What is the Check List and where do I find it?

This article is for: Managers

If you are the Rental Contact of a property you’ll find a handy Check List in the left hand column of the Dashboard page. 

The Check List is a way we can clearly indicate to you, in a single place, all the things that need to be completed.  Some items in the Check List are related to you (as the Rental Contact) and some are related to the Property (e.g. pricing or listing completeness).  So, if you have multiple properties your Check List may be complete on some properties but not on others.

Completed items are shown in the Check List with a green check mark.  Incomplete items are shown with a red cross.  The link on each Check List item takes you through to the relevant section of the website.

By completing the Check List you add 20 points to the score for that property.  This affects how this property is ranked (positioned in the page).

How do I set up an email template?

This article is for: Managers

You can set up email templates for standard responses you need while managing bookings through the website.  For example, you may want a standard “accept booking” template that includes how to pay a rental deposit; or you may have a standard response to when a booking is cancelled.

You choose the template you want to use at the time you send your email correspondence through the website, and the website will remember the last template you used for that given action.

To set up an email template log-in and go to My Settings and then Email Templates.  You will find our default email templates for different stages of the booking process.

To create your custom version of an existing template:

1. Locate the template you want your email to be based on and click ‘Copy’.
2. Edit the text of the template, and use the ‘Insert Field’ option to insert Guest, Booking and Contact details that is specific to that particular booking.
3. Save all changes.

To create your own template please follow the “Add template”.

NOTE: If you manage multiple properties then we recommend you keep these templates generic and not include property specific information in them.

How do I manage bookings on Bookabach/Bookastay?

This article is for: Managers

Bookastay helps you keep track of the state of your bookings.  For rental bookings the following states apply:

REQUESTED > ACCEPTED > CONFIRMED > COMPLETED

1) When your receive a booking request the booking will show in a REQUESTED state (shown in YELLOW)

2) After vetting the person you will decide whether or not you wish to rent to them.  Should you decide to go ahead and accept the booking the state becomes ACCEPTED (shown in ORANGE).  An accepted booking is one where you have both committed to the rental, but you have not yet received a deposit yet to secure the booking . 

3) Once you have received the deposit you confirm the booking.  The booking then shows in the CONFIRMED state (shown in RED).

4) After a CONFIRMED booking has gone into the past it shows as a COMPLETED state (shown in BLUE) - you don’t need to do anything for this to happen.

If you decline a booking, or if the booking is canceled, it shows as DECLINED or CANCELED (in GRAY).  Note that declined and canceled bookings won’t show on your calendar by default - you need to click the “show deleted” checkbox to reveal them.

How do I Accept or Decline a Booking Request?

This article is for: Managers

When someone enquires about a stay at your property you will receive a Booking Request via email.  The same information shows up on your Bookings Calendar as a booking with status REQUESTED.  You will also find a link to a Requested booking under your Notifications. It is up to you to vet the enquirer for suitability. After you’ve done this you need to make a decision on whether you want to accept or decline this booking request.

To ACCEPT the booking request:
Once you both agree on terms of rental you can accept the booking.  To do this:

1. Locate the booking on your Calendar by either:
* Clicking the link in the email you received; or
* Log into the manage website and use the link in Notifications; or
* Use the booking search facility at the top of the page and type in their name

2. Expand the booking by clicking on the timeline for that booking;

3. Click the"Accept request” link;

The system will give you the option to send an acceptance email to the renter.

To DECLINE the booking request:
If you don’t want to accept this booking locate the booking as above and decline it by using the “Decline Request” link.

In either case the system will then give you the option to send an email to the renter.  Any emails you send via the site appear in the booking history for this booking.

How do I add my own rental bookings?

This article is for: Managers

We encourage you to manually add any rental bookings you have received from other sources to your Bookastay calendar. The more up-to-date your calendar is the more useful it is for people visiting the website.

To do this go to Bookings > Show Bookings page and click the Add booking button. You’ll find it on the top-right side of the screen.

Then, select Rental (or your own name if it is a family booking) and enter the booking details. You only need dates and a first/last name - but can add more information if it’s useful for you.

Note for Performance Plan customers: We DO NOT charge Performance Plan success fees on externally generated rental, only on rental bookings you receive via Bookastay.

How do I set up a Rental Terms (a rental agreement)?

This article is for: Managers

To define your Rental Terms go to My Settings > Rental Terms. If it’s the first time you’ve used this feature you will be provided with a basic questionnaire.

Once you save the questionnaire form the following information is created:

* Payment Terms: What portion of the payment should be paid when (e.g. deposit vs. balance)

* Cancellation Terms: Settings associated with how you handle cancellations

* Cancellation Charges: What amounts are forfeited when a booking is cancelled.

* Other Rental Terms: Any other Rental Terms you want to include in your agreement. For example you may have a policy on pets, or on-site camping.

Once you’ve created your Rental Terms you need to validate them before they can be used. Once they have been validated we’ll show them during the booking process.

Note that we snap-shot your Rental Terms on each booking request.  So,  if you make changes over time you still have record of what terms applied when a booking was lodged.

How do I edit pricing on my bach?

This article is for: Managers

To edit pricing go to Listing > Pricing and deals.

To set-up pricing, you must first set-up your “tariffs”.  These are “price levels”.  Once your tariffs are defined,  you need to apply these across the date ranges you want.

Step 1: Setting up tariffs

Use the ‘Add tariff’ link.  The following fields are defined:

* Tariff name: Choose a descriptive name that will help you like "high-season"
* Week-day and week-end/holiday rates: Bookastay automatically displays the correct pricing depending on the day of week and whether it’s a public holiday.
* Occupancy (for up to..): allows you to set a lower base price level if fewer people stay.
* Minimum number of nights: Define a minimum number of nights stay for dates of this tariff level.

Step 2: Apply your tariffs across date ranges

1) Check the box to the left of the tariff you wish to apply

2) Enter the date range in the From and To fields

3) Click the Apply tariff button.

Each tariff can be applied to a number of date ranges as many times as you like. To help you, we show you public, regional and school holidays in the calendar. If you want to offer a long stay discount, e.g. 7 nights for the price of 6, then add a Special Deal to your listing.

How do I Confirm an Accepted booking?

This article is for: Managers

You should confirm bookings once a deposit has been received as security. To convert an Accepted Booking to a Confirmed Booking

1. Log in and go to Bookings > Show bookings

2. Find the booking using the search facility, or by using the timeline calendar

3. Click on the booking to open it.

4. Click the"Confirm this booking” link (top left).

We give you the option to send an email to your customer indicating that the booking has been confirmed. Confirmed bookings show as red (booked) on your calendar and red (booked) on your listing.

How do I edit (make changes to) my listing?

This article is for: Managers

To edit your listing login and go to Listing. Then go to Edit Listing.

In the menu on the left hand side of the page you’ll find all the features you need to edit your listing. To ensure you complete everything, try using the Step Me Through It wizard located at the top of the column on the left side of your screen.