Profile Matching OXI

Go to Interface Configuration>Profile Matching. Here you can configure the profile matching merge rules for your interface.

In order to use the OXI profile matching functionality, the parameter OXI_PROFILES>PROF_MATCH must be set to Y.

Internal Entry Match Criteria

The OXI Profile Matching Module has an internal entry criteria matching system that checks for a primary match based on hard-coded, predefined columns in the name table and its child tables. These entry criteria are not configurable and not visible to the user. It is the base for every following weighing point matching activity. If the entry criteria match fails, no further weighing point match is attempted and the profile is either created newly or rejected based on parameter settings for this interface ID in OXI.

Note: This process also applies to an accompanying profile (as well as the primary guest profile). When a reservation change occurs, when only the first and last names of a profile for either a primary or accompanying profile associated with the reservation are sent with the reservation, duplicate profiles are not created. The Profile Match process is not included. Instead, OXI will update the profile(s) according to the internal name_ID of the profile in OPERA that is linked to the reservation, without applying any further matches (based on the profile's same first and last name).

Direct Guests

Message Displayed to the User	Internal Matching Criteria
Matched on Name Code	Matches on Client ID and Name Type
Matched on Membership Number	Matches on the Membership Number
Matched on Membership point_indicator	Matches on Membership point_indicator to indicate the Preferred Membership card selection.
Matched on Credit Card and Name	Matches on the Credit Card Number and the Last Name Note: When the Credit Card Vault functionality is active, credit card numbers are replaced with a Unique ID which will be communicated between OPERA and OXI.
Matched on Passport Number	Matches on the Passport Number
Matched on Email	Matches on Communication Type Email Note: This match will be made even when an email type other than EMAIL is used.
*Matched on Last and Phone	Matches on the Last Name, Phone Number (stripped of all non-numeric characters), Phone Type
*Matched On Last, Address1, City	Matches on Last Name, Address line 1, and City
*Matched On Last and Address1	Matches on Last Name and Address line 1
*Matched On Last and Postal Code	Matches on Last Name and Postal Code
*Matched On Last and City	Matches on Last Name and City

Company/Travel Agents

Message Displayed to the User	Internal Matching Criteria
Matched on Name Code	Matches on Client ID (Name Code) and Name Type
Matched on Credit Card and Name	Matches on the Credit Card Number and the Last Name
Matched on Company and Phone	Matches on the Company Name and the Phone Number (stripped of all non- numeric characters), Phone Type
*Matched on Company, AR number	Matches on Company Name and AR number
*Matched on Company and Address1	Matches on Company Name and Address line 1
*Matched on Company, Postal Code	Matches on Company Name and Postal Code
*Matched on Company, City	Matches on Company Name and City

Note: A new internal parameter (hidden in normal parameters table) with name DATABASE_SIZE has been introduced. The default value for this is Large. For a large property, only match criteria without the asterisk will be used for internal entry match. If the parameter DATABASE_SIZE is set to Small, for smaller properties that can afford a more accurate match without adding performance overhead, all match criteria including the ones with asterisk will be evaluated. Contact profiles will now go through Match and Merge rules. No additional setup is required in OXI for Profile Merge rules.

Examples of Entry Match Criteria

When a profile is sent to OPERA through OXI it will search the internal entry match criteria based on the above-mentioned hard coded requirements. When a profile does not meet any of these entry match criteria, it will automatically be created newly if the parameter PROF_CREATION =Y. If that parameter is set to N, the profile match will fail and the profile will not be created.

Entry Match Criteria NOT successful:

Example: If a profile is sent with only a first name and last name, it will not even proceed to the weighing points match criteria, as the first name and last name are not sufficient for the entry match criteria. A new profile will be created if the parameter PROF_CREATION = Y. If that parameter is set to N, the profile match will fail and the profile will not be created.

An exception to the rule: We are preventing the duplication of profiles in case only last/first name are sent for a reservation change. OXI skips the profile match entirely in this case. It searches for the name_ID (internal ID number) of the profile in OPERA that is linked to the reservation sent, and if that profile has the same last and first name as the profile sent as part of the reservation change, OXI will update the same profile without applying any further matches.

Entry Match Criteria successful:

Example: If a profile comes with a last name and a membership number, it will pass the entry match criteria and proceed on to the weighing points match criteria. From here, the weighing points configured in the OXI profile matching module decide whether the profile will be merged with an existing OPERA profile or not.

Definable Weighing Points Match Criteria

Once the internal entry match was successful, the system will continue matching on the defined weighing points. The configuration of merge rules and weighing points can be done individually for each interface ID/OPERA resort combination in OXI. Each profile type can be configured separately within an interface ID/OPERA resort combination.

You have to consider the best possible approach for distributing weighing points to the merge rules, as these may differ by profile type, geographical location of the property, data accuracy sent by external system, etc. All merge rules selected must add up to, or be above the threshold set. This means if the threshold is set to 1000 points, weighing points must be distributed to merge rules of columns or column combinations to add up to at least 1000 points in total. Otherwise no successful profile match will be made.

Setting the Merge Rules

Example: Screen of Merge Rules for Guest. TARS interface has combination rules and single rules showing.

