Importing existing reservations into PMS

At this point, you already have set up your objects, costs, and prices. You're almost ready for new reservations, you just have to enter all existing reservations from your previous system first, for a smooth transition and to prevent double booking.

A reservation import can contain past, current, and future reservations. The past reservations populate your statistics, while the current and future reservations ensure a smooth start of your daily management and prevent double booking on the same object.

Go to 'Imports' in your administration settings. Click 'New', and select 'Reservations import'.

The import file

The file you upload here has to be a CSV file. Pay attention to the encoding format, you’ll need to specify it; UTF-8 is recommended. If the first row of your file contains column headers, indicate that as well. This ensures that the import functionality does not treat that row as a reservation to be imported. Furthermore, the content of the CSV file has to meet certain standards.
Read more: Content of the reservation import file

If your import file is rather large, consider splitting it up in smaller files to make the import process faster. You define the import strategy for the first batch of reservations, and can copy it for the following files.

The import strategy

The import strategy connects the columns in your CSV file to the correct target fields in BEX PMS. If you have performed a similar reservation import before, copying that import strategy can save you some time. If it is a new import, you’ll have to configure the import strategy.
Read more: Configuring import strategy for reservations

If the import file has been checked and filled with all relevant information, configuring the import strategy should not take long. It is possible to take a break while configuring, your progress will not be lost.

Checking the imported bookings

After finalizing the import strategy and importing the data, the newly created bookings in PMS will be shown.
Clicking the booking number will show you the reservation page. Changes can still be made.
When you are ready, go to the next step.

Migration date or importing orders

Before making a choice in this step, be sure that the price lists and costs have been set up correctly.

  • Enter a future migration date if you do not want to import orders, leaving the imported reservations in 'imported' status, without a manageable invoice.

  • Importing orders for imported reservations will allow you to create invoices in BEX PMS based on the prices and costs as set up in the old system.
    Read more: Importing reservation orders

Confirm bookings and check payments

All imported reservations can be confirmed, and if any payments were specified in the reservation import, these can be checked and added to the reservation.

Send booking confirmations

This is the last step of the reservations import. Choose whether to send all bookers of the imported reservations a confirmation by email. This informs the guests about the switch to Booking Experts and about the Customer Portal and any open payments.
If desired, modify the email template 'Booking confirmation for imported booking' first.