Reservation Import is a paid service, and it is subject to restrictions depending on compatibility with different systems and file formats.
If you wish to use this service, please contact us for details by using the Contact Support button on top of this page.
Process Overview
Reservation import is usually divided into 2 sections:
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Standard reservation import
- Includes all current (in-house) reservations and future arrivals
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Historical reservation import
- Includes all checked-out reservations, for the period you have requested.
If you'd like to have your existing reservation imported from your previous system, OTA or file, we can offer our reservation import service, please be aware that different systems or files are not compatible, and data always requires some manual adjustments from our team.
- First, we need to retrieve the data from your current PMS or OTA (Source), some sources provide a clear file with all or most necessary information, some sources only contain partial data, and others do not have an export feature at all.
- In case the systems are not compatible for data extraction, we can import from a file (xls or csv), in this case, we will provide a list of necessary data.
- With all the information in hand, we will start the process of converting that data into a compatible format to be imported into the Cloudbeds system.
We try our best to extract all the necessary information. We may not know what information will be available and in which format before we check your system or file(s).
Make sure of the following:
- Your property set up must be completed - right after the importing, channels will be activated and your system pushed live.
- Sources must be created (especially if you work with taxes) - In this case, they must be configured and linked to their Sources. Refer to your Onboarding coach if you have questions.
For further details, check the following article: How to Add or Edit Primary & Third Party Reservation Sources
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Room Types should be set similarly from the importing source (the other PMS/OTA) and preferably with the same or similar name. If any changes are made to the room set up when switching to Cloudbeds, please provide us with a room matching list, example:
- Female Dorm will cease to exist, import all-female dorm reservations to Mixed Dorm
- The standard room will now be called the Double Room
- On import date, availability should be closed on all channels and the booking engine, this way we guarantee system is updated right after the process. If you wish to keep your channels open, then you will need to manually check activity during import
During the import you should stop all activity related to reservations and payment processing in the previous system and your channels, we will start to import reservations and advise once the import is complete, this can take approximately 24 hours. In case you can't stop your reservation activities, you will need to take note of modifications and manually check after the import is complete.
If you receive a direct reservation (e-mail, phone, etc.) during the import process, you can manually add them to your account. In this case, please cross-check your availability with your previous system/OTA.
Check the following article to learn How to create a new reservation on Cloudbeds PMS
After the import is completed you will be ready to activate your channels, and the new booking engine will be prepared to be installed on your website.
It's important to know:
- Only the total room rates and total amount paid can be imported, this will also calculate the remaining Balance.
- Payment types and payment dates can be imported, where payment type is not available, this will be registered as “imported from previous System”.
- Payments for extra, not related to room rates can only be imported as notes
- Reservations will be imported with the total price split equally between days, so in case you will edit reservations with different daily prices, balance due needs to be adjusted accordingly.
- Cloudbeds PMS may generate reports differently from your previous PMS.
- Example: if you have a different amount of rooms or room-types, Occupancy Report will show different data. Because of that, the Occupancy Report may not be accurate and should be considered as a reference rather than official data.
In case you choose to import past reservations, it is important to be aware of the following information:
- Checked out will have all charges posted in the system, this includes taxes and fees where available.
- For checked-out reservations, if the payment date is missing, this will be posted on the date of arrival.
- Payments will be added as “imported from previous System” if payment type data is not available.
- Normally, we import past reservations with full payment (room revenue + taxes+fees), this can be changed on demand, in case you prefer to keep outstanding balances on historical data.
- Normally, Canceled and no-show reservations are not imported, this can be changed on demand, in case you prefer to keep your cancelled reservations.
In case of any questions, check the following article: Reservation Import Service - Frequently Asked Questions or contact our Support Team.