Fields

Profile Type. The profile type for which merge rules and weighing points are configured. Options are direct guest, company, travel agent, source, and group.

Merge Rule. The ‘Threshold’ is the initial merge rule that is set automatically when a new interface is being configured. The ‘Match’ merge rules need to be set manually by you, and can consist of either one data field or a combination of data fields that need to be met to obtain your defined weighing points.

Type. OXI will automatically prompt ‘Threshold’ first in case no entries have been made into the profile matching setup yet. Once the threshold is set, all other types will become ‘Match’ as they apply to the merge rules.

Points. Weighing points for the threshold will be the minimum points a profile has to achieve in order to be matched. Weighing points for the matches are defined by you, and would be set according to the data field/combination of data fields that you select.

Example: Assume the threshold for minimum points is set to 1000. When you define a merge rule with a single data field entry of Last Name, this will never be eligible to make the full match of 1000 points, so you would probably only give a part of the points to it (e.g., 300). Then you will want to add the next merge rule for another data field that makes the 1000 points complete – like Memberships - where you would give the remaining 700 points to. You can also opt to add another several merge rules consisting of Address 1 and City, for example, and give respective weighing points to these in order to make the 1000 points complete.
One of the easiest options will be to define a combination of data fields that would meet the necessary 100 points within the same merge rule, as shown in the sample screen above.

Apply. The activation flag for the merge rule. This must be checked in order for the merge rule to be applied. A merge rule can also be created and then temporarily be deactivated by blanking out this flag.

Button Functions

Copy. This option copies a standard set of merge rules from the default system data. This can be used as a starting point for a new interface, as all possible merge rules are created with one data field at a time and without point values. Please make sure that you update the point values for the threshold and the merge rules that shall be used.

Save. Save the entry. This must be done for any change or new entry. If not, then changes and additions will be lost if selecting Close button.

Setting up Thresholds

For the profile matching to work, you have to configure a single threshold. If a profile does not reach the threshold and a match cannot be made, a new profile will be created based on the OXI parameter PROF_CREATION.

Example: Threshold in profile matching.

Setting up Merge Rules

The merge rules can be configured either as merge rules for individual data fields or for data field combinations, where the weighing points will only apply if all components in that combination match.

When setting the merge rules, please note the following:

A Direct Guest merge rules use LAST for the Last name.
A Travel Agent merge rule uses COMPANY for the TA name and NAME_CODE for the IATA number.
A Group merge rule use LAST for the group name.
A Company merge rule uses COMPANY for the company name and NAME_CODE for the Corporate ID.
A Source merge rule use LAST for the source name.

OXI Parameters and Profile Matching

Several parameters in OXI determine the profile matching results:

PROF_MATCHING. Profile matching in OXI is only used if set to Y.

Profile matching in OXI can be set to N in this scenario. Prior to a go-live of products, the two systems are synched with the profiles going from the OPERA PMS to the External system. And the External system returns a unique ID, the PMS then stores this ID for primary match and merge. Rendering the use of PMS based match and merge a duplicate effort for the system and therefore inefficient.

Note: When PROFILE_MATCHING is active, OXI will validate the incoming profile message before executing the match and merge process to verify that the data contained in the message is sufficient to exceed the threshold points. If the data is not sufficient an optional warning will be generated indicating there is not sufficient data to meet the threshold and the match and merge process will not be executed.

PROF_CREATION. This parameter determines whether a new profile should be created if the profile match was not successful. This must be set to Y for all interfaces that transmit reservations. If set to N, any non-matching profiles will be rejected and not created newly.

OXI Parameters and Profile Update in OPERA

Several parameters in OXI determine how the profiles are updated in OPERA:

IND EXT SYS OVER. Profile overwrite priority for individual guests. If set to Y, the external system can update the OPERA profile details. If set to N, OPERA profile details will remain untouched when a profile is merged with the one sent by external system. This applies to all columns in the NAME table.

TA EXT SYS OVER. Profile overwrite priority for travel agent profiles.

CORP EXT SYS OVER. Profile overwrite priority for corporate profiles.

SOURCE EXT SYS OVER. Profile overwrite priority for source profiles.

GROUP EXT SYS OVER. Profile overwrite priority for group profiles.

PHONE/ADDR EXT SYS OVER. Profile overwrite priority for phone and address collections.

If set to Y, the external system phones and addresses will always overwrite the OPERA phones/addresses. If set to N, OXI will only update those phones and addresses where the update user = interface ID in OPERA. The records created by OPERA users will remain untouched. This applies to all columns in the NAME_ADDRESS table.

INTEREST EXT SYS OVER. If set to Y, interests in the OPERA profile will always be overwritten by external system interests. If set to N, external system interests will be appended to existing OPERA ones.

PREF EXT SYS OVER. If set to Y, preferences in the OPERA profile will always be overwritten by external system preferences. If set to N, external system preferences will be appended to existing OPERA ones.

PROFCOMMENTS EXT SYS OVER. If set to Y, profile comments will always be overwritten by comments from the external system. If set to N, only comments where update user = interface ID in OPERA will be overwritten.

NEGRATES EXT SYS OVER. If set to Y, negotiated rates in the OPERA profile will always be overwritten by external system negotiated rates. If set to N, external system negotiated rates will be appended to existing OPERA ones.