It is January. The property is closed, the phone rings once a day, and you finally have time for the thing you kept saying all summer: "Next year we change software." Except the old system already holds bookings for June, July and August. Some with a deposit. Some from Booking.com, others from the phone.
The fear is specific: a booking gets lost on the way and you find out in July, when the guest is standing at reception. That fear is reasonable, and it is why a switch is done in order and with checks, not with one click.
Why winter is the right time
Three reasons. First, there are few or no arrivals, so nobody is waiting at the door while you change systems. Second, bookings for the new season are still few. As spring gets closer the list grows and moving it needs more checking. Third, you and your staff have time to learn the new hotel property management system (PMS) before the first busy week.
The worst case is switching in May, with the first arrivals ahead of you and the channels sending bookings every day. It can be done, but it needs more care than it does in January.
Step 1: Write down what you have today
Before you move anything, make a short list of what lives in the old system. A sheet of paper is enough.
- Future bookings. How many, per month and per channel (Booking.com, Airbnb, Expedia, phone, website).
- Deposits. Which bookings have paid something, and how much. This is the most sensitive part.
- Rooms and room types. With the names they have on the channels.
- Rates and rules. Seasons, minimum stays, cancellation policies, breakfast or half board.
- Connected channels. Which channels the old system updates today, and which you update by hand.
- Documents. Which program issues your receipts and invoices to myDATA today.
The two numbers you will need at the end are the count of future bookings and the total of deposits. Write them down.
Step 2: Export from the old system
Most systems can export a booking list to Excel or CSV from their reports. Ask for every booking with an arrival date from today on, with name, phone, email, room, dates, total, payments and channel. If your system has no such export, that is fine: we take the bookings from the reports it does have, or from the channel extranets.
Also keep a copy of last year's guest list. You do not need it to operate, but it is the basis for returning guests.
Step 3: Set up the new system
At Bookmatrix.com we do the setup: rooms, rates, policies, website and booking engine. It is usually ready within 48 hours. What exactly happens in those hours is in the article "I am not a computer person": we set it up in 48 hours.
At this stage the new system is not yet connected to the channels. The old one keeps working as usual and nothing changes in your day.
Step 4: Import the future bookings
Future bookings go into the new calendar before the channel connection is switched on. Each booking moves with its guest, room, dates, amount and the payments already made, so the balance is right from day one.
The reason the order matters is simple: once the connection is on, the new system sends availability to the channels. If a July booking is missing from the calendar, the room looks free and can be sold twice.
Step 5: The check you do not skip
This is where the two numbers from step 1 come in.
- Booking count. Compare future bookings in the new calendar with the old list, month by month.
- Deposits. The total of payments moved across must match the old system.
- Spot check. Open ten bookings at random and check name, room, dates and balance.
- Channels. For Booking.com and Airbnb, compare the extranet booking list with the same channel's bookings on the calendar.
An example: a 15-room property has 60 future bookings in January. Compared month by month, that is 5 or 6 lists of 10 to 15 lines. An hour of work, and you know nothing is missing.
Step 6: Switch the channel connection
This is the only moment the two systems "change shifts". Bookmatrix.com connects to the channels through Channex. In the Booking.com extranet you choose Channex as your connectivity provider, and we match each room and rate to yours. For Airbnb and the other channels we guide you through their own steps. We are on the phone for every step.
Two rules for that day:
- One system sends availability, never two. On the day of the switch you turn off the old system's channel connection.
- Pick a quiet time. A weekday morning in winter is ideal. If a booking comes in during the switch, it shows on the calendar right away.
After connecting, open the Booking.com extranet and the Airbnb calendar and check a few summer dates: rooms that are taken must show as closed.
Step 7: Documents and myDATA
Receipts you have already issued stay in myDATA, whichever system you use from now on. From the day of the switch, new documents are issued from the new system. Ask your accountant from which date and with which numbering series you will start, so nothing gets mixed up at year end.
Step 8: One week with your eyes open
In the first week, check two things every day: that new bookings land on the calendar, and that the sync light is green. Keep read-only access to the old system for a few weeks, until you are sure you need nothing from it.
What does not move (and that is fine)
- Your reviews. They stay on Booking.com and Airbnb. Changing software does not touch your listing.
- Old bookings. Completed stays from past years are not needed to operate. If you want them for history, we discuss what can be moved.
- Habits. These change with a little practice. That is why, after setup, we call you and walk you through the calendar step by step.
Frequently asked questions
How long does switching software take?
Bookmatrix.com setup usually takes up to 48 hours. Importing and checking bookings comes on top, depending on how many you have. Switching the channel connection is done in one day.
Can a booking get lost on the way?
The risk is there when two systems send availability at the same time, or when bookings have not been moved before the connection goes live. That is why the order is: import, check, then switch the connection, with the old system disconnected.
Will I lose my Booking.com review score?
No. The listing, the reviews and the score belong to the property on Booking.com. Only the system that sends rates and availability changes.
What happens to my data if I ever leave Bookmatrix.com?
Your data is yours. You can export reservations, guests and documents at any time.
Want to see how your own property would look? Start the free 14-day demo with your own rooms at bookmatrix.com/demo, no card needed. Or tell us which system you use today at bookmatrix.com/form and we will call you on the next working day. You can also call us at +30 2351 151525.