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Channel Setup for ADS Versions 4.0+
The Channels Setup screen allows you to configure the various channels used to sell a property's inventory through third parties such as an Internet portal such as Expedia on an alternate distribution system (ADS). The channel you set up here is associated with the GDS/ADS host. Some of the most popular GDSs, ADSs, and switches are already configured for you and can be turned into an Opera channel by selecting the Select button (only minimal configuration is required thereafter).
Opera channel configuration is required to ensure that smooth and accurate transactions are processed between the GDS/ADS and Opera systems. You need to map GDS/ADS host codes to Opera codes, and specify what, how, and when information is sent to GDS/ADS users. This is accomplished by selecting the appropriate tabs in the bottom grid.
To set up the ADS-Expedia channel, select Setup>Configuration>Channels>Channel Setup. The Channels screen opens, displaying all of the channels currently configured in OEDS.
The Channels screen consists of three key areas – the search criteria, the top grid, and the bottom grid. Select the corresponding link from the list below for detailed information on each area.
The search criteria area allows you to find existing channels based on the parameters you enter. Select the appropriate search criteria, then the Search button.
Channel. Enter or select the channels that have been set up in Opera. Leave this field blank to see all channels.
Channel Type. Select the ADS channel type setup in the system.
Rate Type. Enter or select rate type.
The top grid area provides a list of the channels currently configured in Opera.
You can create new channels by selecting the New button, or modify existing channels by placing your cursor on the line of the channel and selecting the Edit button. The Opera Channel Configuration window opens (see also, Creating or Modifying the Expedia Channel). For additional information on how to create or modify a channel, please refer to the standard Opera Documentation. You can delete an existing channel by selecting the Delete button.
Select. Select this button to view and choose major (channel specific) ADS, GDS, or switches that are already configured within Opera. These pre-configured channels come from the SID data that is automatically loaded to Opera tables during installation. For additional information on SID data that is automatically loaded into Opera tables during installation, please refer to the standard Opera documentation.
If necessary, you can add new or change the existing channel- specific configuration settings by selecting the tabs in the bottom grid area.
The bottom grid area allows you to configure channel-specific details for the channel selected in the top part of the grid.
New. Select this button to setup a new configuration item according to the tab selected.
Edit. Select this button to modify the selected configuration item according to the tab selected.
Delete. Select this button to delete the selected configuration item.
Close. Select this button to close this window.
To configure a specific item for a specific channel, select the channel in the top grid area, then select the relevant tab in the bottom grid. Select New or Edit buttons in the bottom grid to open the New or Edit screens for each tab.
Not used for the Opera ADS Interface.
Select this tab to enter the channel's incoming code.
GDS Carrier. Enter the GDS carrier. For example, enter Expedia, Expedia.com, Hotels.com, etc...
Merchant. Select this check box if the carrier code is being used to setup an independent channel as part of the merchant model functionality.
Inactive. Select if this carrier is to be inactive.
Not used for the Opera ADS Interface.
Select this tab to map the currency codes used in the channel to the codes used in Opera.
Currency Code. Select the currency code used in Opera.
GDS Currency Code. Enter the currency code that is used on GDS. MICROS Systems recommends you use ISO standards, such as USD for the US Dollar.
Lanyon Decimal Position. If the channel uses Lanyon for rate publication, enter the number of decimals supported by Lanyon/GDS. This is usually 2.
GDS Position. Enter the number of decimals supported by the GDS. This is usually 2.
Begin Date. Enter the date the currency becomes active.
End Date. Enter the date when the currency becomes inactive.
Select this tab to specify the messages that are transmitted through the channel. MICROS Systems provides a standard set of errors under the Fidelio switch. Errors for GDS channel types are already included in the SID data. These error codes and descriptions are applicable to the major GDS hosts.
Error Code. Enter the error code used in this channel.
GDS Error Code Prefix. Enter the prefix used in the GDS error code, such as PID.
