Working with Calendar Channels (ical connection) - Everything you need to know

Calendar channels sync using calendar files. Myfrontdesk sends the channel an iCal file that contains an "appointment" for the days with no availability, which blocks those dates from being booked. All other dates are unscheduled, so they remain available to reservations.

To import bookings, myallocator in turn needs a calendar file from the channel, which indicate which days have which bookings. In general the information in these files is pretty limited, which is why calendar reservations often do not have many details displayed. To view the full details you'll need to check within that channel's system

1. Two-way calendar channels only support the following:
   • Availability updates
   • Booking Downloads
   • Automatic Adjustments
2. Calendar channels (including Airbnb ical connection) do not support rates. You must enter rates directly into your channel's extranet.
3. It's also important to notice that when connecting to two-way channels, the existed bookings will be also imported to myfrontdesk. Because of that, make sure to not upload their bookings manually - if you already did, you will note duplications, in this case, you can delete the duplications - click here to check how to delete bookings.
4. Unlike more conventional distribution channels, calendar channels do not support sending cancellation and reservation updates.
5. If you receive an update or cancellation inside of Airbnb and you're using Airbnb ical connection, you must also change the reservation separately in myfrontdesk.
6. The bookings will be imported with 6 Hour delay , this is inherent behaviour of Calendar Channels, and it's outside of myfrontdesk control.  That is why we always recommend to turn off "Instant Booking" when using Calendar Channels.  When Instant Booking is turned off, the property is always asked to "confirm" the booking.  Since the property has the opportunity to verify that the room is still avaialble, this is how overbookings are prevented.

While myfrontdesk can always send Availability to a Calendar Channel that uses the iCal format, only certain channels send us their bookings.

When a Calendar Channel supports both Availability and Bookings, it means they are a Two-Way Channel.  Two-Way calendar channels include:

• 9flats
• Airbnb
• Ebab
• Housetrip
• VRBO

All other Calendar Channels are considered One-Way channels.  If you choose to use any other calendar channels not listed above (such as FlipKey), you will have to manually adjust inventory for any incoming bookings coming from that channel.

Example: Let's say you choose to connect FlipKey to myallocator.  Here is the chain of events:

1. Myallocator takes your Available inventory, and provides that in a calendar file to FlipKey
2. Every 6 hours or so, FlipKey pulls information from that file and updates their calendar with your Availability
3. When a guest books your property, FlipKey emails you the booking and places the booking in their Extranet
4. Since FlipKey does not send us this booking, myallocator has no idea that the room has been booked
5. The property must login to myallocator and manually reduce the Availability for the rooms and dates that have been booked.
6. Once the property has confirmed that the room is still Avaialble, the property is safe to "confirm" the FlipKey booking.

Similar to how myfrontdesk provides Availability in our calendar file, myfrontdesk needs a calendar file from the channel which indicates which dates have each booking. In general the information in these files is quite thin, so that's why not many details are displayed within the Incoming Bookings screen. To view the full details you need to check with the channel's backoffice.

When a booking is downloaded from a Calendar Channel, the information sent via the calendar file is quite limited.

Typically, only the following details are imported:

• Guest Name
• Arrival Date
• Departure Date
• Room

As you will notice, the following major items are missing:

• Rate
• Occupancy (number of guests)

You will have to manually update the reservation with the information that is missing, such as:

• Rate/Price
• Number of guests
• Any other details that you track inside myfrontdesk

Cancellations from a calendar channel cannot be transmitted to any 3rd parties (including myfrontdesk).

Since myfrontdesk is unaware of any Calendar Channel cancellations, the property must manage the cancellation (and inventory) manually.

Because of how the calendar URL system is designed, calendar channels are only able to connect to one of the rooms of a myfrontdesk room type at a time.

No. Since each listing is only for one room and one unit. As soon as one booking is made on a calendar channel, it won't be bookable again for that day. Other channels (even other calendar-based channels) will of course still be bookable if there is availability.

Creating multiple listings for each room is also not a solution, since you cannot assign multiple channel listings to a single myfrontdesk room type.

Because of this, calendar channels are not designed for dorms.

If you only have calendar channels (Flipkey, VRBO, Airbnb which you plan to connected through ical), the alternative mapping described in our Distribution Channel Mapping Guidelines may be an option for your property.