group Invoices and Credit Notes.

Limitations and known behaviors

Review the behaviors below before configuring the module. Understanding them in advance avoids unexpected results during operations.

Next Operational Step

Now that you understand how the Groups module works and which profile type fits your needs, continue to Group Profile: main actions to create your first Group Profile and configure its initial settings.