Tip: For the Prefix, Suffix, and Description fields, Pegasus codes are generally used for the four major GDS Channels.
GDS Error Code Suffix. Enter the suffix used in the GDS error code, such as 10.
Description. Enter the description as it is entered in the Error Code field. For example, for the error code PROPERTY_NOT_AVAILABLE, enter the description as PROPERTY NOT AVAILABLE.
Booking Response. Select the code that must be sent back within the booking response message such as UC for unconfirmed.
Begin Date. Enter the date when the error code becomes active.
End Date. Enter the date when the error code becomes inactive.
Manual Process Y/N. Select this box so that the error code goes to a TypeB manual process queue when messages are TypeB.
Expedia does not send guarantee codes. Typically, guarantees are set to 6:00 pm in Opera.
Select this tab to enter the marketing text that is returned to the channel.
Tip: MICROS recommends using the pre-populated messages attached to the Fidelio switch. The Fidelio switch is based of Pegasus USW® standards which are accepted throughout the electronic distribution industry.
Transaction Type. Enter the Transaction type for the message. For example, IA DETAIL for Detail availability requests (or rate rules); IA LIST for General availability requests; and GUDPCN for Bookings.
Policy Type. Enter the policy type for the message. For example, COMMISSION, CANCEL POLICY.
Policy Detail. Enter the policy detail that triggers the message to be sent for the transaction type. For example, a value of “Y” for the policy type COMMISSION sends a message indicating that the rate is commissionable. Conversely, if the policy detail value is “N”, the message sent to the channel indicates the rate is non-commissionable.
Marketing Text. Enter the text you want to return for the specific channel.
Resort. Select from the list of values the resort where the marketing text applies.
Begin Date. Enter the date when the marketing text becomes effective.
End Date. Enter the date when the marketing text is no longer active.
Select this tab to enter the rate categories used in the channel. Travel agents use these rate categories to narrow down their search for a property based on rate categories.
GDS Rate Category. Enter the rate category used by the GDS host. For example, COR for Corporate, GOV for Government, or NEG for Negotiated Rates.
GDS Shopping Category. Enter the shopping category code used by the GDS host.
Description. Enter the description for the rate category, such as FAMILY PLAN or MILITARY.
Negotiated. Select this box to identify the rate category as negotiated.
Inactive. Select this box to make the rate category inactive - to be used in the future.
This option is equivalent to the Rate Category option, as described above.
GDS Rate Level. Enter the rate level code used by the GDS host, such as P for Promotional or N for Negotiated.
Description. Enter the description for the rate level, such as FAMILY PLAN or MILITARY.
Select this tab to specify the percentage of inventory that will be sold through the channel. The open and close percentages represent the inventory points that determine when the hotel begins and stops selling your property.
Open Percent. This represents the booking limit being sent to the channel. Here, the property has the ability to specify how little or how much they wish to sell, should the system fall back to manual submittal. MICROS Systems recommends you enter a value of 100% if you wish for all inventory setup in the channel to be exposed to the channel partner, regardless of whether the connection has been broken or not.
In the booking limit message, the number of rooms available is calculated as the number of rooms available for a particular room type, multiplied by the open percentage. The booking limit threshold is truncated rather than rounded. For example, if you have 78 rooms available and your Open threshold is 1, your booking limit will always be 0. This is because Opera looks at the booking limit as 1% of 78, or (trunc).78, which equals zero.
Close Percent. Enter the percentage of inventory that needs to be sold before sells to the channel are stopped (close availability for channel). MICROS Systems recommends you enter a value of 100%. For example, if a property is set at 100% Closed your property can be sold through the channel until the last room is booked. After the last room is booked, the property is considered Closed and sells through channels are stopped. For example, if 100% is entered here, you can sell through GDS even if only one room is available - the property is considered Open until the last room is sold.
Begin Date. Enter the date when the threshold becomes applicable for the channel.
End Date. Enter the date when the threshold becomes inactive for the channel.
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